JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s the second week of the high school football season. News4Jax highlights the top four games in the area this week and the next four.
FOUR TO WATCH
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All games Friday at 7 p.m. unless indicated
(2) Bolles (1-0) at (5) Columbia (1-0), 7:30 p.m.: Both teams started with dominant victories last week, the Bulldogs shredding West Nassau (42-0) and the Tigers plowing Delray Beach American Heritage (46-23) in a game that wasn’t that close. Columbia will have its defense honed in on RB Kade Frew, who had 172 yards rushing and four TDs on just 10 carries in a half of play at the WW Gay Bold City Showcase blowout of West Nassau. Columbia counters with versatile stars Marcus Peterson and Tray Tolliver, the latter who had two punt returns for TDs and caught a score last week.
Fletcher (0-1) at Parker (0-1), 6:30 p.m.: A bounceback game for both programs. The Senators were upended at the finish in a 19-15 loss to Sandalwood, while the Braves were handcuffed by a tough Riverside defense in a one-sided loss (28-3). Fletcher has won nine straight in this Gateway Conference series, with the bulk of those runaways. Parker’s last win in this matchup was in 2006. Both teams had trouble moving the ball on offense last week. The Senators had 118 in a loss to Sandalwood. The Braves mustered just a field goal against the Generals.
Miami Columbus (1-0) at (4) Bartram Trail (1-0): Another tough one for the Bears, who beat Tallahassee Rickards 24-7 last week in a hastily thrown together game due to COVID-19 issues for those teams’ opponents. The Explorers won the state championship in 2019 and went 9-0 during their COVID-impacted 2020 season. Can the Bears end a 17-game winning streak of Columbus? RB Eric Weatherly rushed for 101 yards and a pair of TDs for Bartram. The Bears are still young in the passing game but expect that to improve weekly. The defense is tough, with LBs Micah Pollard and Dylan Chiedo and DT Segree Graham supplying the pressure in the middle and up front.
(3) Riverside (1-0) at Atlantic Coast (1-0), 6:30 p.m.: Two teams coming off of huge wins, the Generals over Parker and the Stingrays claiming the Principal’s Cup with a 27-24 win over rival Mandarin. Atlantic Coast RB Arthur Walker (196 rushing yards, 3 TDs) will have the full attention of a Generals defense that is strong at all three levels. LBs Greg Washington (7 tackles, sack), Bryce Capers (5 tackles) and Lawrence Neloms (4 tackles, INT for TD, sack are tough in the middle of the field for this punishing unit that may wind up as the best in town.
NEXT FOUR
Creekside (1-0) at Nease (1-0): Our News4Jax game of the week. Big wins for both in Week 1, headlined by strong defensive efforts. The Knights smothered Ribault and the Panthers ended an 11-game losing streak to rival Ponte Vedra.
Menendez (1-0) at St. Augustine (0-0): The Falcons have won one game in this series (2018) and lost 18, often in blowout fashion. The teams didn’t play last year due to COVID-19. Can first-year coach Matt Potak get to 2-0?
Westside (1-0) at Suwannee (1-0), 7:30 p.m.: A game that emerged mid-week due to COVID-19 cancellations involving their opponents. The Wolverines are coming off of a shutout of Jackson, while the Bulldogs had no trouble with Dixie County.
Yulee (0-1) at Fernandina Beach (0-1): This Nassau County rivalry is one of the best in the area. The Hornets have won seven straight in this series, including a 41-34 shootout last year. And that seven-win season was the Pirates’ best in what felt like forever. The last time they were above .500 and beat the Hornets in the same season was in 2008.
Week 2, Florida
All games Friday at 7 p.m. unless indicated
Bolles (1-0) at Columbia (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
Bradford (0-1) at Union County (0-1), 7:30 p.m.
Christ’s Church (1-0) at Cedar Creek Christian (0-0)
Creekside (1-0) at Nease (1-0)
Daytona Beach Mainland (0-0) at Flagler Palm Coast (0-0)
Englewood (1-0) at Bishop Kenny (1-0)
Fleming Island (0-1) at Lake Minneola (1-0)
Fletcher (0-1) at Parker (0-1), 6:30 p.m.
Fort White (0-0) at Newberry (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
Gainesville Buchholz (1-0) at Sandalwood (1-0), 6:30 p.m.
Gainesville Eastside (0-1) at Middleburg (1-0)
Gainesville Oak Hall (0-1) at Bishop Snyder (0-0)
Harvest (0-1) at St. John Paul II (0-1)
Hilliard (1-0) at Stanton (0-1), 6:30 p.m.
Jackson (0-1) at Providence (0-1)
Keystone Heights (1-0) at Bell (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
Mandarin (0-1) at Spruce Creek (1-0)
Matanzas (0-1) at Port Orange Atlantic (0-1)
Menendez (1-0) at St. Augustine (0-0)
Miami Carol City (1-0) at Oakleaf (1-0)
Miami Columbus (1-0) at Bartram Trail (1-0)
North Florida Educational (0-0) at Seffner Christian (1-0)
Palatka (0-0) at Eustis (1-0)
Ponte Vedra (0-1) at Episcopal (1-0)
Raines (0-1) at First Coast (0-1), 6:30 p.m.
Ribault (0-1) at Trinity Christian (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
Ridgeview (0-0) at Orange Park (0-1)
Riverside (1-0) at Atlantic Coast (1-0), 6:30 p.m.
Umatilla (0-1) at Crescent City (0-1)
University Christian (1-0) at Zephyrhills Christian (0-0)
Viera (0-1) at Baker County (1-0)
Westside (1-0) at Suwannee (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
Wolfson (0-1) at Paxon (0-1), 6:30 p.m.
Young Kids in Motion (0-1) at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal (0-1)
Yulee (0-1) at Fernandina Beach (0-1)
Others
Santa Fe (1-0) at Suwannee (1-0), 7:30 p.m., canceled due to COVID-19
Tocoi Creek (0-1) at Interlachen (0-1), canceled due to COVID-19
White (1-0) at Westside (1-0), 6:30 p.m., canceled due to COVID-19
OFF: Baldwin, Clay, Eagle’s View, Interlachen, St. Joseph, Tocoi Creek, West Nassau, Zarephath Academy.
Week 3, Georgia
All games Friday at 7:30 p.m. unless indicated
Baldwin (1-0) at Ware County (2-0)
Inlet Grove (2-0) at Camden County (2-0), 7 p.m. (Camden’s initial opponent was Beacon Hill but it was replaced Thursday morning)
Long County (1-1) at Charlton County (1-0)
Pierce County (1-1) at Claxton (0-1)
Winder-Barrow (1-0) at Glynn Academy (0-1-1)
Off: Brunswick.