JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The opening night of the state playoffs in the area are done and what a night it was.
Two of the area’s top-seeded teams, Jackson in Region 1-2M and Brunswick in Georgia’s Class 6A, were stunned in their opening round games on Friday night.
Due to Hurricane Nicole, five games involving area teams will be played on Saturday and another on Monday.
The Tigers had a massive turnaround under coach Christopher Foy, but lost 20-13 to No. 8 seed Riverside in the night’s biggest shock. Tae’shaun Gelsey caught a fourth-down touchdown pass from Devin Herring, a play where he shook off numerous tackles, to give the Generals the decisive score.
Riverside’s win keeps the Generals’ late season surge going. First-year coach Antwan Nicholas saw his team endure a six-game losing streak, including a 6-2 loss to Jackson in the regular season, before turning things around in the closing stretch. Jackson was the only No. 1 seed in the state to lose its opener.
The Generals (5-6) will visit fifth-seeded Raines, a 34-22 winner over White, in the regional semifinals. Also in 1-2M, Bolles jumped out to a four-touchdown lead at halftime and beat Episcopal, 38-6. The Bulldogs will face either Bishop Kenny or Bishop Moore in the regional semis.
Brunswick was the area’s other top seed to fall. The Pirates (10-1) had their second consecutive unbeaten regular season, but watched as fourth-seeded Houston County scored on a two-point conversion in overtime to stun Brunswick.
Bartram Trail fell into a 14-0 hole but roared back to wallop Flagler Palm Coast 50-20. The Bears (11-0) will host Creekside (9-2) in next week’s regional semi. The Knights went on the road and hammered Navarre 47-20, their first playoff win since 2011.
Top-seeded Bradford (10-1) crushed Crescent City 48-0 in Region 2-2S and Baker County used defense to nail down Yulee, 16-6. In Region 1-3S, Columbia rolled over Lincoln (29-6) and Middleburg’s season ended with a 42-18 loss to Escambia.
Television coverage
Game of the Week preview: Yulee at Baker County
Game of the Week: (3) Baker County 16, (6) Yulee 6
Play of the night: Riverside’s Tae’shaun Gelsey
All star of the night: Baker County’s defense
Football Friday: (1) Bartram Trail 50, (8) Flagler Palm Coast 20
Football Friday: (3) Bolles 38, (6) Episcopal 6
Football Friday: (1) Bradford 48, (8) Crescent City 0
Football Friday: (1) Charlton County 44, (4) Seminole County 0
Football Friday: (3) Columbia 29, (6) Lincoln 6
Football Friday: (4) Creekside 47, (5) Navarre 20
Football Friday: (4) Houston County 29, (1) Brunswick 28, OT
Football Friday: (5) Raines 34, (4) White 22
Football Friday: (8) Riverside 20, (1) Jackson 13
Playoff results, Florida
Regional quarterfinals, Friday
Region 1-4S
(1) Bartram Trail 50, (8) Flagler Palm Coast 20
(4) Creekside 47, (5) Navarre 20
(7) Crestview 26, (2) Niceville 21
(3) Buchholz 35, (6) Pace 34
Region 1-3S
(1) Pine Forest 35, (8) Rickards 15
(5) Choctaw (5-5) at (4) St. Augustine (7-3), Saturday, 6 p.m.
(2) Escambia 42, (7) Middleburg 18
(3) Columbia 29, (6) Lincoln 6
Region 1-2S
(1) Florida High 63, (8) South Walton 44
(4) Pensacola Catholic 45, (5) Wakulla 21
(3) West Florida 35, (6) Panama City Bay 0
(2) Suwannee 39, (7) Walton 15
Region 2-2S
(1) Bradford 48, (8) Crescent City 0
(5) Eastside 27, (4) North Marion 14
(7) Palatka (7-3) at (2) Baldwin (8-2), Saturday, 6 p.m.
(3) Baker County 16, (6) Yulee 6
Region 1-4M
(1) Seminole (8-2) at (8) Mandarin (5-4), Monday, 6:30 p.m.
(5) Hagerty (8-2) at (4) Lake Mary (6-3), 7:30 p.m.
(7) Boone (6-4) at (2) Apopka (7-3), Saturday
(6) Lake Brantley (5-5) at (3) Winter Park (9-1), Monday
Region 1-3M
(8) First Coast (6-3) at (1) Orlando Edgewater (10-0), Saturday, 6 p.m.
(5) Tampa Bay Tech (8-2) at (4) Fletcher (8-2), Saturday, 6 p.m.
(7) Wekiva (5-5) at (2) Orlando Jones (8-2), Saturday
(6) Tampa Wharton (8-2) at (3) Oviedo (9-1), Monday
Region 1-2M
(8) Riverside 20, (1) Jackson 13
(7) Bishop Moore (7-3) at (2) Bishop Kenny (8-2), Saturday, 6 p.m.
(3) Bolles 38, (6) Episcopal 6
Region 3-1R
(4) Madison County 36, (5) Fort White 0
(3) Mayo Lafayette 35, (6) Branford 7
(1) Union County (6-2) and (2) Hilliard (8-2), first-round bye
Regional semifinals
Friday, Nov. 18
Region 1-4S
(4) Creekside (9-2) at (1) Bartram Trail (11-0)
(7) Crestview (7-4) at (3) Buchholz (8-2)
Region 1-3S
(5) Choctaw or (4) St. Augustine at (1) Pine Forest (11-0)
(3) Columbia (8-3) at (2) Escambia (8-3)
Region 1-2S
(4) Pensacola Catholic (10-1) at (1) Florida High (11-0)
(3) West Florida (8-2) at (2) Suwannee (9-2)
Region 2-2S
(5) Eastside (8-2) at (1) Bradford (10-1)
(3) Baker County vs. (7) Palatka (7-3) or (2) Baldwin (8-2)
Region 1-2M
(8) Riverside (5-6) at (5) Raines (8-2)
(7) Bishop Moore or (2) Bishop Kenny vs. (3) Bolles (7-4)
Region 1-1M
(4) Orlando Christian Prep (6-4) at (1) Trinity Christian (10-0)
(3) First Academy (8-2) at (2) University Christian (9-1)
Region 3-1R
(4) Madison County (4-6) at (1) Union County (6-2)
(3) Lafayette (9-2) at (2) Hilliard (8-2)
Georgia High School Association playoffs
First round, Friday
Class 6A
(1) Northside Warner Robins 18, (4) Glynn Academy 13
Class 5A
(4) Houston County 29, (1) Brunswick 28, OT
Class 2A
(2) Pierce County 42, (3) Laney 14
Class 1A Division 2
(1) Charlton County 44, (4) Seminole County 0
Saturday’s games
Class 7A
(4) East Coweta (6-4) at (1) Camden County (7-3), Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
Class 6A
(4) Jones County (6-4) at (1) Ware County (9-0), Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
Second round
Friday, Nov. 18
Class 2A
(4) Berrien (7-4) at (2) Pierce County (10-1)
Class 1A Division 2
(3) Dooly County (6-5) at (1) Charlton County (8-2)