JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s the second round of the high school football state playoffs. A glance at the matchups in the Suburban and Rural divisions. All games are Friday at 7 p.m. unless indicated. For a glance at Metro division games, you can find that here.
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Regional semifinals
Region 1-4S
(4) Creekside (9-2) at (1) Bartram Trail (11-0)
Road here: Creekside d. (5) Navarre, 47-20; Bartram d. (8) Flagler Palm Coast, 50-20.
Winner gets: (7) Crestview (7-4) or (3) Buchholz (8-2) in the regional final. Creekside would host Crestview but travel to face Buchholz. Bartram would host either team.
Region glance: Round 2 for the St. Johns County rivals who are roughly six miles apart. The Bears won the first installment this season handily, 59-27. They’ve won 14 of 15 matchups against Creekside all-time. That game could be pointed to as where things all fully clicked this season for the Bears. They’d been a defensive-rooted team (save for a 59-37 win over St. Augustine) until that point. But QB Riley Trujillo (323 passing yards, 4 TDs) and Laython Biddle (198 rushing yards, 3 TDs) cranked it up and the Bears have been on the warpath ever since. Biddle ended the regular season with 1,145 rushing yards and 22 TDs and Trujillo has emerged into another legitimate Power 5 QB for Bartram. The Bears defense held Creekside in check in the first game and they’ve got a good one, with LB Zeke Cromwell (75 regular season tackles, INT) and DB Sharif Denson (23 tackles, 2 INT, FF). The Knights enter averaging 41.3 ppg and will need to be able to reach that number to keep up with Bartram. No one who’s seen these teams expects it to be a low-scoring affair. Creekside’s weapons are plenty. RB Nicky Williams (1,097 rushing yards, 16 TDs in regular season), QBs Wilson Edwards (1,412 passing yards, 15 TDs, 198 rushing yards, 5 TDs) and Sean Ashenfelder (550 passing yards, 7 TDs, 230 rushing yards, 3 TDs) and WR Ashton Reynolds (455 receiving yards, 7 TDs) have led this scoreboard-popping offense.
Region 1-3S
(3) Columbia (8-3) at (2) Escambia (8-3), 8 p.m.
Road here: Columbia d. Lincoln, 29-6; Escambia d. (7) Middleburg, 42-18.
Winner gets: (5) Choctaw (6-5) or (1) Pine Forest (11-0) in the regional final on Nov. 25. Columbia would host Choctaw but travel to Pine Forest.
Region glance: The Tigers have adjusted very well since an 0-2 start. The offense has some more bite to it with dual-threat QB Tyler Jefferson (1,081 passing yards, 9 TDs, 475 rushing yards, 5 TDs) gives Columbia options out of the pocket. RB Tony Fulton (593 rushing yards, 8 TDs) and WR Camden Frier (502 receiving yards, 5 TDs) are capable of highlight-reel plays. The defense, led by DB Amare Ferrell and LB Jaden Robinson, has quietly put together a strong season and is the strength of the Tigers. Columbia is holding teams to 17 points a game. Columbia is 11-9 all-time against Panhandle-area teams.
Region 1-2S
(3) West Florida (8-2) at (2) Suwannee (9-2), 7:30 p.m.
Road here: West Florida d. (6) Bay, 35-0; Suwannee d. (7) Walton, 39-15.
Winner gets: (4) Pensacola Catholic (10-1) or (1) Florida High (11-0) in the regional final on Nov. 25. Suwanee would host Catholic but travel to Florida High.
Region glance: Before last week, the Bulldogs hadn’t won a state playoff game in a non-pandemic season since 2015. They are one of the area’s hottest teams, winners of seven straight. Suwannee has shown it can win big (four wins by 24 or more) and win small (two Ws by field goals) during its winning streak. QB Bronsen Tillotson (1,800 passing yards, 18 TDs), RB Marquavious Owens (1,026 rushing yards, 6 TDs) and WR Javarion Smith (913 receiving yards, 11 TDs) have Suwannee on the cusp of a 2,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver. LB Kodi Lang (89 tackles, 7 TFL) leads a defense that is holding teams to 8.2 ppg.
Region 2-2S
(5) Eastside (8-2) at (1) Bradford (10-1), 7:30 p.m.
Road here: Eastside d. (4) North Marion, 27-14; Bradford d. (8) Crescent City, 48-0.
Winner gets: (3) Baker County (8-3) or (2) Baldwin (9-2) in the regional finals on Nov. 25. Bradford would host either team.
(3) Baker County (8-3) at (2) Baldwin (9-2), 6:30 p.m.
Road here: Baker County d. (6) Yulee, 16-6; Baldwin d. (7) Palatka, 29-12.
Winner gets: (5) Eastside (8-2) or (1) Bradford (10-1) in the regional finals on Nov. 25. Baldwin or Baker County would host Eastside but travel to Bradford.
Region glance: An interesting region with local teams. The Baker County-Baldwin showdown is the second meeting of the season between the teams, won in a 30-7 romp by the Indians. That win sent Baldwin on its way to a historic district title for coach Rob Shields. QB Jalen Hitchens has been the offensive leader for Baldwin. He’s nearing 1,000 yards on the ground (984, 13 TDs) and has passed for 818 yards and six TDs. WR Jahad Miller (384 receiving yards, 5 TDs) is Hitchens’ favorite target. Defensively, the Indians are solid. LB Leon Kirkland and Cortez Martinez have combined for nine of Baldwin’s 16 interceptions. DL/LB Adrian Yeartie (87 tackles, 10 TFL, 9 sacks) leads the pressure rush of Baldwin. Baker County has one of the area’s top RBs in Cam Smith (1,474 rushing yards, 15 TDs) and he also doubles as the team’s top pass catcher (420 receiving yards, 4 TDs). LB Seth Chestnut (135 tackles, 4 TFL) and DL/LB Orlando Holland (118 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 5 TFL) are everywhere on defense. DB Davion Dean (6 INT) has the bulk of Baker County’s 17 picks as a team. … Bradford remains one of the state’s top defenses, limiting teams to 2.8 ppg but it can light up a scoreboard, too, averaging 29.5 ppg. Willie Pollard and Manny Covey lead the offense out of the backfield. But it all comes back to defense for the Tornadoes. LB Chason Clark (70 tackles, 11 TFL, 5 sacks) and DB Jarrin Alexander (3 INTs) lead the team in those categories
Region 3-1R
(4) Madison County (4-6) at (1) Union County (6-2), 7:30 p.m.
Road here: Madison d. Fort White, 36-0; Union was on a bye.
Winner gets: (3) Lafayette (9-2) or (2) Hilliard (8-2) in the regional finals on Nov. 25. Union County would host either team.
(3) Lafayette (9-2) at (2) Hilliard (8-2), 7:30 p.m.
Road here: Lafayette d. Branford, 35-7; Hilliard was on a bye.
Winner gets: (4) Madison County (4-6) or (1) Union County (6-2) in the regional finals on Nov. 25. Hilliard would host Madison but travel to face Union.
Region glance: The top-seeded Tigers will have to do something they’ve never done before ... beat the Cowboys in the state playoffs. Union has faced Madison four times in the postseason and managed just 25 total points in games in 2015, ‘17, ‘19 and ‘20. RB Rayvon Durant (1,178 rushing yards, 13 TDs), QB AJ Cortese (1,171 passing yards, 12 TDs) and WR Daylyn Diston (551 receiving yards, 4 TDs) lead the Tigers. ... Hilliard gets a rematch against a Lafayette team that handed it a 21-14 loss in the regular season. RB Braydon Holley (818 rushing yards, 8 TDs, 360 rushing yards, 5 TDs) and QB Lyle Bennett (1,041 passing yards, 11 TDs, 375 rushing yards, 12 TDs) lead the Hilliard offense. LB Damon Kibler (78 tackles, 8 TFL) and DE Tucker Pickett (6.5 sacks) lead the defense.
Regional semifinals
Friday, Nov. 18; all games 7 p.m. unless indicated
Region 1-4S
(4) Creekside (9-2) at (1) Bartram Trail (11-0)
(7) Crestview (7-4) at (3) Buchholz (8-2), 7:30 p.m.
Region 1-3S
(5) Choctaw (6-5) at at (1) Pine Forest (11-0), 7:30 p.m.
(3) Columbia (8-3) at (2) Escambia (8-3), 8 p.m.
Region 1-2S
(4) Pensacola Catholic (10-1) at (1) Florida High (11-0)
(3) West Florida (8-2) at (2) Suwannee (9-2), 7:30 p.m.
Region 2-2S
(5) Eastside (8-2) at (1) Bradford (10-1), 7:30 p.m.
(3) Baker County (8-3) at (2) Baldwin (9-2), 6:30 p.m.
Region 1-2M
(8) Riverside (5-6) at (5) Raines (8-2), 6:30 p.m.
(7) Bishop Moore (8-3) at (3) Bolles (7-4), 7:30 p.m.
Region 1-1M
(4) Orlando Christian Prep (6-4) at (1) Trinity Christian (10-0), 7:30 p.m.
(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), 7:30 p.m.
(3) Lafayette (9-2) at (2) Hilliard (8-2), 7:30 p.m.
Georgia High School Association playoffs
Second round
Friday, Nov. 18
Class 7A
(2) Camden County (8-3) at (1) Grayson (9-2), 7:30 p.m.
Class 5A
(2) Chamblee (8-2) at (1) Ware County (10-0), 7:30 p.m.
Class 2A
(4) Berrien (7-4) at (2) Pierce County (10-1), 7:30 p.m.
Class 1A Division 2
(3) Dooly County (6-5) at (1) Charlton County (8-2), 7:30 p.m.