High school football ‘23: Scores, headlines from Week 4 and looking ahead

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Week 4 of the high school football season is complete, and some teams are nearing the halfway mark of the 2023 season.

What were the biggest takeaways on a soggy Friday night in the area? It was a tough night for three Super 10 teams — Bishop Kenny, Raines and Trinity Christian — and a great start in a tough district for Oakleaf.

But the biggest one — Bolles isn’t quite dead yet. DJ Moore scored the winning touchdown with less than 30 seconds to play and the defense sewed up a pristine night with a game-sealing interception by Simeon Caldwell to notch a massive 26-21 win.

The host Bulldogs forced five Trinity Christian turnovers and made it a forgettable night for LSU commit quarterback Colin Hurley and the Conquerors. Trinity edged in front 21-20 with just over three minutes to play on a touchdown pass from Hurley to Miles Burris. But Bolles and Moore responded with a gut-check drive and the winner. The defense made it a rough night for Hurley. Trent Carter had a pick-six, while Jalen Ross and Caldwell both had second-half interceptions. Bolles also recovered a pair of Trinity fumbles.

The Bulldogs, mired in their worst start since 1967, needed a win in the worst way possible. They’d dropped tight games to St. Augustine, Mandarin and Coffee, Ga. — teams who are a combined 11-0 — during their tough start. Trinity had won last year’s showdown 27-14, a game where Bolles’ Moore missed due to injury.

Mandarin turns off AC

The battle for the Principal’s Cup was all Mandarin. The Mustangs put the brakes on rival Atlantic Coast’s hot start, hammering the Stingrays 30-0 on Friday night. Tramell Jones tossed a scoring pass to Ethan Sherman and Dashard Westcott had a powerful scoring run in the first half as the Mustangs (4-0) built a 24-0 lead at the break and coasted.

Oakleaf the king of Clay County

Oakleaf took a big step in securing Clay County bragging rights, getting a touchdown run and pass from Brandon Wallace to beat Fleming Island 24-14 in the District 3-4S opener. Oakleaf (2-0) hadn’t played since a Week 1 win over Orange Park. Any victory in a district that includes Bartram Trail, Creekside, Fleming Island and Gainesville Buchholz is significant. And a rivalry win just sweetened the victory.

The predictions

A 28-7 record in this week’s picks (with a couple games still to be accounted for) is a solid week in the predictions. A few bad ones, with picks against Episcopal, Providence and Orange Park the worst calls of the week.

How the Super 10 fared

1. Mandarin (4-0), beat Atlantic Coast 30-0.

2. St. Augustine (3-0), beat Menendez, 44-6.

3. Bartram Trail (2-1), Off.

4. Trinity Christian (2-2), lost to Bolles, 26-21.

5. Bradford (4-0), beat Gainesville Eastside, 32-7.

6. Raines (2-1), lost to Daytona Beach Mainland, 26-0.

7. Bishop Kenny (2-1), lost to Orlando Bishop Moore, 31-21.

8. University Christian (2-1), Off.

9. Ponte Vedra (2-1), beat Middleburg, 35-0.

10. Oakleaf (2-0), beat Fleming Island, 24-14.

Television coverage

• Play of the night: Paxon’s AJ Davis
• How the Super 10 fared in Week 4
• Recruit spotlight: Bishop Kenny’s James Resar
• Baker County 12, Baldwin 7
• Bolles 26, Trinity Christian 21
• Episcopal 26, West Nassau 6
• Fletcher 27, Nease 21
• Mandarin 30, Atlantic Coast 0
• Oakleaf 24, Fleming Island 14
• Paxon 32, Stanton 8
• Ponte Vedra 35, Middleburg 0
• Providence 32, NFEI 8
• Ribault 22, Westside 0
• St. Augustine 44, Menendez 6
• White 30, Parker 16

Week 4 scoreboard, Florida

Friday’s results

• Baker County 12, Baldwin 7
• Beachside 45, Sebastian River 14
• Bolles 26, Trinity Christian 21
• Bradford 34, Gainesville Eastside 7
• Branford 21, Hilliard 18
• Christ’s Church 22, Bishop Snyder 20
• Clay 35, Gainesville 14
• Daytona Beach Mainland 26, Raines 0
• Episcopal 26, West Nassau 6
• Fernandina Beach 42, Interlachen 0
• Flagler Palm Coast 28, Matanzas 9
• Fletcher 27, Nease 21
• Fort White 49, Hamilton County 0
• Gainesville Buchholz 49, Creekside 20
• Joshua Christian at Zarephath Academy, late
• Keystone Heights 49, Bell 0
• Madison County 22, Columbia 8
• Mandarin 30, Atlantic Coast 0
• Mount Dora Christian 37, Duval Charter 6
• Oakleaf 24, Fleming Island 14
• Orange Park 28, Melbourne 13
• Orlando Bishop Moore 31, Bishop Kenny 21
• Palm Beach Christian Prep at Impact Christian, late
• Palatka 35, Belleview 8
• Paxon 32, Stanton 8
• Ponte Vedra 35, Middleburg 0
• Providence 32, NFEI 8
• Ribault 22, Westside 0
• Riverside 34, First Coast 28
• Spruce Creek 21, Jackson 6
• St. Augustine 44, Menendez 6
• St. Joseph 20, Eagle’s View 14 (OT)
• Suwannee 40, Quincy Munroe 6
• Tocoi Creek 21, Eustis 7
• Union County 49, Gainesville P.K. Yonge 12
• West Oaks 32, Young Kids in Motion 0
• White 30, Parker 16

Week 5 scoreboard, Georgia

Friday’s results

• Brunswick 63, Savannah Islands 0
• Camden County 51, Somerset Academy 7
• Pierce County 48, Charlton County 6
• OFF: Glynn Academy, Ware County.

Week 5 schedule, Florida

Thursday, Sept. 21

• Flagler Palm Coast (2-1) at Orange City University (4-0)

Friday, Sept. 22

• Atlantic (2-2) at Matanzas (2-1)
• Atlantic Coast (3-1) at Camden County (4-1)
• Baldwin (1-3) at Parker (0-4), 6:30 p.m.
• Bartram Trail (2-1) at St. Augustine (3-0), Football Friday Game of the Week
• Bolles (1-3) at Oakleaf (2-0)
• Clay (3-1) at Tocoi Creek (2-2)
• Duval Charter (0-2) at Harvest Community (0-3)
• Episcopal (2-1) at NFEI (1-3)
• First Coast (0-3) at Westside (0-4), 6:30 p.m.
• Fleming Island (2-1) at Titusville (4-0)
• Hilliard (1-2) at Crescent City (2-1)
• Impact Christian Academy at Cedar Creek Christian (0-3)
• Interlachen (0-4) at Keystone Heights (1-2)
• Joshua Christian (1-1) at Specially Fit Academy (2-0)
• Mandarin (4-0) at Creekside (1-3)
• North Marion (1-1) at Suwannee (3-0), 7:30 p.m.
• Ocala Trinity Catholic at Raines (2-1)
• Orange Park (2-2) at Nease (2-2)
• Orlando Christian Prep (4-0) at Union County (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
• Paxon (2-2) at Branford (3-0)
• Ponte Vedra (2-1) at Menendez (1-3)
• Providence (3-1) at Christ’s Church (3-0)
• Ribault (3-1) at Middleburg (0-3)
• Ridgeview (1-2) at Beachside (3-1)
• St. Joseph (1-3) at Melbourne Central Catholic (2-2)
• Sandalwood (0-3) at Fletcher (2-2), 6:30 p.m.
• Stanton (0-3) at Englewood (2-1), 6:30 p.m.
• Trinity Christian (2-2) at Columbia (0-3), 7:30 p.m.
• University Christian (2-1) at Key West (1-3)
• Victory Charter School (0-0) at Hollis Christian (0-2)
• Viera (1-2) at Baker County (1-2)
• West Nassau (1-3) at Bishop Kenny (2-1)
• White (3-1) at Riverside (3-1), 6:30 p.m.
• Williston (4-0) at Fort White (4-0), 7:30 p.m.
• Wolfson (1-2) at Bishop Snyder (2-2)
• Young Kids in Motion (0-2) at Zephyrhills Christian (2-2)
• Zarephath Academy at Mayo Lafayette (3-0)

Saturday, Sept. 23

• Yulee (2-1) at Tradition Prep (3-1), 6 p.m.
• OFF: Bradford, Eagle’s View, Fernandina Beach, Jackson, Palatka.

Week 6 schedule, Georgia

Friday, Sept. 22

• Atlantic Coast (3-1) at Camden County (4-1), 7:30 p.m.
• Brunswick (2-1) vs. Glynn Academy (3-1), 7:30 p.m.*
• Pierce County (4-0) at Brantley County (3-1), 7:30 p.m.*
• Ware County (3-1) at Bainbridge (2-2), 7:30 p.m.
• OFF: Charlton County.