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Varsity 4 Super 10: Shakeups galore including a new No. 1 team as season reaches Week 5

The News4JAX Super 10 is published each Tuesday in the high school football regular season. (News4JAX)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The high school football regular season is off and rolling. News4JAX Varsity 4 Super 10 is here. It will be published on Tuesday through the end of the regular season. Think we’ve got a team ranked too high or a program not ranked at all? Send us a message on Instagram (@Sports4Jax) or sports@wjxt.com.

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News4JAX Varsity 4 Super 10

Rank, previous, School, Record, Classification

1. (2) St. Augustine (3-0, Class 4A)

Last week: beat Riverside, 47-35. This week: vs. (5) Nease (3-0).

Glance: The Yellow Jackets have three solid wins this year (Palatka, Menendez and Riverside) but I do have a few concerns about the defense. But as long as St. Augustine’s offense is humming like it has been, the Yellow Jackets should be OK. Huge test in Week 5 against a red-hot Nease.

2. (3) Raines (4-0, Class 3A)

Last week: beat Daytona Beach Mainland, 34-15. This week: Off.

Glance: The Vikings make the jump up a spot after a strong start. They’ve got quality Ws over Bolles and Trinity Christian, and added a decisive win over defending state champ Mainland last week. Week 6 against Riverside, Week 8 at Madison County and Week 9 at Creekside are the most challenging games left.

3. (4) Bradford (4-0, Class 2A)

Last week: beat Mandarin, 18-13. This week: Off.

Glance: A massive win last week for the Tornadoes, who surged back in the closing minutes to top previous No. 1 Mandarin. Really struggled in deciding whether to vault the Tornadoes to No. 1. Bradford’s defense is the real deal and the schedule thus far has been the area’s most difficult. Bradford has wins over four playoff teams from last year. Head coach Jamie Rodgers has got something special in Starke. District play begins Sept. 27 against Keystone Heights. There’s no impediment remaining for a 10-0 regular season.

4. (1) Mandarin (3-1, Class 6A)

Last week: lost to Bradford, 18-13. This week: at IMG Academy (3-1).

Glance: The Mustangs endured a tough loss at Bradford last week and are facing questions of their own following injuries that have taken Tramell Jones out for the season and receiver Jaime Ffrench out for the second half of last week’s game. A trip to IMG is a massive challenge for coach Toby Bullock and Mandarin.

5. (6) Nease (3-0, Class 6A)

Last week: beat Fletcher, 39-0. This week: at (2) St. Augustine (3-0).

Glance: The Panthers swap places with Bolles this week after crushing Fletcher last week. Nease has a bevy of offensive playmakers (Nate Harry, KJ Perry, Maddox Spencer and Brayden Felder to name a few) but defense has been the story this season. It has allowed 14 points this season. This team feels oddly similar to Collin Drafts’ 2021 senior-heavy team that went 9-4 and made the regional finals.

6. (5) Bolles (2-1, Class 2A)

Last week: beat Bishop Kenny, 35-28. This week: vs. (9) Oakleaf (3-1), 7:30 p.m.

Glance: The Bulldogs rallied for a win against rival Kenny last week, surging back from a 15-point hole in the third quarter. They’ve got a stiff challenge on deck against a tough Oakleaf team that’s coming off a loss.

7. (8) Ponte Vedra (2-1, Class 6A)

Last week: beat Beachside, 17-14. This week: vs. Menendez (2-1), Thursday.

Glance: Great win last week for the Sharks over a county and district opponent in Beachside. A solid Menendez team is up next on Thursday night.

8. (NR) Baker County (2-1, Class 3A)

Last week: beat First Coast, 30-0. This week: vs. Baldwin (2-2).

Glance: Defense has been the name of the game for the Wildcats this season. They played Bradford tough in Week 1, allowing just 13 points. They’ve crushed their last two opponents by a combined score of 65-7. Their rescheduled game against Ponte Vedra on Oct. 3 could be the most challenging game left on the schedule.

9. (7) Oakleaf (3-1, Class 6A)

Last week: lost to Hawthorne, 27-21. This week: at (6) Bolles (2-1), 7:30 p.m.

Glance: Tough road loss to a reigning state champion last week. They’ve got another challenging road test this week against Bolles. This is the part of the season last year where the Knights struggled.

10. (9) Bartram Trail (2-2, Class 6A)

Last week: lost Creekside, 49-42. This week: at Orange Park (1-3).

Glance: The Bears hang on in the Super 10 by default. They lost to rival Creekside but the other contenders who would have gone in to the Super 10 (Beachside, Bishop Kenny, Fletcher and Riverside) all lost last week, too. Tough loss for the Bears after a huge road win at Ware County in Week 3.

Dropped out

Beachside (2-1, Class 5A).

Others

Beachside (2-1, Class 5A); Bishop Kenny (3-1, Class 3A); Flagler Palm Coast (3-0, Class 7A); Riverside (2-2, Class 4A); Trinity Christian (2-2, Class 1A).

Week 5 schedule, Florida

Thursday, Sept. 19

Menendez (2-1) at (7) Ponte Vedra (2-1)

Friday, Sept. 20

Atlantic Coast (2-2) at Jackson (2-2), 6:30 p.m.

Baldwin (2-2) at (8) Baker County (2-1)

(10) Bartram Trail (2-2) at Orange Park (1-3)

Beachside (2-1) at Bishop Kenny (3-1)

Bell (3-1) at Old Plank (2-2)

Bishop Snyder (3-1) at Wolfson (1-3), 6:30 p.m.

Columbia (2-2) at Trinity Christian (2-2)

Cornerstone Classical (0-0) at Duval Charter (0-4), 6 p.m.

Crescent City (2-1) at Hilliard (0-4)

Dixie County (2-2) at Keystone Heights (1-2), 7:30 p.m.

Englewood (1-3) at Stanton (1-4), 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal (1-3) at KIPP Bold City (0-4), 6:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach (2-2) at Santa Fe (0-4)

First Academy (3-2) at St. Joseph (5-0)

First Coast (1-2) at Clay (1-3)

Fletcher (3-1) at Sandalwood (0-4), 6:30 p.m.

Fort White (3-1) at Union County (4-0), 7:30 p.m.

Hollis Christian (0-4) at P.K. Yonge (2-2)

Impact Christian (2-1) at University Christian (1-3), 7:30 p.m.

Interlachen (1-3) at Bronson (0-4)

(4) Mandarin (3-1) at IMG Academy (3-1)

Matanzas (2-2) at Seabreeze (0-2)

Middleburg (4-0) at Ridgeview (0-3)

(5) Nease (3-0) at (1) St. Augustine (3-0)

NFEI (1-3) at Chiefland (4-0), 7:30 p.m.

(9) Oakleaf (3-1) at (6) Bolles (2-1), 7:30 p.m.

Palatka (3-1) at Nature Coast Tech (4-0), 7:30 p.m.

Ribault (1-3) at Riverside (2-2), 6:30 p.m.

Suwannee (1-3) at Appling County (2-2), 7:30 p.m.

White (2-1) at Parker (0-3), 6:30 p.m.

Winter Park (2-0) at Creekside (1-3)

YKIM (0-4) at Harvest Community (1-4), 6 p.m.

Yulee (0-3) at West Nassau (4-1)

Zarephath Academy (5-0) at Lafayette (2-2)

Zephyrhills Christian (1-2) at Flagler Palm Coast (3-0)

OFF: Bradford, Cedar Creek Christian, Christ’s Church, Eagle’s View, Fleming Island, Impact Christian, Paxon, Providence, Raines, Tocoi Creek, Westside.

Week 6 schedule, Georgia

Friday, Sept. 20, all games 7:30 p.m.

Brunswick (3-1) at Greenbrier (2-1)

Lakeside (4-0) at Glynn Academy (3-1)

Pierce County (4-0) at Brooks County (2-2)

Tallahassee Lincoln (3-0) at Ware County (2-2)

OFF: Camden County, Charlton County


About the Author

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

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