JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s the third round of the high school football state playoffs and eight teams are still standing. After this week’s games, the remaining teams in each classification will be reseeded by the FHSAA MaxPreps rankings points and state semifinal hosts will be determined. All games are Friday night.
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Florida playoffs, Week 3
Friday, Nov. 29, Region finals
Region 1-6A
(5) Oakleaf (9-3) at (2) Gainesville Buchholz (9-3), 7 p.m.
Road here: Oakleaf d. Mandarin, 17-14; d. Nease, 31-14; Buchholz d. Evans, 42-21; d. Pace, 34-24.
Winner gets: Armwood-Osceola, West Broward-Southridge or West Boca Raton-Wiregrass Ranch in the state semifinals on Dec. 6.
Glance: The dream season continues for the Knights, who have been to this stage just once before (2014). Head coach Christopher Foy has shown a pattern of turning programs around quickly. After a 3-6 first season in 2023, Foy and the Knights are a win away from a final four berth. QB Jack McKissock (2,547 passing yards, 27 TDs) has been elite this year. But Oakleaf is getting headlining performances beyond just its usual suspects. With starting RB Christopher Foy II out with an injury against Nease, Oakleaf went to Fareed Coleman and Malaci Warten. They both delivered career-best rushing totals, with Coleman going for 159 and a couple TDs and Warten adding 126 and a score. Doing that against an inferior opponent is one thing but accomplishing that against the state’s No. 1 overall team in Nease is another. Should the Knights beat Buchholz, they would be the first team from Clay County to reach the state semifinals since Clay in 2016. On defense, DL/LB Anthony Smith and DL Amare Thomas have combined for 15.5 sacks. LBs Bryan Copeland (129) and Jermaine Robinson (125) lead the team in tackles. Buchholz is after its fourth straight trip to the state semifinals.
Region 1-4A
(2) Choctawhatchee (10-2) at (1) St. Augustine (10-1), 7 p.m.
Road here: St. Augustine d. Columbia, 28-0; d. White, 38-14.
Winner gets: Port Charlotte-Naples; Jones-Vanguard; Miami Norland-Plantation American Heritage in the state semifinals on Dec. 6.
Glance: The third straight season these teams have met in the playoffs, with Choctaw winning in 2022 and the Yellow Jackets winning last year. St. Augustine has rolled through two playoff opponents. Last week, WR Trenton Jones had a wild first half, catching two TDs and returning a kickoff for another. Jones had a career-high 204 receiving yards on 11 catches. Even with elite WR Carl Jenkins Jr. still missing time with a leg injury, Jones showcased that he and Somourian Wingo are capable of the increased workload. QB Locklan Hewlett (2,358 passing yards, 28 TDs) is one of the area’s best and he’s got a strong ground game behind him in the former of RB Trendell Anderson (964 rushing yards, 17 TDs). The offense is going to execute with those players in the lineup, but St. Augustine really needs to keep seeing its defense shine. DBs Darrell Jenkins, Braylon James and Jimmie Wheeler are very good in the secondary. LBs K’yon Wilcox (19 TFL, 11 sacks), Christian Coleman and Matteo Bernardi (7 TFLs apiece) are integral to St. Augustine’s success the longer the season wears on.
Region 1-3A
(3) Bishop Kenny (9-3) at (1) Raines (11-0), 6:30 p.m.
Road here: BK d. Baker County, 42-21; d. Tallahassee Godby, 36-26; Raines d. Bay, 53-14; d. Wakulla, 63-7.
Winner gets: Booker-Boca Ciega; Miami Northwestern-Cypress Lake; Eau Gallie-Bishop Moore in the state semifinals on Dec. 6.
Glance: A local is guaranteed a spot in the final four, one that has seem preordained for the Vikings. Raines’ performance in the postseason has only validated that, with a pair of absolute thrashings making that clear. But can a red-hot Crusaders team slow that procession down? Kenny has been to the third round of the playoffs just twice (2012, ‘14) and never beyond. QB Derek Heideman has been on a playoff warpath, throwing 11 TDs in two games. JP Donovan and Payton Burnett have been his big targets. Kenny isn’t one-dimensional either. RB Caleb Mattison is a 1,000-yard back with more than a dozen rushing TDs. On defense, AJ Alicea has five of Kenny’s nine interceptions. The Crusaders have peaked at the ideal time. After a three-game losing streak, capped off by a loss to Parker, Kenny has won six straight. Can it find that success against the Vikings, who are 11-0 for just the second time since 1997? QB TJ Cole is on a sizzling pace. He’s passed for 2,517 yards and 37 TDs. He’s got a real shot at the Jacksonville-area FHSAA mark of 47, set by First Coast’s De’Andre Johnson during his Mr. Football season in 2014. (Note, Jordan Durham of Zarephath Academy has 59 this year but the Eagles are not a member of the FHSAA). Cole, like Heideman, has tossed 11 TDs in two playoff games. He hasn’t been picked off since a Week 6 win over Riverside. Alongside Cole in the backfield is RB Ta’darius Washington, who has 756 rushing yards and 15 TDs. The Raines pass catchers are physical and talented, with Adron Walker hauling in 12 TDs, Ziyon Butler with seven, Kaleb Lampkins with eight and Andreus Cox with five. On defense, it’s pick your poison. LB Tony Williams (86 tackles, 16 TFL), DEs Troy Butler and King Massey have combined for 38 TFL and 12.5 sacks. DL Jyon Simon has nine sacks.
Region 1-2A
(3) Bolles (10-1) at (1) Gadsden County (11-1), 7:30 p.m.
Road here: Bolles d. Taylor County, 49-0; d. Walton, 35-0; Gadsden County d. Baldwin, 48-7; d. Florida High, 42-11.
Winner gets: Cardinal Mooney-Bishop Verot; Cocoa-Newberry; Miami Booker T. Washington-Immaculata LaSalle in the state semifinals on Dec. 6.
Glance: These two have been on a collision course since the brackets were announced. Bolles and Gadsden County last met in the 2020 state semifinals, a game the Jaguars dominated for three quarters before the Bulldogs muscled up in the fourth quarter and wound up winning in OT (10-7). Bolles is 3-0 against teams from Gadsden County in the playoffs. The Bulldogs have reached the state semifinals or beyond in each of head coach Matt Toblin’s five seasons. Bolles has yet to be challenged in the playoffs, rolling to shutout wins in both games. This week should change that, with the Jaguars are much stronger opponent. This is Bolles’ biggest test since Raines in Week 1. Healthwise, the Bulldogs are in good shape and that has shown in the postseason. RB Emmett Grzebin’s return has helped the offense grow even stronger, taking a little more of the burden off Tyrone Neal and Xander Edwards. Same with the returns of WRs Naeem Burroughs and Chase Collier, who give QB Ethan Drumm the field stretchers he lacked in their absences. The defense is getting better every game out. DL Asher Ghioto (20 TFL, 7 sacks) gets the accolades for his work on the line but the linebackers and secondary players are thriving. Troy Holloway, MJ Jenkins and Simeon Caldwell are the team’s top tacklers, but the work in front of the secondary shows. CJ Ennis has eight picks while Mack Hellman and Santana Starks have three apiece.
Region 1-1A
(4) University Christian (7-5) at (2) Trinity Christian (9-3), 7 p.m.
Road here: UC d. Impact Christian, 33-12; d. Providence, 24-21; Trinity d. P.K. Yonge by forfeit; d. Tallahassee Maclay, 28-21.
Winner gets: Cardinal Newman-First Baptist Academy; Clearwater Central Catholic-Lakeland Christian; Edison-Chaminade-Madonna in the state semifinals on Dec. 6.
Glance: The third straight state playoff meeting between two of the most accomplished programs in state history. UC and Trinity have nine state championships apiece. The Conquerors beat the Christians in the first round last year (28-22) and UC won in the regional final in 2022 (36-27). It’s been a far different season for both teams. UC was young and banged up in the front half of the year and the Conquerors were just flat out young. That’s not the case at this point in the season. The by-committee QB approach of Trinity has worked, with Terel Dallas and Hicks Zarah combining to pass for 1,482 yards and 21 TDs against just three picks. They’ve also combined for nine rushing TDs. RBs Areyion Guyton and Micah Anderson are closing in on a combined 1,000-yard rushing season with four rushing TDs each. The sophomore WR trio of David Wright, Marquez Hicks and Tre Williams have 14 total TD grabs between them. The defense has been led by senior LB Kaleel Vereen, one of the few upperclassmen who is playing a leading role. It’s been a different season at UC, too. The Christians started slow against a rugged schedule and fighting through the injury bug but this team has found its stride. Sophomore RB Josh Bruton has been a wrecking ball (933 rushing yards, 18 TDs) and the offense has flowed through him in the big games. WRs Amare Mack and Jenoa Alford are the big names, with those two over 1,500 yards and accounting for 15 TD grabs. Alford is a gamer whose only issues have been health. When he’s been on the field, the big plays have been there. QB Harrison Miller has a team-best 13 TD passes. On defense, DL Julius LaRosa has led the way (66 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 11 sacks). Two-way players Mack, Bruton and Alford have combined for four of UC’s seven interceptions. Trevon Burch and Ayden Skidmore have the other two picks.
Rural
(3) Union County (10-1) at (2) Madison County (8-3), 7:30 p.m.
Road here: Union County d. Holmes County, 42-20; d. Pahokee, 28-18; Madison County d. Moore Haven, 51-13; d. Blountstown, 43-6.
Winner gets: Hawthorne-Williston in the Rural state championship on Dec. 6.
Glance: The seventh playoff meeting between these small school powers. Madison is always in the championship conversation. It lost to Hawthorne in the title game last year. Union is just 1-5 all-time in the playoffs against the Cowboys. Can the Tigers change that this season? QB Trenton Klein has accounted for 29 TDs (22 passing, 7 rushing) and has a big time RB behind him in Drew Simmons (1,444 rushing yards, 17 TDs). Klein also leads the defense from his linebacker position (78 tackles, 23.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks, INT). DL Connor Bresee and LB/S Ashton Newsom have a combined 25.5 TFL and 13 sacks and lead an excellent defense, in the conversation as the best in head coach Andrew Thomas’ five years in Lake Butler.
Florida playoffs, Week 3
Friday, Nov. 29, Region finals
Region 1-6A
(5) Oakleaf (9-3) at (2) Gainesville Buchholz (9-3), 7
Region 1-4A
(2) Choctawhatchee (10-2) at (1) St. Augustine (10-1), 7
Region 1-3A
(3) Bishop Kenny (9-3) at (1) Raines (11-0), 6:30
Region 1-2A
(3) Bolles (10-1) at (1) Gadsden County (11-1), 7:30
Region 1-1A
(4) University Christian (7-5) at (2) Trinity Christian (9-3)
Rural, state semifinals
(3) Union County (10-1) at (2) Madison County (8-3), 7:30
Georgia High School Association
Friday, Nov. 29, State quarterfinals
Class 2A
Pierce County (11-1) at Columbus Carver (11-1)