We’re in round 2!! DuvalSports.com picks the top 32 High School Football teams ever to play in North East Florida. We match them up against one another in a bracket to determine who is the the greatest high school football team of all time. Who is the Best of the Best? DuvalSports.com analyst Andre’ Ellis and Corey Davis debate match ups daily and the fans get to vote on who they believe would win each contest as well. Finally, we will resolve the question that has been on the minds of former players and football fans for nearly a century. Who is The Best of the Best in our area??
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1993 Ribault vs 1998 Ed White
Two contrasting styles of play, but two similar types of players is how I would describe the 1993 Ribault Trojans and the 1998 Ed White Commanders. Separated by five years its highly unlikely that any of these players faced one another in their playing careers. However many of the players for each team may have known each other growing up in the neighborhood or even family members. Its a very intriguing matchup, a matchup that will test few questions many football minds have been arguing for decades.
Run or Pass?
Which is more effective on offense running the ball or passing the ball? Ed White was a traditional wing-t team that ran the ball down your throat. Travis Felder, the little back with a big heart literally drug a defender for 15 yards in the endzone. Reshaud Preston another back who could take it the distance and was apart of a very physical offense. Normally the defense popped you in the mouth but on this team the defense and offense did the popping. Head Coach Dan Disch and offensive coordinator Terry Gilliam built an offense that racked up yards and points. They led the area in 1998 averaging 448 yards per game, 429 of those yards came on the ground. The Commanders finished the season with a thousand yard rusher and three more backs with at least 500 yards. Patrick Edwards, Preston, Felder, and their leader Roshard Gilyard who scored 12 touchdowns on the ground made for an exciting ground and pound game.
Ribault was a high flying full throttle offense that put the ball in the air. And why not? They had a basketball team on the gridiron that could out leap and out run anyone. “Trouble” anyone nicknamed trouble spells trouble for a defense. Laveranues Coles , Ben Fleming and Cedric Redden were dynamic play makers with the ball in their hands. All had the capability to run out the backfield, or catch the deep ball. Redden was an all state quarterback, Fleming went on to play receiver at the University of South Carolina, and Coles played at Florida State before being drafted into the NFL and playing 10 years in the league. He rushed for nearly 5,000 yards in his high school career.
Does defense win championships?
The age old question does defense win championships? If this is true Ed White certainly should have won one . Their defense during these years had lots of talent. Bam Hardmon (Florida) and Royce Hooks (Iowa State) were two backers that came out back to back years for the commanders. How would they fare against the run and gun Ribault offense? It’s hard to say. Both teams were defeated in the Regional Semifinals (Elite 8). No other Ed White or Ribault team has gone further. So style points would have to prevail here folks. And the truth is, you cant get beat 70-20 in a playoff game, by a team who didn’t win the state title. You just can’t do it. That hurts the mighty Trojans in this argument. I believe their all state basketball players on the football team starting thinking about the hardwood in December instead of the hardware. Ed White also lost to a team that was defeated in the regional finals, yet it was a gut wrenching 3 point loss to Daytona Beach Mainland. So in a very close contest, Ed White gets the victory. I believe they would want it a little more late in the season.
Vote for who you believe would win this matchup?
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