Perhaps no one in the entire state is looking forward to the season starting more than Crescent City. As the inaugural playoff bracket unveiling show was announced it became quite evident and shocking that one particular team was notably missing from the bracket, Crescent City.
Despite winning seven games the Raiders were left out of the playoff picture after the computer and point system put other teams ahead of them leaving the Raiders shockingly home for the holidays.
The only way to secure a spot in the playoffs is to win them all and the Raiders will try to do just that, the schedule gets a little easier dropping Bradford and picking up Nation Academy. A win over Wildwood and or University Christian would also go a long way to securing a playoff as well.
For Union County this year is all about proving the doubters wrong saying they were just a one trick pony with the loss of Texas A&M signee Charles Strong. A four game losing streak to close the season last year should serve as plenty of motivation.
For Hilliard this season is all about making that next step and who is going to step up and lead the Flashes back to the playoffs for the first time in four years. Can they get over the hump and get over .500 finally ?
To get rid of the bye week during the state semifinals (Class 1A-4A), the Florida High School Athletic Association voted to add two additional playoff teams to each region to even things out. The addition of two teams in each region will see the bracket expand from four to six teams in each region, with the top two teams in each region earning a first round bye and automatically advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Which is good news for teams like Crescent City or even Hilliard, perhaps this year will be their year and they finally get back in the playoffs.
Crescent City Raiders
Coach: Clarence Poohbear Williams
Record: 7-2
Key Players: Nykee Scott (Jr., QB/DB), Bernard Wright III (Sr., ATH), Niico Gause Jr. (Sr., ATH), Dustin Carmichael (Jr., WR), Tyler Unruh (Jr.,WR/DB), Kevin Williams (Jr., LB/WR), Jontre Tape (Sr., DE/FB), Henry Eckman Jr. (Sr., DL), Deszmon Dallas (Sr., DB), Christian Lopez (Jr., K/P)
Newcomers: None
Schedule
Aug 24 at Lecanto
Aug 31 Nation Christian
Sept 7 University Christian
Sept 14 at Wildwood *
Sept 21 Interlachen *
Sept 28 OPEN
Oct 5 at Keystone Heights *
Oct 12 at Umatilla *
Oct 19 OPEN
Oct 26 Pierson Taylor *
Nov 2 at Newberry
Outlook: Despite going 7-2, the Raiders were shockingly sitting home instead of competing in the playoffs last year. So there is plenty of motivation for the Raiders this season to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Ironically, it was it was a home game with Wildwood that was for the North Central Florida Football Conference title that was cancelled due to Hurricane Irma, that ended up costing the Raiders the most, as a win or a loss likely would have been enough points to put the Raiders in the playoffs. The good news is the bulk of the offense and defense is back and the Raiders should again put themselves back in contention and possibly for a lengthy playoff run. Scott is back as the starter after finishing 133 of 218 for 2,118 yards and 19 touchdowns through the air and 713 yards and 14 touchdowns on 127 carries. Wright is also back the versatile athlete was dangerous wherever he lined up accounting for 218 yards and 3 touchdowns on 51 carries as well as 26 catches for 524 yards, 20.2 y.p.c. and 7 touchdowns. As is Gause, who hauled in 35 catches for 603 yards and 5 touchdowns at receiver, while also lining up at quarterback as well. Unruh (9 catches for 315 yards, 16.6 y.p.c., 1 TD) and Carmichael (15 catches for 222 yards, 14.8 y.p.c., 3 TD) are guys who saw sparingly playing time but both return and could also be key players on offense. Defensively, the Raiders return Williams (65 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack), Tape (58 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks), Eckman (43 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 4 sacks) from a defense that picked off 15 passes and had 20 sacks. Lopez is also a vital weapon back as well having made 28 of 37 PATs and 7 of 11 field goals, with a longest of 38 yards.
Hilliard Flashes
Coach: John Pate
Record: 4-6
Key Players: Chas Bryant (Sr., WR/DB), Cade Johns (Sr., DB/WR), Reece Wade (Sr., QB/DB), Tyler Browning (Sr., LB), Cole Johns (Sr., WR/DB), Tywuan Lee (So., RB), Braden Whittenburg (So., QB/LS), Vanzant Brand (Sr., OL/DL), Jacob Sheffield (So., MLB), Hunter Revill (Sr., OL/DL), Cameron Jordan (Jr., OL/DL)
Newcomers: None
Schedule
Aug 24 TBA
Aug 31 TBA
Sept 7 Jackson
Sept 14 at West Nassau
Sept 21 at Cedar Creek
Sept 28 Episcopal
Oct 5 at Chiefland
Oct 12 at Warner
Oct 19 at Williston
Oct 26 Hawthorne
Nov 2 at North Florida Educational Institute
Outlook: For the last few years the Hilliard Flashes have been teeter-tottering at .500 or below every season, will the pendulum finally swing their way for a chance. Stability would go along way towards turning the program in the right direction as well as Drew Sauls who took over in the spring parted ways and former Fernandina Beach coach John Pate took over. Four starters are back on offense while three starters return on defense not giving Pate much experience to work with. However, brothers Cade and Cole Johns are both back as well as Bryant and starting quarterback Wade. Underclassmen Lee and Whittenburg could also play key roles in the offense as well. The addition of two more wild card spots in each region gives the Flashes a lot of hope and aspirations for making the playoffs for the first time in four years, keep an eye on the Flashes.
Union Country Tigers
Coach: Ronny Pruitt
Record: 6-5
Key Players: Keyshawn Young (Sr., WR/DB), Trevor Rogers (Sr., LB/FB), Hosea Robinson (Jr., FS/RB), TJ Robinson (Sr., LB), Agelu Nunu (Jr., DL), Tyler Alexander (Sr., DE), Lance Thornton (Jr., DE/RB), Demetrius Weldon (Sr., DE/RB), Jaelin Watkins (Sr., DB/WR), Jaylon Diston (Sr., DB/WR)
Newcomers: Tevon Lee (Jr., RB/LB), Tavion Cox (So., LB), Lake Harris (So., QB/FS)
Schedule
Aug 24 at Williston
Aug 31 Merritt Island Christian
Sept 7 Interlachen
Sept 14 at Dixie County
Sept 21 at Baldwin
Sept 28 Newberry
Oct 5 Santa Fe
Oct 12 Fort White
Oct 19 at Hawthorne
Oct 26 OPEN
Nov 2 Zephyrhills Christian
Outlook: Winning six of their first seven games had people thinking it could be another special season last year however a four game losing streak to end the season but the brakes on that idea. The good news is four starters on offense and five starters on defense return, the bad news is Charles Strong and Maurice Strong are not one of them. Charles Strong accounted for nearly 90% of the offense running for 1,388 yards and 15 touchdowns on 186 carries last year, whoever fills his role will be a huge hurdle. The bulk of the offense this year appears to be on Young, who accounted for 509 yards and 8 touchdowns lined up at receiver and in the backfield at times. After that its still up for grabs who else will step up and lead the offense as several underclassmen or senior who didn’t play much will finally get their chance like Harris, Lee, Watkins and Diston. Defensively, Strong (31 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 9 quarterback hurries) is gone but the Tigers do return Rogers (67 tackles, 4 tackles for loss), Hosea Robinson (71 tackles, 6 tackles for loss), TJ Robinson (45 tackles) and Alexander (29 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks). Nunu a state qualifier in weightlifting who put up unbelievable numbers at state, is also back and is the leader of the defensive line. The key for the Tigers to have a successful season is for somebody to step up and take over the leadership roles and also for the young guys to step up and fill the holes.
