WESTSIDE – Two weeks ago, Old Plank football coach Dwight Wilkins was quite confident his team was a lock to get back to the state championship game and avenge the loss to Academy of Lakes last season.
However, injuries and other circumstances may have temporarily scaled back those thoughts for now. That’s not to say Wilkins believes his team isn’t capable of getting back they just have to work twice as hard now to achieve that goal.
With just one week left in the regular season, Wilkins knows his team down to 12 players can’t afford take any opponent for granted not even First Baptist Christian Academy this Friday. With the playoffs a week away, it would be easy for a bunch of 16-18 year olds to get caught looking ahead to the playoffs already but not this bunch according to Wilkins.
The Defenders (7-1) sit in a three-way tie with Duval Charter (7-1) and Masters Academy (7-1) for the overall seed in the Region I eight man standings going into the final week. All three are expected to win Friday as Duval Charter plays struggling First Coast Christian and Masters Academy plays Seacoast Christian in other regional games.
Wilkins isn’t worried about winning a regional title or getting the No. 1 seed, his team has a bigger prize in mind, getting back to the state championship again and avenging a loss to Academy of Lakes last season.
Before they can even think about the playoffs though Old Plank must take care of business over host First Baptist Christian Academy out of Palm Coast first.
A week ago, Old Plank was undefeated and hosting Duval Charter in a crucial regional game and locked into a scoreless tie with under a minute remaining in the game.
“We scored with 43 seconds left in the game to go up 7-0, but two plays later Duval Charter scores to tie it to force overtime,” Wilkins said. “In overtime they put the ball at the 20 yard line and you have four plays to score and we unfortunately had two offside calls that backed us up and we got as far as the ten, they were able to score on their possession and win.”
While the loss was devastating to the coaches and players, it wasn’t catastrophic in their playoff hopes or even regional title hopes.
If all three teams end in a three way tie as expected, Wilkins explained the two possible scenarios for breaking the ties.
“It will likely come down to a three team tiebreaker playing a quarter against each other,” Wilkins said. “Its also possible it might come down to a coin toss as well, which is what I would prefer that way nobody jeopardizes any injuries. ”
Which is what Wilkins can’t afford any more of down to just 12 players as of now, he’s hoping to get a few back by either the first or second round of the playoffs.
Despite the low numbers for 8 man football, that’s not to say his team isn’t loaded.
Wilkins mentioned his senior class featuring John Kilpatrick (Sr., RB/S/KR), Sam Transeu (Sr., OL/RB), Reece Wilkins (Sr., QB/LB), Alex Pygott (Sr., TE/DL/OL), Joel Bosque (Sr., LB/RB) and newcomer Elijah Lima (Sr., DT/TE) have been a focal point of the team not only this year but since they all arrived on campus.
“I told them just the other day, be proud of what you have accomplished so far, be proud of upholding your family name and for wearing that jersey and representing your school,” Wilkins said. Most of them have been with me since eight grade and I reminded them how far we have come from, 17-1 over the last two years prior to our game with Duval Charter.”
Where they came from is a remarkable story itself as before Wilkins got there the program, which started in 2011, had four consecutive losing seasons going 12-26 from 2011-2014 and was everyone’s homecoming opponent. Since Wilkins took over four years ago, the program has gone 4-6 in 2015, 7-3 in 2016 with a trip to the state semifinals and 10-1 last year with the programs first ever trip to the state finals.
Now sitting tied for first, Wilkins is hoping this group that has been with him since day one can help him take that next step and win the schools first state title.
To do that the senior class along with underclassmen Thomas Browning (So., DL/OL), Hunter Carron (Jr., DT/OL), Hunter Rhoden (Jr., Utility) and Collin Carron (Fr., WR/RB) must continue to play for each other Wilkins says.
That continues with ruining First Baptist Christian homecoming Friday night to end the season with some momentum heading into the playoffs next week.
“We’re not able to watch a lot of film on most opponents but we know who we have to stop on each team, take out the alpha dog and they puppies wont know what to do ,” Wilkins said.
REGION I-8 MAN FOOTBALL STANDINGS
[table id=108 /]
Friday
First Coast Christian at Duval Charter, 4:30
Seacoast Christian at Masters Academy, 7
Harvest Community at City of Life, 7
Eastland Christian at Cornerstone, 7
Old Plank at First Baptist Christian, 7:30
REGION II-8 MAN FOOTBALL STANDINGS
[table id=109 /]
