Last week Bolles did the unthinkable going on the road 6 hours and coming home with a win over host West Florida. Now they get back on I-10 and make a three hour trip to Tallahassee Godby in round two of the playoffs. Can they do it again ? Will find out Thursday night. Here is a run down of what to expect this week.
REGION I-5A
No. 6 Bolles (7-4) at No. 2 Godby (11-0)
Where: Gene Cox Stadium
When: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
About Bolles: One thing you can say about Bolles is they won’t be intimated at all when they step off the bus and enter Gene Cox Stadium, after all trips to Rockledge, Ponte Vedra, Columbia and West Florida has them well prepared for this one. If their is a blue print needed to win for the Bulldogs, they need to look no further than the film of last weeks game with Ponte Vedra for confidence as Ponte Vedra was able to move the ball up and down the field on the Cougars defense. Which is good news for a pretty balanced offense like the Bulldogs, which is led by junior quarterback Ben Netting (71 of 126 for 1,131 yards, 13 touchdowns, 4 interceptions), senior tailback Jayden McCloud (557 yards, 10.9 y.p.c., 6 touchdowns on 51 carries), senior tailback Keyion Wale Onasanya (343 yards, 8.6 y.p.c., 3 touchdowns on 40 carries) and senior receiver Chris Sanders (17 catches for 247 yards, 14.5 y.p.c., 4 touchdowns). Two guys who could end up playing huge roles in the game could be versatile players Cooper Sullivan (301 yards, 5.0 y.p.c., 7 touchdowns on 60 carries, 21 catches for 288 yards, 13.7 y.p.c., 2 touchdowns) and Bryson Kirksey (16 catches for 366 yards, 22.9 y.p.c., 5 touchdowns). Sullivan is a vital part of the offense whether running or catching passes out of the backfield, while Kirksey has become the go to receiver and shut down corner as well. Speaking of the defense, that side of the ball will be tested greatly with an explosive Godby offense, meaning guys like senior end Oliver Wilson (55 tackles, 6 sacks) and senior linebacker Kyle Coffindaffer (94 tackles, 8 tackles for loss) will have to a constant pass rush and pressure to pull out the win. A secondary featuring senior CJ Grimes (66 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 3 INTs) and Kirksey (49 tackles, 4 INTs) will have to have huge games as well.
About Godby: Godby was in this same exact spot last season at home in the second round full of confidence before Trinity Christian abruptly ended the Cougars thought of advancing to the third round with a 33-21 win on the road. This is just the second meeting all-time in the playoffs between the two as Bolles won 41-14 in the second round at home back in 2003. Hard to believe its been four years since Godby has advanced to the third round of the playoffs since a state runner-up finish back in 2014. It won’t be easy to stop this group of Cougars offense, as only one opponent has held them under 28 points all season long and that was Lake Mary in a 14-11 win back in Week 3 as the Cougars outscored its opponents 432-198. A big reason for the offensive explosion has been the play of junior quarterback Trey Fisher (134 of 228 for 2,266 yards, 24 touchdowns, 2 interceptions), along with junior tailback Jaquez Yant (889 yards, 10 touchdowns on 103 carries) and a dangerous receiving core featuring junior Alvin Jones IIII (44 catches for 525 yards, 6 touchdowns), senior Trevor-Simon Wilson (26 catches for 729 yards, 7 touchdowns) and senior Jaheim Knight (25 catches for 439 yards, 5 touchdowns). Defensively, the Cougars have accounted for 41.5 sacks and 11 interceptions and are led by Javon Solomon (63 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks), Cortez Andrews (79 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks), Kyler Laing (40 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 9 sacks) and Quentin Jones (60 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks). The secondary isn’t bad either with Christion Williams (4 INTs) and Greg Horton (3 INTs).
Joe Pinkos: Godby by 14
Next: Bolles would travel to either Wakulla or Trinity next week in the Elite 8 of the playoffs.
Photo courtesy of Christopher Sanders
Helmets courtesy of FloridaHSFootball.com
