They’re baaaaack… Trinity Christian returns to Class 3A and the state has taken notice. The last time the Conquerors were in the classificsation two years ago, they hoisted a championship trophy. They look to return to the podium, this time in Tallahassee where the Class 3A championship will be held. Jackson, Episcopal and Wolfson missed the playoffs last year and look to increase their wins to have a shot of making it. Episcopal and Jackson both needed just one more win last year to make the playoffs. Baldwin on the other hand, made the playoffs but were one and done. Finshing what they started will be the goal of every team in class 3A as we preview the 2019 season.
Trinity Christian
Head Coach Verlon Dorminey
2018 Record: 13-1
Key Returners: Fred Davis (SR, DB/WR); Miles Brooks (SR, DB); Kyjuan Herndon (SR, RB); William Tippens (SR, DT) Triston Herndon ( SR, LB) Kanyon James (SR OL); Kaleb Killian (JR, RB); Corey Coley (JR, DB);Marcus Burke (JR, WR); Lucius Lattimore (JR, LB); Austin Barber (JR, OL), Donald Clea (SR/ SS)
Aug 16 Parker (Kickoff Classic)
Aug 23 at Columbia
Aug 30 at Godby
Sept 6 Ribault
Sept 13 Plantation American Heritage
Sept 20 Carol City
Sept 27 Pahokee
Oct 4 at Booker T Washington
Oct 11 at Colquitt County, GA
Oct 17 Lee
Oct 25 at Raines
Nov 1 OPEN
Outlook: A season like last year for any other team would be considered a success. Yet Trinity Christian standards are much higher than other teams. Their quest to return to the State Championship game ended in a State Semifinal home loss to heavy underdog North Marion. With a new district and a new team, Trinity Christian moves from Class 5A to 3A hoping to return to championshsip prominence. Leading the way are senior top defensive backs Fred Davis (Clemson) and Miles Brooks (Georgia Tech). Davis will also play wide reciever providing play making ability in the passing game for junior quarterback Jacory Jordan to utilize.
Look for Trinity to set up the pass with the run as senior running-back Kyjuan Herndon ( Ole Miss) returns to the team providing much needed leaadership on an otherwise young offense. Freshman sensation Treyaun Webb will split carries with junior Kaleb Killian who showed flashes of brilliance last year before suffering an injury.
Coach Dorminey knows experience will help his young team, and their schedule certainly provides that opportunity as the Conquerors have one of the toughest schedules in the nation. They’ll make the 3A playoffs on the points system, but it certainly won’t be by style points as the team’s overall record won’t resemble last year’s. Still, the Conquerors have talent across the board and leadership at key positions. They’ll definately make another championship run.
Prediction: 5-5
Andrew Jackson
Head Coach: Antoine Atwater
2018 Record: 4-5
Key Returning Starters: Jalen Sonnier ( Soph,QB); Matthew Merritt (Soph,WR/FS) Ricky Dove (SR, RB/OLB) Daquan Sneed (JR, LT/DT) Tredarious Moore (JR, RT/DT) Shawn Coley (JR, MLB) Gary Wiggins (SR, TE ); Darnell Cummings (Soph,RB )
Schedule:
Aug 16 NFEI (Kickoff Classic)
Aug 23 Father Lopez
Aug 30 at Stanton
Sept 13 Westside
Sept 20 Wolfson
Sept 27 at Fernandina Beach
Oct 4 Baldwin
Oct 11 at Episcopal
Oct 17 at Englewood
Oct 25 West Nassau
Nov 1 at First Coast
Outlook: Jackson just missed the playoffs on the points system last year, as East Gadsden (0-10) got the nod over the Tigers based on strength of schedule. It was a bitter end to an otherwise sweet season for Jackson who won the most games in a season since 2010. The Tigers were powered by local talent that decided to stay in the area to play football at the magnet school. However this year, key contributors to that team left for elsewhere, leaving the Tigers searching for replacments to fill the void. Jackson got an influx of young talent as two 2019 Duval Sports Top 50 athletes will be attending the school.
Sophomore Jalen Sonnier will go into his second year at quarterback looking to be a leader on the field and in the locker room. Surrounding him with playmakers is the task of Coach Atwater and his staff, and Gary Wiggins looks to be one of those play makers. He and Sonnier hooked up in their spring game versus Yulee. Darnell Cummings will inherit the run game looking to power Jackson on the ground. Mathew Merrit will look to make plays on offense and defense which is always a task for a team like Jackson. Low roster numbers forces players to play iron man football, and the team will be forced to do that and more this year.
Prediction: 4-6
Baldwin Indians
Head Coach: Robert Shields
2018 Record: 9-2
Key Returners: Xavier McGriff (SR,WR); Ethan Krouse (Soph, QB); Amos Porter (SR, RB); Aaren Sims (SR, DB) Christian Sanderson (SR, WR) Christopher Brown (SR, T)
Schedule:
Aug 16 at Baker County (Kickoff Classic)
Aug 23 at Ridgeview
Aug 30 Bradford
Sept 6 Westside
Sept 13 West Nassau
Sept 20 at Episcopal
Sept 27 Stanton
Oct 4 at Jackson
Oct 11 Fort White
Oct 18 University Christian
Oct 25 OPEN
Nov 1 Middleburg
Outlook:
Head Coach Robert Shields kicks off his first season at Baldwin with a bang, especially after the team went 9-2 last year advancing to the playoffs. It was the best record at the school for his brother Steve Shields since he led them to an 8-3 record in 2011. The 2019 team will see a new quarterback as Bryce Tompkins comes over to battle Ethan Krouse for the starting job. Give the nod to the older Tompkins who will look to fill the big shoes of quarterback Gavin Screws who departed for Troy University. Tompkins will look to get the ball in the hands of Xavier McGriff (FIU) and Christian Sanderson to make plays down field. Porter must keep defenses honest in the run game to open up the play action game. Aaren Sims will look to lead a secondary that must capitalize on turnovers to win games. Takeaways on defense will decide Baldwin’s fate this season as they must be patient with their big play offense. A favorable schedule looks to make this strategy a reality.
Prediction 7-3
Wolfson Wolfpack
Head Coach: Dennis Bettinger
2018 Record: 2-8
Key Returners: Christian MaCauley (SR,DE/TE); Ray Murphy (SR, RB/ OLB); Michael Stoneberger (SR, TE/LB) Shawn Tunsill (Soph, ATH); Christian Cosper (JR, ATH); Clyde Holland
Schedule:
Aug 16 Cedar Creek Christian, Matanzas (Kickoff Classic)
Aug 23 at Stanton
Aug 30 Paxon
Sept 6 NFEI
Sept 13 Fernandina Beach
Sept 20 at Jackson
Sept 27 at Hilliard
Oct 4 OPEN
Oct 11 at Interlachen
Oct 17 Bishop Snyder
Oct 25 Pine Ridge
Nov 1 at Englewood
Outlook:
Wolfson has one of the toughest tasks in the area in terms of football, as the team has struggled to keep the numbers up in order to field a team. Iron man football has been the name of the game of late, but this year having over 40 players tryout for the team allows more substitutions and an effective special teams. More players is a good thing, however more players doesn’t always equate to better playmakers. The loss of several key players from last year (graduation, transfers) might be a tough mountain for the Wolfpack to scale.
They’ll look for Christian MaCauley to use his size and experience to be a difference maker on both sides of the ball. When teams double team him, others must step up and make plays. Ray Murphy and Michael Stoneberger must lead a group of young playmakers on both sides of the ball in order for Wolfson to have a chance to increase their win total from last year. A pivotal piece to the Wolfpack’s success is Clyde Holland who is “Mr Everything” for the team. Holland is one the hardest working and versital athletes in the area, and will once again show his playmaking ability.
Prediction: 2-8
Episcopal Eagles
Head Coach: Mark Brunell
2018 Record: 7-3
Key Returners: Nick Elksnis (JR, DE/TE); Tucker Tomberlin (JR, QB); Jack Bogan (ATH), Ershod Jasey(ATH) , Daniel Cooper(ATH), Christopher Gardner(ATH), Langston Hardy (ATH)
Schedule:
Aug 16 at Fernandina Beach (Kickoff Classic)
Aug 23 at Providence
Aug 30 at Lake Highland Prep
Sept 6 Hilliard
Sept 13 Englewood
Sept 20 Baldwin
Sept 27 Crescent City
Oct 4 Cedar Creek
Oct 11 Jackson
Oct 18 at Paxon
Oct 25 OPEN
Oct 31 at Stanton
Outlook:
Get ready for a wild ride as the Episcopal Eagles continue to fly even higher into the 2019 season. Head Coach Mark Brunell has turned the program around just as he did playing quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars. It should be no surprise that big plays on offense is how a Mark Brunell team is led. The big plays will come from Tight End Nick Elksnis (Penn State) who will be the primary target for quarterback Tucker Tomberlin. Not many on the schedule will be able to matchup with the 6’5, 220 pound pass catcher. This should translate into wins for the Eagles. The problem… well a 7-3 record wasn’t good enough for Episcopal to make the playoffs last year, and the same could happen this year with a very friendly schedule. One more win might do the trick. If they get contributions from their 11 returning starters on the team they’ll accomplish that goal.
Prediction: 8-2
