Things look a lot different in Class 6A now, as state powers Columbia and Lee dropped down from 7A to 6A this season joining Middleburg and Gainesville, who remained in 6A. Despite losing several key starters, both Lee and Columbia are poised for another long playoff run. Or will Gainesville and Middleburg rain on the party and cause chaos in the district this year?
Columbia Tigers
Coach: Brian Allen
Record: 10-2
Key Players: Jordan Smith (Sr., QB), Marquez Bell (Sr., WR), Jalen Williams (Jr., WR), Kylen Callum (Sr., RB), Jaelin Brown (So., RB), Marlon Pollock (Sr., SS/LB), Levontae Camiel (Sr., LB), Shyheim Brown (Jr., DB), Garrett Fennell (Sr., K/P), Aidan Jolliffe (Jr., K)
Newcomers: Tracy White (Sr., DB/RB), Kayden Hill (Sr., DE), Khristian Hill (Sr., DE)
Schedule
Aug 23 Trinity Christian
Aug 30 at Oakleaf
Sept 6 AA Christian
Sept 13 Pine Forest
Sept 20 OPEN
Sept 27 at Gainesville *
Oct 4 at Madison County
Oct 11 at Lee *
Oct 18 Delray Atlantic
Oct 25 at Middleburg *
Nov 1 North Marion
Outlook: A stunning loss at home to Lee in the second round of the playoffs has left a bad taste in the Tigers mouth that they are just dying to get out. Seven starters are back on offense including its top quarterback, tailback and receiver. Jordan Smith (3,046 yards, 33 TD, 10 INT) is back for his third season and the South Florida commit is ready to lead the Tigers on a deep playoff run. Leading rusher Kylen Callum (834 yards, 10 TD) and leading receiver Marquez Bell (1,044 yards, 13 TD) are both back and ready for another break out year for the Tigers. Those three will be counted on heavily along with Jaelin Brown and JalenWilliams on offense. The defense had to replace several holes after the loss of the majority of its starters but does return playmakers Camiel (62 tackles, 12 sacks), Pollock (42 tackles) and Brown (3 INT). Three major transfers from Baker County not only provide much needed depth but proven veterans to the defense as White and the Hill brothers join the Tigers. A demanding schedule featuring playoff teams Madison County, Pine Forest, North Marion and Trinity Christian along with strong Oakleaf and Atlantic teams will get the Tigers ready for postseason.
Gainesville Hurricanes
Coach: Patrick Miller
Record: 7-4
Key Players: Gentle Hunt (Sr., DT), Ronald Tremel Brown (Sr., OL), KZ Hutchinson (Sr., RB/FS), Caleb Washington (Sr., LB), Alex Hood (Sr., K/P), Michael Cromarty (Sr., FS)
Newcomers: Rod Williams (Sr., QB), Jake Hanson (Sr., QB), Zamori Adams (Fr., TE), Darius Boyd (So., TE), Willie Williams (Sr., WR/CB)
Schedule
Aug 22 Vanguard
Aug 30 at Baker County
Sept 6 at North Marion
Sept 13 at Oakleaf
Sept 20 OPEN
Sept 27 Columbia *
Oct 4 Buchholz
Oct 11 at Middleburg *
Oct 17 Wakulla
Oct 25 Lee *
Nov 1 at Eastside
Outlook: Coming off back-to-back playoff appearances along with back-to-back first round losses, the Hurricanes are hungry for a playoff win and long playoff run. It won’t be easy though as Miller enters his second season with a ton of holes to fill and a lot of inexperience taking over. Gone is quarterback Luke Matthews ((2,639 yards, 22 TD, 11 INT), tailback Niles Cromwell (866 yards, 13 TD) and its top two receivers in Jalen Kelsey (994 yards, 8 TD) and Isaac Meachem (609 yards, 6 TD). Miller was trying to decide between Hanson and Rod Williams, last year’s backup, as the starter at quarterback. Hutchinson (452 yards, 11 TD) is back as one of the few veteran players on offense along with the anchor of the line Brown. Defensively, the Hurricanes return leaders Washington (87 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT) and Hunt (70 tackles, 7 sacks) and will look to several newcomers as well. The Canes raided their highly successful basketball program for some much needed help with the addition of Boyd and Willie Williams. The move to a new district will be challenging but a schedule that consists of nine playoff teams from last year will have them fully prepared for whatever is ahead.
Lee Generals
Coach: OJ Small
Record: 10-2
Key Players: Ralph Mency (Sr., TE/DE), Jaheim Singletary (So., WR/DB), Cobie Bates (Jr., WR), Robert Simmons (Jr., CB), Kevonte Doles (Jr., RB), Alex Bass (Sr., RB/LB), Larry Smith (Jr., CB), Carl Flowers (Sr., OL), Jevann Laws (Sr., OL), Jai Robinson (Jr., CB), Terry McKinney (Sr., WR)
Newcomers: Calvin Sinclair IV (Sr., DE/DT), Cale Zarah (So., QB), Maurice Bell Jr. (Jr., DB), Johnathon Robinson (Jr., DE)
Schedule
Aug 24 Bartram Trail
Aug 30 at West Nassau
Sept 7 Raines
Sept 13 at Ribault
Sept 20 Mandarin
Sept 27 Middleburg *
Oct 4 OPEN
Oct 11 Columbia *
Oct 17 at Trinity
Oct 25 at Gainesville *
Oct 31 at White
Outlook: OJ Small has built quite an empire over on McDuff Avenue, taking an old program and making it one of the most feared programs in the area and across the state. Twice in the last three years, the Generals have been on the cusp of getting to Orlando and competing for a state title. A blowout home loss to Edgewater should serve as plenty of motivation for the Generals this season. It won’t be easy though with just four returning starters on offense and five on defense. With Cameron Sapp gone, Small will likely turn to a underclassmen Zarah to direct the offense. Doles appears to be the front runner in the backfield, while Singletary, Bates and McKinney will line up at receiver. Mency, who has several D-I offers, will play both ways again and looks to be a leader on both sides of the ball. Sinclair a transfer from Sandalwood provides the Generals with some much needed experience on defense. Simmons and Singletary, who hauled in seven interceptions, form a lethal secondary for the Generals. One thing we can be assured is don’t count out the Generals.
Middleburg Broncos
Coach: Karl Smeltzer
Record: 3-7
Key Players: Joe Justino (Sr., QB/K/P), Jay Lane (Jr., RB/CB), Trevor Todd (Sr., TE/DE), Laron Bryant (Sr., WR), Kaleb Blockinger (Sr., MLB), Richard Cole Leclair (Sr., OL/DL), Steven Henrikson III (Sr., LB/SS), Brody Senn (Sr., LB), Stone Newsome (Jr., SS/FB), Colby Warner (Sr., OL/DL), Carson Faulkner (Sr., OL), Jacob Hanson (Sr., TE/LS), Nate Rance (Jr., OL), Taj Gonsalves (Sr., FS), Trevor Shearin (Sr., FS), Jacob Borchardt (Sr., LB)
Newcomers: Luke Padgett (So., QB/WR), Logan Padgett (So., TE/MLB), Dyllon Ware (So., MLB)
Schedule
Aug 23 at Westside
Aug 30 Orange Park
Sept 6 Matanzas
Sept 13 OPEN
Sept 20 at Englewood
Sept 27 at Lee *
Oct 4 Ridgeview
Oct 11 Gainesville *
Oct 17 at Parker
Oct 25 Columbia *
Oct 31 at Baldwin
Outlook: Smeltzer enters his eighth season at Middleburg with a lot of optimism and high expectations. With 16 starters back (8 offense, 8 defense) as well as 21 seniors, Smeltzer is extremely excited about the upcoming season. Justino is back to direct the offense again and will have a handful of weapons to choose from including playmakers Lane, Todd and Bryant; behind an experienced offensive line featuring Warner and Leclair, who has several D-I offers. Defensively, the Broncos will look to both Leclair and Warner as leaders along with three year starter Senn and Borchardt at linebackers and Gonsalves and Shearin in the secondary. With all this experience and optimism, if the Broncos can fix a defense which surrendered 315 points last season, the Broncos could be headed towards a special season.
District 2-6A Projections
1 Columbia
2 Lee
3 Gainesville
4 Middleburg
Helmets courtesy of Florida Helmet Project and FloridaHSFootball
