Mandarin’s parade of champions seemingly lasted forever as the team and the school were showered with praises and accolades for their 2018 High School football championship. Now that 2018 is behind us, 2019 is upon us, and the Mustang’s focus turns from playing the underdog role, to the big dog role. As defending champions they’ll get everyone’s best shot, and in a new district like 1-8A, it’s sure to be a battle every week. Sandalwood remains from last year, but new comers, Oakleaf, Nease, and Bartram all will make strong pushes to reign on the parade of the defending state champions.
Bartram Trail Bears
Coach: Darrell Sutherland
Record: 7-3
Key Players: Chad Dodson (Sr., QB), Trevez Johnson (Sr., DB), Aaron Jones (Jr., RB), Eric Weatherly (So., ATH), Jackson Mayer (Sr., TE/WR), Zach Rhodes (Sr., WR), Brandon Chim (Sr., WR), Dominick Fields (So., DB), Craig Sinclair Jr. (Sr., DB), Phillip Burnett (Sr., DE), Jacob Otts (Sr., OL), Ryan Piersza (Jr., OL)
Newcomers: Sharif Denson (Fr., DB), Hayden White (So., OL)
Schedule
Aug 24 Lee
Aug 30 at Brunswick
Sept 6 Creekside
Sept 13 Mandarin *
Sept 20 at St. Augustine
Sept 27 OPEN
Oct 4 at Ponte Vedra
Oct 11 Nease *
Oct 18 at Oakleaf *
Oct 25 at Sandalwood *
Nov 1 Raines
Outlook: After just missing the playoffs last season, the Bears are even more determined to not let that happen again. Sutherland (141-87) begins his twentieth season as the head skipper of the Bears program and looks to lead the Bears back in the playoffs for the fifteenth time in the 18 eligible years. With another huge senior class gone, Sutherland is looking for the next man up mentality to keep it going. Among those who will be stepping up on offense is Jones (Coastal Carolina offer) and Weatherly (JU offer) along with Dodson (Akron commit), who threw for 1,265 yards and 14 touchdowns in five games before missing the rest of the year due to a season ending injury. Three key returnees on the offensive line will be Mayer (Robert Morris), Otts and Piersza (Columbia offer) along with newcomer White (FAU/UAB offers). The defense took a major hit with graduation but will rely on a mix of veterans like Johnson (Florida) and newcomers like Sinclair (Eastern Kentucky) and Denson (FAU). As always the schedule is challenging with seven playoff teams from last year on the docket, which will get the Bears ready for the playoffs again, providing they can get through the new challenging district.
Mandarin Mustangs
Coach: Bobby Ramsay
Record: 11-4
Key Players: Carson Beck (Sr., QB), Garrett Tower (Sr., OL), Travis Moss (Sr., LB), Jerome Jolly (Sr., SS/LB), Hudson Levine (Sr., K/P), Tre Lawrence (Jr., QB), Jaylen Smith (Jr., WR), Tristen Riley (Jr., WR), Cameron Daniels (Sr., RB), Devon Lewis (Jr., WR/FS), Uriel Richardson (Jr., RB)
Newcomers: Martravius Mack (Jr., RB), Chris Freeman (Jr., RB/WR), K’Darious Poole (Sr., LB)
Schedule
Aug 24 Atlantic Coast
Aug 30 at Ribault
Sept 6 Deland
Sept 13 at Bartram Trail *
Sept 20 at Lee
Sept 27 Nease *
Oct 4 OPEN
Oct 11 Oakleaf *
Oct 18 at Sandalwood *
Oct 25 at Ed White
Oct 31 Fletcher
Outlook: Mandarin had one of those years programs dream about, coming from no where to winning the schools first state title last season. Ramsay begins his fourth season with maybe his toughest assignment, as expectations are extremely high now after winning the title. Only two starters return on offense in lineman Tower and one of the nation’s most sought after recruits in Beck (3,546 yards, 39 TD, 8 INT), who is the reigning Mr. Football and University of Georgia commit. Several young guys are going to have to step up including Daniels (399 yards, 3 TD), Richardson, Smith and Riley. The addition of Mack (Ribault) and Freeman (First Coast) will help the offense out with two proven veterans on an inexperienced offense. Defensively, the Mustangs return two big playmakers in Moss (85 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and Jolly (72 tackles, 3 sacks), the two will have to step up and be key leaders for a defense that only returns two starters. After losing its top two tacklers to graduation, the addition of Poole (102 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 fumble recoveries) a transfer from Palatka will help immensely bringing a proven veteran to a young defense. A new district will not only challenge the Mustangs but could be just the challenge the young Mustangs need for another state title run.
Nease Panthers
Coach: Collin Drafts
Record: 3-7
Key Players: Joe Bradshaw (RB/CB), Adrian Williams (Sr., RB/DL), Dequan Thompson (Sr., DB/WR), Nick Witherspoon (Sr., LB), Nick Thoreson (Sr., DL), Eric Marshall (Sr., WR/DB), Grayson Roberts (Sr., QB/LS), Kevin Weemhoff (So., WR), Jesse Devane (Jr., FS/WR), Chase Dexer (Sr., DE), Montavious Rowe (Sr., RB/MLB), Nick Thoresen (Sr., DL), Prince Danso (Sr., DL)
Newcomers: Dominic Dixon (So.,SS), Anthony Ferro (Jr., MLB), Alex Weemhoff (Fr., ATH), Andrew Johnson (So., WR), Evan Crenshaw (So., K/P), Kyle Bazler (Jr., TE/DE), Peyton White (So., WR), Canaan Kimball (So., K/P)
Schedule
Aug 23 at Ponte Vedra
Aug 30 Creekside
Sept 6 University
Sept 13 Sandalwood *
Sept 20 at Yulee
Sept 27 at Mandarin *
Oct 4 OPEN
Oct 11 at Bartram Trail *
Oct 18 St. Augustine
Oct 25 Oakleaf *
Nov 1 at Atlantic Coast
Outlook: Former Jacksonville Sharks quarterback Collin Drafts takes over the struggling Nease program, which has been treading water for the last several years. Year one is going to be difficult one for not only Drafts but the entire Nease program as a move to a new district with heavyweights like Bartram Trail, Oakleaf, Mandarin and Sandalwood is going to be brutal. Drafts is up to the challenge though and welcomes the competition while trying to build a program again. The Panthers showed signs of coming together putting up 48 points in a spring game 48-35 win over Palatka accumulating 355 yards of offense. Roberts appears to be the front runner for the staring quarterback position and will have weapons like Marshall, White, Balzer, Williams and Bradshaw, who scored twice in the spring game. Kimball might be a secret weapon as well after converting six extra points and a 32 yard field goal in the spring game. Defensively, the Panthers will rely on a mixture of guys like Thoreson, Witherspoon, Dexer and Thompson.
Oakleaf Knights
Coach: Frank Garis
Record: 5-6
Key Players: Walter Simmons III (Jr., QB), Jalen Rivers (Sr., OL), Chaz Williams (Sr., DE), Adrian Gray (RB), Kevin Davis (RB), Terrance Anthony (Jr., WR), Sean Washington (Sr., WR), Antonio Marshall (Sr., WR), Jordan Randall (Sr., LB), Anthony Hayes (Jr., LB), Darrell Livingston (Jr., DB), Chrystian Sellers (Jr., FS/SS), Trey Thomas (Jr., DB), Donovan Thomas (Sr., FS/SS), Marcus Anthony (Jr., LB), Korei Sheppard (Sr., MLB), Donovan Sparrow (Sr., DB), Darrius Allen (Sr., LB/FB)
Newcomers: Omahr Toliver (Sr., DB), Caleb Jones (So., WR), Jaymes Mobley (Sr., LB)
Schedule
Aug 23 at Orange Park
Aug 30 Columbia
Sept 6 at Ridgeview
Sept 13 Gainesville
Sept 20 Ed White
Sept 27 at Sandalwood *
Oct 4 OPEN
Oct 11 Mandarin *
Oct 18 Bartram Trail *
Oct 25 at Nease *
Nov 1 at Clay
Outlook: The Knights got a taste of the playoffs last season losing an overtime thriller on the road to Lincoln, now the goal becomes to consistently make the playoffs and go even further. That starts with three year starter Simmons III (2,187 yards, 18 TD) back to lead the potent Knights offense along with all three of his leading receivers Washington (862 yards, 6 TD), Anthony (784 yards, 5 TD) and Marshall (278 yards, 4 TD). Simmons has come a long way from his freshman season and had made tremendous improvement over the years, but still needs to get the interceptions down. Replacing the great Keshawn King won’t be easy but the Knights will look to a combination of Gray (453 yards, 3 TD), Davis and Allen and perhaps some youngers guys as well behind a line led by Rivers (Miami commit). The defense is in good shape especially in the secondary with Thomas, Sellers and newcomer speedster Toliver. Randall and Sheppard are the two main linebackers, while Williams (Miami commit) leads the line. The move to 8A will be challenging with heavyweights Bartram Trail, Mandarin and Sandalwood but the Knights have enough weapons on both sides of the ball to compete with everybody.
Sandalwood Saints
Coach: Adam Geis
Record: 7-3
Key Players: Jeff Sims (Sr., QB), Jahquez Robinson (Sr., DB/WR), Jeremiah Huntley (So., RB), Derek Bermudez (DB), Branden Jennings (Jr., LB), Javonte Kinsey (Sr., WR), Phillip Starks (Sr., LB), Cornelius Forrest Jr. (Sr., TE/DE), Triston Herndon (Sr., DE/LB), Jhaylin Embry (Sr., WR/QB)
Newcomers: Nick Brown (Jr., RB), Christian Ellis (So., DB), Romello Sutton (Jr., DB)
Schedule
Aug 23 at Parker
Aug 31 at Fletcher
Sept 6 Vanguard
Sept 13 at Nease *
Sept 20 Ribault
Sept 27 Oakleaf *
Oct 4 at Raines
Oct 11 TBA
Oct 18 Mandarin *
Oct 25 Bartram Trail *
Nov 1 TBA
Outlook: With all that talent, Sandalwood came up one win short of making the playoffs last year; the Saints are determined to not let that happen again. The good news is most of that talent is back as the Saints return 7 starters back on offense including Sims (FSU commit), the dual threat quarterback can burn teams with his arms or legs. Sims will have big time targets Kinsey (Bowling Green commit) and Embry along with some new guys to throw to. Huntley appears to be main tailback now with Kyjuan Herndon transferring back to Trinity for his senior year. The defense is stacked with the return of tackling machines Jennings and Herndon as well as a ball hogging secondary featuring Starks, Robinson and Bermudez (FSU commit). Geis is back for his seventeenth season at Sandalwood and has the talent to get to the state finals, if they can put it all together and keep composed. Seeing arch-rival Mandarin win a state title last season has had to fuel the Saints even more this season. The Saints welcome new heavyweights Bartram Trail, Mandarin, Oakleaf as well as Nease to the district.
District 1-8A Predictions
1 Oakleaf
2 Bartram Trail
3 Mandarin
4 Sandalwood
5 Nease
