Jacksonville Fl- Raines (7-2) visited Ed White (7-2) in the first round of the Class 2M Region 1 playoffs. White came in as the #4 seed and champions of district 2M-3. Raines came into the contest as the #5 seed, and runners up in district 2M-1. Common opponents this season included Trinity Christian, in which White fell 48-40, and Raines fell 41-28. Sandalwood, in which White won 26-10 and Raines won 14-8. Riverside, where White won 34-0 and Raines won 34-14. Ribault, that saw White win 30-22 and Raines win 30-19. Finally, Westside was a common opponent as White won 34-0 and Raines won 32-6. All this proved is both were two evenly matched teams, with a long rivalry and history squaring off for the opportunity to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Playing without starting quarterback Isiah Teal, Ed White’s Gabriel Garmon converted from Wide Receiver to quarterback. The Commanders converted primarly to a run first offense during the ladder part of the season, and Raines anticipated this from the start. On the very first play of the game Garmon pitched the ball left to running back Tavales Thomas, who then pulled up and threw a half-back pass to Isaiah Washington for the game’s first score. The 2-point conversion was good as Ed White took an 8-0 early lead.
Raines, unfazed would respond on their first drive. Quarterback Roman Doles led his team down the field on a mixture of zone runs where he kept the ball or dropped back to pass for first downs. Raines biggest play of the drive came when Doles found junior wide receiver Terrell Sheppard for a big first down. The two would hook up again later in the game.
The play set up Mark Miller with a strong run off the left side for a Vikings touchdown. The extra point failed as Raines rallied and responded to the early score with their own. Trailing Ed White 8-6 with 9:14 to play.
After a stop on defense, Raines would get the ball back, and Doles would continue his arial assault. Late in the first quarter, Doles would hit the seam of the defense again, this time for a touchdown to Terrell Sheppard. Sheppard, the son of Raines great and University of Florida Hall of Famer Lito Sheppard, made a spectacular one-handed catch for the score. The tandem put Raines up 12-8 as the Vikings closed the quarter riding high.
Ed White would turn to their leader and play maker Davaughn Patterson in the second quarter. After a first down run by running back Benny Lewis, Patterson would convert a 4th down run for a first down. Next, Tavales Thomas would move the chains as White inched closer to the Raines end-zone.
Patterson would come back in the game and rumble off left tackle untouched for a touchdown. He’d add a 2-point conversion as White re-took the lead 16-12 in the second quarter.
After both teams failed to score on their next possessions, Raines would get the ball back after Johnathan Fitzgerald would get a sack forcing a punt. The punt would be partially blocked by Kenton Kirkland giving Raines great field position at the Ed White 18-yard line.
It wouldn’t take long for the Vikings to capitalize on the special teams play when Doles kept the zone read and followed a great blocks by offensive linemen Solomon Thomas, Malik Ellison and Judah Thomas to get into the end-zone for the score. Raines re-took the lead 20-16 after a successful 2-point conversion.
Ed White would attempt to score before the half ended, and got a big kickoff return from Patterson near mid-field. White would move the ball to the Raines 27-yard line, and attempt a pass down the right sideline, but Raines defensive back Nicholas Kilpatrick leaped high in the air for the interception and would take it to the house 85-yards for a Raines touchdown. The Vikings led at halftime 28-16.
In the second half, Ed White would come out hot determined to get back into the game. After a stop on defense, their offense took over and drove down the field. On a 4th and goal from the 10-yard line, Gabriel Garmon would find Ronald Fullwood in the endzone for a Commander touchdown. After a failed 2-point conversion, Ed White trailed Raines 28-22 in the 3rd quarter.
However, Raines would do what they had done all game, and that’s respond with a big play from Roman Doles. On third and long, with Ed White hoping to get the ball back, Doles would drop back to pass with all day due to excellent protection from his offensive line. Doles would step to his right and fire a rocket deep to the middle of the field to a wide open Jadarian Rollins for a 60-yard touchdown.
Raines would protect the lead for the remainder of the game thanks to their defense. The biggest play came from defensive back Marcel Bowes who made an incredible interception that ricocheted off his hands, helmet, legs and back into his hands for the pick.
Raines would stand tall securing a big playoff victory on the road 34-22 against Ed White. Head Coach Donovan Masline has put together an impressive streak of playoff appearances for Raines since taking over three years ago.
He said after the game, “we came on the road, into hostile territory and got the win”. Lucky for the Vikings, they won’t have to repeat that feat, as they will host their second round playoff game, after #1 Jackson fell to #8 Riverside 20-13 Fridy night. Raines will have a rematch against Riverside next week, which is sure to be another exciting matchup.
