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Bartram Trail, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine in action: Second-round football playoff preview

clayton freeman, jacksonville florida times-union
·4 min read

The Florida High School Athletic Association continues its Suburban and Rural high school football playoffs Friday. See the previews for St. Johns County teams in the second round.

REGION 1-4S

No. 4 Ponte Vedra (8-3) at No. 1 Gainesville Buchholz (11-0), at Citizens Field, 7:30 p.m.

Ponte Vedra's Ben Burk hands off to Brian Case during a September game against Middleburg. The Sharks travel to top-ranked Class 4S power Gainesville Buchholz on Friday.
Ponte Vedra's Ben Burk hands off to Brian Case during a September game against Middleburg. The Sharks travel to top-ranked Class 4S power Gainesville Buchholz on Friday.

Winner meets: Bartram Trail or Niceville, Nov. 24.

Road here: Ponte Vedra d. Creekside, 49-36; Buchholz d. Lynn Haven Mosley, 59-0.

Outlook: A giant challenge for the Sharks. Ponte Vedra jumped out to 28 quick points against Creekside and might need a similar speedy start in Gainesville. Clock control is a key, and that may mean another busy night for Brian Case, who carried 36 times for 174 yards last week, along with an offensive line anchored by Michigan-committed center Jake Guarnera. QB Ben Burk also adds 600 rushing yards to his 2,000-receiving yards, and when the Sharks go to the air, they can be deadly: Ryan Smith, Cole Madson and Griffin Owen each average more than 17 yards per catch, and junior tight end Landon Okla (289 yards, 8 TD) is a big-time wild card. But Buchholz is a buzzsaw, beating every opponent except Fleming Island by 20 points or more. Future Gators Kendall Jackson on the D-line and Myles Graham at linebacker lead a defense that's held opponents to 12 points per game, all-purpose back Quinton Cutler leads a full-speed-ahead ground game after returning to 100 percent health and sophomore Trace Johnson — son of former UF quarterback Doug Johnson — shows signs of becoming Alachua County's next star behind center.

St. Johns Spotlight: Bartram Trail's Laython Biddle nears rushing title in 333-yard game

No. 3 Bartram Trail (7-4) at No. 2 Niceville (9-2), 8 p.m.

Bartram Trail's Arthur Lewis IV sprints down the sideline for a touchdown against Fleming Island. The Bears travel to Niceville in the Class 4S football regional semifinals.
Bartram Trail's Arthur Lewis IV sprints down the sideline for a touchdown against Fleming Island. The Bears travel to Niceville in the Class 4S football regional semifinals.

Winner meets: Ponte Vedra or Buchholz, Nov. 24.

Road here: Bartram Trail d. Navarre, 67-55; Niceville d. Nease, 56-21.

Outlook: Watch out, scoreboard. Bartram Trail scored 67 points against Navarre last week in the Panhandle, while Niceville blitzed Nease for 56 after an early scoring eruption. Coming off a 333-yard, six-touchdown game, Bartram Trail's Laython Biddle is as hot as any runner in the state, and quarterback Riley Trujillo ran for almost 200 more last week in what has become an all-out Bears stampede behind a steamroller offensive front. But can the Bears slow opponents down? Niceville fields a poised and accurate quarterback in junior Kane Lafortune (69.2 completion percentage, 1,306 yards, 14 TD) and a recent end-zone magnet in Maddax Fayard (four TD vs. Nease), while the Eagles' defense forced 20 takeaways through the regular season. Traditionally, Niceville is among the teams to most frequently derail Northeast Florida hopes: during the past 20 years, their playoff victims included Atlantic Coast, Fleming Island (twice), Fletcher (three times), Oakleaf, St. Augustine, White (twice) and Wolfson.

REGION 1-3S

No. 5 Escambia (8-3) at No. 1 St. Augustine (10-0), 7:30 p.m.

St. Augustine quarterback Locklan Hewlett (11) signals for a receiver as he scrambles. The Yellow Jackets' junior has thrown for 19 touchdowns with only one interception in 2023.
St. Augustine quarterback Locklan Hewlett (11) signals for a receiver as he scrambles. The Yellow Jackets' junior has thrown for 19 touchdowns with only one interception in 2023.

Winner meets: Choctawhatchee or Tallahassee Lincoln, Nov. 24.

Road here: Escambia d. Pine Forest, 15-7; St. Augustine d. Middleburg, 52-14.

Outlook: Averaging 46.2 points per game, the Yellow Jackets are making it look easy so far. It's not just that Locklan Hewlett is connecting with receivers at a 65 percent clip and throwing 19 touchdowns to only one pick. Devonte Lyons has again joined the 1,000-yard club, St. Augustine might have North Florida's best receiver foursome in Carl Jenkins Jr., Trenton Jones, Myles Simmons and Somourian Wingo, while Drake Lusk, Julian Quintero, Ja'ki Singleton and junior lineman Mike Wright (three TFL, one sack last week) lead an underrated defense. But they haven't forgotten that another Panhandle foe, Choctawhatchee, ended their hopes last year in overtime. Escambia is similarly dangerous, especially if St. Augustine's fumbling issues (four against Middleburg) resurface Friday. The Gators have their own deadly passing game with QB Anthony Hall (2,606 yards, 22 TD) and wideouts Joshua Jackson (38 catches, 700 yards), Cam Mayo (37 catches, 576 yards), Diego Dukes (39 catches, 530 yards) and Santwon Burnside (35 catches, 408 yards). St. Augustine must watch out for Ladarian Clardy, with four interceptions and multiple SEC offers, among Florida's top junior safety recruits.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: St. Johns County high school football: Second-round playoff previews