Clay travels to Choctawhatchee: Friday night flag football state quarterfinal preview

The Florida High School Athletic Association flag football playoffs move to the state quarterfinal stage Friday night.

CLASS 1A

Clay (13-1) at Choctawhatchee (15-1), 7 p.m.

It's a major test for the Blue Devils in the Panhandle. Choctaw, a perennial state contender, piles up huge points on an offense headlined by sophomore QB Diaris Morales (176 of 285, 2,158 yards, 34 TD, 8 INT) and receiver Morgan Grace (40 receptions, 685 yards, 18 TD). But the Blue Devils, with an ace defense that includes Shelby McClain, Cora Parker, Tatum Waugh and pass rusher Lily Kalil, have limited their opponents to 20 points all season. Choctaw is a frequent obstacle for Northeast Florida teams, eliminating Stanton in 2022 and 2023. The winner advances to a May 10 state semifinal at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' AdventHealth Training Center, where they meet an opponent to be determined after the Florida High School Athletic Association re-seeds the final four based on its ranking system.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Clay-Choctawhatchee: FHSAA flag football quarterfinal preview 2024