Football previews, 3S: ACC-committed QB, 'best' receivers lead St. Augustine surge
In more than a decade as a head coach, Brian Braddock has seen a lot.
The 2023 St. Augustine offense, though? That's a new one, in a very good way.
"It's definitely got to be the most talented group of individuals to come back on offense on any group that I've been a part of as a head coach, so that's exciting," the Yellow Jackets' head coach said.
The buzz is everywhere entering 2023 at Foots Brumley Stadium, where the footballs are flying and the championship chatter is starting ahead of St. Augustine's high school football season.
They're the clear preseason favorites in District 3-3S, after beating district foes Clay, Gainesville, Matanzas and Menendez by a combined 159 points in their four meetings last fall.
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Even the magic number of 2005 is no longer off-limits. That's the year when a Joey Wiles-coached Yellow Jackets squad beat Sarasota Booker on the grass of Miami's Dolphin Stadium to cap a 15-0 season and win the Class 3A final, the only Florida High School Athletic Association championship in program history.
After last year's 7-4 season, this year's Jackets enter with experience and teamwork. And they're very, very good.
"We know what we can do and we can go a lot farther than we did last year," linebacker Drake Lusk said. "So we've really started taking control of the small things that we can control, and this offseason we've gotten a lot better."
PASSING GAME ON FIRE
On every snap St. Augustine takes, there's someone capable of turning it into a touchdown.
St. Augustine returns its quarterback in junior Locklan Hewlett, who passed for 2,126 yards and 23 touchdowns last fall in his first full season as starter. He committed in June to play college football at Wake Forest.
Back for his third campaign as starting running back is Devonte Lyons, an elusive rusher with upward of a dozen college offers and 1,269 yards on the ground during his junior year.
The Yellow Jackets also return their four leading wide receivers from 2022: Trenton Jones (33 catches, 564 yards), Carl Jenkins (25 catches, 542 yards), Darrell Jenkins (18 catches, 432 yards) and Myles Simmons (27 catches, 355 yards). Except for senior Simmons, they're all entering their junior years.
On top of those returning wideouts, there's a fifth downfield threat who's rising fast in Somourian Wingo. The sophomore played primarily basketball last year, averaging 11.6 points in his first year of high school play, but grabbed statewide notice in 7-on-7 play over the summer.
The total effect was too much for most opponents last year. St. Augustine averaged 38.8 yards per game, and only Bolles and Coffee held the Jackets under 35 points.
"We've got the best receiving corps in Northeast Florida," Simmons said. "It feels good to be a part of something where they can't just stop one person."
TURNING THE CORNER
The ball handlers are proven. The blockers are still taking shape.
Until that's settled, St. Augustine will enter the season with a bit of a question mark looming, although Braddock believes the unit will find the right rhythm.
"I think we're going to see a significant jump in our offensive line, so that'll be a huge key," he said. "We play some really good people who are very good up front. All that talent and skill [from backs and receivers] doesn't mean a whole lot if you're getting dominated up front."
St. Augustine has had nine months to dwell on painful lessons from the regionals.
In the opening round of the playoffs against Choctawhatchee, St. Augustine built a 28-6 third-quarter lead before losing their way late, stumbling into turnovers and special teams miscues. By evening's end, Choctaw was celebrating a 42-35 stunner, leaving the Yellow Jackets with an offseason to ponder what went wrong.
"Things got rolling in the wrong direction and we couldn't stem the tide," Braddock said. "But we're much more mature now, and I like where we are."
'LITTLE MORE SOUND'
Will this St. Augustine season end more like 2005 or 2022? The defense may hold the key.
"They don't get near as much attention or acclaim as all the kids coming back on offense, but I really like our leadership on that side of the ball," Braddock said.
St. Augustine steadily improved on the defensive side last year, limiting six opponents to 10 or fewer points. Key returners include their captain in the middle of the linebacker unit in Lusk (77 tackles), along with third-year defensive back starter Ja'Ki Singleton and defensive tackle Mike Wright.
The Yellow Jackets also add a top transfer from the south of the county with the arrival from Menendez of Julian Quintero, who has played multiple positions across both the offensive and defensive backfields and picked off three passes in 2020.
"I think we're going to play better fundamental defense this year, be a little more sound," Braddock said. "I'm excited to see that."
DISTRICT 3-3S
COLUMBIA
Head coach: Brian Allen, 11th year, first of current stint (86-33).
Last year: 9-4; lost 37-7 to Lake Wales in Class 3A state semifinal.
Key returners: Caden Bolstein (DT, Jr., 6-0, 230); Jerome Carter III (DB, Sr., 6-1, 175); Rolando Dominguez Jayo (K, Jr., 6-0, 205); Camdon Frier (WR, Sr., 5-11, 175); Kani Fulton (DB, Sr., 5-11, 183); Markeyon Moore (DB, Sr., 6-0, 170); Au'Vontae Smith (DE, Sr., 5-11, 235).
Key newcomers: Zamarion Jones (WR, Jr., 5-11, 180); Zack Paulk (QB, Jr., 6-2, 200).
Outlook: Former national champion linebacker Allen is back for the Tigers, walking the sidelines where he went 86-33 in 10 consecutive playoff seasons between 2011 and 2020. Until somebody proves otherwise, the 2022 state semifinalists are district favorites once again, particularly thanks to their defense. Carter and Fulton return in a quick secondary and Frier, committed to Florida State, has the open-field explosiveness to take any pass the distance.
MIDDLEBURG
Head coach: Ryan Wolfe, third year (10-11).
Last year: 5-6; lost 42-18 to Escambia in Region 1-3S quarterfinal.
Key returners: Jaden Boyd (RB, Jr., 6-0, 180); B.J. Carter (DL, Jr., 6-4, 240); Tucker Cody (DL, Sr., 6-3, 230); Austin Cruce (LB, Sr., 6-0, 210); Errick Fryer (S, Sr., 6-1, 185); Micah George (OL, Sr., 6-3, 300); Jayden Jenkins (WR, Sr., 5-9, 170).
Key newcomers: Gage Isbell (OL, Sr., 6-2, 285); Jarren Rosier (WR, Sr., 6-0, 180); Hasani Scott (DB, Sr., 6-1, 180); Carson Stewart (QB, Jr., 6-1, 185).
Outlook: Things are looking up for the Broncos after past years of struggle. They'll return nine starters, including 104-tackle linebacker Cruce, from a defense that's won five games in each of the last two years. After two years of Mike Mitchell and then T.J. Lane carrying the load in the ground game, Boyd switches from the defensive side to take over as the Broncos' featured running back.
ORANGE PARK
Head coach: Marcus Wimberly, second year (2-8); 18th year overall (95-85).
Last year: 2-8.
Key returners: Jermel Brown (WR/DB, Sr., 6-0); Tyler Jackson (LB, Sr.); Joshua Johnson (RB, Jr., 5-9, 150); Triston Johnson (LB, Sr., 6-3, 206); Quinton Moore (WR/DB, Jr., 6-0, 165); Nile Thomas (DL, Sr., 6-0).
Key newcomers: Gabe Taylor (QB, So., 6-0, 150).
Outlook: Other than wins over longtime rivals Clay and Ridgeview, 2022 was a rocky year for the Raiders, who have only two seasons above .500 since 2011. For this year, Wimberly is encouraged by the early indications on the outside, at defensive back and at receiver, where Brown is a home run threat. He averaged 23.8 yards per reception with four touchdowns last fall.
RIDGEVIEW
Head coach: Bryan Arnette, third year (2-18).
Last year: 1-9.
Key returners: Hunter Creech (DE/LB, Sr., 6-1, 215); Deshun Green (WR, So., 6-2, 190); Braylon Hawkins (FB/DE, Sr., 6-0, 240); Rayhn Hutchinson (RB/LB, Sr., 5-9, 210); Jacob Jones (OT/DE, Sr., 6-4, 240); Jairus Moore (TE/DE, Sr., 6-3, 230).
Key newcomers: Camryn Hall (S, Jr., 5-10, 175); Lucious Harris (LB, Jr., 5-10, 175); Travon Malone (QB, Jr., 5-9, 180); Terrick Moore (OL/DL, So., 5-10, 225).
Outlook: The Panthers have sputtered to 1-9 records in three of the last four seasons, but Arnette is confident that this year's team has the experience and grit to turn things around. Particularly improved are the linebackers, a major plus for a defense that allowed 36.5 points per game last fall. A player to watch is Moore, an all-county performer off the edge who could also contribute on offense.
DISTRICT 4-3S
CLAY
Head coach: Kyle Kennard, fourth year (19-12).
Last year: 3-7.
Key returners: Payton Dykas (WR, Sr., 6-0, 165); Omar Goosby (DL, Jr., 6-3, 270); Eli Iscoa (OL, Jr., 6-1, 250); Cody Mobley (OL, Sr., 6-1, 270); Merrick Rapoza (QB, Jr., 6-3, 210); Javaris Roberts (LB, Jr., 6-0, 190); Chandler Thomas (RB/LB, Sr., 5-8, 180).
Key newcomers: Vonte Burke (DB, Jr., 5-8, 150); Antonio Thomas (WR, Jr., 5-11, 160).
Outlook: The Blue Devils are eager to recover from a 2022 slump, a rarity for a program that was a near-automatic playoff qualifier through the 2010s. The road to victory begins with Clay County's most productive returning wideout in Dykas (57 catches, 1,001 yards, 14 TD). With quarterback Rapoza (1,219 yards passing, 269 yards rushing) back for another year, the Blue Devils should be able to make fireworks happen in the air.
MENENDEZ
Head coach: Anthony Rivers, first year.
Last year: 5-5.
Key returners: Gideon Collins (LB, Sr., 5-8, 165); Maddox Lehman (LB, So., 5-10, 175); Liam Molloy (LB, Jr., 6-0, 185); Delvan Parker (DT, Jr., 6-1, 235); Trey Pate (OL, Sr., 6-0, 280); Ransom Rhodes (OL, So., 6-0, 250); Joseph Soto (LB, Jr., 6-0, 215); Jason Watson (ATH, Sr., 5-11, 175).
Key newcomers: Cash Downey (QB, Fr., 6-0, 180); Luke Harmon (ATH, So., 6-3, 185).
Outlook: This is one team that knows how to get to the football on defense. Soto (88 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble in 2022) leads a linebacker corps with four experienced Falcons. But there's far less experience in the offensive backfield, which was unsettled for much of last season with four players each attempting 10 or more passes. Menendez must find stability fast to emerge from a district that also has Gainesville and Matanzas.
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ST. AUGUSTINE
Head coach: Brian Braddock, eighth year (57-24); 11th year overall (80-34).
Last year: 7-4; lost 42-35 to Choctawhatchee in Region 1-3A quarterfinal.
Key returners: Locklan Hewlett (QB, Jr., 6-1, 180); Carl Jenkins (WR, Jr., 6-2, 180); Trenton Jones (WR, Jr., 5-10, 170); Drake Lusk (LB, Sr., 6-1, 210); Devonte Lyons (RB, Sr., 5-10, 190); Myles Simmons (WR, Jr., 6-0, 165); Ja'Ki Singleton (DB, Sr., 5-11, 190); Mike Wright (DL, Jr., 6-1, 240).
Key newcomers: Julian Quintero (DB, Sr., 6-0, 180); Somourian Wingo (WR, So., 6-2, 180).
Outlook: They bring back a starting quarterback, running back and a swarm of quality receivers, including multiple players who will someday play on Saturdays. So St. Augustine is dreaming big, one year after cruising to the district championship. Wake Forest-committed QB Hewlett, who passed for 2,126 yards in his sophomore year, is among the area's best juniors. The offensive line could be the key variable that determines just how far the Jackets progress.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school football 2023: St. Augustine, Columbia, Middleburg preview
