'Keep this ball rolling': Creekside QB credits line for 500-yard offense against Oakleaf

Sean Ashenfelder, newly committed to Rutgers this month, walked from the field Friday night crediting his latest triumph to some Creekside teammates who are used to life far from the Power Five spotlight.

"Our O-line really controlled the game," Ashenfelder said.

Plowing forward for 28 first downs and more than 500 yards behind a sledgehammer offensive front, Creekside took command early in a battle of Knights, defeating Oakleaf 38-20 in District 3-4S high school football in the Castle.

Ashenfelder threw for 201 yards and rushed for a score, while Harrison Garrido (144 yards) and Danny Approbato (83) combined in an uncompromising ground game that ran down the clock and racked up the points.

For that, circle the names of the biggest starters on a Knights team that once again showed they can challenge the strongest programs in Northeast Florida: Joe Bartles, left tackle. Aiden Bringman, left guard. Alex Bringman, center. Austin Eakin, right guard. Cole Anderson, right tackle.

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Fans might not know all of them. But a future Big Ten quarterback certainly does.

"The O-line getting off the ball, then us being able to run the ball, then opening up play-action passes and getting the defense to come up," Ashenfelder said. "That was just huge for us."

O-LINE CLEARS THE WAY

The line set the tone on Creekside's second drive, a 60-yard march capped by Approbato's 2-yard run to the house, and took control for good with three unanswered touchdown runs -- one each by Garrido, Approbato and Ashenfelder -- for a 28-7 lead at the break.

"They play together and they stay after you," Oakleaf coach Christopher Foy said. "That's what they run the ball so well, because that offensive line is one of the best I've seen."

The total: 503 yards, 302 on the ground, 201 through the air, even with 2022 rushing leader Nicholas Williams once more out of action.

Ashenfelder was smooth, too. The junior spread the ball around, finishing 15 of 24 and hitting four receivers with three or more passes apiece in his best showing of the season.

"Our offense did a great job of taking what the defense gives us," Creekside coach Sean McIntyre said. "We never tried to take things and push the ball down the field if it's not there."

Still, after Oakleaf sliced the lead to 31-20 on Brandon Wallace's run with 11:30 to go, Creekside's win wasn't yet safe. Ashenfelder commanded a clinching six-minute march, capped with a 27-yard touchdown strike to Kaleb Taylor-Burch on the post for the dagger.

"We had it and I missed it a couple times [earlier], but we finally hit on it," Ashenfelder said. "He ran a great route, it was a great ball and that's all you can ask."

TIME RUNS OUT FOR OAKLEAF

Down three scores, Oakleaf (2-2, 1-1 District 3-4S) never gave up.

They moved the ball much more efficiently in the late going after switching to an up-tempo offense, cutting the lead on power rushing by Christopher Foy II and a dash from elusive senior quarterback Wallace.

Freshman receiver Mike Conner also showed why he's a prospect to watch, grabbing five passes for 98 yards.

But in the end, three turnovers and Creekside's heavy pass rush proved too much.

"It'll set us up for playing those type of teams [future unbeaten opponents Bradford and Gainesville Buchholz]," Foy said. "That's the only way you can get to the tournament."

CREEKSIDE D STEPS UP

The offense wasn't the only side of the ball to shine for Creekside. After battles with the likes of Palm Beach Central, Gainesville Buchholz and Mandarin, McIntyre said his unit is more than battle-ready.

"Our defense has seen some people, man," he said. "Our defense has seen people in the five games, six games now, that we've had. So we're used to playing for 48 minutes, and they did that tonight."

Creekside racked up sacks (Colton Leavell, Brody McGough and Luke Millinor) in the early going, and once their pressure began to hurry Oakleaf's Wallace, it paid off in interceptions.

Three consecutive Oakleaf drives ended in picks, one by Bryan Padilla and two by Jaxon Earle, as the Creekside safeties snapped up off-target throws. The defensive front of Andrew Jenkins, Cole Long and Liam Ross also limited Oakleaf to 102 yards rushing.

Creekside is getting used to life among Northeast Florida's giants. At 3-3, and now 1-1 in a brutally difficult Florida High School Athletic Association District 3-4S, they've got their eyes on a third consecutive regional return. But it doesn't get any easier: After a one-week break, rival Bartram Trail looms on deck.

"We've got to keep this ball rolling," Ashenfelder said. "Now, we've got some momentum building."

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school football 2023: Oakleaf at Creekside Knights