Northeast Florida high school football rolls into Week 8: Top Friday night games to watch
Week 8 is here for Northeast Florida high school football, packed with quality district matchups and more.
Key storylines include Oakleaf's matchup against undefeated, top-ranked Gainesville Buchholz in District 3-4S; Tocoi Creek's District 4-4S trip to Ponte Vedra in a St. Johns County clash; and Bradford's trip to South Florida and Class 1M state semifinalist Miami True North in a battle of unbeatens. And nobody will be forgetting about the Northwest Classic between Raines and Ribault, set for Saturday afternoon at First Coast.
Raines vs. Ribault: High school football preview for Jacksonville's 54th Northwest Classic
Fleming Island (2-4) at Mandarin (5-2), 6:30 p.m.
It's Clay County against Duval County, with two of the area's promising junior quarterbacks: Cibastian Broughton is at the controls for a Fleming Island fighting through a recent slump, with Florida State commit Tramell Jones leading Mandarin's offense. Watch for young receivers, too, in Fleming Island's Trace Burney and the Mustangs' Jaime Ffrench. Samuel Singleton, now at Florida State, ran for 244 yards to lead the Golden Eagles past Mandarin 35-28 last year.
Jackson (3-3) at Riverside (5-2), 6:30 p.m.
For 96 years, with occasional interruptions, this rivalry has been going strong. It turned up the intensity again last year when eighth-seeded Riverside KO'd the top-seeded Tigers from the Region 1-2M playoffs. Jackson's roster looks much different from 2022, but senior quarterback King Johnson keeps coming through when it matters most. So does Riverside's Shermon Davis, on both sides of the football.
Columbia (2-4, 1-0) at Middleburg (3-3, 1-0), District 3-3S, 7 p.m.
There's a District 3-3S title at stake in a series the Tigers have dominated. Middleburg has a good combination on the ground: They can move it with quarterback Jaydan Jenkins and short-yardage back Landon Nalepa, and congest other teams' running attacks with a defensive front anchored by B.J. Carter. Columbia has built a pass-first offense around quarterback Xavier Collins and FSU-bound receiver Camdon Frier.
Middleburg magic: Here's how Broncos high school football charged back from 26-point hole
Creekside (3-3, 1-1) at Bartram Trail (3-3, 1-0), District 3-4S, 7 p.m.
A big one on Longleaf Pine Parkway, a game that could be a lot closer than Bartram Trail's 15-1 series edge might indicate. Both of these rushing attacks mean business, and they've shown it all year. The Bears' Laython Biddle and Knights' Harrison Garrido have combined for nearly 2,000 yards rushing, and quarterbacks Riley Trujillo and Sean Ashenfelder have the speed to dash through traffic. Bartram Trail bumped Creekside from the 2022 playoffs with 162 yards on the ground from Trujillo.
INSIDE THE RIVALRY: LAST 10 MEETINGS
Oct. 17, 2014: Creekside 37, Bartram Trail 24
Oct 2, 2015: Bartram Trail 31, Creekside 0
Sept. 30, 2016: Bartram Trail 63, Creekside 7
Sept. 29, 2017: Bartram Trail 49, Creekside 0
Sept. 28, 2018: Bartram Trail 34, Creekside 20
Sept. 9, 2019: Bartram Trail 28, Creekside 14
Sept. 11, 2020: Bartram Trail 50, Creekside 40
Oct. 15, 2021: Bartram Trail 16, Creekside 13
Oct. 14, 2022: Bartram Trail 59, Creekside 27
Nov. 18, 2022: Bartram Trail 42, Creekside 15 (playoffs)
Yulee (5-1, 2-0) at Baker County (3-3, 2-0), District 5-2S, 7 p.m.
Defenses are in control in a game that, in all likelihood, will decide District 5-2S. Baker County forced four turnovers to transform last week's game against Quincy Munroe, including Case Foster's TD fumble return, while Seth Chestnut is among Northeast Florida's most prolific tacklers. A late L.J. Jacobs pick secured last week's win for the Hornets, who have held their last four foes under 15 points. Baker County edged Yulee 31-30 last year.
Trinity Christian (4-3, 1-0) at University Christian (4-2, 1-1), District 1-1M, 7:30 p.m.
Both teams haven't forgotten last November, when UC shocked the Conquerors for the first time in the series for three decades. For UC, Alan Woods has been carrying the offense, averaging more than 150 yards on the ground. Trinity is still looking for its rhythm on offense, going down to Riverside last week for their third Gateway Conference loss in 30 years. But Colin Hurley, Miles Burris, Kyle Boylston and two-way starter Cameron Anderson give them plenty of weapons.
INSIDE THE RIVALRY: LAST 10 MEETINGS
Sept. 14, 2007: Trinity 48, UC 7
Sept. 19, 2008: Trinity 40, UC 0
Sept. 30, 2011: Trinity 45, UC 7
Sept. 28, 2012: Trinity 36, UC 8
Sept. 27, 2013: Trinity 39, UC 0
Sept. 12, 2014: Trinity 42, UC 12
Sept. 11, 2015: Trinity 35, UC 20
Sept. 9, 2016: Trinity 31, UC 23
Oct. 14, 2022: Trinity 20, UC 13
Nov. 25, 2022: UC 36, Trinity 27 (playoffs)
Thursday, Oct. 12
Young Kids in Motion (0-4) at Christ's Church (5-1), 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 13
FLORIDA
Baldwin (3-3) at Westside (0-7), 6:30 p.m.
Beachside (5-1) at Paxon (3-3), 6:30 p.m.
Bishop Kenny (4-2, 1-0) at Episcopal (3-3, 0-1), District 2-2M, 7 p.m.
Bishop Snyder (3-3) at Eagle's View (3-3), 7 p.m.
Bolles (3-4, 1-0) at Wolfson (3-3, 0-1), District 2-2M, 6:30 p.m.
Bradford (6-0) at Miami True North (6-0), 3:30 p.m.
Cedar Creek Christian (0-6) at Gainesville Oak Hall (6-0), 7 p.m.
Clay (4-2, 1-0) at Menendez (2-5, 1-1), District 4-3S, 7 p.m.
Columbia (2-4, 1-0) at Middleburg (3-3, 1-0), District 3-3S, 7 p.m.
Creekside (3-3, 1-1) at Bartram Trail (3-3, 1-0), District 3-4S, 7 p.m.
Dixie County (5-1) at Fort White (5-1), 7:30 p.m.
Duval Charter (0-5) at Orlando First Academy (4-2), 7 p.m.
Englewood (4-2, 0-1) at Fletcher (5-2, 1-0), District 1-3M, 6:30 p.m.
Fernandina Beach (3-3, 0-2) at West Nassau (2-5, 0-1), District 5-2S, 7 p.m.
First Coast (2-4, 1-0) at Parker (0-6, 0-1), District 1-3M, 6:30 p.m.
Flagler Palm Coast (2-4, 0-1) at Nease (4-3, 0-0), District 4-4S, 7 p.m.
Fleming Island (2-4) at Mandarin (5-2), 6:30 p.m.
Gainesville Buchholz (6-0, 1-0) at Oakleaf (2-3, 1-1), District 3-4S, 7 p.m.
Hamilton County (2-3) at Hilliard (2-4), 7:30 p.m.
Harvest Community (2-4) at Orlando Faith Christian (3-3), 6:30 p.m.
Jackson (3-3) at Riverside (5-2), 6:30 p.m.
Joshua Christian (1-3) at TDH Academy (1-4), 7 p.m.
Keystone Heights (3-3, 0-0) at Palatka (5-1, 0-0), District 6-2S, 7 p.m.
North Florida Educational (1-6) at Impact Christian (5-1), 7 p.m.
Oviedo Master's Academy (5-1) at Providence (6-1), 7 p.m.
Ridgeview (1-5, 0-1) at Orange Park (2-4, 0-1), District 3-3S, 7 p.m.
Sandalwood (0-6, 0-0) at Atlantic Coast (3-3, 0-1), District 1-4M, 6:30 p.m.
Suwannee (6-0) at Madison County (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
Tocoi Creek (4-3, 0-0) at Ponte Vedra (5-1, 1-0), District 4-4S, 7 p.m.
Trinity Christian (4-3, 1-0) at University Christian (4-2, 1-1), District 1-1M, 7:30 p.m.
Union County (3-2) at Hawthorne (6-0), 7:30 p.m.
West Oaks Academy (2-4) at St. Joseph (2-4), 7 p.m.
Yulee (5-1, 2-0) at Baker County (3-3, 2-0), District 5-2S, 7 p.m.
GEORGIA
Atkinson County (0-6) at Charlton County (1-6), 7:30 p.m.
Bradwell Institute (2-4) at Ware County (4-2), 7:30 p.m.
Colquitt County (6-0) at Camden County (6-1), 7:30 p.m.
Glynn Academy (5-2) at Grovetown (2-5), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 14
Raines (5-1) vs. Ribault (3-3), at First Coast, 2 p.m.
BYE: Brunswick (4-2), St. Augustine (6-0), Stanton (0-6), White (4-3), Zarephath Academy (3-4)
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school football 2023: Week 8 Jacksonville top games, matchups
