Playoff time: What to watch in Northeast Florida first-round suburban football postseason

All games Friday. Times are as listed by the FHSAA but are subject to change.

REGION 1-4S

No. 5 Creekside (6-4) at No. 4 Ponte Vedra (7-3), 7 p.m.

Winner meets: Gainesville Buchholz or Lynn Haven Mosley, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Creekside is 1-5; Ponte Vedra is 6-7.

Last regional playoff appearance: Creekside, 2022 (lost in regional quarterfinal); Ponte Vedra, 2019 (lost in regional quarterfinal).

Glance: A rematch of a thriller that propelled the Knights into the playoffs last time out. Even serial injuries haven't derailed Creekside, with Danny Approbato switching from defense to run for 120 yards in the Knights' 26-21 win over the Sharks. Their offense pairs mobile QB Sean Ashenfelder (1,586 yards, 12 TD, 10 INT) with even more mobile receiver Kaleb Taylor-Burch (52 catches, 670 yards), while Luke Millinor, Brody McGough and Cole Long are playmakers on an opportunistic defense. For Ponte Vedra, which must bounce back from back-to-back losses, corner Joe Mahoney and linebacker Talan Babin have been defensive standouts. Balance keeps the Shark offense moving, whether it's determined running back Brian Case (938 yards, 17 TD), dual-threat QB Ben Burk (1,805 yards passing, 572 rushing) or deep-threat wideouts Ryan Smith and Cole Madson.

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No. 2 Niceville (8-2) at No. 7 Nease (7-3), 6 p.m.

Winner meets: Bartram Trail or Navarre, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Nease is 19-9 with one state title; Niceville is 39-31 with one state title.

Last regional playoff appearance: Nease, 2021 (lost in regional final); Niceville, 2022 (lost in regional quarterfinal).

Glance: Two years ago, Nease stunned the Eagles 24-19 in a Panhandle playoff with 233 passing yards from Marcus Stokes and a big night on defense from Ben Bogle. Can the Panthers repeat the feat? They've got a fast-improving senior quarterback in Bryce Frick (1,652 yards, 17 TD), agile receivers Maddox Spencer and Brayden Felder, defensive playmakers Jacob Curry and Elisha Luckett, and lots of momentum. But Niceville, as always, is seriously tough, averaging 40.4 points per game with efficient quarterback Kane Lafortune (117 of 169, 1306 yards, 14 TD, 5 INT) and running back D.J. Robinson (1,051 yards), coming off a five-touchdown night against Navarre. Sophomore safety Alante Reese has 15 tackles for loss, two interceptions and three forced fumbles.

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No. 3 Bartram Trail (6-4) at No. 6 Navarre (7-3), 7:30 p.m.

Winner meets: Niceville or Nease, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Bartram Trail is 26-19; Navarre is 14-12.

Last regional playoff appearance: Bartram Trail, 2022 (lost in regional final); Navarre, 2022 (lost in regional semifinal).

Glance: Despite their superior seed, the Bears have to make the Panhandle trip to District 2-4S champion Navarre. This one is a quality matchup on the ground. Bartram Trail running back Laython Biddle has gone even higher, rushing for 1,545 yards and 19 scores to win the Northeast Florida rushing title, and that could be crucial: Navarre allowed 63 points last week to Niceville, mostly in the ground game. UCF-committed Riley Trujillo can run the ball from behind center for Bartram Trail, as can elusive sophomore Arthur Lewis, while Zach Marshall and Jimmy Huck are leaders on an underrated O-line and Caden Baldwin leads the linebacker corps. In Navarre's corner, Connor Mathews has rushed for 1,305 yards and 21 touchdowns, and Hunter Pfiester (1,238 yards, 10 TD) and Terence Marshall (33 catches, 475 yards) link up well in the air. Brace for a shootout: On average, Navarre's games include an average of more than 70 combined points.

REGION 1-3S

No. 8 Middleburg (5-5) at No. 1 St. Augustine (9-0), 7 p.m.

Winner meets: Pine Forest or Escambia, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Middleburg is 1-7; St. Augustine is 43-29 with one state title.

Last regional playoff appearance: Middleburg, 2022 (lost in regional quarterfinal); St. Augustine, 2022 (lost in regional quarterfinal).

Glance: The top-ranked Yellow Jackets begin their march against a Broncos team making consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since 1989 and 1990. St. Augustine beat Middleburg 54-37 two years ago in the breakout game for then-sophomore running back Devonte Lyons, who rushed for 262 yards and five touchdowns. Lyons is back, as is a devastating St. Augustine air assault that links Wake Forest-committed QB Locklan Hewlett with receivers including Carl Jenkins Jr., Trenton Jones and Myles Simmons. The pressure is on Middleburg's defense, which excelled last week with two interceptions by Von Lane and an Errick Fryer fumble return. Broncos senior QB Jaydan Jenkins can be dangerous when he gets room to run.

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No. 6 Columbia (4-5) at No. 3 Choctawhatchee (8-2), 8 p.m.

Winner meets: Tallahassee Lincoln or Matanzas, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Columbia is 41-35 with one state title; Choctawhatchee is 21-16 with one state title.

Last regional playoff appearance: Columbia, 2022 (lost in state semifinal); Choctawhatchee, 2022 (lost in regional final).

Glance: It's a rematch from last year's regional final, when a Jaden Robinson-led defense stifled Choctaw in a 20-14 Columbia win secured on Tray Tolliver's touchdown catch in overtime. The mission for the Tigers remains the same as in 2022: contain a superstar running back in Stanford-committed Cole Tabb, who missed two weeks with a hamstring injury but is averaging more than 7 yards per carry and could break the 5,000-yard career barrier as soon as this week. Inconsistency has plagued Columbia's offense, including a stagnant running game and four interceptions last week against Vero Beach, but Florida State-committed Camdon Frier is a threat to find the end zone at any time. Kani Fulton and Jerome Carter III are leaders on a Tigers defense that's turned its season around from an 0-4 start.

REGION 1-2S

No. 5 Suwannee (6-3) at No. 4 Pensacola Catholic (8-2), 8:30 p.m.

Winner meets: Walton or South Walton, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Suwannee is 31-18 with four state titles; Pensacola Catholic is 19-19.

Last regional playoff appearance: Suwannee, 2022 (lost in regional final); Pensacola Catholic, 2022 (lost in regional semifinal).

Glance: Can Suwannee stop the skid? After a 6-0 start, they've dropped their last three and now face a long road trip down Interstate 10. While both senior Kodi Lang and freshman Koy Frier have seen time at quarterback, the constant is running back Marquavious Owens, who topped the 100-yard mark in six consecutive games. On defense, any team facing Suwannee must watch out for Ja'darius Cherry, in double digits in sacks. Pensacola Catholic brings a balanced offense with running backs Nigel Nelson and CJ Nettles both above 600 yards, plus a next-level linebacker in Demontrae Gaston.

REGION 2-2S

No. 8 Port Orange Atlantic (5-5) at No. 1 Bradford (10-0), 7:30 p.m.

Winner meets: Palatka or Gainesville Eastside, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Atlantic is 2-6; Bradford is 24-21 with two state titles.

Last regional playoff appearance: Port Orange Atlantic, 2020 (lost in regional quarterfinal); Bradford, 2022 (lost in state semifinal).

Glance: Just how thoroughly have the Tornadoes steamrolled their opposition? They've outscored foes 321-42, and no team has managed more than one offensive touchdown against them. Chalil Cummings in the secondary, Chason Clark and Duke Lewis at linebacker and Torin Brazell and Trente Jenkins on the line command a defensive unit to be feared. Bradford's offense started slowly but has grown more dynamic thanks to the mobility of senior QB Dae'jon Shanks. Atlantic has struggled in the passing game, so their offense rides the legs of junior tailback Kwasie Kwaku Jr. (1,151 yards rushing, 8 TD). Two-way athlete Preston Kuznof is tough to contain on both sides of the ball, recording 11 sacks as a pass rusher.

No. 7 Keystone Heights (6-4) at No. 2 Yulee (8-2), 7:30 p.m.

Winner meets: Baldwin or Baker County, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Keystone Heights is 1-12; Yulee is 3-5.

Last regional playoff appearance: Keystone Heights, 2021 (lost in regional semifinal); Yulee, 2022 (lost in regional quarterfinal).

Glance: The Hornets are seeking their first playoff victory since Derrick Henry carried Yulee to an unforgettable state semifinal in 2012. There's no King Henry on this team, but Shamarion Gibbs and Teonte Artis-Croxton form a nice running back tandem, Nikao Smith is a proven state champion QB from his 2022 at Ware County and Braylen Ricks, Rylan Hale and L.J. Jacobs stand out on a defense that allows just 12.4 points per game. Keystone, winner of its last three, relies on a pounding running game with Cartez Daniels (850 yards) and a young but powerful offensive front that includes junior Tyler Duncan and freshman Bryce Daniels.

No. 6 Baldwin (5-5) at No. 3 Baker County (6-3), 7 p.m.

Winner meets: Keystone Heights or Yulee, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Baldwin is 2-10; Baker County is 18-18.

Last regional playoff appearance: Baldwin, 2022 (lost in regional semifinal); Baker County, 2022 (lost in regional final).

Glance: The rivalry resumes. Baker County edged Baldwin in last year's regional second round, and came from behind to win the Sept. 15 regular-season game 12-7 on touchdowns from Benny Lewis and Conner Bearden. But earlier in 2022, Baldwin beat the Wildcats for the first time in more than a half-century. All signs point to another low-scoring contest. Sophomore quarterbacks Hudson Register, for Baker County, and Gage Screws, for Baldwin, have taken over in midseason on run-first offenses. Lewis carries the load for Baker County, while Baldwin's Nashawn Jacobs has emerged as a sophomore touchdown threat already above the 1,100-yard mark. The front sevens for each team, headed by Mason Carter and Octavious Barnes for Baldwin and Seth Chestnut and Case Foster for Baker County, are both among Northeast Florida's most productive.

No. 5 Palatka (7-3) at No. 4 Gainesville Eastside (7-3), 7 p.m., Citizens Field

Winner meets: Port Orange Atlantic or Bradford, Nov. 17.

Playoff history: Palatka is 17-23 with one state title; Eastside is 12-16.

Last regional playoff appearance: Palatka, 2022 (lost in regional quarterfinal); Eastside, 2022 (lost in regional semifinal).

Glance: Watch that quarterback. Sophomore Tommy Offord makes the Palatka offense go with 1,093 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns, and when the Panthers need a big touchdown, he's very often the one finding the end zone for a playoff-bound team that's continuing its resurgence. Palatka throws infrequently, but Cartaveon Valentine is a deep threat, averaging almost 30 yards per catch. Eastside's strength is tough to assess: Their last five wins have come by a combined 210-0, but against overmatched foes with a combined six wins all year. Rams quarterback Adrian Curtis spreads the ball around nicely, with seven Eastside receivers gaining triple figures. D.J. Anderson (three INT) leads the secondary.

REGION 3-1R

BYE: Fort White

No. 6 Hilliard (3-7) at No. 3 Union County (6-3), 7:30 p.m.

Winner meets: Fort White, Nov. 17

Playoff history: Hilliard is 4-13; Union County is 37-22 with three state titles.

Last regional playoff appearance: Hilliard, 2022 (lost in regional semifinal); Union County, 2022 (lost in regional semifinal).

Glance: Run, run and run some more. That's the heart of the offense for Union County, which has only lost to playoff teams (Walton, Hawthorne and Orlando Christian Prep) and has outscored its last three foes 126-15. Ras Woodall, Thomas Williams, Drew Simmons and quarterback Trenton Klein each have more than 300 yards rushing for the Fightin' Tigers, and receiver Gavin Jenkins (20 catches, 408 yards) is dangerous downfield. DB Dayquan Diston leads the secondary with three picks. Hilliard has backed into the playoffs, losing its last three, although the Red Flashes can be dangerous when running back Braydon Holley (757 yards) gets the football. Union County rushed for 432 yards to bump Hilliard from the 2021 regional playoffs, 52-14.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: FHSAA suburban football playoff preview: Northeast Florida first round