Schedule scramble: FHSAA's rare offseason district switch shakes up Tocoi Creek football

No suspense. No drama. No scrambling to set up district games.

That's what schools expect when it comes to district football scheduling in summer — especially in a season that's in the middle of a classification cycle.

So it was a detour from the ordinary for Tocoi Creek — and some of its current and former opponents — when the Florida High School Athletic Association bumped the Toros from District 6-2S to District 4-4S in the Metro-Suburban system for this fall.

Under the original classification, which was also used for 2022, Tocoi Creek would have been grouped with Bradford, Keystone Heights and Palatka. Now, they'll be facing St. Johns County foes Nease and Ponte Vedra as well as Flagler Palm Coast.

See the new districts: The FHSAA is reclassifying Tocoi Creek and Beachside. Where will they play in 2023-24?

The FHSAA adjusted the assignment for the third-year school based on a sharp increase in enrollment compared to its 2021 opening. The rare action follows FHSAA policies, even though the next regularly-scheduled reclassification is not scheduled until the cycle beginning in 2024-25.

In an e-mail to the Times-Union, FHSAA associate executive director Scott Jamison confirmed that Tocoi Creek's realignment stems from FHSAA Policy 12.2.8.2, which permits the association to reclassify a school outside the normal window in the event of an extreme change in enrollment.

By rule, the reclassification would apply if a school's enrollment rises by 20 percent or more, if the increase would push the school into a higher class, and if every other school in the current class has a student population that is less than the school affected.

Based on FHSAA statistics, all of those criteria apply to Tocoi Creek, located in a booming sector of western St. Johns County. In its enrollment documents filed with the FHSAA, the school recorded 1,322 students for 2021-22, but that figure rose to 2,017 in 2022-23 and is projected to increase further in 2023-24. Its previous district rivals, by contrast, reported between 793 and 1,099 students in 2022-23.

In addition to Tocoi Creek, Beachside is also scheduled being reclassified upward for its second season in 2023-24, although that move is irrelevant with respect to Barracudas football because the program is continuing to compete as an independent this fall. Both Beachside and Tocoi Creek will also be moving into higher classes in some sports other than football as a result of Policy 12.2.8.2.

The domino effect for football schedules, meanwhile, extends well beyond Northeast Florida.

For example, Flagler Palm Coast and Ponte Vedra both suddenly found themselves with a new mandatory district opponent, and had to cancel an already-scheduled game in order to accommodate it. Meanwhile, in order to add FPC and Ponte Vedra, Tocoi Creek was forced to scratch games against its former district foes, Bradford and Keystone.

Canes call for Jackson's Plazz

Deryc Plazz is ready to begin blocking in Coral Gables.

The Jackson offensive lineman committed to Miami football on Friday, announcing his decision on Twitter.

The 6-6, 280-pound Plazz, rated as a three-star prospect, becomes the 16th commitment in the Canes' 2024 class. The 247Sports composite currently ranks Plazz as a top-70 recruit at offensive tackle.

Plazz briefly committed to Penn State on June 4 before de-committing from the Nittany Lions fewer than two weeks later.

The commitment of Plazz returns the Hurricanes to the heart of Northeast Florida's recruiting picture, after no Jacksonville-area players signed with Miami in the 2023 high school class. Recent prime recruits from the area to select the Hurricanes include Providence tight end Will Mallory and Oakleaf linemen Jalen Rivers and Chantz Williams.

Fleming Island heads flag football list

State runner-up Fleming Island earned three of Class 2A's top selections when the Florida Athletic Coaches Association named its All-State squad for flag football.

Fleming Island quarterback Mykayla Maddox and wide receiver London Jenkins earned first-team selections for Class 2A on offense, with linebacker Gabi Musa on the second team on defense. The Golden Eagles qualified for the Class 2A final before losing to Tampa Alonso.

In Class 1A, White receiver Tremesha Harris and Bradford receiver Nichelle Brown won berths on the first team. Stanton receiver Courtney Brown and White linebacker Brianna Henderson qualified for the second team, with Keystone Heights running back Ella Hutchins on the third team.

Atlantic Coast's Gaby Rourke also made the third team on the Class 2A defense. Honorable mention selections included Bradford's Ar'nayshia Griffin, Fleming Island's Natalia Ramdas, Paxon's Ansley Hicks and Taniah Warner and White's Endia Maxwell.

Ponte Vedra's Quiggle wins V-ball title

Ponte Vedra's Corinne Quiggle is officially a champion on the AVP Tour.

The former Sharks standout earned her long-awaited first tournament championship on the AVP Tour for beach volleyball, teaming up with Sarah Schermerhorn to win the women's championship at Hermosa Beach, California.

An All-First Coast setter on Ponte Vedra's indoor volleyball team leading up to her graduation in 2014, Quiggle played college volleyball at Pepperdine.

Around the area

Brunswick linebacker A.J. Wilson committed to Mary Hardin-Baylor football. ... Trinity Christian rising junior outside hitter Amaria King committed to Marquette volleyball. … Bolles forward Pierce Shirk committed to Georgia Southern men's basketball. … Nease senior Mary Pace-Balzan signed with the University of North Florida for women's track and field. … St. Johns Country Day closer Trevor Bradley committed to Flagler baseball. … Oakleaf defensive specialist Jayleen Rivera committed to South Florida State College volleyball. … Fleming Island rising senior Chloe Perry committed to St. Leo women's lacrosse. … Middleburg catcher Alyssa Prather committed to Lees-McRae softball. … Brunswick senior Riyon Rankin placed sixth in the men's high jump at the USA Track & Field U20 Outdoor National Championships over the weekend in Eugene, Ore. Among other locals, Mandarin graduate and University of Florida freshman Da'Moni Kelly finished eighth in the women's shot put, Providence's Skyy Dixon placed 14th in the women's 100-meter dash and Sandalwood's Brittney Jennings came in 16th in the women's 100 hurdles. ... St. Johns Country Day named Jenna Williams head volleyball coach. … Suwannee hired Billy Moran as head baseball coach. … Former Mandarin outfielder Ty Jackson made history in Friday night's HBCU Swingman Classic, scoring the first run in the inaugural baseball showcase. ... Jaguars Prep is scheduled to take its Nike 11-On tournament on the road, with eight Panhandle teams competing in 7-on-7 football at Fort Walton Beach on July 20.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Tocoi Creek football: FHSAA reclassifies Toros under enrollment rule