Decision day in 3 districts
Week 10 is here for high school football in Northeast Florida, beginning with Thursday night’s district-deciding action. Here are four games to watch:
Creekside (4-4) at Atlantic Coast (4-4), 6:30 p.m.
Creekside’s offense returned to onfire mode in last week’s must-win nailbiter over Fleming Island. Not only is Harrison Garrido rapidly nearing the 1,000-yard mark, but Sean Ashenfelder and Kaleb Taylor-Burch are fast becoming a deadly junior pass combination. Though injury-depleted, Atlantic Coast almost stunned Raines after falling behind 21-0, and still hold an outside playoff chance if they win out.
Fletcher (6-2, 2-0) at First Coast (4-4, 2-0), District 1-3M, 6:30 p.m.
This will be either Fletcher’s third consecutive district trophy or the Bucs’ first since the De’Andre Johnson era in 2014. Watch those quarterbacks: USFbound Marcelis Tate has spurred the Senators to six consecutive wins, and Western Kentucky commit Rodney Tisdale Jr. is at the controls of a Bucs offense with three receivers above 380 yards (Thomas Jackson, Michael Thomas and Adron Walker). Tisdale threw for 299 yards last year, but Fletcher still came out on top, 30-18.
Raines (7-1, 1-0) at Jackson (3-5, 1-0), District 1-2M, 6:30 p.m.
The Northside rivals face off for a district title that tipped the Tigers’ way last time out. Jackson’s 21-12 victory that time brought the Tigers their first district crown since 2009, and they’ll likely need another big performance from QB King Johnson to repeat the feat. Raines got another clutch performance from corner Nicholas Kilpatrick,
including a pick and a long kick return, to ward off Atlantic Coast’s comeback bid last week.
Bishop Kenny (5-3, 2-0) at Bolles (4-4, 2-0), District 2-2M, 7:30 p.m.
Both rivals have circled this one for a year now. Bishop Kenny stunned Bolles 14-13 last year to end a 45-year drought in the series and capture a district title. The district is on the line this time as well. The spotlight will be on the trenches, where a young Bolles line is always ready to clear the way for ball carriers Emmett Grzebin and Ty Neal. Freshman running back Caleb Mattison has emerged on a Kenny offense that’s dropped two of its last three. Thursday’s games
Baldwin (5-3) at Ribault (3-5), 6:30 p.m.
Bishop Kenny (5-3, 2-0) at Bolles (4-4, 2-0), District 2-2M, 7:30 p.m.
Creekside (4-4) at Atlantic Coast (4-4), 6:30 p.m.
Episcopal (3-5, 0-2) at Wolfson (3-5, 0-2), District 2-2M, 6:30 p.m.
Fletcher (6-2, 2-0) at First Coast (4-4, 2-0), District 1-3M, 6:30 p.m.
Mandarin (6-2, 1-0) at Sandalwood (0-8, 0-1), District 1-4M, 6:30 p.m.
Parker (0-8, 0-2) at Englewood (5-3, 0-2), District 1-3M, 6:30 p.m.
Raines (7-1, 1-0) at Jackson (3-5, 1-0), District 1-2M, 6:30 p.m.
Union County (4-3) at Dixie County (6-2), 7:30 p.m.
INSIDE THE RIVALRY: LAST 10 MEETINGS
Sept. 4, 2009: Jackson 27, Raines 0 Sept. 3, 2010: Raines 21, Jackson 14 Oct. 7, 2011: Raines 38, Jackson 6 Oct. 5, 2012: Raines 33, Jackson 0 Oct. 18, 2013: Raines 45, Jackson 0 Oct. 18, 2014: Raines 41, Jackson 0 Oct. 17, 2015: Raines 56, Jackson 0 Sept. 29, 2017: Raines 78, Jackson 0 Sept. 17, 2021: Raines 31, Jackson 14 Oct. 28, 2022: Jackson 21, Raines 12
INSIDE THE RIVALRY: LAST 10 MEETINGS
Nov. 15, 1996: Bolles 66, Bishop Kenny 0 Nov. 14, 1997: Bolles 48, Bishop Kenny 10 Nov. 13, 1998: Bolles 49, Bishop Kenny 0 Nov. 12, 1999: Bolles 52, Bishop Kenny 8 Nov. 10, 2000: Bolles 47, Bishop Kenny 3 Oct. 3, 2003: Bolles 55, Bishop Kenny 0 Oct. 1, 2004: Bolles 69, Bishop Kenny 0 Oct. 13, 2017: Bolles 38, Bishop Kenny 34 Oct. 12, 2018: Bolles 31, Bishop Kenny 28 Oct. 28, 2022: Bishop Kenny 14, Bolles 13
SSAC 4A bracket
Cornerstone Charter (3-5) at Eagle’s View (3-5), 7 p.m.