JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Varsity 4 has you covered every step of the way for Week 9 of the high school football season.
For a full schedule and results, find our Florida week by week scores and television coverage here. For our Georgia weekly updates, check those out here. Predictions can be found here.
Four to watch
(4) Bolles (6-1) at (10) Riverside (5-3), 6:30 p.m.
A collision of two very good offensive teams. The Bulldogs have moved the ball well. QB Ethan Drumm (1,261 passing yards, 15 TDs) has tossed more than half of those scoring passes to WR Naeem Burroughs. RB Ty Neal (503 rushing yards, 6 TDs) has shouldered the bulk of the ground attack in the absence of Emmett Grzebin. Bolles has given up some yardage this year, but it has some muscle on defense. DL Asher Ghioto has 38 tackles, 15 TFL and six of Bolles’ 17 sacks. Riverside is averaging 33.9 points a game and it can score in a hurry. WR Tae’shaun Gelsey (611 receiving yards, 12 TDs) is a nightmare to cover and fellow WR Myles Kendrick (415 receiving yards, 2 TDs) is tough to cover. RB Shemon Davis (854 rushing yards, 8 TDs) is quickly approaching 1,000 yards on the ground. QBs Glenn Foreman III and Jaidan Delaune have combined for 18 TD passes.
(1) Raines (5-0) at (9) Creekside (4-3)
A potential game of the week candidate with the high-powered Knights riding a four-game winning streak and the top-ranked Vikings. Raines is elite on both sides of the ball. QB TJ Cole has been a weapon for the Vikings. He’s passed for 1,422 yards and 18 TDs with six different players catching scoring passes. WR Adron Walker (387 receiving yards, 7 TDs) is the leading target, followed by Ziyon Butler (276 receiving yards, 3 TDs), Andreus Cox (242 receiving yards, 4 TDs) and Kaleb Lampkins (214 receiving yards, 3 TDs). RB Ta’darius Washington (402 rushing yards, 7 TDs) and Cole (340 rushing yards, 5 TDs) give Raines two weapons out of the backfield. Defense is tough, too. When the Vikings buckle down and play defense, they are monsters on the field. LB Tony Williams (46 tackles, 10 TFL, 5 sacks), S Eddie Hinton (42 tackles, 3 INT) and DL Jyon Simon (25 tackles, 8 TFL, 6 sacks) are physical and nasty. Creekside has been a different team the last month. The Knights have scored no fewer than 43 points during their current winning streak, with the powerful duo of QB Sean Ashenfelder and RB Harrison Garrido at the forefront of that. Can they keep that up against the best defense that they’ve seen this season?
(3) St. Augustine (5-1) at Bartram Trail (3-3), Varsity 4 Game of the Week
One of the best rivalries in St. Johns County, these teams first met in 2001 and have played every year since. The Yellow Jackets won the first 19 games in this series, two of those in the playoffs. Bartram finally broke through with five straight wins (2018-22) but the Yellow Jackets won last season and lead the all-time series 20-5. Bartram has perhaps the area’s top RB in Arthur Lewis IV (1,117 rushing yards, 11 TDs), a solid QB in Jaden Weatherly (1,023 passing yards, 313 rushing yards, 13 total TDs) and a surehanded WR in Deandre Caldwell (570 receiving yards, 3 TDs). DB James DeLeo had a team-best 49 tackles and DL Mark Minor has six TFL. That defense has been gashed at times, and that doesn’t bode well while facing one of the area’s top units in St. Augustine. The Yellow Jackets have one of the area’s top QBs in Locklan Hewlett (1,220 passing yards, 14 TDs). He has three major weapons in Somourian Wingo, Trenton Jones and Carl Jenkins Jr. They’ve combined for 1,156 yards and 14 TDs. RB Trendell Anderson has 11 rushing TDs. CB Darrell Jenkins has five of St. Augustine’s 10 interceptions. The Yellow Jackets blasted Clay 56-6 on Monday night, taking three interceptions back for TDs.
White (5-2) at (5) Oakleaf (5-2)
A sneaky good clash between teams that could easily be unbeaten. The Commanders’ two losses have come by a combined six points. RBs Rontrez Loyd (415 rushing yards, 4 TDs) and Joseph Williams (427 rushing yards, TD) lead the ground game. QB King Boylston (1,208 passing yards, 7 TDs) has three quality targets in Nick Roberson, Landon Francis and Marion Laguerre, who have combined for five of those TD grabs. Defense has been rock solid, with White holding teams to 10.3 ppg. Can they have that success against Oakleaf? The Knights have lost to Hawthorne and Bolles by a combined 13 points. QB Jack McKissock (1,629 passing yards, 16 TDs) is completing 72% of his passes. Six receivers have more than 100 yards, with Carlos Witherup (460 receiving yards, 5 TDs) and Michael Conner (390 receiving yards, 3 TDs) leading the way. RB Christopher Foy II has nine rushing TDs and is just 8 yards away from 1,000 on the season. DLs Amare’ Thomas and Anthony Smith have combined for 17.5 sacks.
Next four to watch
Atlantic Coast (3-4) at (2) Nease (5-0): Panthers last played on Sept. 30 and the Stingrays showed some late fight to make things interesting against Creekside on Monday night.
Fleming Island (4-3) at Parker (3-4), 6:30 p.m.: Both teams are on a second half surge. The Golden Eagles are closing in on a district title and need to maintain momentum. The Braves have won three straight and also have a shot at a district crown but need to keep winning.
(7) Mandarin (5-2) at Fletcher (4-3), 6:30 p.m.: Senators have struggled against the better teams while the Mustangs have turned the corner since injuries earlier this season.
Middleburg (6-1) at Beachside (5-2): Both teams are coming off big losses. The Broncos still have a pulse in the District 3-5A race but would be eliminated with a loss here.
Week 8 schedule
Monday’s results
Bartram Trail (3-3) at (2) Nease (5-0), postponed to Week 12
(10) Creekside 43, Atlantic Coast 37
Crescent City 23, Halifax Academy 8
Fleming Island 44, (9) Beachside 17
Gainesville Buchholz 63, Tocoi Creek 22
(8) Ponte Vedra 52, Middleburg 21
Parker 44, Westside 12
Wolfson 42, Baldwin 0
Zarephath Academy 84, Duval Charter 6
Tuesday’s results
Trinity Christian 49, Episcopal 3
Week 9 schedule, Florida
Thursday, Oct. 17
Matanzas (3-4) at Belleview (0-5)
St. Joseph (7-0) at Gainesville Oak Hall (4-3)
Friday, Oct. 18
Atlantic Coast (3-4) at (2) Nease (5-0)
Baker County (4-2) at Satellite (1-6)
Bishop Kenny (4-3) at First Coast (3-4), 6:30 p.m.
Bishop Snyder (5-2) at Paxon (5-1), 6:30 p.m.
(4) Bolles (6-1) at (10) Riverside (5-3), 6:30 p.m.
(6) Bradford (6-1) at Tallahassee Leon (0-7)
Carrollwood Day (3-3) at University Christian (2-4), 7:30 p.m.
Cedar Creek Christian (3-3) at Trinity Prep (0-7)
Chiefland (6-1) at Keystone Heights (2-5), 7:30 p.m.
Christ’s Church (6-1) at Eagle’s View (4-4)
Clay (2-5) at Fernandina Beach (4-4)
Duval Charter (1-7) at Windermere Prep (2-4), 6 p.m.
Englewood (2-5) at Jackson (3-4), 6:30 p.m.
Flagler Palm Coast (5-1) at Yulee (2-5)
Fleming Island (4-3) at Parker (3-4), 6:30 p.m.
Fort White (4-2) at Newberry (5-2), 7:30 p.m.
Halifax Academy (4-3) at West Nassau (7-1)
Harvest Community (2-5) at Old Plank Christian (4-4)
Hilliard (0-7) at Interlachen (2-6), 7:30 p.m.
Hollis Christian (1-6) at Foundation Academy (3-4)
Impact Christian (2-4) at Ridgeview (1-6)
KIPP Bold City (1-6) at Providence (6-1)
(7) Mandarin (5-2) at Fletcher (4-3), 6:30 p.m.
Middleburg (6-1) at Beachside (5-2)
Palatka (4-3) at Crescent City (6-1)
(8) Ponte Vedra (5-2) at Orange Park (2-5)
(1) Raines (5-0) at (9) Creekside (4-3)
Ribault (1-6) at Baldwin (3-4), 6:30 p.m.
(3) St. Augustine (5-1) at Bartram Trail (3-3)
Santa Fe (1-6) at Zarephath Academy (8-1)
Sandalwood (0-7) at Gainesville Eastside (4-2), 7:30 p.m.
Stanton (2-5) at Westside (1-6), 6:30 p.m.
Taylor County (5-0) at Suwannee (1-5), 7:30 p.m.
Tocoi Creek (4-3) at Menendez (3-4)
Trinity Catholic (1-6) at Union County (6-0), 7:30 p.m.
White (5-2) at (5) Oakleaf (5-2)
OFF: Episcopal, NFEI, Trinity Christian, Wolfson.
Georgia schedule, Week 10
Friday, Oct. 18, all games 7:30 p.m. unless indicated
Camden County (6-1) at Lowndes (6-1), 8 p.m.
Lakeside (6-0) at Brunswick (6-1)
Pierce County (6-0) at Crisp County (1-5)
Ware County (3-3) at Perry (5-2)
OFF: Charlton County, Glynn Academy.
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