St. Johns County high school football kicks off Week 6 on Friday. Key games to watch
St. Johns County high school football rolls to the halfway point with Week 6 games on Friday. Here’s a look ahead to the matchups.
Nease (3-2) at Sandalwood (0-4), 6:30 p.m.
Nease is gaining strength. The open-field threat of receiver Maddox Spencer is firmly established, but with Cam Smith now back in action at running back and scoring twice last week, the Panthers can also threaten on the ground. Struggles on offense, with only 27 points in four games, have sent Sandalwood to the school’s second 0-4 start in the past 20 years. But the Saints ran wild against Nease last year for 362 yards rushing in a 51-31 shootout.
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Oakleaf (2-1, 1-0) at Creekside (2-3, 0-1), District 3-4S, 7 p.m.
Which Knights will enjoy a good night? Creekside won a 49-48 thriller last year, decided on a touchdown from Wilson Edwards to Ashton Reynolds with eight seconds remaining. Watch for the ground game: Oakleaf’s Christopher Foy has been pounding out yards behind a bruising line, and Creekside counters with the two-pronged running attack of Harrison Garrido and quarterback Sean Ashenfelder.
Ponte Vedra (3-1, 0-0) at Flagler Palm Coast (2-2, 0-0), District 4-4S, 7 p.m.
In play: substantial playoff implications, plus emotional weight after FPC’s game-winning field goal last year in a 20-17 finish that ultimately denied the Sharks a playoff berth. This year’s Sharks have built a solid defense, including more than three sacks a game and a combination defensive and special teams weapon in Joe Mahoney (six pass breakups, two kick blocks). They’ll get a test against FPC’s 225-pound steamroller junior Marcus Mitchell, who ran for 288 yards against Matanzas.
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Matanzas (3-1, 0-0) at St. Augustine (4-0, 1-0), District 4-3S, 7 p.m.
This series has been all Yellow Jackets. They won 42-7 last year, and whether it’s Locklan Hewlett or Dylan Cook launching the football, the receiver trio of Carl Jenkins Jr., Trenton Jones and Myles Simmons can compare with nearly any pass-catching unit in the state. But St. Augustine can’t afford to overlook the Pirates, whose only loss came to Flagler Palm Coast. Matanzas defensive back Jordan Mills has forced three turnovers this year.
Palatka (4-0) at Tocoi Creek (2-3), 7 p.m.
Don’t judge this contest by the records: The Toros might be Northeast Florida’s unluckiest team of the first half, losing three games by a combined 11 points. The matchup with Palatka could be tight. It certainly was last year, with the Panthers on top 26-21. Sophomore QB Tommy Offord has been an energizer for Palatka, running for 556 yards through four games, while Tocoi is getting highlights from the receiver pair of Julio Santiago and Jevon Welch.
Menendez (1-4, 0-1) at Gainesville (1-4, 0-1), District 4-3S, 7 p.m.
The Falcons try to snap their four-game losing streak against Gainesville, which had lost 15 in a row until defeating Alachua Santa Fe last week. On a young Menendez team with a promising freshman quarterback in Cash Downey, the defense’s performance is key, and the Falcons have a pair of football magnets on that unit in junior Joseph Soto and sophomore Maddoxx Lehman with 47 tackles apiece. Menendez beat the Hurricanes 23-14 last season.
Beachside (4-1) at TDH Academy (0-2), at Normandy Athletic Association, 7 p.m.
The offensive explosion continues for the Barracudas. They’ve scored at least 34 points in every game, sophomore quarterback Edward Jordan is on fire behind center (1,389 yards, 17 TD) and receivers Cohen Beebe, Bryce Gee and Drew Watson are constant touchdown threats on an air-heavy offense that ranks among Northeast Florida’s most explosive. The host Eagles have yet to score a point in losses to Chipley and Zarephath Academy.
Bartram Trail (2-2, 0-0) at Fleming Island (2-2, 0-1), District 3-4S, 7:30 p.m.
For fans of mobile quarterbacks, this District 3-4S battle is one to watch. UCF-committed Riley Trujillo threw for more than 200 yards last week against St. Augustine as he returned from injury, while Fleming Island’s Cibastian Broughton is a still-uncommitted prospect in the 2025 class. The Bears have won this matchup seven times in a row, including a 17-0 shutout in a hurricane-postponed game last October.
