District 3-3A preview

District 3-3A


Bartram Trail

Head Coach: Darrell Sutherland (ninth year)

2008 Record: 2-8

Last time in playoffs: 2007

Key losses: Jason Young (QB), Nick Smith (WR), Alex Douglas (LB), Nick Jones (LB), Tanner Creed (DL), Dustin Bishop (LB), Collin Parker (WR), Fransico Sierra (DL), Evan Hall (RB), Matt Youngs (RB), Zach Romani (LB), Marshall McMillan (DB), Trey Chesser (DB), Brad Frost (DL), Aaron Peterman (OL), Nathan Pierschke (WR), Jonathan Linkenheimer (Sr., K)

Key returners: Derrick Taylor (Sr., RB), Danny Sellers (Sr., WR/DB), Nathan Peterman (So., QB), Blake Parrish (Sr., OL), Logan Boller (Sr., OL), Shaquelle Williams (Sr., DB), Trevor Tayse (Sr., DL),

News: After seeing their seven year playoff run (2001-2007) end last season, the Bears look to start a new streak now. The offense returns four of the five starters on the line including Parrish and Boller which should give Taylor plenty of room to run. Replacing Young (1,453 yards, 15 TD’s, 9 INTs on 112 of 210 attempts) lies at the hands of Peterman, who looked solid in the spring throwing for 205 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Palm Coast. Peterman’s main target looks to be Sellers, a transfer from Ohio, who hooked up with Peterman four times for 71 yards in the spring game, including a 32-yard catch on the opening drive. Sellers will have to fill the void of losing Smith, who accumulated 554 yards, 10 touchdowns, 15.0 y.p.c. on 37 catches. Sutherland was dealt a big blow when senior kicker Jonathan Linkenheimer, who converted 4 of 6 field goals, transferred to Daytona Mainland in the summer.

Clay 

Head Coach: Matt Toblin (first year)

2008 Record: 5-5

Last time in playoffs: 2007

Key losses: Ross Fenn (OL), Eric Minich (OL/LB), Billy Crandall (OL), Dan Higginbotham (DL), A.J. Daniel (LB), DJ Schrampf (DB)

Key returners: Ulysses Tolbert (Jr., QB), Rodney Perry (Sr., RB/WR), Teddy Monroe (Sr., RB), Zach Kay (Jr., RB), Shane Coleman (Jr., FB), Javon Royell (Jr., DL), Justin Cihlar (Sr., DL), Brandon Prince (Sr., DL), Andre LaFontant (Jr., DB), Jerome Goodman (Jr., OL), Antoine Hampshire (Sr., S)

News: Former Fleming Island and Nease assistant coach Matt Toblin begins his first ever head coaching stint after taking over veteran coach Jim Reape, who resigned to concentrate full time on his state power wrestling program. Reape, who will remain on staff under Toblin, didn’t leave him empty handed either with his entire backfield returning including Tolbert, Perry and Monroe all returning for their third season.

Creekside

Head Coach: Greg Stanton (second year)

2008 Record: 2-8

Last time in playoffs: None

Key losses: Kendal Parker (Jr., LB)

Key returners: Kevin Payment (Sr., QB), Matt Bernstein (Sr., OL), Sterling Sprouse (Sr., RB), Jordan Martin (Sr., DB/RB), Nick Eden (Sr., LB), Austin Cannon (Sr., K), Andrew Markert (Sr., DT)

News: With nearly every starter returning, Creekside’s second season should go a little smoother. Stanton’s no huddle offense, which averaged 208 yards per game, will be run by returning starter Kevin Payment, who missed most of the spring thanks to a playoff run by the baseball team. Payment (1,104 passing yards) returns versatile athlete Martin and Sprouse, in addition to picking up Thompson Duett (Jr., RB), a transfer from Bartram Trail. Payment will miss the first two games in the fall after violating team rules in the spring and will be replaced by backup sophomore Josh Isacco. Stanton is shifting the defense from an eight-man front to a more traditional 4-3 scheme to help offset a defense, which gave up 2,337 rushing yards and 328 yards of offense per game. Creekside will look to newcomer Eden to fill the void of its best defensive player Kendall Parker (Jr., MLB), who moved away before the spring. Injuries on defense killed the Knights last season and Stanton is excited about the depth he has this season on both sides of the trenches.

Nease

Head Coach: Danny Cowgill (second year)

2008 Record: 7-4

Last time in playoffs: 2008

Key losses: Frank Souza (DL), John Gallagher (DL), Patrick Barker (WR), Kyle Leonard (WR), Ryan Martin (WR), Matt Leighty (WR), James McVeigh (LB), Alex Mons (DL), Sam Hightower (OL), Taylor Thomas (OL)

Key returners: Tyler Weir (Sr., QB), Andrew Barker (Sr., K), Ryan Mickens (Sr., RB/LB), Corzell White (Sr., RB/DB), Patrick Thomas (Sr., WR), Jordan Bailey (Sr., DL), Kevin Gray (Sr., OLB), Devin Flynn (Jr., RB), Alex Fox (Sr., OL), Dylan Kuser (Sr., LB/FB), Tim Contic (Sr., P), Matt Oakley (Sr., OL)

News: After three straight state title game appearances, you figured Nease would struggle a little bit with the loss of veteran head coach Craig Howard, several key backups transferring to nearby new school Ponte Vedra, not to mention the loss of fourteen players who signed to play in college including nine Division I-A signees. Yet Cowgill steered the ship forward and guided the Panthers to a second round playoff appearance. Cowgill lost longtime assistant coach Matt Toblin, who left Nease in the offseason to take the head coaching job at Clay. Starting quarterback Weir (2,168 yards, 21 TD’s, 8 INT’s) returns for his second season, but loses his main target Georgia Southern signee Patrick Barker (1,301 yards, 14 TD’s on 81 receptions) along with Martin and Leighty. Weir will now look to Mickens (788 yards, 7 TD’s), White, Flynn (726 yards, 10 TD’s) and Thomas as his primary weapons. After years of playing in the shotgun formation, Cowgill moved Weir under center in the spring for a new wrinkle in the system. The defense took a hit with the loss of two lineman Frank Souza (Wake Forest) and John Gallagher (Wake Forest) along with McVeigh and Mons but returns Gray (69 tackles, 5 sacks). Special teams weapon Andrew Barker (7 of 17, including 50-yarder) returns as well. A pair of Arlington Country Day transfers Brandon Boyd (Sr., WR/DB) and Denzell Hayden (So., DB/WR/ATH) should help fill some holes as well.

Ponte Vedra

Head Coach: Mike Lloyd (second year)

2008 Record: 2-8

Last time in playoffs: None

Key losses: None

Key returners: Clint Cronin (Jr., QB), Otto Gruhn (Jr., QB), Dylon Foody (Jr., QB), Casey Weeks (So., QB), C.J. Moraniec (Jr., LB), Fred Stapleton (Jr., LB), Clay Mazza (Sr., SS/WR), Jake Jacobs (Jr., WR)

News: With nearly every starter returning, Ponte Vedra has the experience to show steady improvement in year two. Cronin is the leader in a crowded group of quarterbacks but Weeks, the teams Freshman MVP might get in the mix. Mazza was the teams MVP and will see time at safety and wide receiver. The linebacker core led by Moraniec and Stapleton has the ability to be very good. If Ponte Vedra is to show improvement, they must fix an offense (1,146 yards, 171.6 yards per game) and defense (2,717 rushing yards, 387 yards per game), that finished last in both offensive yards per game and defensive yards give up per game.

Predictions
1. Clay
2. Bartram Trail
3. Nease
4. Ponte Vedra
5. Creekside