ORANGE PARK – Championships are won with defense is a oft-repeated phrase that fits many football conversations and area teams will be putting forth their best defenders to offset what should be a strong offensive showing in 2018.

Top returning defenders include Oakleaf High senior middle linebacker Dexter Moore, Clay High senior defensive end/outside linebacker Cody Devore and Fleming Island High senior defensive end Jake Libretto.

“If you ask me what is my objective? The simple answer is to be 10-0 and win a title,” said Moore, who has stayed near 100 tackles for each of his three previous years after an apprenticeship in his freshman year in 2015 behind a guy named Shaq, University of Miami middle linebacker Shaquille Quarterman. “We’re going to change it up from a 4-3 formation and 3-4 formation depending on the other team.”

Moore, an eighth grader at Oakleaf Junior High when Quarterman directed a vicious Knights’ defense that went unbeaten in 2013 in regular season play and won two home playoff games before losing to Niceville 35-0 in the region final.

In front of Moore is massive Tayari Otis, a 235 pound rock at noseguard, with defensive end Chantz Williams slicing in from the outside corner.

“Tayari is a different breed,” said Moore. “He belongs in a different box when you try to explain what he does. He is strong and will take up double and triple team blocks.”

To the side of Moore is linebacker Jordan Randall, only a sophomore at 6’-3”, 210 lbs., but a prototype sized athlete with immense speed and power.

Oakleaf’s secondary is led by safety Jamaric Bonner, a former slot receiver on the offensive side. Bonner has senior Zechariah Nesby as a second heat-sinking missile from the back line of defense.

“We’ll be fast and flying to the ball,” said Bonner. “Just watch.”

For Devore, the loss of a handful of graduates, just three returners, puts the onus on him and his defensive end mirror, senior Kenneth Johnson to slow down the rugged District 5-5A offensive surges.

“We graduated all by three on defense; Cody, Kenneth and safety Marcus Dixon,” said Clay coach Joshua Hoekstra. “We will see a lot of new faces out there, not much size and, hopefully, guys will learn fast.”

Senior Dylan Taylor joins Dixon in the secondary with Taylor playing a bunch last year, but the lineup thins from there. Devore was a major part of the Blue Devil attack defense with Johnson maturing at season’s end to provide the corral of the corners by Clay.

One departed standout is Florida verbal commit defensive end Josh Griffis who left to play at the IMG Academy in Bradenton.

For Fleming Island, how do you replace three college linebackers; Smenda, Bull and Surgeoner before the season starts.

“You cross your fingers,” said Fleming Island coach Damenyum Springs, who put his dynamic trio in Wake Forest University, Valdosta State University and University of Chicago. “And, then hope a young guy steps up.”

Springs liked Libretto’s finish in last year’s dynamic region final finish and expects more of the hard-charges into the backfield as part of his disruption factor.

“We got a young defensive line,” said Libretto. “It’s going to be a lot on me to hold the team until we get the linebacker crew settled. We are rebuilding.”

Libretto gets a boost in his coaching with former Oakleaf High defensive coach Kyle Kennard now at Fleming Island. Kennard ushered in the Quarterman era and was part of the development of the All-American player that is touted as a top NCAA linebacker. Kennard joins defensive line coach James Nichols in trying to put the puzzle back together for Fleming Island’s defense.

“A lot of our success depends on Libretto getting in the backfield quicker,” said Libretto. “We are developing some guys for linebacker; Zach Payne, and we just have to wait for them to turn up their game.”

At Orange Park, on defense, Kendy Charles will be one of the more destructive defensive ends in the county with his combination of strength and foot speed while junior Hunter Moore will man the second wave of defense at middle linebacker with Domenick. Charles, a junior, dominated games for the Raiders last year and should get help on the line from Alex Moore (215 lbs.) in the middle of the line.

“Kendy stays at end like last year with Jacob Moore on the line,” said Macpherson. “Robbie (Reynolds) and Hunter (Moore) should be productive at the linebacker positions.”

Junior middle linebacker Deonte Domenick (200 lbs.) was sturdy in his sophomore year and is returning from an injury.

Macpherson likes his speed in the secondary where junior Spencer Kirkham returns and after growing a few inches to 6’-2” and will support safety Diallo Bryant in centerfield.

“Spencer keeps growing and we are thinking a linebacker for him next year,” said Macpherson. “If it works out, we could drop him in there as the season goes on.”

On defense, where the Broncos have long been noted for being ornery, if not, aggressive, Smeltzer has the poise and experience of one of Clay County’s best defensive minds in former Fleming Island High head coach and defensive coordinator Frank Hall.

“We’ve talked since he left Fleming Island and we finally got him here,” said Smeltzer. “He is bringing some good disciplined defense to the team.”

Leading up the defense will be senior defensive end Noah Janda, the Broncos leading tackler last year who comes back with a renewed enthusiasm for the season.

“It was very demoralizing coming into games with two, three, four players out with injuries and I think we played as hard as we could with the guys that stayed healthy,” said Janda.

On the line with Janda will be any combination of Smeltzer’s big offensive line; senior Jesse Saunders, junior Colby Warner and junior Cole LeClair; all pushing 300 lbs. of power.

For Ridgeview, on defense, the Panthers offset lack of size with a ‘hats to the ball’ swarm mentality that is led by senior linebackers Dominic Stanfield, with 49 tackles last year, and middle linebacker Austin Childers, with 58. Graduated safety Dorian Duchene led the defense with 63 tackles with nine players registering more than 35 tackles. Senior Joseph Chiellino is also a striker from a linebacker slot.

“Odijuan Whitfield, a Ridgeview wrestler, Jordan Jackson (220 lbs.) and Mike Green look to be the main guys on defense,” said Childers. “We rely on speed to the ball.”

Ridgeview High coach Porch admits his defense is not big and will need to be smart on their feet and pursue with passion.

“We had all the football players on the weight lift team that past two years and the payoff should be this year,” said Porch. “We are still not big, but any size can be physical.”

For Keystone Heights, senior Carter Semione (6’-2”, 225 lbs.) led the team with eight sacks and Hughes (54 tackles in 2017) will be key linebackers returning to the backbone of the defense with any combination of the offensive linemen up front on the defensive line.

Statistically, Crane was a top tackler with 62 stops leading the team with Andrew Cox behind him with 52 hits. Dodd finished with 40 tackles with senior Trey Horton at 42.

“The only issue with defense is that most of them are playing both ways,” said Dickinson. “As coaches, we just have to keep guys rotating in and out and saving guys. Coach Lantz Lowery has produced good linebackers every year for us.”

Linebackers will be Hughes and Semione with the list going to any number of guys; including Vojnovski or Friedlin.

St. Johns Country Day School has first year coach Derek Chipoletti on the field and, as the architect of an unbeaten season at Oakleaf High in 2014, Chipoletti, a former Orange Park High linebacker, knows defense.

On the offensive and defensive lines, St. Johns has experience in Smith and Mosborg with size coming from a third senior Ashton Corriea, at 255 lbs., all who have played four or more years in varsity ball. The trio gets joined by juniors Grayson Hall, Joseph Shimko and John Nowicki. Baseball catcher Tyler Kuramoto, a starter last year, is still recovering from a baseball injury and is a probable returner.

“Since seventh grade, I’ve been playing for St. Johns with varsity time my freshman year,” said Smith, a left tackle. “I’m excited. It’s a big change for the better.”