Oakleaf- The Oakleaf Knights struck first on the opening drive with a Jack McKissock pass to Mike Conner to get up quickly on the Riverside Generals, and kept piling on the heat with their run-and-gun offense. Oakleaf Head Coach Christopher Foy would unleash the beast on defense with Mason “the Monster” Thomas and Amare’ “Biggie” Thomas completely shutting down the interior line to hold the Generals to a single touchdown on their way to a 35-7 trouncing on opening night.

“I think Amare’ (Thomas) is the best interior lineman in the greater Jacksonville area,” said an elated Coach Foy. “He got himself in great shape and he is going to be a huge part of our success this year. Our defensive line starts with him, and he owns that, he accepts that, and you know what? That is why he is Biggie.”

This past week, every media outlet on the First Coast had the Riverside Generals beating the Oakleaf Knights on the opening night of Friday Night Lights; all but one. The Clay Today prediction was an Oakleaf upset which came true with the arm and legs of McKissock, and an outstanding performance from running back Chris Foy.

After the opening drive score at 8:10, with the Generals driving, Maurice Samuels picked off a second and long Riverside pass to hand the ball right back to the Knights. The drive ended with a McKissock pick, but the momentum had already shifted. The Generals would push for a pair of first downs before an incomplete fourth down attempt to put the Knights' offense right back in work.

Taking over at mid-field, a steady diet of Foy runs, sprinkling in a Foy screen pass, and setting the Generals back on their heels allowed Ja’koven Livingston to fly down the field to get open as McKissock unleashed a 43-yard drop in the bucket, right in the corner of the endzone to push the Knights ahead 14-0 at 8:10 of the second quarter.

On the kickback, two Oakleaf players were called for personal fouls to set the Generals at the 50 to start their drive. With 3:08 to play until the half, the Generals finally were on the board, 14-7.

The Knights would not waste any time needing less than two minutes for McKissock to find Jordin Price open for a 25-yard touchdown pass to put the Knights up 21-7 going into the half.

In what may be the game-changing play, on the Generals' opening second-half drive, going for it on fourth and goal to go on the five-yard line, Biggie Thomas would break through the stout General front line, grab the running back, and not only stop the score but pulled him back five more yards to turn the ball over on downs and turn on a tidal wave of momentum in the Knights favor.

“That was a big game changer,” said Biggie. “I just came off the field for cramping. I saw they started moving the ball. I was like, I can’t let my team down like this. I told the coach, put me in. On fourth down, I did a jump, dump, chop chopped his arm, and boom, he was right there. I was so happy because the news media all had us losing 20-31. That play had me so happy.”

The third quarter would go scoreless for both teams as they did what they could to try and break each other and change the game.

In the final stanza, the Knights used their lone punt of the evening. With a bad snap and a knee hitting the ground, the Generals were set up mid-field to start their drive.

Once again, the Knightmare defense came and wreaked havoc, this time with defense end Aiden Justilien sacking the General’s quarterback leaving them with a third down and 20-yard situation. A pair of general incomplete passes, thanks to the Knights' defensive backfield, would turn the ball over on downs with the Knights back on offense.

At 7:09, from 17 yards out, Foy would run the ball into the endzone, 28-7, and capping the night was McKissock at 1:09 to play, spreading the field, looking for a receiver and seeing nothing but a paved highway to the endzone in front of him, 35-7.

“Jack is only going to get better,” said Foy of his junior quarterback when asked about his opening night smart playing. “He is a team guy; an us guy, and we’re going to lean on number nine.”

The Knight's defense would kill any General hopes with a Jermaine Robinson strip and a fumble recovery to allow the Knights to take a couple of knee plays to end the contest.