MIDDLEBURG - With BYE weeks for Middleburg, Oakleaf, Clay and Oakleaf playing their Friday night game on Monday, September 30 thanks to Hurricane Helene, area teams will get a chance to catch their breath, heal up some banged-up guys, and retool their attacks for the final weeks of play to hopefully earn playoff spots in three weeks.
For Middleburg coach Ryan Wolfe, the trade-off of an undefeated season and a less than stellar strength of schedule will become a dilemma similar to the snubbing of the University of Central Florida a few years ago who ran a 13-0 record, got snubbed for playoffs then destroyed an Auburn team 34-27 in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl to finish unbeaten at 13-0.
"It's all about getting wins," said Wolfe, who has been the lone coach to make a playoff appearance the past two years. "I'm still figuring the system to get to the playoffs and you know as much as I do about the algorithms and all I know is the district champion gets in. The rest is at-large bids. I saw some teams over the past two seasons with 7-3, 8-2 records, and weak strength of schedules that got it. Wins matter."
Auburn was 10-4 and considered a top-tier FCS team that was ranked as high as No.2, but not enough for a College Football Playoff top-four selection. Auburn had also beaten No. 1 Georgia, the eventual national champion, that year.
Wolfe cited the strength of schedule numbers as a part of the playoff formula and also considered his next few weeks as a gauntlet to finish his season with Ponte Vedra, Fleming Island and Beachside, all-district teams, on the docket.
"In the past few years, we have had the gauntlet for the entire season because we played monster teams in the first four, then had to win the final four or six to get a spot," said Wolfe. "Last year, Orange Park beat us, and that made the Fernandina Beach game a must-win for a playoff spot. So, with a rivalry game, you can throw away the records as was this week with Orange Park playing us tough (24-14 Bronco win, see Mike Zima story). We got the big one with Fleming Island after our return game with Ponte Vedra."
Beachside, who lost 17-14 to Ponte Vedra, is getting better with two wins over 40 points; 41-8 over Bishop Kenny, and 41-3 over Menendez.
One thing on Wolfe's optimism is a quarterback who makes little mistakes and a linebacker who is all over the field.
"Carson Stewart has been efficient on an offense that has just two turnovers in six games," said Wolfe. "Kaden Hanifen has become our "Cowboy" (referring to top tackler Austin Cruce, now in college) and our defense is very tough."
Wolfe reminded fans that two of his wins; Clay and Westside, were two games that, at this part of the season, were strong wins against teams that have improved immensely at this end of the season.
"Clay is much better than people think and Westside just beat Ribault after an overtime loss to Tocoi Creek (now 4-1) who just beat Bartram Trail (46-26)," said Wolfe. "We knew Orange Park was going to come here looking to take us out again and it's a rivalry game and anything can happen."
For the rest of the area teams, Oakleaf and Fleming Island most likely have enough skin in the game to evoke playoff eyebrows, but the final three weeks will prove illuminating at the least, though Fleming Island's win over Ponte Vedra was a big shot in the arm for coach Derek Chipoletti to maybe put some snot on the table about him being snubbed when his father retired a decade ago.
Oakleaf has been boxing in the heavyweight matches thus far with last-second losses at the doorsteps of Hawthorne and Bolles. Oakleaf coach Chris Foy has articulated that his objective is to get the program to a point where games like the last two are wins for the Knights. Oakleaf opened district play with Fletcher on Monday.
"We have to win those kinds of games to be considered a top-tier program," said Foy, earlier this season. "Wins are wins, but wins over traditionally strong teams with reputation are how programs stay on the map."

(will put Fletcher comments here.. after Monday game0

In district 2-6A, Oakleaf has to contend with a Mandarin team (3-2) that just got snockered by Bradford County 18-13 in a massive game two weeks ago and then for some with Fletcher sitting at 4-1 before Monday's game with Oakleaf. Oakleaf's Super Bowl date with Mandarin (October 25), who with some trepidation took to nationally ranked No. 6 IMG Academy (4-1, loss to Corner Creek, Utah) last week and lost a 49-6 game.
Foy will need to have all eight cylinders in action for that October 25 showdown as the final game in district play.
Fleming Island, with the win over Ponte Vedra, is seemingly in the driver's seat of District 3-5A despite Middleburg being undefeated. The Golden Eagles go non-district with a solid Creekside this week then Beachside as the second district step before a road game to 3A-Terry Parker (0-4) and a road game to Middleburg for a possible district title.

Week Seven/Oct. 4

Game to Watch
Fletcher at Oakleaf
Oakleaf coach Chris Foy knows Fletcher and needs this win to snag his playoff spot. Fletcher plays big and puts points on the board. It's going to be a slugfest at the line of scrimmage with the big guys battling. Speed on both sides makes this a track meet.

West Nassau at Keystone Heights
Keystone Heights had to face the gauntlet of unbeaten Bradford County and came home with a 40-0 loss. Bradford County also beat Mandarin in a prior week's game so they are that good.
Westside at Orange Park
Much improved with Quinton Moore adding excitement to Raider's attack.
Ridgeview (0-6) at KIPP Bold City (1-5, win over NFEI 26-0 last week)
Ridgeview got bumped by a re-energized Clay team with a strong running attack led again by Lavaris Roberts (37-yard score, 29-yard score, 42-yard run: 224 yards total) and a new guy, Nehemiah Bailey (14-yard TD) in 45-6 loss off a 21 point second quarter. Landon Martin, 3TD passes, two to Antonio Thomas connecting for a 38-yard pitch and run for a score and a 34 toss for a second score. Clay rolled for 468 yards of offense.

Upset of the Week
Creekside (2-3) at Fleming Island
Creekside was a surprise finisher last season with three strong wins; one over Fleming Island, to notch a playoff spot, but had to beat a tough Ponte Vedra team twice in the last two weeks. Ponte Vedra won the second one to get into playoffs but ran into the Buchholz buzzsaw. Fleming Island will need to be at eight cylinders here with Broughton peaking as commander. Creekside returns a strong quarterback and his two favorite receivers; QB Sean Ashenfelder (Rutgers commit in September) Kaleb Taylor-Burch (57 catches, 6TDs), and Eros Taufer (25 catches, 5TDs). Creekside opened with three losses; Mandarin, Nease, and Spruce Creek by hefty margins, then retooled to beat Bartram Trail 49-42 and Winter Park 45-28.
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