OAKLEAF - Oakleaf High quarterback Jack McKissock, a summer transfer from The First Academy in Orlando, created his highlight reel in Friday's preseason game against Nease with a second 75-yard scoring bomb to wide receiver Michael Conner III to give the Knights a 28-21 win in the contest.

McKissock, who threw for nearly 19 touchdowns and 1500 yards last year at First Academy, was on target in the first half with an equally stunning bomb to put the Knights up 7-0.
"I wanted to play with the big boys, that's why I'm here," said McKissock, early in the summer.
McKissock, a junior, had won with scores of 43-6, 56-0, 63-6 and 59-12 for the Hornets, shared duties with returner Jayven Moreno, who exchanged possessions with McKissock throughout the game.
"Both guys have good skill sets and have shown the ability to keep the chains moving," said Foy. "Jack is a pocket-type guy while Jayven is an athlete who can get downfield quickly. Jack is a little more cerebral, but can get downfield too."
With the score 21-14 at the half with Nease ahead, Oakleaf got a 45-yard scoring rumble from senior tailback Chris Foy II to tie the game and set up Conner's game-winner.

Preseason games and Week One peeks

Week One/Fri., Aug. 23

Top game to watch
Fleming Island at Clay
Fleming Island comes in loaded with talent (QB Cibastian Broughton, RB Demhir Jackson, WR Trace Burney) and primed for interim coach Derek Chipoletti who had an impressive return to the Fleming Island sidelines with the head coach hat on with his 33-7 preseason win over Westside (See Mike Zima's story).
Clay has new faces, big guys again (Eli Oscoa, Josh Hetz, Blake Warren) and two quarterbacks (Landon Martin, Landon Chadwick) capable of moving the ball. It will be up to Goosby, Stacy and Swilley to control the line of scrimmage where Fleming Island O-Line is all new but one guy (state weightlift champion Kevin Reyes).
Clay got a solid performance in their 28-28 tie with Pedro Menendez (See Ray Dimonda's story).
Both have solid field goal kickers and it could go that route.

Orange Park at Ridgeview: OPHS, but RHS gives a game under new coach Merlin Smith.
For Orange Park, a 53-0 drubbing by state runnerup Mandarin was not the first step toward a playoff for coach Marcus Wimberly and new coach Chad Parker, but the Raiders had some highlights on the field including a superb end zone pass breakup by cornerback Derek Page on Mustang all-everything wide receiver Jaime Ffench that even got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike flag due to Ffrench's reaction to Page's defense. Raider running back Austee'n Mills looked rugged against the massive Mandarin defense with the Raider offensive line getting a pretty good push at the snap.
Ridgeview first-year coach Merlin Smith battled back from a 23-6 halftime score against Keystone Heights to shut down the bulked-up Indians offensive front to score two touchdowns and goose-egg the Indian offense.
In the first half, Keystone Heights saw great ball movement from quarterback Baylor Ford, who got a 50-yard scamper for a score with a jab move at the 20 and good speed to the end zone scoring the second touchdown. Ford also tossed a 40-yard scoring pass in the first half.
Ridgeview suffered a bad snap that scored a safety for Keystone Heights' second score; a two-pointer.
Keystone Heights running back Zane Leger had some tough runs between the tackles with Jackson Parmeter getting some reps at wide receiver.
Whether Wimberly takes the Mandarin showing and adds some focus around the fact that the team they played was chockful of NCAA potential will be the key to the Raiders taking a solid first step in their season goal to make the playoffs.
Smith wants to get off on the right foot in game one to instill Panther pride and his second half against Keystone Heights was a positive step.

Westside at Middleburg: Broncos open big without state champion Hawthorne as first game.
Against a solid Baldwin team in their preseason game, the halftime score jetted to a 20-8 score that held through the game. Middleburg coach Ryan Wolfe praised Baldwin's team, while also commenting that his Broncos did not play well.
The Broncos open with Westside who got drilled 33-7 by Fleming Island in their preseason classic. Whether Fleming Island was that much better is the chance that Middleburg can open with a win against a team that went 0-10 last year will set the Broncos up with a first five-game schedule that doesn't include the past two years of Final Four and state champion teams.
The expectation is to dominate. The final score will set the tone for the Broncos.

Keystone Heights at Interlachen: Keystone Heights already saw Interlachen; Ford to Parmeter; and Tanner Campbell with a good showing in the spring game half scrimmage.
Keystone Heights looked solid in the first half of the preseason 23-20 win over Ridgeview, but were held scoreless in the second half. Indians coach Steve Reynolds may have hit the cruise control button to boost his durability factor for the season opener as Interlachen will always be a tough game under coach Erik Gibson. And, it is a home game for the Rams, who, according to Gibson, did not have a preseason game, but lost 47-12 to a solid Christ's Church Academy team in their season opener.

Upset
Riverside at Oakleaf
Riverside (9-3 2023) invades the Dungeon and stokes the Knightmares with historically fast and aggressive athletes and returning quarterback (Glenn Foreman III with 1622 Yds, 21TDs from last year) plus top running back (Shermon Davis with 915 Yds 11 TDs). Oakleaf has girth (Mykel Mayo, Amari Thomas) and outside magic (Jordin Price, Michael Connor III) with Bruiser running the tackles (Chris Foy II).
Last year, Oakleaf scored a lot but also gave up a lot. Different mentality this season, Oakleaf lays down the gauntlet against one of the top programs in the area.
In the Knights preseason classic against a game Nease time, a 21-14 third-period start made things a bit dicey for Knights fans who saw plenty of great starts evaporate in the second half, but coach Chris Foy pressed on the accelerator and got a 50-yard scoring romp by Wendy's Son, son Chris Foy II, the Knights burly running back, to tie the score 21-21.
Transfer quarterback Jack McKissock knocked out 280 yards passing with two long scores; three scores total, including the game-winner; a 75-yard loft to rocket Micheal Conner who found a seam in the Nease secondary. Oakleaf's massive offensive line gave McKissock and Jayven Moreno plenty of time and space and both quarterbacks delivered blows to the Nease defense.
Foy's prophetic "We have to finish games" proved prophecy for the Knights and Riverside in town will be the first test of many in the season of big boys coming to Oakleaf.
Riverside had their preseason game against the North Florida monsters in Bartram Trail. Don't know how that went, but, for sure, the Generals will be ready to go either way when they visit Oakleaf.