MIDDLEBURG - Middleburg High School football gets to test their summer program with a preseason opener against consistent playoff contenders with 2A Baldwin visiting Middleburg to open up play on Friday.
For the Broncos, last week's intrasquad scrimmage that last a little more than an hour, showcased a bit of offense under new quarterback Mason Bacus who missed on two long balls attempts to wide out Deshun Green that would have blown open the score.
"It's not like we are going to show off what we plan on trying during the season and I think Mason is feeling a little bad about missing those throws, but we were going to give it shot," said Middleburg coach Ryan Wolfe, who returns to regular season play as a possible four time region playoff team after finishing 7-4 last year. "The young guys in the later part of the game got their shots in with big plays."

Wolfe's reference was to a backup quarterback Dalton Motes connecting on a short post to wide out Ashton Harp over the middle that Harp sidestepped a few arms and took about 45 yards to paydirt in a mixed lineup of ones and twos on the field.
"You got to like the guys making big plays in the fourth quarter," said Wolfe. "That's good to see especially in a game like this that is just an intrasquad scrimmage. Guys are still battling for start spots in the lineup."
Second up with a big play was sophomore running back Brayden Ventura, whom Wolfe has mentioned throughout the summer could become a playmaker for his offense, who blasted off right tackle and rumbled 75 yards to paydirt in one of the more exciting plays of the night.
Middleburg's first string defense featured a few pass knock downs from defensive back Floyd Reed, while the inside play of the defensive line, led by Gabe Baker and featuring outside rushes by the Swilley defensive ends, Dominica and Darius, that kept Bacus on the run at times.
On an early pass play, Bronco linebacker Kadin Hanifen had his hands on a slant route pass by Bacus that he could not capture, but was a quality defensive play for Hanifen, last year's top tackler for Middleburg.


Bacus had a nifty out route to Jordan Williams from about 25 yards out that Williams finished off another 15 yards to score the first touchdown of the night. Williams and Bacus could be a solid passing connection for Wolfe while Green seems to be the deep threat. Bacus hit Green and Williams with a few deep throws in a Bishop Kenny passing scrimmage without pads in the summer and that connection will be one to watch.
For Baldwin, with head coach Donald Velvet commenting at the Baker Sports Media Day event last week that the upcoming season is one of building off a string of six straight 2A, 3A, 4S and 4A region playoff berths under coach Robert Shields, who stepped down and allowed his defensive coordinator Velvet to become new head coach.
The parallel of Shields success and Wolfe's success with his three region spots makes this game a bit more than just a preseason game with both guys understanding first game momentum.
While Wolfe has exited his three regions spots in the first rounds, Shields has gotten Baldwin to region semifinal in 2021 (7-4-1) and a region semifinal finish in 2022 in 2S with a 31-29 loss to Baker County ending his season at 9-3. Shields finished his last two seasons with Baldwin at 5-6 with early exits from regions.
For Baldwin also, in 2024, their schedule was one of toughest in area with Union County, Baker County, Bolles, Ribault and ED White all on the roster with their playoff loss to Gadsden County High, a 12-2 finisher that beat Bolles in that 2A region final and eventually lost to Cocoa in the state final.
Middleburg opens regular season play at Westside then NFEI (1-8) at home before traveling to a much improved Clay team with a new head coach and a 13-2 in Freelance League Zarephath Academy squad visiting.