GREEN COVE SPRINGS - The big difference in the Ridgeview High flag football team's approach was a little pack of dynamo named Emma Rayes who took the reigns at quarterback for coach Trentin Davis and orchestrated a masterful mix of runs and passes to fuel a 46-6 district semifinal win over North Marion in the first of two county strong playoff games at Clay High School on Wednesday, April 16.
In the second game, Clay beat Baker County 33-0 to set up what may be a high scoring district final on Thursday, April 17 at Clay at 6 p.m.
In other semifinals, Fleming Island lost 13-12 to Fletcher to end their season. Keystone Heights lost 20-6 to Santa Fe.
Ridgeview offensive coach David Smashum said putting Rayes at quarterback was a test of her fast feet and quick thinking.
"We needed more production than what we were getting and Emma showed some good feet and good vision downfield," said Smashum, now with Ridgeview at 6-4, and set to play in the district final against unbeaten Clay.
Ridgeview's offense, which nearly doubled the output of the best games of the season with the 46 point explosion, started out like a rocket with running back Taniya Booker burning up the Clay High turf for a 50 yard scoring scamper on her second carry from scrimmage.
"Coach always says get your foot in the ground and go north and south not sideway," said Booker. "I did and look what happened."
Booker would finish with two more scores; a second 50 yarder to put the game at 26-0 and a five yard swing pass from Rayes to 33-0.
Rayes, normally a wide receiver, jet sweep threat for Davis, was in the backfield taking snaps and quickly established her ability to get Booker the ball in near full stride and also to hit solid touchdown throws to Nacoya Blocton; a 40 yarder down the Baker County sideline, a short post to Narissa Blocton that had a diving finish in the end zone and a second score to Narissa Blocton to score the game 39-0.
With the game in hand, Davis put in freshman Bella Brown at quarterback who quickly found Rayes for a fingertip, bobble a few times, grab and get in the end zone in dramatic fashion for the final score.
In the second of the high-scoring doubleheader action for the night, Clay High against Baker County, the Lady Blue Devils also struck quickly with quarterback Teaghan Moses hitting fleet footed wide receiver Kirra Dodson on her first toss for a 25 yard gain to the Baker County 22 yard line with a second 15 yarder to Yuliana Garcia that set up a quick slant toss for a score to Charlotte Andrus.
Both teams exchanged interceptions with Clay's Cora Parker snagging hers with a minute to go in the half that Moses found blocker back Tatum Waugh on a swing pass that Waugh stomped in from 10 yards out past three defenders to put the game at 13-0.
Moses stayed sharp with three passes to Andrus, Dodson and Parker to set up what looked like a diving scramble that saw Moses dive into the end zone, but get ruled just six inches short. Parker would stomp in behind a tight formation to put the game at 19-0.
A Waugh interception got a 40 yard scoring bomb to Garcia to 26-0 with Andrus making a spectacular fingertop snare at the pylon for the PAT to 27-0.
With a lineup with some young athletes, Clay coach Jared Moses got an interception near midfield from Dodson and a final 25 yard scoring pass to senior Bella Saunders to 33-0.
Clay beat Ridgeview 21-0 in regular season play on March 13. The Clay defense has only allowed two scores for their 11-0 record; one to Middleburg (18-6 win) and the other to Columbia (16-6 win).