'Special group': Here's how Columbia stunned Bolles in football opener

JACKSONVILLE | All preseason long, most of the talk was about the prospects on the opposite side from Columbia in Week 1.

Turns out that's just the way Tigers head coach Brian Allen wanted it.

"We kept this team hid on purpose," Allen said.

Guess what? Columbia is hiding no longer.

The Tigers let out a roar to open the high school football season, overcoming 2025 state finalist Bolles 20-19 in a high school football thriller on Aug. 21 at Skinner-Barco Stadium.

Columbia's defensive line was here, there and everywhere. Maryland commit Kyren Caldwell pulled off two highlight-reel catches. When the Tigers were pressed to the brink in the final moments, Mekah Combs-Turner came through, grabbing an interception that sealed the victory.

And sealed some

revenge, too. Last October, Bolles had beaten Columbia 31-0.

"People were talking big before the game, saying we were going to lose by 35 points," Combs-Turner said. "We talked about it all week, and we executed our plan."

COLUMBIA OFFENSE STEPS UP

Columbia entered the season with question marks on offense. Turns out they also have plenty of exclamation points.

Maryland commit Kyren Caldwell (four catches, 105 yards) produced two highlights that turned momentum just before halftime, a 99-yard march to go ahead 14-7. He grabbed an acrobatic 38-yard catch from new quarterback Amari Green to carry Columbia away from the shadow of their own goalposts, and then torched the secondary on a 58-yard dart from Green to the end zone.

In a battle of junior running backs wearing No. 25, Columbia's Jerome Horne ended up with the upper hand over Bolles' 2025 rushing champion Xander Edwards. Edwards finished with 121 yards. Horne racked up 127, including some pivotal clock-draining carries down the stretch.

Even down 20-7 late in the third quarter, though, Bolles almost found a way back.

Edwards, battling for every yard, powered two second-half drives to the end zone, one ending with Luke Toland's 24-yard touchdown pass to Camden Tietze and one capped with a 20-yard Edwards run to the house.

But miscues at the worst moments -- two failed extra points, two wild snaps on fourth down, an ineligible receiver penalty that nullified a Tietze touchdown -- proved too much for Bolles. A team that entered 2026 in the Open Division conversation now must regroup before meeting Archbishop McCarthy on Aug. 28.

"They [Columbia's players] make you have to execute and make plays, and we made too many mistakes," Bolles coach Matt Toblin said.

DEFENSIVE FRONT SHINES FOR TIGERS

Bolles five-star Asher Ghioto isn't the only junior defensive end wearing 34 in the Northeast Florida spotlight. Add Mikel Morgan to the list.

Morgan was simply unblockable for most of the first half, recording one and a half sacks and a pass breakup while keeping Toland under constant pressure.

Meanwhile, the defensive tackle tandem of Jaylen Underwood (two and a half sacks) and Jaden McCray regularly plugged up the rushing lanes for Edwards.

"It's a special group, arguably one of the best front fours that we've had here, ever," Allen said.

Columbia limited the damage from Bolles -- 21 first downs but only 19 points -- even without two injured standouts in linebackers Alfonso Curry Jr. and Quinton Callum.

Still, Bolles was banging on the door late, taking over with 2:20 remaining and advancing inside the red zone on Edwards' catch-and-run inside the final minute. Toland looked for four-star tight end JC Wessel on the right sideline and Combs-Turner won the battle of No. 0 jerseys for the biggest pick of his career.

"I saw one [receiver] go under and I saw the corner coming out," Combs-Turner said. "My D-line got pressure and I saw that ball and I just executed."

With St. Petersburg Lakewood and Madison County up next, Columbia football is hiding no longer.

"We're the hardest-working program in America," Underwood said. "We've got a front four that gets off the ball, and we make it happen."

Catch Northeast Florida's high school sports season with NFHS Network

The USA TODAY Network is kicking off the high school sports rush with an opportunity for Florida Times-Union readers to get a discount on a yearly subscription to the NFHS Network.

All year, fans will be able to stream their favorite teams live on the platform, while also having a chance to rewatch games on demand—including 2026 high school football.

And now, because you're part of the USA TODAY Network, you'll be able to get 15% off the subscriptions.

How to sign up for NFHS Network

First, head to NFHS Network and hit the Subscribe button located on the top-right corner of the main page. From there, select the yearly plan that works best for you and your family.

Once you have registered, go to the redeem section here, and use this USA TODAY Network promo code: USAT15 

How long is USA TODAY Network running this promotion?

The registration period for the NFHS Network PROMO CODE is from August 1 to September 7.

Once you've signed up, you'll have access to the NFHS Network for the entire year — ending in August of 2027.

How to stream games on NFHS Network

Once you have registered, you'll be able to search from the thousands of high school games available on the NFHS Network, from must-see local showdowns to Super 25 matchups and more.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 'Special group': Here's how Columbia stunned Bolles in football opener