With MaxPreps rankings, Jacksonville football playoff race is complex

Florida's new world of MaxPreps rankings has also dealt a massive jolt to high school football's annual bubble watch.

As the MaxPreps numbers that determine qualification swing wildly from week to week, Northeast Florida teams have a harder time than ever knowing where they stand in the Florida High School Athletic Association chase for the regional playoffs, which begin Nov. 13.

One constant remains: Win your district — Raines and Bradford already have, while the likes of Trinity Christian are almost there — and you're into the regionals. Everybody else is at the mercy of the numbers game.

Here are some of the area's likely bubble battles in the MaxPreps rankings from Oct. 12, the most recent edition available at press time.

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• Region 1-6A: Creekside, which can clinch District 1-6A on Oct. 16 against Flagler Palm Coast, holds the No. 5 seed in the region. No other district teams are currently in line for one of the region's four at-large berths, not even FPC (6-1), more than six rating points behind Oviedo Hagerty.
• Region 1-5A: Mandarin and Gainesville Buchholz are the top two in a bruising region, while District 2-5A would also qualify Nease, Fletcher and Bartram Trail if the season ended today. Ponte Vedra (2-5) is just outside in ninth. The ratings haven't yet factored in Oakleaf's 21-7 loss Monday to Ocala Forest, which stands 11th in the region and 11 points out of the qualifying spots despite a 7-1 record. Only Buchholz has beaten Forest.
• Region 1-4A: Columbia, St. Augustine and White appear comfortably in, while Clay holds the last at-large spot for now by 2.72 rating points over undefeated Tallahassee Leon. Not far behind are Middleburg, Fleming Island, Tallahassee Chiles (despite a 1-6 record), Pensacola Washington, Yulee and Ribault. This battle may go down to Week 11 or even beyond.
• Region 1-3A: No surprise: Reigning champion Raines, Bishop Kenny and Baker County all appear safe. Palatka will receive the District 4-3A automatic bid if the Panthers beat Wolfson on Oct. 23.
• Region 1-2A: FHSAA penalties for the Oct. 2 altercation against Parker would bump Baldwin out of the regional playoffs, opening the path for Panama City Rutherford. Top seed Bolles is safely in the field and Jackson (6-1) is also likely to qualify.
• Region 1-1A: Trinity Christian and University Christian are comfortably in and would be seeded first and fourth respectively, although Hawthorne and Melbourne Central Catholic are also in the mix. Strength of schedule, which the MaxPreps rankings weigh heavily, places 3-4 Trinity above 8-0 Hawthorne.

Bears complete comeback to remember

Three weeks of regular season football and the playoffs remain, but Northeast Florida might already have its comeback of the year.

Down 26-6 entering the fourth quarter against Beachside on Oct. 8, Bartram Trail turned the game upside down for a 33-26 victory. The Bears are now roaring into the heart of October at 6-1.

This Bears comeback was a team effort. Freshman running back Blake Soares raced to 131 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, and Leo Marucci and Cam Ganther caught TD passes from Xander Camus. The defense also came through, including 10 tackles from Dillon Caldwell, 2 1/2 sacks and a fumble recovery from Major Granados and 1 1/2 sacks from Marcelo Estrada.

Neither the FHSAA nor the National Federation of State High School Associations maintains records for the largest comeback, but Bartram Trail's rally can take its place among the best in recent history.

Among the Jacksonville area's other super rallies: St. Joseph erased a 33-8 first-half deficit to defeat Rocky Bayou Christian 86-47on Nov. 3, 2017, and Columbia came back from 32-13 down with eight and a half minutes left to stun White 36-32on Oct. 30, 2009.

Stanton closes in on history

Stanton's high school football season is growing more special by the week.

By shutting out Westside 18-0 on Oct. 8, the Blue Devils wrapped up the first season with eight or more victories at the school since New Stanton under James P. Small went 8-1-1 in 1962. The 1962 team lost only once, to the Wildbulls of Ocala Howard in October, in a year marked by 1,000-yard seasons for quarterback Tracy Hodges and running back Glenn Williams. Stanton ended with a 20-13 victory over Gilbert in the old East-West Classic.

Thursday's game was a triumph for the defense, including senior pass rusher Keymauri Gaines (four sacks), while Malchiah Israel-Rice made an interception and Jace Strigler-Peden broke up two passes. Running back Arion Moore also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the year.

The academic magnet program closes its regular season Oct. 16 against KIPP Bold City, which carries a 21-game losing streak into the contest. Win that one, and Stanton would earn the school's most wins in a year since 1957.

Streak stretches on for Senator swimmers

The aquatic Gateway Conference dynasty from the Beaches carries on.

Fletcher made it four consecutive Gateway boys swimming and diving championships and eight in a row on the girls side, holding off a spirited challenge from Wolfson in Duval County's public school meet at Cecil Field.

The Senators' diving program took center stage in bringing home the trophies, with 1-2 finishes for Jasper Jackson and Mason Putnal (boys) and for Leah Cox and Miyah Grey (girls).

Mason Baldwin (50-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke), Michael Murdono (100 butterfly) and Merrick Vanscoy (100 and 200 free) led the Fletcher boys to 525 points, ahead of Wolfson's 468. The Senators also won the 200 medley relay (Baldwin, Jackson Moore, Murdono and Bennett Regnier) and 400 free relay (Vanscoy, Murdono, Moore and Baldwin).

The Fletcher girls had no first-place finishes in races, but piled up numerous high finishes with Liv Broner, Caroline Gadd and Johanna Timmerman. The Senators' 525 points overcame the 472 from Wolfson.

The Wolfpack fell just short in the quest for their first Gateway swimming titles since the start of the 1990s. Freshman Luke Franzmathes won the boys 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke, Stanford commit Izzy Riva dominated the girls 200 and 500 free, Taylor Finklehoffe placed first in the girls 100 free and Baylee Finklehoffe won the girls 100 fly in her Gateway debut.

Wolfson also won the girls 200 medley relay and 200 free relay (both with Riva, Moriah Ayres, Loretta Wells and Taylor Finklehoffe) and the boys 200 free relay (Franzmathes, Max Berzsenyi, Ryland Tatem and Mannix Lewis).

For traditional contender Stanton, which took third in both boys and girls swimming, Samuel Lee won the boys 500 free, and Lucy Page won the girls 100 back and joined Sabrina Avila, Hannah Turner and Erin Bag for first in the 40 free relay.

Atlantic Coast junior Ella Fallyer won the girls 200 individual medley and 100 breast, and Mandarin's Callie Caplin earned first place in the girls 50 free.

Jackets, Episcopal pace JAC field

With Hurricane Isaiaswashing out the FSU Invitational at Tallahassee's Apalachee Regional Park, Northeast Florida's best in cross-country hit the 5K course a little closer to home.

St. Augustine's boys got top-six performances from Elijah Parkinson (16:32.2), Keanan DiPrimo and Micah Parkinson for first place in the Jacksonville Athletic Club Invitational at William F. Sheffield Regional Park, edging Bishop Kenny 49 points to 50. Cornerstone Classical's Jack Kline was top individual in 16:29.1.

The girls race was also a nail-biter with Episcopal scoring 43 points to Bishop Kenny's 53 and Nease's 65. The Eagles' Kate Brice, Whitney Morgan, Holland McKinney and Stella Krueger all broke 19:55 in top-six finishes, enough to overcome Bishop Kenny and individual winner Jillian Jakab (19:22.20).

Bartram Trail earned both individual titles for the Half Mile Timing Invitational at Gainesville's West End Park with Bryce Motycka (17:07) and Avery Hartley (19:01). Gainesville Buchholz led the boys team standings, while Creekside overcame Gainesville Oak Hall in the girls race behind top-four marks from Eva Delaney (19:15) and Emma Godfrey.

In the Putnam County Championships at Ravine Gardens in Palatka, the Crescent City boys and Peniel Baptist girls took first, with individual wins for Peniel's Reed Rion (17:45.3) and Interlachen's Paislee Guessford (20:00.3).

Meanwhile, Bolles was Big Apple-bound to Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx for the Manhattan Invitational's Eastern States Championship, placing fifth for girls and eighth for boys. Sofie Stam placed 11th in the girls race in 15:07.2 over a 2 1/2-mile course, and Aidan Chandler's 36th-place 13:05 led local boys.

The cross-country scene now shifts to Cecil Field for the New World Fall Spectacular on Oct. 16 and 17. Highlighting the giant two-day meet will be the elite girls and boys races, scheduled to take off Saturday morning with up to 45 teams in both.

BK's Winkler tops 500 wins

One of Jacksonville's all-time leading coaches on the volleyball court is celebrating a career milestone.

Bishop Kenny honored the 500th victory for head coach Suzanne Winkler on Oct. 8 against Episcopal. The actual milestone win had occurred earlier in the season during a road match.

Winkler, in charge of Bishop Kenny since the start of the 2003 season, has led the Crusaders to FHSAA championships in 2014 and 2020 while building one of Florida's most consistent winners.

Bishop Kenny has qualified for the last 30 regional tournaments and is a mathematical lock to make it 31 later this month, and the Crusaders are working to extend their 21-year streak of qualifying for at least the regional final.

The Crusaders also achieved a rare feat Oct. 12 when Claire Newell served the school's third-ever perfect game in a 25-5, 25-0, 25-4 District 4-4A sweep of Westside. The senior libero won 25 consecutive service points for a shutout in the second, and finished the night with 32 service points and 16 aces.

Around the area

Beachside forward Parker Smith committed to North Greenville women's soccer. … Bishop Kenny guard Sienna Williams committed to Sewanee women's basketball. … Bolles junior Decker Stedman committed to SMU women's swimming. … Bolles junior Gianna Vasto committed to Arizona women's diving. … Ponte Vedra attack Hudson Hauseman committed to St. John's men's lacrosse. … Florida State College at Jacksonville pitcher Ethan Polce, formerly at Fletcher, committed to North Florida baseball. … Bartram Trail setter Brielle Rivers passed 500 career assists. … Beachside libero Isabella Taveras Seda reached 1,500 career digs. … Bishop Snyder outside hitter Emme Bordinca beat the school record with her 615th kill. … Fleming Island libero Addison Blom and outside hitter Lillie Eason both reached 500 career digs. … Keystone Heights outside hitter Mia Rivera broke the school's career kills record of 941. … Menendez outside hitter Amra Mulalic passed 500 in both digs and kills. … Oakleaf setter Abby Capuzzo surpassed 500 assists. … Ponte Vedra setter Jenna Hahnemann reached 500 career assists and middle blocker Lily Keeley hit her 500th kill. … Trinity Christian setter Emma Hernesman surpassed 2,000 career assists. … Wolfson libero Monica Mina passed 500 career digs. … Yulee outside hitter Kaveri Harris reached 1,000 career kills and setter Taylor Ross passed 500 career assists. … Bishop Kenny won the Diocese of St. Augustine swimming championship at the University of North Florida. … St. Joseph won in Class 4A and Duval Charter took the Class 2A final for Sunshine State Athletic Association volleyball. … Cornerstone Classical named Jose Agustin Visaez head baseball coach. … Bolles Sharks' Charlie Russell and Planet Swim's Juli Cavalcanti were both selected to the USA Swimming National Select Camp in Colorado Springs, Colo. … Former Menendez goalkeeper Alannah Zander won freshman of the week and goalkeeper of the week for Valdosta State in Gulf South Conference women's soccer, recording 13 saves in a shutout in her debut. … Former West Nassau forward Jaycie Noble won the Florida College System women's soccer player of the week award after scoring both goals in Polk State College's 2-1 win over Eastern Florida State College. … Oct. 19 marks the start of the FHSAA regular season in girls weightlifting.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: With MaxPreps rankings, Jacksonville football playoff race is complex

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