Jacksonville Fl– For one team, it’s their first time ever making it to the playoffs and winning a playoff game. For another team, 2006 was the last they won a playoff game. Yet both teams feelings were mutual going into their first round play-in games last week. Revenge was on their minds as the Saints and the Stingrays looked to defeat teams they already played in the regular season, in an attempt to finally head to the second round of the playoffs.
Class 8A Play-In Game
Sandalwood 28 Mandarin 13
The Saints got revenge against the Mustangs on Monday Night Football. Previously falling to them in the regular season, Sandalwood switched things up this time in their secondary which worked. Sandalwood put senior Amari Mitchell at outside corner on one side and allowed Jadon Canady to take care of the other side.
The strategy worked as both corner backs locked down their targets. This kept pressure from the Sandalwood front seven, moving Branden Jennings in many positions, and allowing Darnell Wilson to make plays. Canady would score on a pick 6 in the contest and Mitchell would secure the game deciding interception.
Canady would get the scoring started for Sandalwood. After a Uriel Richardson interception by Mandarin, Sandalwood would force a punt to which Canady would take it back 50-yards for the score. Sandalwood would go up 21-0, thanks to a Chris Calhoun run for a 35-yard touchdown and a pick 6 by linebacker Darnell Wilson.
Mandarin made a second half comeback when quarterback Tre Lawrence scored on a 1-yard run, and then hit Jeremiah Shack on a 11-yard slant for the touchdown making the score 21-13. But Canady would secure his area leading 8th interception of the season to close it out.
Sandalwood (7-2) now moves on to the quarter-finals to host Flagler Palm Coast (4-3).
Class 7A Play-In Game
Atlantic Coast 47 Fletcher 21
In another revenge game from the regular season, Atlantic Coast (4-5) avenged their earlier loss to Fletcher (6-2) in a 47-21 romp over Fletcher to move on to the Class 7A quarter-finals.
The Stingrays capitalized early from a blocked punt leading to a Arthur “Fatz” Walker touchdown, leading Fletcher 7-0. On the ensuing possession, Atlantic Coast’s Jabari Anthony would scoop and score a touchdown from a Jahiem Odom sack and just like that AC built a 14-0 lead.
Fletcher would respond with a touchdown to Josh Davis from Keely Watson on a 57-yard score to bring the score to 14-7. Fletcher seemed to be in business as their offense started to click.
However the Stingray offense never stopped clicking on the night, as Walker would score on a 40-yard touchdown run giving AC the 21-7 advantage. The talented junior would add a score in the second giving him 3 touchdowns on the night.
Fletcher would score on a short 1-yard run from junior Defensive End Aaron Hester, but that would be all she wrote for the Senators.
Ridge Jacobs would close the game out hitting his star wide receiver Patrick Bryant Jr on a 63- yard touchdown pass. Bryant finished with 137 yards and 2 touchdowns on the night.
Jacobs then found his other wideout Jordan Smith for a score and the route was on. Atlantic Coast would go on to get it’s first ever playoff play-in game victory.
Atlantic Coast is headed to the FHSAA quarter-finals to face Lincoln. The Stingrays are looking to shock the state with another upset win in consecutive weeks.
