Apopka Fl- The playoffs begin tonight and we kickoff our tale of the tape, previewing each Northeast Florida playoff team and opponent. Take a look each great matchup between two these well coached teams, and the break down at several positions.
Class 8A Region 1
RPI Rankings
- Seminole-0.735
- Bartram Trail-0.680
- Apopka-0.654
- Timber Creek-0.614
- Lake Mary-0.703
- Creekside-0.629
- Lake Brantley-0.585
- Winter Park-0.581
#6 Creekside (8-2) vs #3 Apopka (8-2)
2021 FHSAA Football State Championships 8A Football State ChampionshipsHead Coaches:
Apopka- Rick Darlington
Creekside- Sean McIntyre
Quarterbacks:
Apopka: Senior Andrew Mcclain came over from Seminole and has passed for 528 yards, 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions as quarterback. As with any Blue Darter quarterback, the passing yards are going to be minimal due to the type of offense the program runs. But leadership is extremely important, and having a senior at the position is an advantage
Creekside: Jacob Dennie came over from Christ’s Church academy and has had a great year for the Knights. He’s passed for 1648 and 14 TDs on the season. He’s also added 3 touchdowns on the ground. Dennie has also brought senior leadership to the position and lots of playing experience.
Running backs:
Creekside: Preston Strope is one of the top rushers in the state of Florida. Fresh off a 312yd, 5 TD performance vs Oakleaf, the talented senior rushed for 130Yds, 2 TDs and added 1 receiving TD vs Ponte Vedra last week. He’s the work horse and the Knights will ride him as far as he will take them.
Apopka: Keyondray Jones has rushed for 915 yards and 7 TDs this season. He’s been the bell cow for the Blue Darters in the backfield. He’s also scored 3 touchdowns receiving for Apopka. He’s dangerous in space, and goes 0 to 100 real quick.
Wide Receiver:
Apopka: Senior Quincy Frazier leads Apopka in receiving. His 301 yards and 3 TDs makes for a potential big play threat for his team.
Creekside: The Knights have several receivers that can make plays in the passing game. Brendon McMillan (568yds, 5TDs), Paul Wood (348yds, 3TDs) and Maxwell Robinson (289yds, 2TDs). However the unit has not scored lately has the team as relied heavily on the run game. It’s playoff time so they’ll need to score to win.
Defense:
Creekside: 6’4, 225 pound defensive end Christian Yousefzadeh (5 sacks) and 6’0, 215 pound linebacker Vincent Approbato (3 sacks) lead a unit that has made crucial stops when needed. Ian Mooney leads the team with 79 tackles. Carter Mceachen has 4 picks on the season. Walter Stovall has 2 picks on the year and is also a leading tackler on the team.
Apopka: The Blue Darters get their best defender back just in time for the playoffs. 4-star defensive back Nakai Martinez returns after missing the second half of the season. He’s a shut down corner that cancels out half the field. Travion Barnes has led Apopka in tackles (61) , sacks (5) forced fumbles (2) and fumble recoveries (2). A menace on the field.
Outlook:
Power vs Speed: It’s going to the the power of Preston Stope vs the speed of Keyondray Jones on display in Apopka. This means the offensive lines are going to be factors. Creekside’s 3- star O-lineman Matt McCoy will look to lead his unit against Apopka’s 6’6 Tai Ray and crew. Who ever establishes the run throughout the game, wins. It might be closer than many around the state are predicting.
