Photo by Ronald Lott
Northwest Jacksonville- The Raines Vikings hit rival Ribault like a WWE “Stone Cold Stunner” Saturday afternoon at the 2025 Northwest Classic, overpowering the Trojans 53–0 at the newly built Jean Ribault High School. Behind a five-touchdown performance from quarterback Timothy “TJ” Cole II, the Vikings showcased why they’re one of the most dangerous teams in Florida, and that’s the bottom line.
Raines wasted no time setting the tone mixing explosive offense, relentless defense, and disciplined special teams from the opening whistle. On the Vikings’ first possession, Cole dropped back and found Ethan Sherman streaking past the Ribault secondary for a 65-yard touchdown strike just over two minutes into the game.
A few plays later, a botched Ribault snap resulted in a safety, pushing the lead to 9–0. The Vikings added a 31-yard field goal from kicker Dan Duong, then expanded the advantage when Cole hit Tadarius Washington on a short pass that the shifty back turned into a 30-yard score to end the first quarter up 18–0.
The second quarter brought more fireworks. Defensive star Troy Butler came up with a strip sack that Cameron Washington recovered, giving Raines prime field position. Cole capitalized immediately, showing off his mobility on a 19-yard touchdown run.
Minutes later, he connected with Sherman again — this time on a 29-yard catch-and-run to make it 31–0. The Vikings then successfully recovered an onside kick, leading to a 1-yard dive by Tisean Haynes for another touchdown.
But Raines wasn’t done yet. Butler forced his second fumble of the half, recovered by Ge’Terius Brown, and Cole delivered his fifth touchdown of the night with an 8-yard strike to a diving Kelvin Brown Jr. to send Raines into halftime with a commanding 45–0 lead.
With the running clock in effect during the second half, the Vikings continued to dominate every phase. Backup quarterback Sa’Mon Ellison-Morgan joined the scoring with a 48-yard touchdown pass to Ziyon Butler, capping off the night’s statement victory and securing the 53–0 final.
The Raines defense was ferocious, tallying multiple takeaways and allowing virtually no offensive rhythm from Ribault. Butler led the charge up front, while the secondary locked down any attempts through the air. Tony Williams provided constant pressure with including a big sack to stop the Trojans drive.
With the win, Raines improves to 5–0, remaining a top contender in Class 3A-3. Cole’s five-touchdown outing (four passing, one rushing) and a balanced attack from Sherman, Washington, and Brown completely debilitated Ribault on Saturday afternoon.
Timothy “TJ” Cole had thrown for 788 yards and 12 touchdowns, with just one interception coming into the contest. Tadarius Washington led the ground game, with 367 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns prior to that matchup. Receiving leaders for Raines included Ziyon Butler (263 yards, 4 TDs), Ethan Sherman (257 yards, 4 TDs), Zion Green (135 yards, 1 TD), and Kelvin Brown Jr. (98 yards, 3 TDs) all have been huge contributors for the Vikings.
For Ribault, the tough loss came against one of the area’s most complete squads, while for Raines, it was yet another showcase of dominance — speed, execution, and swagger on full display in Jacksonville’s most storied rivalry. The Vikings take on Madison County next week, which will prove to be their toughest test of the season.
Final: Raines 53, Ribault 0
Images by Ronald Lott (Amoya Photography)
