TOP PERFORMERS – PLAYOFF WEEK 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have arrived at the state playoffs, and the first week is now in the books – and we are on to the second round with some teams now eliminated from post season play, while others continue to live that dream.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Games over the next three weeks will showcase teams and players, and especially for the seniors who are still searching for that elusive scholarship help.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Since the start of the season, we have promoted well over 1,000 high school football prospects – in every class – and once again today, we are bringing you several performers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Miramar 2024 QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='275827' first='Kael' last='Alexander']</strong> was 18 of 33 for 206 yards and 2 scores in the first round playoff win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 LB/SS, <strong>Harper Campbell</strong>, Niceville, had an interception, 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and a blocked punt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 PK <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1022060' first='Brogan' last='Woeber']</strong>, Jupiter, had field goals of 47 and 45, 4 touchbacks and 4/4 on extra points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Miami Gardens Monsignor Pace QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='605134' first='Aidan' last='Karsh']</strong> was 14 for 26 338 total yards and 3 TDs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chance Routson</strong>, 2026 QB had a 4 TD and 450-yard contest in the opening round of the playoffs as Boca Raton pulled an upset.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Orlando Edgewater remained unbeaten as <strong>Solomon Tripline</strong> led the Eagles' offense to 37 unanswered points to start the running clock, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1118728' first='Joshua' last='Alexander-Felton']</strong> made two key first-half sacks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a loss to Lake Mary, Orlando Boone 2026 QB <strong>Sam Johnson</strong> threw for 4 scores.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two pick-sixes by senior safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='350022' first='Jayden' last='Taylor']</strong>, among five takeaways as Jacksonville Raines defense came up with another huge win. <strong>Mark Miller</strong> also ran for a score for the Vikings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Shermon Davis</strong> rumbled for three touchdowns and 169 yards and Jacksonville Riverside won for the ninth time. <strong>Tae'shaun Gelsey </strong>caught two touchdown passes and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1132456' first='Myles' last='Kendrick']</strong> brought in another, with starting quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1130837' first='Glenn' last='Foreman III']</strong> going 9 of 16 for 226 yards. <strong>Demontra Burnett</strong>, <strong>Jamal Harvey-Jackson</strong> and <strong>Kaiden Morris</strong> each got sacks for Riverside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>O'Mari Reid</strong> returned a first-quarter fumble to the end zone and junior quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='205703' first='Bjorn' last='Jurgensen']</strong> topped 100 yards in both passing and rushing and completed a scoring pass to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='693021' first='Nolan' last='Munroe']</strong> for Orlando Bishop Moore. <strong>Ladainian Sweeney</strong> rushed for two Hornet touchdowns and 122 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404482' first='Riley' last='Trujillo']</strong> ran 80-yards for a touchdown to spark St. John's Bartram Trail. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='381594' first='Laython' last='Biddle']</strong> capped an incredible night by notching his sixth touchdown (5, 21, 6, 2, 23 and 8 yards). <strong>Julian Porter</strong> collected a pick-six and Bartram Trail won the turnover battle 3-0.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a loss to St. John's Bartram Trail, <strong>Terence Marshall</strong> finished with 12 catches for 289 yards from senior quarterback <strong>Hunter Pfiester</strong> for Navarre.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Niceville&nbsp;rode four touchdowns from <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='744311' first='Maddax' last='Fayard']</strong> (two rushing, one receiving, one kickoff return), two scores from DJ Shorts (punt block return, rushing), a scoop-and-score from <strong>De'mon Allen</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee (9-2) rode the legs of Stanford-commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='742906' first='Cole' last='Tabb']</strong> (157 yards and three scores) and the passing of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='130977' first='Jesse' last='Winslette']</strong>, who connected on touchdown passes of 25 and 57 yards to <strong>Isiah Johnson</strong>. <strong>Tristan Jackson</strong> alone had seven tackles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='836526' first='Nigel' last='Nelson']</strong> (137 yards on just 12 touches) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='248505' first='Vaughn' last='Howard']</strong> helped Pensacola Catholic win for the sixth time. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404486' first='Demontrae' last='Gaston']</strong> intercepted a pass.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1130817' first='Seth' last='Chestnut']</strong> returned an interception to the end zone and <strong>Benny Lewis</strong> rushed for two touchdowns for Baker County. <strong>Rhett Rhoden</strong> grabbed his seventh pick of 2023 and <strong>Case Foster</strong> also intercepted a Baldwin pass.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dae'Jon Shanks</strong> had a touchdown run and scoring passes to <strong>Elijah Kellum</strong> and two-way end <strong>Torin Brazell</strong> to lead Starke Bradford County. <strong>Trejan Tyson</strong> rushed for a score and blocked a punt while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828990' first='Jeremiah' last='McKenzie']</strong> recovered a first-quarter fumble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Teonte Artis-Croxton</strong> rushed for two scores and <strong>Nikao Smith</strong> passed for two more to lead Yulee to its first playoff win since 2012 when Derrick Henry starred for the Hornets. <strong>Mikal Jones</strong>, <strong>Jycere Richardson</strong> and <strong>Shamarion Gibbs</strong> all intercepted passes and <strong>Jacob Hubbard</strong> and <strong>Rylan Hale </strong>snapped up fumbles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gainesville Eastside's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1155702' first='Adrian' last='Curtis']</strong> targeted <strong>Antoneo Wilson</strong>, who made a huge play to lead the Rams. Led by RB <strong>Joshua Benjamin</strong>, the Rams (8-3) exploded for scores on their first two possessions, the second capped off by a 51-yard TD from Benjamin after Palatka fumbled a punt return.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1134180' first='Trenton' last='Klein']</strong> ran for an early touchdown and threw first-half scores to <strong>Blake McCoy</strong> and <strong>Ras Woodall</strong> as Union County won for the seventh time. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1127062' first='Gavin' last='Jenkins']</strong> intercepted two passes and took both back to the end zone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1247449' first='Brady' last='Hart']</strong> threw three touchdown passes, including the 19th of the year to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='953682' first='Jayvan' last='Boggs']</strong>, and also found <strong>Latrison Lane</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='833761' first='Nicholas' last='Teeter']</strong> for Cocoa. Hart reached 36 touchdown passes for the season. <strong>Daiveon Parham </strong>scored on a 30-yard interception return.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rockledge got a winning field goal in overtime via a <strong>Jerry Valdez</strong>. The kicker scored the last seven points for Rockledge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a big-play night for <strong>Tay Welch</strong>, who had runs of 82, 63 and 60 yards, the latter a touchdown in the fourth quarter as Eau Gallie continued to make a statement. He scored four times in all, including one through the air. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1247547' first='Xavier' last='Lherisse']</strong> returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Max Bunin</strong> rushed for a 26-yard touchdown and scored three key 2-point conversions as Merritt Island Christian won. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1140898' first='Bode' last='Handwork']</strong> also contributed to the win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1134152' first='Josh' last='Robinson']</strong>, WR 2025 Clearwater Calvary Christian caught 9 balls for 163 yards and two scores. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='275811' first='Jacob' last='Drackett']</strong> was 20 of 25 for 400 yards, 6 passing TD, 1 rushing TD.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Trey Whirley</strong>, St. Petersburg Northeast was 17 of 29 for 257 passing yards 2 TDs and 2 TDs rushing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Largo received performances from <strong>Jeremy Thomas</strong> (7-14 241 yards 1 TD, 23 car 151yds 2TDs and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1130795' first='Malachi' last='Peterson']</strong> had 10 carries for 104 yards 1 TD and 3 Receptions for 111 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PROSPECT SHEET: Statewide Coverage Daily. </strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/03/statewide-daily-team-coverage/">https.://prepredzone.com/2023/03/statewide-daily-team-coverage/</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: <a href="mailto:Floridakids1@aol.com">Floridakids1@aol.com</a>.</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/Harper0Campbell">&nbsp;</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/Harper0Campbell">&nbsp;</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->