Jacksonville Raines Will Be Back!

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you followed Jacksonville Raines' football team this past season, nothing surprised you more than the 41-0, clocking-running loss to Miami Northwestern in the 3A state title game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When the Vikings and Bulls squared off at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University, everything pointed to it being one of the best games of the seven played in the four days.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was an unbeaten (13-0) team that averaged nearly 40 points per game, scoring 600 points and the team was loaded with talent and prospects in every class under head coach <strong>Donovan Masline</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Vikings were more than penciled into this state title game as far back as the spring when the classifications were announced. From the first <strong><em>Prep Redzone Florida </em></strong>ranking, they were in the top 10 and continued to advance to the top 5 when the state playoffs began.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the game never lived up to what many felt would happen, here is some positive news for DUVAL County. The team returns 67 players who were on the roster for the title game – including 48 rising seniors. That all adds up to a return in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE SENIOR CLASS WILL BE AMONG THE BEST IN FLORIDA</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While they are still smarting from that one-sided contest against the Bulls, Raines will bring back some elite Class of 2026 rising seniors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Among that group includes <strong>Geterius Brown</strong> (DT), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1581874' first='Ziyon' last='Butler']</strong> (WR), <strong>Maliq Byrd</strong> (LB/DE), elite <strong>Timothy Coles</strong> (QB), <strong>Charles Dawston</strong> (FB), <strong>Jonathan Downer-Barrett</strong> (SS/PK), <strong>Zakari Getzen</strong> (DT), <strong>Tisean Haynes</strong> (RB), versatile <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1581888' first='Eddie' last='Hinton']</strong> (FS), &nbsp;<strong>Kerrick Jackson</strong> (OL), <strong>Dwane Lee</strong> (WR), playmaker <strong>Jucoby Marion</strong> (DB), <strong>Adrian Mincey</strong> (CB), <strong>Arundai Mitchell</strong> (OL), <strong>Jaylen Pollard</strong> (WR), <strong>Steven Rivers</strong> (LB), <strong>Arquis Robinson</strong> (OLB), <strong>Jordan Scott</strong> (OL), and <strong>Makhel Smith-York </strong>(DE).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is also <strong>Jamarri Solomon</strong> (DL), <strong>Christopher Stinson</strong> (OL), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1727602' first='Cameron' last='Washington'] </strong>(DE), <strong>Ta'Darius Washington</strong> (RB/FS), nationally rated linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1249050' first='Tony' last='Williams'], Travis Williams</strong> (LB), and <strong>Xavier Williams</strong> (RB).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE FUTURE ALSO LOOKS VERY BRIGHT</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As good as this returning 2026 class will be, the underclassmen in 2027 and 2028 promises to be special as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2027 prospects include <strong>Roderick Adams</strong> (OL), <strong>McKinley Alexander IV</strong> (OL), <strong>Curtis Asberry</strong> (RB), <strong>Ian Beaufort</strong> (QB), <strong>Keelan Burke</strong> (DT), <strong>Troy Butler</strong> (DE/RB), <strong>Jabari Denefield</strong> (DB/WR), <strong>Dwayne Dixon</strong> (RB), <strong>Travis Dixon Jr.</strong> (FS), <strong>Chenaniah Doran</strong> (DL), <strong>Richard Gilliard</strong> (WR), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='899818' first='Kiran' last='Jackson']</strong> (WR), <strong>Quentin Jennings</strong> (WR), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='900786' first='Johdeem' last='Jones']</strong> (LB/DE), <strong>Antoine Kelly Jr.</strong> (OG), <strong>Jaquan Smith</strong> (CB), and <strong>Ronnie Williams</strong> (WR) will be back. So will rising sophomore (2028) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1343657' first='Roy' last='Harvison Jr'].</strong> (OL), who will lead the way for others who will emerge in the off-season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PHOTO COURTESY OF JACKSONVILLE RAINES FOOTBALL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Statewide Coverage Daily.</strong> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/florida/">https://prepredzone.com/florida/</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>COACHES, PLAYERS: Do You Have A Subscription? Contact us for a savings code so you can see what everyone has been talking about! <a href="mailto:Floridakids1@aol.com">Floridakids1@aol.com</a>.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->