The postseason is here and both the Nease Panthers and Ponte Vedra Sharks earned the opportunity to host their first-round matchup following successful regular seasons.
However, the playoffs are considered the “second season,” and anything can happen which is what makes it so captivating.
For some it will be a second season short-lived while others will enjoy weeks more of thrilling games as they set their sights on a possible state title run.
The Panthers enter as the favorite to reach the semifinals as the winner of quadrant one in Class 6A.
As they should be, after an undefeated regular season, in which they controlled many of the games they played and heading into the playoffs as the top-ranked team in the state.
That No. 1 ranking assures them home field advantage throughout the regional rounds and their first matchup will be against Tate High School, which will be making the 383-mile trip from the Florida panhandle.
The Aggies are the No. 8 seed in Class 6A’s quadrant one and earned a playoff spot as a wildcard team after finishing 7-3 and third in District 1-6A. They are ranked No. 24 in Class 6A.
They got off to a fast start winning their first five games out of the gate before hitting a rough stretch once they entered district play, including a 42-7 loss to Pace, who is a top five team in Class 6A and the closest competition the Aggies would have faced similar to the Panthers.
The Aggies are led by a senior-laden team, especially on offense where running back Carson Secchiari leads the team with 12 touchdowns and averages 91.3 rushing yards per game and Taite Davis who has 22 touchdown passes on the year.
If the Panthers continue to play complimentary football and get the production they have from the offense and defense all season long, the Panther Den will be rocking, and they will be keeping the undefeated streak going with another convincing victory, because the Aggies will have not seen a defense like the Panthers.
Jacob Curry and Joe Miracle have combined for 14 sacks and 23 quarterback hurries on the season and Elisha Luckett has a team-high five interceptions to make opposing offenses pay for any errant throws due to that pressure.
With a win the Panthers would advance to face the winner of the Mandarin vs. Oakleaf matchup in the regional semifinals next week.
The Ponte Vedra Sharks also get a home contest to open the 2024 postseason in Class 5A, and it comes against a familiar foe in the Beachside Barracudas, as the two will meet in the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup in quadrant one.
The teams met during the season on Sept. 13 and the Sharks edged out the Barracudas 17-14 en route to an 8-2 season.
That served as the Barracudas’ first loss of the young season, and they went on to finish 7-3 and third in the district behind the Sharks.
Although it was a close game, the Sharks seemingly controlled things in the first half thanks to a relentless push they were able to get from their defensive front, as Beachside quarterback Eddie Jordan took a while to find a rhythm passing.
However, according to Ponte Vedra head coach Steve Price, teams change and develop so much as the season moves along and being the two teams met a couple of months ago, it can be difficult to read into the previous meeting too much.
One thing for sure is that the Barracudas are the definition of a pass heavy offense, and they have the quarterback and receivers that make it work, but they may have to lean on the running game a little more to help the passing game as a whole.
Becoming one dimensional is never a recipe for success against the Sharks’ defense and the Barracudas’ offensive line against the Sharks’ defensive line will be a key matchup to watch which group has the edge throughout the contest.
The Sharks will host the Barracudas at 7 p.m., while the Panthers welcome in the Aggies at 7:30 p.m. Both games will be on Nov. 15.
