JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – High school spring football is here.
Monday marked the official start of the spring football practice around the state. A look at storylines entering 2025, head coaches in new spots, top players to watch and more.
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Bolles is loaded
Bolles reached the regional finals last year, ending a five-year streak of reaching the state semifinals. They lost to eventual state runner-up Gadsden County (21-9) to cap a 10-2 season.
Bolles has a loaded lineup, including major commits at receiver (Naeem Burroughs, Clemson), tight end (Corbyn Fordham, Ohio State), linebacker (Simeon Caldwell, Ohio State) and offensive line (JJ Sparks, Miami). Rising sophomore defensive lineman Asher Ghioto is also one of the top underclassmen in the country in the Class of 2028.
Mandarin still packed with talent
Mandarin’s 2024 season was headlined by great expectations, huge prospects and a rash of injuries. The biggest injury came to quarterback Tramell Jones, whose season ended just five quarters in after a leg injury.
That pushed freshman Knox Annis (below) into the starting role. Annis passed for 1,349 yards and nine touchdowns. With essentially a full season under his belt, expect Annis and phenom receiver Brysen Wright to thrive in their second year together. The Mandarin defense will be excellent, too, with Michigan commit Brody Jennings and Shareef Jackson headlining the secondary. Front seven stars Brian Harris and Kameron Mills are also back.
Best in St. Johns?
Is it Nease, which went 10-1 and unbeaten in the county last year? Is it St. Augustine, which went to the state semifinals and has elite wideouts Somourian Wingo and Julio Santiago? Maybe it’s Beachside, which has its high-powered offense and quarterback Eddie Jordan returning. Or could it be Ponte Vedra and head coach Stephen Price clearing the regional final hump.
Fleming Island or Oakleaf?
The best in Clay County will come down to these teams. Oakleaf had an excellent season under head coach Christopher Foy. Fleming Island saw its head coach resign weeks before the season began, only to have interim head coach Derek Chipoletti step in and guide the Golden Eagles to one of the best seasons in program history. With Chipoletti back, expect Fleming Island to muscle its way into one of the best teams in the area.
Raines wants to get back
Raines went 13-1 last year and was the last local team left standing. That one loss came in the state championship game, a loss to Miami Northwestern that head coach Donovan Masline knows made the Vikings better in the long run.
“It feels good to just to get out here and run around and, you know, throw the football around. We hadn’t done that all spring, so the kids are excited to get back to work,” Masline said.
“They’ve been putting in a lot of work in the weight room and just working on getting stronger, getting faster and just coming together as a team. It’s a new year, new team, new mindset for these young men and you know, everybody’s on the same page, taking it game by game and making sure we get one percent better every day.”
The Vikings are talented, including the return of quarterback TJ Cole and linebacker Tony Williams (Illinois commit).
“Last year, I think our success came from the spring, so just to be back in the spring and do it all over again,” said Cole. “We want the state championship game. We’re not looking too far ahead, but we want those types of opportunities, and this is where it starts.”
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX players of the year
Raines quarterback Cole (below) is the reigning player of the year and he returns for his senior season. A look at the previous All-News4JAX players of the year.
2024: TJ Cole, Raines (offensive); Jyon Simon, Raines (defensive)
2023: Laython Biddle, Bartram Trail (offensive); Drake Stubbs, Mandarin (defensive).
2022: Orel Gray, University Christian (offensive); Grayson Howard, Jackson (defensive).
2021: Dom Henry, Nease (offensive); Jaheim Singletary, Riverside (defensive).
2020: Jadon Canady, Sandalwood.
New faces
Head coaching changes are always aplenty in high school football. Here are a few coaching changes from around the area.
School, New head coach, Old head coach
Baker County, Brock Canaday, Kevin Mays
Clay, Jeff Gierke, Kyle Kennard
Englewood, Alexander Mohammed, Kevin Johnson
Flagler Palm Coast, Patrick Turner, Daniel Fish
Fleming Island, Derek Chipoletti, Derek Chipoletti (interim)
Old Plank Christian, Chuck Winfield, Caleb Davis
Palatka, Lantz Lowery, Patrick Turner
Tocoi Creek, Kevin Doelling (interim), Zach Harbison
Westside, Michael Burns, Randy Randall
Top recruits
A look at 30 of the top recruits in the Class of 2026 and where they’re committed to:
Position, Player, Height, Weight, School
LB, Talan Babin, 6-1, 215, Ponte Vedra, Uncommitted
DL, Geterius Brown, 6-1, 270, Raines, Uncommitted
WR, Trace Burney, 5-9, 165, Fleming Island, Uncommitted
WR, Naeem Burroughs, 5-11, 160, Bolles, Clemson
S, Simeon Caldwell, 6-2, 185, Bolles, Ohio State
OT, Kasiyah Charlton, 6-6, 295, Brunswick, UCF
QB, TJ Cole, 5-10, 175, Raines, Uncommitted
S, Sebastian Cruz, 5-10, 180, Fleming Island, Rutgers
LB, Jacob Curry, 6-2, 200, Nease, Uncommitted
TE, Corbyn Fordham, 6-4, 205, Bolles, Ohio State
S, Luke Harmon, 6-1, 195, Menendez, Uncommitted
EDGE, Brian Harris, 6-3, 280, Mandarin, Uncommitted
OL, Ryan Ingram, 6-2, 282, Bolles, Uncommitted
DB, Shareef Jackson, 5-10, 160, Mandarin, Uncommitted
DB, Brody Jennings, 6-1, 165, Mandarin, Michigan
QB, Eddie Jordan, 6-0, 195, Beachside, Uncommitted
OL, Chris Jules, 6-3, 265, Oakleaf, Uncommitted
QB, Tony Kennedy, 6-1, 185, Parker, Uncommitted
ATH, Haze Kent, 6-6, 250, Brunswick, Uncommitted
DB, Von Lane, 6-1, 190, Columbia, Uncommitted
RB, Arthur Lewis IV, 5-9, 190, Bartram, Liberty
QB, Jack McKissock, 6-2, 195, Oakleaf, Uncommitted
ATH, Kameron Mills, 6-1, 215, Mandarin, Uncommitted
DB, Tamajh Mitchell, 5-9, 150, Mandarin, Uncommitted
ATH, Jordin Price, 5-10, 170, Oakleaf, Uncommitted
EDGE, Jarius Rodgers, 6-5, 190, Fleming Island, Syracuse
WR, Julio Santiago, 5-9, 160, St. Augustine, Uncommitted
IOL, JJ Sparks, 6-4, 300, Bolles, Miami
LB, Tony Williams, 5-10, 215, Raines, Illinois
WR, Somourian Wingo, 6-3, 180, St. Augustine, Uncommitted
Notable spring games
All games at 7 p.m. unless indicated:
May 15: Suwannee at Bradford
May 16: University Christian at Madison County
May 17: Fort White at Columbia
May 20: Baker County at Creekside, 6 p.m.
May 21: Fleming Island at Fletcher, 6 p.m.
May 21: St. Augustine at Bishop Kenny, 6 p.m.
May 22: Mandarin at Bolles
May 22: Menendez at Nease
