The Trojans opened the game on a hot start, fueled by an aggressive and disruptive defense paired with a well-structured and fluid offense. Early on, forward Malakhi Lowe set the tone with a dominant presence in the paint, chipping in key buckets that helped build early momentum. Rickards, meanwhile, struggled to find offensive rhythm, routinely turning the ball over and missing clean looks at the rim. The lone bright spot for the Raiders was forward Calvin Thomas, who knocked down a few tough mid-range shots to keep his team afloat. Lincoln closed the first quarter with a 15 to 8 lead.

Going into the second quarter, Rickards finally began to gain some offensive momentum. After a few good looks and a big three from Thomas, the Raiders cut the deficit to 18 to 15, which was the closest they would be all night. Lincoln responded immediately. Guard Jaylin Parrish sparked a run with a few aggressive drives to the rim, and Lowe added a timely three to stretch the lead to 23 to 18. Despite Thomas continuing to produce for Rickards, Lincoln maintained control and went into halftime up 27 to 21.

Starting the second half, Lincoln came out aggressive again, turning up their defensive pressure and continuing to force turnovers. Their ability to get downhill offensively pushed the lead to 32 to 25 with about three minutes left in the third quarter. Thomas remained the driving force for the Raiders, collapsing the defense and creating opportunities for teammates. His efforts helped trim the margin to 33 to 28, but every time Rickards made progress, Lincoln answered. The Trojans eventually put together a 10 point unanswered run, pushing the lead to 41 to 31 before closing the quarter ahead 42 to 34.

Lincoln opened the fourth quarter with another strong burst, quickly extending the lead to 48 to 34. Midway through the period, the Trojans changed their approach by slowing the pace, moving the ball around the perimeter, and using the clock to their advantage while staying in control. Rickards eventually mounted one last push. The Raiders converted a four-point play with 51 seconds left to cut the score to 51 to 43. Moments later, Steve Koonce Jr. knocked down a big shot to make it 52 to 46 with 24 seconds remaining. Lincoln held firm on the final possession, stopping the late surge. Final Score, Lincoln 54, Rickards 46.

Notable performances for Lincoln, Forward Malakhi Lowe (Sr.) finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists, and Guard Kyel Chambliss (Jr.) added 10 points, including 2 made threes while shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc.

With a spot in the regional semifinals on the line and a chance to take on the number one ranked team in Class 2A, the Bolles Bulldogs, both teams entered the night looking to extend their season. What followed was an exciting and back and forth battle filled with big plays, momentum swings, and plenty of highs and lows from start to finish.

On a freezing night, Florida High brought the heat early with a long opening return that set the Seminoles up with great starting field position. After converting on a third down with a strong catch from receiver Jaylan Lurry, a penalty stalled the opening drive and Baldwin took over. The Indians showed signs of life early when running back Nashawn Jacobs broke loose for a 30 yard gain, but the drive ended in a punt, beginning a trend over the next few possessions.

Baldwin struck first late in the opening quarter on a tricky play and a big catch from Harrison Farnum, followed by quarterback Stephen Screws showcasing his ability to maneuver inside and outside the pocket and stay in place long enough to extend the play and move his team into the red zone. After missing on their first three attempts, Baldwin settled for a field goal to take a 3 to 0 lead.

Florida High answered in the second quarter when Jaylan Lurry hauled in a deep pass, and Brysin Brown followed with a long run to set the Seminoles up deep in Baldwin territory. Quarterback Jayme Miller capped the drive with a designed run to give Florida High a 7 to 3 lead.

With about a minute remaining in the half, Jaylan Lurry delivered again. He made a tough catch and plowed through multiple defenders for a touchdown, pushing the score to 14 to 3. Baldwin responded immediately with a deep completion and a touchdown to Jaiden Barnett, trimming the score to 14 to 10 going into halftime.

Baldwin opened the second half with another long run from Nashawn Jacobs, followed by another touchdown pass to Jaiden Barnett, giving the Indians a 17 to 14 lead.

Florida High answered with a steady drive that ended with receiver Gabriel Miley holding on to a touchdown pass to put the Seminoles back in front 21 to 17. On Baldwin’s next play, Florida High recovered a fumble and capitalized instantly when receiver Derrick Caldwell caught a touchdown to extend the lead to 28 to 17.

Early in the fourth quarter, running back Michael Jones broke loose for his first touchdown of the night, stretching the lead to 35 to 17. Baldwin answered with a deep touchdown pass to receiver John Harvey, cutting the score to 35 to 24. Florida High responded almost immediately on the next drive when Michael Jones scored his second touchdown of the night to push the lead to 42 to 24.

Baldwin added one more touchdown by John Harvey to make it 42 to 31, and after forcing the Seminoles to punt, the Indians had one final chance to cut the deficit. Their last drive stalled, and they turned the ball over on downs. Florida High took possession, ran out the clock, and secured the playoff win.

Notable performances for Florida High included quarterback Jayme Miller (So.) with three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown, and running back Michael Jones (Jr.) with two rushing touchdowns. For Baldwin, quarterback Stephen Screws (Sr.) finished with four passing touchdowns, while receivers Jaiden Barnett (So.) and John Harvey (Sr.) each recorded two touchdown receptions.

Lincoln, coming off a win previous week, looked to secure their second win off the season. Florida High, however, coming off back-to-back losses, looked to rally together and bring home their first win of the season. What followed was a competitive matchup between two teams with a clear desire to win. 

Florida High opened the match with an aggressive high press, constantly pressuring Lincoln’s offense and pushing the tempo on the counterattack. That intensity paid off early in the first half when Florida High’s forward  Valentino Gomez buried a free kick to give the Seminoles a 1–0 lead. Lincoln began to settle in as the half went on, controlling the ball more effectively and creating a couple of close scoring chances, but Florida High’s defense made a key stop late in the half to keep the Seminoles in front heading into the break.

Early in the second half, Lincoln’s Nihal Kalathil found the equalizer, finishing off a play that started from a solid defensive play and a quick counterattack. Roughly ten minutes later, his teammate  Thoren Knispel  added another goal to put the Trojans ahead 2–1.

From there, Lincoln’s defense held tall, cutting off passing lanes and winning key tackles to keep Florida High from regaining momentum. With just over two minutes remaining, Nihal Kalathil struck again for  his second goal of the night  and sealing Lincoln’s 3–1 victory.

Lincoln’s composure and improved ball movement in the second half proved to be the difference, while Florida High’s early pressure faded as the Trojans took control of possession and dictated the pace late.

Notable performances for Lincoln, Forward Nihal Kalathil (Sr.) with two goals, and Forward Thoren Knispel (Sr.) with one goal.

In one of the most thrilling games of the season, Godby rallied late to stun Lincoln 30–28 in a Friday night matchup filled with turnovers, explosive plays, and a last-second touchdown to seal the win. Godby opened the night with momentum, but their first drive was cut short when Maliek Denmark snagged an interception for Lincoln. The Trojans, as usual, quickly capitalized as quarterback Taylor Jacobs Jr. connected with tight end Will Tawney on a deep pass that set up a short touchdown run by running back Tadarius Huggins, giving Lincoln an early 6–0 lead to start the game.

The Cougars answered with a steady drive fueled by newly starting quarterback Lazarus Chambers and running back Kamren McMillan, eventually setting up a field goal to make it 6–3. Lincoln tried a trick play on fourth down early in the second quarter, but it backfired when corner C.J. Allen for Godby picked it off, stopping the drive in its tracks. 

That stop was not enough to slow Lincoln for long, as they bounced back when quarterback Taylor Jacobs Jr. found receiver Kabran Paul for a short touchdown reception, stretching the lead to 12–3. Godby responded almost immediately as Chambers powered through on multiple quarterback keepers before punching in a touchdown to cut the deficit to 12–10.

Later in the half, Lincoln’s quarterback was intercepted again, this time by athlete Jamarin Simmons, setting the Cougars up deep in Trojan territory. With under a minute left in the first half, Chambers connected with receiver Jerrell Hall for a touchdown to give Godby a 17-12 halftime lead, foreshadowing what was to come. 

After a slow start to the third quarter, Chambers struck again, tossing a touchdown to Jamarin Simmons to extend the lead to 24-12. Lincoln kept it close when Tadarius Huggins broke through for his second touchdown of the night, cutting the lead to 24-19.

Early in the fourth, Lincoln surged ahead when Will Tawney scored out of the Wildcat formation, putting the Trojans up 25–24. A few minutes later, heavy pressure from Lincoln’s defense forced Chambers to fumble, setting the Trojans up with great field position. Though they could not reach the end zone, they converted a short field goal to push the lead to 28–24 with under five minutes remaining.

But the Cougars were not done. Still on the prowl, Chambers led a gutsy final drive, converting key runs and completions as the clock ticked under a minute. Facing fourth down with just eight seconds left, Chambers connected once again with Jerrell Hall in the end zone for what would turn out to be the game-winning score, putting Godby ahead 30–28. Lincoln had one last snap, but time expired, sealing a statement win for the underdog Cougars.

Notable performances for Godby included QB Lazarus Chambers (Sr.) with three  passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown, WR Jerrell Hall (Sr.) with two receiving touchdowns, and ATH Jamarin Simmons (Jr.) with one touchdown reception and one interception. For Lincoln, RB Tadarius Huggins (Sr.) recorded two rushing touchdowns.

In the battle for the district championship, both teams looked poised to make their claim to the title, and early on it appeared Chiles might make the first statement. The Wolves opened strong after a few big plays, converting on third down before running back Gerald Clark broke free for a long run to push Chiles deep into scoring range. Quarterback Gavin Ford kept the drive alive with a short keeper, but a holding call and missed field goal from kicker Hagen Perdue kept the game scoreless late in the first quarter.

Lincoln quickly responded as quarterback Taylor Jacobs Jr. connected with receiver Maliek Denmark for a deep touchdown pass with 3:18 left in the first, putting the Trojans ahead 0–7. Chiles went three and out on its next possession, giving Lincoln early control.

Early in the second quarter, Chiles capitalized after Lincoln failed on a risky fourth down attempt. Running back Gerald Clark broke free for a big gain and finished the drive with a short touchdown run to tie it 7–7. But that momentum was short-lived as Kabran Paul returned the ensuing kickoff for a Lincoln touchdown to reclaim the lead 14-7. The Wolves continued to lean heavily on their ground game, and Gerald Clark found himself in the end zone again to make it 14–14 midway through the quarter. Lincoln answered once more when receiver Trevor Jacobs hauled in a touchdown pass to go up 21-14, but Chiles tied it again right before halftime when Jeremiah Cadet powered in a short touchdown with 38 seconds left, sending the game into the break knotted 21–21.

Lincoln opened the second half determined to take control, capping off its first drive with a rushing touchdown from Tadarius Huggins to move ahead 28-21. On the ensuing kickoff, a fumble by Chiles’ returner set Lincoln up with excellent field position, and the Trojans capitalized as Trevor Jacobs hauled in his second touchdown of the night to make it 35-21.

In the fourth quarter, a Lincoln interception set up another touchdown pass from star quarterback Taylor Jacobs Jr. to Maliek Denmark, extending the lead 42-21. Chiles refused to quit, with Gerald Clark adding his third touchdown of the night late in the game, but with time running out on the Wolves’ comeback, it was clear that Lincoln had claimed the district championship with a final score of 42-28.

Notable performances for Lincoln included WR Maliek Denmark (Sr.) with two touchdown receptions, WR Trevor Jacobs (Jr.) with two receiving touchdowns, and QB Taylor Jacobs Jr. (Sr.) with four touchdown passes and 239 passing yards. For Chiles, RB Gerald Clark (Sr.) recorded three touchdowns and 187 rushing yards.

To start the game, it looked as though Bishop Kenny might be in for a long night. The Crusaders were stopped on their first couple downs, unable to find rhythm on their opening drive. But that changed in an instant when tight end James Davis III broke free for a long catch-and-run touchdown, putting Bishop Kenny on the board first and setting the tone for what would become a dominant performance.

The defense followed with a quick stop, forcing Rickards to punt the ball away with just over eight minutes left in the first quarter. On the ensuing drive, quarterback Gavin Hawkins connected with Gunnar Rogers for a short touchdown pass after a series of big plays downfield, stretching the lead to 14-0. Rickards’ troubles deepened on the next kickoff, as they fumbled the return and handed Bishop Kenny excellent field position. Running back Caleb Mattison capitalized with a rushing touchdown, giving the Crusaders a commanding 21-0 lead midway through the first.

Rickards finally gave their home fans a reason to cheer when returner Davion Crumitie took the following kickoff all the way back for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 21-7. But Bishop Kenny answered almost immediately, as receiver Carter Harris broke loose for a deep touchdown reception late in the first quarter, extending the advantage to 28-7.

At the start of the second quarter, Deterrious Figgers gave Rickards a spark with strong yardage on a kick return, but the Raiders turned the ball over just minutes later. Bishop Kenny again made them pay, with James Davis III hauling in his second touchdown reception to make it 35-7. A poor punt then gave Bishop Kenny another short field, and Carter Harris scored his second touchdown of the night with five minutes left in the half. Moments later, running back Caleb Mattison added a short touchdown catch, sending the Crusaders into the break with a 48-7 halftime lead.

After a scoreless third quarter, Bishop Kenny struck again in the fourth when running back Jelani Dawkins ran in a touchdown, pushing the margin to 56-7. Rickards managed one last highlight as Davion Crumitie caught a touchdown pass with three minutes remaining, but the game ended with Bishop Kenny in full control. Final score: 56-14.

Notable performances for Bishop Kenny included TE James Davis III (Sr.) with two touchdown receptions, WR Carter Harris (Sr.) with two receiving touchdowns, and RB Caleb Mattison (Jr.) with two touchdowns.

Facing their rivals, the Leon Lions, the Trojans didn’t need to rely on any tricks to get the job done. From the opening kickoff, Lincoln came out firing on all cylinders, overwhelming the Lions.

The Trojans put the first points on the board when receiver Kabran Paul hauled in a touchdown pass to make it 7-0. After forcing a stop on the next drive, running back Tadarius Huggins broke free on a long run into the red zone, setting up backup quarterback Jonah Bedford for a short touchdown pass that doubled the lead. Moments later, corner PJ Davis came away with an interception, and Lincoln wasted no time capitalizing as star quarterback Taylor Jacobs Jr. found the end zone again, stretching the margin to 21-0.

The Trojans weren’t done. Jacobs connected with receiver Trevor Jacobs for a deep touchdown strike, and after quickly forcing the Lions’ offense back off the field, Maliek Denmark broke a big run before hauling in a touchdown reception. On the very next defensive series, Denmark, playing both ways, grabbed an interception to set up another scoring drive. By the end of the first quarter, Lincoln was in complete control, 35-0.

The second quarter brought more of the same. Huggins opened the frame with a rushing touchdown, followed by another score from Jayden Wells. With just two minutes left in the half, tight end Will Tawney powered in a rushing touchdown, and Jaylin Parrish converted the two-point attempt with a touchdown reception, sending the Trojans into halftime with a commanding 57-0 lead.

After a quiet third quarter, Lincoln struck again early in the fourth when Denmark added another touchdown, tallying multiple scores on both offense and defense for the night. The defense continued to shut Leon out, keeping the Lions off the scoreboard all evening. In the final moments, running back Isaiah McWhite capped the dominant performance with a rushing touchdown, sealing the 70-0 victory.

Notable performances for Lincoln included quarterback Taylor Jacobs Jr. (Sr.) with 253 passing yards and four touchdowns and two-way player Maliek Denmark (Sr.) with two receiving touchdowns and one interception.

On September 19th, the Godby Cougars (2-3) hosted the Chiles Timberwolves (3-2) for their homecoming game. Godby started the season 0-3 but came into this matchup riding the momentum of their first win last week. The two teams last met during the 2024 season, with Godby coming out on top 14-6 in that matchup. Fans were in for an exciting night as both teams looked to assert themselves early in the season.

To start the game, both defenses held strong early, with both teams forcing punts, leading to a scoreless first quarter. After a few back-and-forth plays, Chiles opened the second quarter with a rushing touchdown from Gerald Clark, giving the Timberwolves a 7-0 lead and opening the gates for what would become an exciting stretch of football.

Godby immediately answered when Demaris Bunion electrified the home crowd by returning the kickoff for a touchdown, tying the game at 7-7. The Cougars’ offense then went to work, with quarterback Landon Dougherty connecting with receiver Jamarin Simmons for a touchdown pass, putting Godby up 14-7. Moments later, the Godby defense extended the lead when Devin Anderson intercepted a Chiles pass and returned it for a pick-six, making it 21-7.

Chiles responded quickly, as Thomas Matthews returned a kickoff for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 21-14. Before Godby’s next score, Kamren McMillan had a big run, continuing his string of strong gains throughout the night and helping set up the Cougars’ offense. Then, with less than a minute before halftime, Godby’s quarterback found Jamarin Simmons in the end zone again, sending the Cougars into the break with a 28-14 advantage.

Chiles opened the second half with a field goal from kicker Hagen Perdue, trimming the score to 28-17. Once again, Demaris Bunion struck back immediately, returning another kickoff for what would be his second special-teams touchdown of the night, stretching the lead to 35-17. From there, Godby’s defense took complete control, forcing turnovers and largely shutting down the Timberwolves’ offensive attempts. A late blocked field goal gave Chiles a small spark, but their final drive ended with an interception by safety Tylan Vickers, allowing Godby to run out the clock and secure the victory, 35-17.

Notable performances for Godby included ATH Demaris Bunion (Sr.) with two kickoff return touchdowns, ATH Jamarin Simmons (Jr.) with two receiving touchdowns, and Free Safety Devin Anderson (Sr.) with one pick-six. For Chiles, running back Gerald Clark (Sr.) with a rushing touchdown and Thomas Matthews (Sr.) with a kickoff return touchdown.