Last week, the Eastside football team won its third district championship in the past four years under head coach Harold “Gator” Hoskins.
So, the possibility of a letdown against a program that had lost 28 games in a row could have been a problem.
It wasn’t a problem early, as the Class 3A Rams scored on their first four possessions and scored a season-high in points in a 43-14 win at 7A Sandalwood (Jacksonville).
Sophomore running back Javaris Gardner picked up where he left off after rushing for 148 yards in last week’s district championship game victory against visiting South Sumter (Bushnell).
Despite playing with injuries to his shins and ankle, the sophomore carried the ball 16 times for 142 yards and three touchdowns.
“I didn’t really think I was going to do that because I’ve got a lower body injury,” Gardner said. “But I came out and played my hardest and led my team to a victory.”
Eastside won the toss, elected to receive, and seized the momentum on the opening drive.
Senior Marcus Coefield returned the kickoff 30 yards and senior quarterback Nelson Tambling (7-of-9, 138 yards, 1 TD) completed passes of 22 and 23 yards to Gardner and junior Jameer McCarthy to put the ball in the red zone.
A couple of plays later, Tambling completed a 15-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver Kaleb McKinnon and, following senior kicker Elijah Dressell’s extra point, the Rams had a 7-0 lead with 9:05 to play in the opening quarter.
Eastside began its second possession at its own 28-yard line and marched down the field. The Rams (6-2) appeared to have gone up two scores, but Tambling’s 9-yard touchdown pass to McCarthy was called back due to a holding penalty.
Dressell’s 24-yard field goal extended the score to 10-0 with 2:17 to play in the first quarter.
Following a Sandalwood punt, the Rams began their next possession at their own 35-yard line.
On the first play, Tambling completed a 22-yard pass to junior Ja’Marian Reaves, followed by runs of 19 and 14 yards by senior Kamariyon Mack.
Mack (6 carries, 76 yards, 1 TD) finished off a 4-play, 65-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run. Dressel missed the extra point, but the Rams led 16-0 with 10:07 to play in the second quarter.
Sandalwood (0-9), which hasn’t won a contest since the final game of the 2022 season, made a special teams error on the ensuing kickoff as the Saints’ Tre Daniels fumbled the ball at the 7-yard line and the Saints proceeded to go 3-and-out.
The Rams were able to take advantage of the short field as Gardner scored on a 36-yard run on the first play of the drive. This time, Dressel kicked it through the uprights for a 23-0 lead with 8:51 to play in the half.
“I saw a hole open up,” said Gardner, who added a 44-yard touchdown run for a 29-14 lead with 6:39 to play in the third quarter. “I just hit the hole, did my part. The line, they did their job, man, that let me in the end zone. I used my vision to make my way through and ended up partying in the end zone.”
Eastside sophomore Jayvyn Comer intercepted Sandalwood quarterback Jarelle Sims in the end zone, so Hoskins started playing some of his younger players, including quarterback Andrew “Cade” Sutherland.
The sophomore was supposed to be the starter, but fractured the thumb on his throwing hand and was making his first appearance of the season.
It didn’t start well as Sandalwood senior Caleb Timones picked off Sutherland and returned it 21 yards for a score.
Sutherland failed to complete his first three passes, but he completed his last three, including the Rams’ final score of the night, a 6-yard touchdown pass to junior Braeden Brockington.
The Saints also recovered an Eastside fumble and scored four plays later on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Sims to senior Aaron Herman on a 4th-and-8 with 1:34 to play in the half. Sims completed the 2-point conversion pass to Amarie Richardson to get within nine at 23-14.
“We started trying to get a couple of young guys in, and I don’t like how those three possessions went,” Hoskins said. “Interception, fumbled, and I think we fumbled it on the kick return. It gave them kind of life right there. I would like to play my young boys a little bit more, but we’ve got to be able to take care of the ball and finish the game right there.”
For the game, the Rams racked up 419 yards in offense, while holding Sandalwood to 182.
Eastside will host North Marion (Citra) next Friday night, but the game will be played at Santa Fe (Alachua).
Football scores
Thursday, Oct. 16
Florida School for the Deaf & Blind (St. Augustine) 72, Cornerstone Academy 0
Hawthorne 26, Dunnellon 0
Santa Fe (Alachua) 37, Lake Weir (Ocala) 0
Williston 65, GHS 21
Friday, Oct. 17
Bradford (Starke) 45, Leon (Tallahassee) 10
Chiefland 42, Keystone Heights 7
Countryside Christian 47, St. John Lutheran 6
Eastside 43, Sandalwood (Jacksonville) 14
Hamilton County (Jasper) 48, Dixie County (Cross City) 16
Lafayette (Mayo) 47, Trenton 6
Newberry 25, Fort White 7
North Florida Educational Institute (Jacksonville) 60, P.K. Yonge 0
St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) 26, Oak Hall 17
Taylor County (Perry) 35, Suwannee (Live Oak) 25
Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 17, Union County (Lake Butler) 6
Windermere Prep 34, Bronson 0
OFF – Bell, Branford, Buchholz, Columbia (Lake City), Saint Francis Catholic Academy