On Tuesday night, two area volleyball teams advanced to the FHSAA state semifinals next Tuesday at Polk State College in Winter Haven.
Williston defeated Moore Haven in the Rural-Region 4 Final, and Branford advanced to its third straight final four with a win in four sets against Union County (Lake Butler).
But due to the high school volleyball playoffs, which continue tonight with Gainesville High at home against Legacy (Port St. Lucie), our weekly high school sports show, “The Prep Zone,” will be on air this week at locally-owned Sonic Drive-In in Gainesville.
The show will resume next Wednesday, and you can find a recap of tonight’s GHS-Legacy game (6 p.m.) on our website.
On Thursday night, tune in to the Jacksonville Jaguars Coaches Show on 106.9 FM “I am Country,” followed by this Sunday’s game at the Las Vegas Raiders. The pregame show begins at 3 p.m., followed by the kickoff at 4:05 p.m.
This is the last week of the regular season for high school football, and we have only one game on tap this week. We’re back on the radio on a Friday night after last Thursday’s Williston at Newberry rivalry.
On Friday night at Citizens Field, Eastside will host rival Gainesville High for the “Stephenson’s Septic Tank Services High School Football Game of the Week.”
It’s a matchup of two teams heading in opposite directions.
The season began with some promise for the Hurricanes, who opened the season with a 36-2 win at Aubrey Rogers (Naples). It was the first of five straight road games for GHS, which ended the 5-game trip with a 24-13 loss at Forest (Ocala) to finish 2-3 outside of Alachua County.
The ‘Canes (2-7) returned home and lost to Buchholz, 44-0, which would be the first of four straight losses heading into Friday’s game.
Meanwhile, Eastside (7-2) opened the season with a 30-7 win against Belleview before the Rams lost their first game, 29-19, at Buchholz. The Rams, who won the district title with a 27-21 win at home in overtime against South Sumter (Bushnell) on Oct. 10, have won four in a row.
Eastside, which is currently fourth in Class 3A-Region 2, has won three in a row in the series, all shutouts, including last year’s 33-0 win.
You can listen to the game on 106.9 FM “I am Country” and audio online at IamCountryGainesville.com with Mainstreet Daily News Sports Director Mike Ridaught (Play-by-play) and former Gator football player Hank Rone (Color) calling the action. Coverage begins at 7 p.m., followed by the kickoff at 7:30 p.m.
High School Football Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 30
Suwannee (Live Oak) at Chiles (Tallahassee), 7 p.m.
Crescent City at Keystone Heights, 7:30 p.m.
Trenton at Central (Brooksville), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 31
Buchholz at Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach), 7 p.m.
P.K. Yonge at Impact Christian Academy (Jacksonville), 7 p.m.
Baker County (Glen St. Mary) at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.
Bolles (Jacksonville) at Columbia (Lake City), 7:30 p.m.
Branford at Hamilton County (Jasper), 7:30 p.m.
Chiefland at Union County (Lake Butler), 7:30 p.m.
GHS at Eastside, 7:30 p.m.
KIPP Bold City (Jacksonville) at Williston, 7:30 p.m.
Santa Fe (Alachua) at Weeki Wachee, 7:30 p.m.
Trinity Catholic (Ocala) at Newberry, 7:30 p.m.
OFF – Bradford (Starke), Dixie County (Cross City), Hawthorne
END OF THE REGULAR SEASON
SSAA Playoffs (First Round)
All games at 7 p.m. (Unless noted)
Thursday, Oct. 30
11-man 3A championship
7 Trinity Prep (Winter Park) at 2 Oak Hall, 6 p.m.
Atlantic League 1A Championship
2 Bronson at 1 Interlachen
Friday, Oct. 31
Atlantic League State Championship
7 Bell at 2 Fernandina Beach
8-man 1A championship
12 Cornerstone Academy at 5 First Coast Christian (Jacksonville)
11 Oasis Christian (Winter Haven) at Saint Francis Catholic Academy
8-man state championship