Mike Ridaught
There was no letdown for the Eastside football team on Friday night at Citizens Field.
After a 14-6 upset win at North Marion (Citra) this past Monday, the Rams won their second straight game with a 35-10 win against visiting Ridgeview (Orange Park).
“We had some nagging injuries and a couple of boys were out tonight, but we told them to put their head down and go to work,” said Eastside coach Harold Hoskins. “The boys showed up and I’m glad we got this win tonight.”
On their second offensive possession, Rams quarterback Holden Johnson completed a 29-yard pass to Daijon Johnson to put Eastside at the Ridgeview 39-yard line.
Three plays later, following a 4-yard sack and an incompletion, the senior completed a 43-yard scoring toss to senior Jemall Dix to give the Rams a 7-0 lead with 3:15 to play in the opening quarter.
The Rams extended the lead to 14-0 as Johnson threw his second touchdown pass, a 42-yarder to junior Antonio Hubbert with 11:04 to play in the half.
Johnson, who finished the half 5-for-6 with 162 yards and two scores, was named the Sonic Drive-In Player of the Game.
“I’ve just got to give credit to my line and wide receivers,” he said. “They really came through today with the catches, and the O-line was giving me time to be able to go through my progressions.”
Ridgeview (1-6) faced a 4th-and-6 at their 41-yard line and it looked like the Rams (4-1) were going to get it back with a little over five minutes to play in the first half.
However, the Panthers faked the punt and Jarious Moore ran 14 yards for the first down.
It led to a 33-yard field goal by Kaleb Robison, who trimmed the deficit to 11 at 14-3 with 2:57 to play in the half.
But on the ensuing kick, Hubbert grabbed the kick at the 16 and raced 37 yards and into Ridgeview territory at the 47-yard line.
Johnson completed a 40-yard pass to junior Antoneo Wilson. Two plays later, senior Micah Hudson ran it in from 7-yards out for a 21-3 lead with 2:09 to play in the second quarter.
Ridgeview answered on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Richard Lewis to Deshun Green with just 19 seconds to play in the half to make it 21-10 at the break.
However, the Rams pitched a shutout in the second half.
“The defense played great,” Hoskins said. “Honestly, we kind of shot ourselves in the foot and gave them some things, but that’s some things we can work on and fix. We just have to continue to get better.”
Junior Branden Perry had a 30-yard interception return to start the fourth quarter and junior Joshua Benjamin finished the scoring with a 1-yard scoring run with 4:28 to play.
Eastside will travel to Newberry next Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 6
Buchholz 49, Gainesville 0
Friday, Oct. 7
Bronson 28, Trinity Christian Academy (Deltona) 6
Columbia (Lake City) 26, Orange Park 7
Oak Hall School 41, Harvest Community (Jacksonville) 3
West Nassau (Callahan) 16, P.K. Yonge 12
Eastside 35, Ridgeview (Orange Park) 10
Crescent City 38, Keystone Heights 18
Union County (Lake Butler) 42, Dixie County (Cross City) 6
Fort White 23, Lafayette (Mayo) 21
Williston 63, Lake Weir (Ocala) 6
Suwannee (Live Oak) 40, Santa Fe (Alachua) 0
Branford 46, Trenton 0
Chiefland 28, Wildwood 20
St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) 30, St. Francis Catholic Academy 0
OFF – Hawthorne, Newberry