Ridaught: Schedule change opens door for rare meeting

P.K. Yonge's Lawrence Wright, Jr. (left) and Oak Hall's Abram Jerkins will face off on Friday night. It's just the second meeting in school history between the Blue Wave and the Eagles.
P.K. Yonge's Lawrence Wright, Jr. (left) and Oak Hall's Abram Jerkins will face off on Friday night. It's just the second meeting in school history between the Blue Wave and the Eagles.
Photos by C.J. Gish

Tonight the P.K. Yonge football team was supposed to be at home against St. Francis Catholic Academy, while Oak Hall was scheduled to host Cedar Creek Christian (Jacksonville).

But there was a schedule change last week and now Oak Hall (6-0) will host P.K. Yonge (3-3) in a rare regular season game.

On Wednesday, Oak Hall football coach R.J. Fuhr was a guest on Sportscene with Steve Russell on ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF and explained what happened.

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“Our opponent was down a little bit this year, they had some transfers at the beginning of the year and PK’s opponent was also down so those two teams are going to play each other, which will allow P.K. Yonge to come to us, so I think if it works out for all four teams, but looking at some game film of P.K. I just hope we didn’t bite off more than we can chew, but I think it will be good competition, a good game for us.”

Somebody will get a win in Gainesville tonight as both St. Francis Catholic and Cedar Creek Christian are 0-6.

It’s the first time since either of those teams have met on the football field since 2009 when St. Francis Catholic defeated the Saints, 49-0.

Although Oak Hall and P.K. Yonge met in the Kickoff Classic last fall, tonight’s game marks the first time since the two schools have played a regular season game since their only head-to-head meeting in 1985.

Former P.K. Yonge coach and Athletics Director John Clifford was the head coach of the Eagles at the time.

P.K. Yonge won a close one so they lead the all-time series 1-0.

I asked Clifford why he thought the two teams didn’t play more often.

“I think it has more to do with Oak Hall not having football for so many years,” he said. “It’s a rivalry in the makings because P.K. has always had to play bigger teams and Oak Hall is probably the closest in size and region. It seems like a game that should be played.”

Unfortunately, Clifford won’t be able to attend. He has a football reunion tonight with the University of Florida’s 1969 incoming freshman group.

This year’s Oak Hall team is still undefeated, but the Blue Wave will pose a difficult matchup.

“We have to stop the mid-year transfer QB Lawrence Wright Jr.,” Fuhr said. “He is big and physical, has a strong arm and can escape well out of the pocket. We have to tackle him.”

In just three games, Wright (6’2, 220) has thrown for 209 yards and has rushed for 351 yards, accounting for almost 200 yards per game (186.7).

“Their RB (Devin Johnson) is also very quick and shifty,” Fuhr said. “They also have a few really good receivers. Calvin Thomas (their main target) was their QB early on in the year until they got in Wright. They are really big up front with five guys over 300 pounds, so this will be our toughest test this year so far.”

P.K. Yonge alum Willie Jackson, Jr., has had some success in his first year as head coach of the Blue Wave.

The Class 1S Blue Wave (3-3) opened the season with consecutive wins on the road at Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) and Mount Dora Christian Academy. They also held on and beat 2S Santa Fe (Alachua), 28-27, on Sept. 29.

Oak Hall continues to be a model of consistency with eight straight postseason appearances.

Twice this year they have set the school scoring record with a 70-14 win against Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) on Sept. 8, followed by a 74-32 win against Eagle’s View (Jacksonville) just three weeks later.

Eagles’ quarterback Dakota Brower was recognized as the Athlete of the Week following his performance on Sept. 29.

“In order to win, we have to play soundly on both sides of the ball, tackle well, limit the big plays and then take care of the ball on offense,” Fuhr said.

You can listen to tonight’s game online at Mainstreet Daily News beginning at 6:45 p.m. with Cam Parker (Play-by-play) and Aiden Wacksman (Color) on the call. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

It’s one of two games that we will broadcast tonight as part of the Stephenson’s Septic Tank Services Game of the Week.

Union County (Lake Butler) will travel to Hawthorne for a rematch of last year’s instant classic

The game will be broadcast on 106.9 FM “I am Country” beginning at 7 p.m. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

The host Hornets (6-0) are in a loaded 1R-Region 4.

The visiting Tigers, who are in 1R-Region 3, are 3-2 with both losses coming against unbeaten teams Walton (DeFuniak Springs), which was ranked 9th in last week’s 2S rankings, and 1M Orlando Christian Prep, by a combined five points.

“We’ve had two losses against two very good teams, go two overtimes on the road versus a larger school that’s undefeated and one-point loss at home,” said Union County coach Andrew Thomas. “Both games we felt we gave away with some mistakes throughout the games, so easily we could be undefeated, but we’ve tried to use them as learning opportunities.”

Last year, Hornets’ sophomore quarterback C.J. Ingram completed a 4th-and-15 pass into the end zone that was caught by senior wide receiver Darian Smith-Williams for a 35-yard touchdown with just five seconds to play in Hawthorne’s 28-21 win against the Tigers.

“It was a very difficult loss, changed the landscape of the 1R playoffs for both teams going into the playoffs,” Thomas said. “We are a play away in that one but they know how to find ways to win and credit to them. We understand the task we have before us and know we have to play well.”

Friday, 6:45 p.m. (PREGAME) – High School Football, 7 p.m. (Kickoff)

P.K. Yonge at Oak Hall

‘Live’ & ‘archived’ AUDIO: https://www.mainstreetdailynews.com/sports/live-stream/

Join Cam Parker (Play-by-play) and Aiden Wacksman (Color) for this city showdown.

Friday, 7 p.m. (PREGAME) – High School Football, 7:30 (KICKOFF)

Union County (Lake Butler) at Hawthorne

Radio: “I am Country” 106.9 FM Gainesville

‘Live’ audio: https://streamdb6web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/WPLL

Join Mainstreet Daily News Sports Director Mike Ridaught (Play-by-play) and former Gator football player Hank Rone (Color) for this Class 1R showdown.

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