FHSAA High School Football Takeaways

(This story has been updated to add new information and a photo.)

The play was floating around in Zach Harbison’s head for three days. A statement piece. A gamble.

The only question: Would the raging winds of the tropics allow Tocoi Creek’s head coach to try?

Fueled by a game-opening onside kick, Tocoi Creek defeated St. Johns County rival Bartram Trail 46-26 in a rare high school football sweep Wednesday night that was moved up two days due to Hurricane Helene.

Helene’s oncoming teams left their mark – the game was stopped in a flash for 30 minutes in the second quarter – but the real fireworks belonged to the Toros (4-1, 1-0), now at the top of a District 3-6A race, which includes state rankings including Nase and Gainesville Buchholz.

Quarterback Ryan Killmer passed for 236 yards, contributing to the 18th victory in Tocoi Creek football history, and almost certainly the largest. It’s their first game against an established St. Johns County power.

“We had to do something early,” Killmer said. “We had to make a statement.”

Attention, St. Johns County: The fourth-year Toros are ready to take on the big boys.

“Even at our own school people say: (You play) Bartram? Bartram? Oh, you’re going to lose,” senior tight end Zander Erasmus said. “We say, ‘Not today.’ We know this is like a playoff game.

TOCOI CREEKS FAST START

While scouting Bartram Trail’s kick return unit, Harbison said he spotted an opportunity that freshman kicker Jack Tsoukalis could take advantage of.

“We saw it on film,” Harbison said. “Their guy in the corner likes to drift, and we have a young kicker who is pretty good at it (onside kicks). And I asked our guys on Monday, ‘Hey, if we get this look, do you guys want to do it?’ ‘ And they believed in it, they wanted to do it and they went out and did the piece.

The fearless attitude paid off. Tsoukalis took aim with his low, leaping kick, Bartram Trail struggled to find it, and the loose ball ended up in the hands of Tocoi Creek, courtesy of Toros rookie Riley Phillips.

Two plays later, Killmer faked a handoff and then looked downfield to find a wide-open Erasmus. The senior tight end galloped into the end zone for a 40-yard score. The tone was set.

“I was actually afraid I would drop it,” Erasmus said. “I was too open. I thought, ‘Oh, I have to run,’ and I was expecting a big success.”

The first onside kick was just the first highlight for kicker Tsoukalis. He also executed a second surprise onside kick in the third quarter that Tocoi Creek senior Blake Warner grabbed, and carefully targeted kickoffs that largely kept the football out of the hands of dangerous Bears returners Arthur Lewis IV and De’Andre Caldwell.

Tocoi Creek defensive lineman Karter Alvarez followed the Erasmus touchdown by intercepting Jaden Weatherly inside the 10 to prevent a Bartram trail drive. A few moments later, the Toro onslaught began.

JULIO SANTIAGO shines in return

Wednesday showed how much Tocoi Creek missed Julio Santiago.

The junior wide receiver, who was out of action for the first four weeks of the season, proved too hot for the Bartram Trail defense to handle all night, twice drawing defensive pass interference flags that safe touchdowns prevented.

But despite pass interference, Santiago got into the end zone twice. He caught a 24-yarder from Killmer to increase the score to 20-0, then provided a big highlight in the third quarter by catching a pass over the middle, spinning away from coverage and leading the Bears to the far pylon for a 66-yard touchdown.

Santiago even showed off his throwing arm strength on a trick play in the second half where he found Zack Lloyd downfield for a 57-yard gain to go along with his 158 yards on seven catches.

This is nothing new for Santiago, as he caught 69 passes for 790 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore. With listed Division I offers including Western Kentucky and Eastern Michigan, he’s ready to help the Toros power in the ensuing district battles with Buchholz and Nease.

“It’s good to have him back,” Killmer said. “He’s a great player.”

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TOROS CHECK CLOCK

With Lewis, Northeast Florida’s leading rusher, Bartram Trail (3-3, 0-1) was always a threat. As usual, Lewis scored his touchdowns (three) and his yards (236, including 71 in a touchdown Rush as the clock struck zero) and pushed his season total to over 1,000 by halftime.

But behind a rampaging offensive line, Tocoi Creek showed it could methodically control possession by wearing down the Bears’ defense and running out the clock.

“We know they’re a good unit,” Harbison said, “and we told them to play with confidence today.”

Whether Davian Garcia, Vincent Galella or Chase McNeill carried the ball, the Toros kept it moving, gaining 229 yards on the ground and totaling 522 yards.

Galella (12 carries, 124 yards) delivered the backbreaker two plays into the second half, rebounding a handoff to the outside and going for a 69-yard score that permanently restored the Toros’ three-score lead.

Their next challenge comes next week in the Surf ‘N’ Turf Bowl against their one-loss counterpart Beachside, by far the most significant edition of the three-year-old rivalry. Now, three weeks after a four-touchdown home loss to Bishop Kenny, Tocoi Creek is considering playoffs in the difficult Region 1-6A.

“To get this district win tonight,” Erasmus said, “it sets the tone for our entire upcoming season.”

ST. AUGUSTINE 27, COLOMBIA 6

The Super 11 combination of quarterback Locklan Hewlett and Carl Jenkins Jr. combined for two touchdowns to lead the Yellow Jackets past Columbia (2-4, 0-1 District 3-4A) at Tiger Stadium. … Trenton Jones also caught a touchdown pass for St. Augustine (4-1, 1-0).

BEACHSIDE 41, MENENDEZ 3

Beachside (4-1) earned a home win against Menendez (2-3) in a game that was postponed at short notice. … The teams had planned to play Oct. 1 in a make-up game starting in Week 3, but when Hurricane Helene postponed Menendez’s district game against Westside until next week, the schools moved up to the rare Wednesday kickoff. … Drew Watson scored the first touchdown as the Barracudas rolled.

BRADFORD 40, KEYSTONE HEIGHTS 0

The Tornadoes, who finished second in the state last year, stayed on track and defeated area rival Keystone (2-3, 0-2 District 5-2A). … Jy’quez Cason, Brian Cliffin, Zack Paulk and Branden Williams led the ground attack before halftime as Bradford (5-0, 1-0) jumped out to a quick 33-point lead. … Marlin Haywood also found the end zone in the Tornadoes’ 16th shutout win since 2022.

FHSAA High School Football Takeaways

ByJasper

TOCOI CREEKS FAST START

JULIO SANTIAGO shines in return

TOROS CHECK CLOCK

ST. AUGUSTINE 27, COLOMBIA 6

BEACHSIDE 41, MENENDEZ 3

BRADFORD 40, KEYSTONE HEIGHTS 0

By Jasper

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