BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Bradford High School’s varsity football team has enjoyed recent success against Baker County, having won five in a row and six of the last eight against the Wildcats.
The teams will open the regular season against each other on Friday, Aug. 22, at Starke’s David Hurse Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
Bradford had lost two in a row to Baker before the arrival of Head Coach Jamie Rodgers in 2022. Rodgers, a Baker County native who was a previous head coach of the Wildcats, hasn’t lost to Baker while at Bradford, with the teams playing two times in each of Rodgers’ first two seasons and once last season.
During the current win streak, the Tornadoes have outscored the Wildcats 117-24, recording shut outs in three games.
In 2022, Bradford traveled to Macclenny and built a 21-0 lead before the game was suspended due to weather with 4:42 remaining in the second quarter. The Tornadoes got touchdown runs of 1 and 2 yards from quarterback Dae’Jon Shanks, while running back Manny Covey had a 1-yard scoring run. Hayden Hughes kicked the extra points after each touchdown.
The game was supposed to be resumed at a later date, but Baker eventually decided against that, which credited Bradford with a 21-0 win.
Shanks finished 2 of 4 passing for 53 yards, while rushing for 45 yards on seven carries. Willie Pollard rushed for 49 yards on five carries.
Bradford’s defense held Baker to 41 yards and made seven tackles for loss.
The teams met up again in 2022 in the Region 2-2S championship game, which was played in Starke. The Wildcats led 17-7 at the half, but Bradford outscored them 21-0 in the second to win 28-17.
Baker scored first on a 5-yard run, but the Tornadoes tied it up on a 48-yard touchdown run by Pollard and a Hughes extra point.
The Wildcats went up 14-7 on a 1-yard touchdown run, while an interception set up a 42-yard field goal on the last play of the first half, making it a 10-point game in favor of Baker.
Bradford’s Jametrius Pringle returned the kickoff to open the second half 98 yards, with Hughes adding the PAT to make it a three-point game at 17-14.
The Tornadoes’ first offensive series of the second half resulted in a 61-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jeremiah McKenzie on a fourth-and-1 play. Hughes kicked the extra point as Bradford took a 21-17 lead.
Bradford’s final score came on a 79-yard pass play from McKenzie to Chason Clark. Hughes was again good on the PAT.
Pollard finished with 132 rushing yards on 21 carries, while McKenzie rushed for 69 yards on 11 carries. McKenzie was also 3 of 4 passing for 115 yards.
Clark finished with the one catch for 79 yards, while Chalil Cummings caught two passes for 31 yards.
In all, the Tornadoes rolled up 351 yards.
Cummings and C.J. Carn each had an interception on defense.
The 2023 regular-season opener pitted the two teams against each other in Starke, with the Tornadoes winning 12-0.
Pollard returned the opening kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown, with Hughes kicking the extra point.
Cummings caught a 49-yard touchdown pass from Shanks in the second quarter, which ended the scoring.
Shanks completed 8 of 15 passes for 135-plus yards, with Cummings catching four passes for 77 yards.
Bradford’s defense held the Wildcats to 43 yards.
The teams would mee up again in the playoffs, with the Tornadoes blowing out the Wildcats 43-0 to win the Region 2-2S championship, which was played in Starke.
Jy’Quez Cason, who rushed for 97 yards on six carries, scored on touchdown runs of 8 and 37 yards. He also had a 21-yard touchdown reception from McKenzie and finished with three catches for 51 yards.
McKenzie and Shanks had touchdown runs of 12 and 2 yards, respectively, while Duke Lewis scored on a 48-yard fumble return.
The Tornadoes also got two points on a safety.
Declan Hense was 4 of 5 on extra-point attempts.
McKenzie finished with 73 yards rushing on 11 carries, while also completing 4 of 6 passes for 28 yards.
Brian Cliffin rushed for 41 yards on nine carries, while Shanks had 30 yards on six carries.
Shanks was also 2 of 3 passing for 61 yards.
Lewis’ fumble recovery was one of two turnovers by the Wildcats. The other was an interception by Branden Williams.
The teams met up only once in 2024, with Baker having moved up in classification. That game, played in Macclenny, was a 13-7 win for the Tornadoes.
Bradford’s defense had 10 sacks and created two turnovers.
The Wildcats didn’t score until 1:53 remained in the game.
Mikey Oliver had the Tornadoes’ first score on a 15-yard reception from Zack Paulk with 57 seconds left in the first half. Cy Cubbedge added the PAT.
Gino Addison, who rushed for 88 yards on 16 carries, scored on a 22-yard run at the 9:38 mark of the fourth quarter.
