BY CLIFF SMELLEY
As football season approaches, the Telegraph-Times-Monitor presents a look at some of the numbers posted by the Bradford, Keystone Heights and Union County high school varsity football teams.
Bradford
What a season it was for the Tornadoes, who went undefeated in the regular season and won a thrilling, come-from-behind game in the state semifinals en route to a season that ended with them being the Class 2S state runners-up after a 20-6 loss to champ Cocoa.
It was the fourth time Bradford, which finished with a 14-1 record, had played for a state title and the first time it had done so since 1985.
The Tornadoes scored an average of 31 points per game. Their highest point total came in a 48-6 win over Keystone, while their lowest point total occurred in the 20-6 state-championship loss to Cocoa. Bradford’s lowest point total in a win was 12 twice: a pair of 12-0 wins over Baker County and Oakleaf.
Opponents scored an average of 6 points per game, with Bradford recording shutout wins six times: 12-0 wins over Baker County and Oakleaf, 42-0 wins over Lecanto, Palatka and Atlantic (Region 2 quarterfinals) and a 43-0 win over Baker County (Region 2 championship).
The most points scored against the Tornadoes were the 21 by Pensacola Catholic in the state semifinals.
Bradford’s largest margin of victory was 43 points in a 43-0 win over Baker County in the Region 2 championship game, while its lowest margin of victory was one point in a 22-21 overtime win over Pensacola Catholic in the state semifinals.
Offensively, the Tornadoes churned out 3,084 rushing yards, averaging 206 yards per game. Their highest yardage total was 350 in the 48-6 win over Keystone, while their lowest total was 39 in the 12-0 win over Baker County.
Bradford’s highest number of rushing attempts was 42 in the 22-21 win over Pensacola Catholic, while its fewest attempts was 21 in the 42-0 win over Atlantic.
Senior quarterback Dae’Jon Shanks led the team with 1,104 yards and 14 touchdowns on 151 carries.
The team’s second-leading rusher has graduated as well: Willie Pollard, who had 704 yards and six touchdowns on 116 carries.
Brian Cliffin, who’s a senior this year, was third on the team with 440 yards and four touchdowns on 74 carries.
The Tornadoes had 1,429 passing yards, averaging 95 yards per game. The highest yardage total was 147 twice in a 24-13 win over True North Classical Academy and a 42-0 win over Lecanto. The lowest yardage total was 43 in the 48-6 win over Keystone.
Bradford’s most completed passes in a game was 10 in the 42-0 win over Lecanto, while the Tornadoes’ fewest completions was four in six games: 40-6 win over Baldwin, 12-0 win over Oakleaf, 42-0 win over Palatka, 35-3 win over Suwannee, 22-21 win over Pensacola Catholic and 20-6 loss to Cocoa.
The highest number of pass attempts was 15 in a 34-7 win over Eastside and the 42-0 win over Lecanto. The fewest number was five in the 42-0 win over Palatka.
Shanks was the leading passer, completing 75 of 135 attempts for 1,360 yards and 18 touchdowns. He had just two interceptions.
Chalil Cummings, who was a senior, led the team in receiving with 47 catches for 846 yards and 12 touchdowns. Fellow senior Elijah Kellum was second with 14 receptions for 201 yards and four touchdowns.
The returning leading receiver, who was third last year, is Jy’quez Cason, who’s a junior this year. Cason caught six passes for 115 yards and a touchdown last season.
Bradford’s defense lost its top two tacklers from last season: seniors Chason Clark and Devon McBride, who recorded 134 and 118, respectively, of the team’s 1,045 total tackles.
Duke Lewis, who was granted an extra year of eligibility, returns this season after making 104 tackles this year. He was just ahead of Jeremiah McKenize, a senior this year who recorded 101 last season.
Graduates Cummings and Jorden Daniels had 83 and 74 tackles, respectively, while Trente Jenkins, who’ll be a senior this year, had 64. Graduate Torin Brazell had 62 tackles, while Branden Williams, a senior this season, had 50.
The Tornadoes had 55 sacks last year, led by Brazell’s 17. Lewis had 12.
Cummings had three of the team’s 14 interceptions, while Brazell and fellow graduate Damarion Hankerson each had two. McKenzie also had two.
Bradford recovered 16 fumbles last year, led by Daniels and Lewis, who had three recoveries each. Cason, Cliffin and Jenkins each had two.
Union County
The Tigers were on a bit of a roll, stringing five wins together until falling 17-14 to Madison County in the Region 3-1R championship game.
It was the fourth straight year that Union, which finished 8-4, had advanced that far in the postseason.
The Tigers scored an average of 34 points per game. Their most points occurred in a 58-8 Region 3 quarterfinal win over Hilliard, while their fewest points occurred in a 28-0 loss to 1R state champ Hawthorne. Union’s fewest points in a victory took place in the Region 3 semifinals when the Tigers got past Fort White by a score of 17-10.
Opponents scored an average of 12 points per game. Walton scored the most in defeating the Tigers 31-28. Union recorded three shutout wins: 43-0 over Interlachen, 57-0 over Hollis Christian and 42-0 over Ambassadors Christian.
Union’s largest margin of victory occurred in the 57-0 win over Hollis Christian, while its closest win was 17-10 over Fort White.
The Tigers’ largest margin of defeat occurred in the 28-0 loss to Hawthorne. Their closest loss was 22-21 against Orlando Christian Prep.
Offensively, Union rushed for 2,463 yards, averaging 205 per game. The highest total was 438 in a 49-12 win over P.K. Yonge, while the lowest total was 32 in the 17-14 loss to Madison County.
The highest number of rushing attempts was 60 in the 31-28 loss to Walton, while the fewest attempts was 13 in the 43-0 win over Interlachen.
Drew Simmons, who’ll be a sophomore this season, led the team with 512 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 35 carries. Quarterback Trenton Klein, who’ll be a senior, had 501 yards and six touchdowns on 75 carries.
The third- and fourth-leading rushers were seniors Bobo Woodall (55 carries, 483 yards, three touchdowns) and Thomas Williams (69 carries, 446 yards, five touchdowns).
Union had 1,509 passing yards per game, averaging 126 per game. The highest yardage total was 223 in the 57-0 win over Hollis Christian, while the lowest total was 58 in a 42-8 win over Dixie County.
The Tigers’ highest number of completions was 13 in the 17-14 loss to Madison County. The lowest number was three in the 43-0 win over Interlachen.
Union attempted a season-high 21 passes in the 28-0 loss to Hawthorne, while its fewest attempts was five in the 43-0 win over Interlachen.
Trenton Klein, who’ll be a senior this season, was last year’s starter at quarterback, completing 82 of 140 for 1,351 yards and 14 touchdowns. He had five interceptions.
Gavin Jenkins will return as the Tigers’ leading receiver from last year. As a junior, he caught 27 passes for 490 yards and six touchdowns.
Woodall and fellow senior Blake McCoy were second and third in receiving. Woodall had 23 receptions for 355 yards and six touchdowns, while McCoy had 12 for 161 yards and one touchdown.
Ibn Williams and Bryan Tyson were 100-yard receivers last year. Williams, who’ll be a senior, caught five passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns, while Tyson, who’ll be a sophomore, caught seven passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, Klein was the tackles leader last season with 85. The next five leading tacklers have all graduated: Jacob Jenkins and Erich Seager with 47 tackles each, Brycen Boney with 43, Johnte Nichols with 38 and Williams with 33.
Seager led the team in sacks with eight, while Klein and Connor Bresee, who’ll be a senior this year, had seven and five and a half, respectively.
Graduates Dayquan Diston and McCoy led the team in interceptions with six and five, respectively. Gavin Jenkins had four.
Keystone Heights
The Indians went 6-4 during the regular season in 2023, winning four of their five last five games. That helped them earn their fourth playoff appearance in five years.
Keystone’s season ended in the first round of the Class 2S playoffs with a 36-10 loss to Yulee.
The Indians scored an average of 27 points per game last season. Their highest point total was 49 twice in wins over Bell (49-0) and Joshua Christian (49-8). The fewest points occurred in a 35-0 loss to Eastside, while the fewest points in a win were 27-22 against P.K. Yonge.
Opponents scored an average of 27 points per game. Fort White scored the most in its 49-26 win, while Bell had the fewest points in the Indians’ 49-0 win.
Keystone’s win over Bell represented its largest margin of victory, while its smallest margin of victory was 31-28 against Crescent City.
The Indians’ largest margin of defeat was 42 points in a 48-6 loss to Bradford. Their closest loss occurred against Palatka (41-21).
Offensively, Keystone rushed for 1,286 yards (129 yards per game). Their highest yardage total was 214 in a 46-8 win over Interlachen, while the lowest was 0 in the 48-6 loss to Bradford.
The Indians’ highest number of rushing attempts was 45 in the 41-21 loss to Palatka. The lowest number was four in the 36-10 loss to Yulee.
Cartez Daniels, who was a senior, led the team with 850 yards and 13 touchdowns on 164 carries.
Colton Hollingsworth, who’ll be a junior this season, is the leading returning rusher in terms of yards with 152 on 21 carries. Quarterback Baylor Ford, who’ll be a junior also, had 41 attempts for 116 yards.
Keystone had 1,092 passing yards last season (109 yards per game). The most yards were 193 in the 31-28 win over Crescent City, while the fewest were 49 in the 35-0 loss to Eastside.
The Indians’ highest number of completions was nine twice in the 48-6 loss to Bradford and the 31-28 win over Crescent City. The fewest completions were five three times in the 49-26 loss to Fort White, the 49-0 win over Bell and the 46-8 win over Interlachen.
Keystone’s high in attempted number of passes was22 in the 48-6 loss to Bradford. The low was five in the 49-0 win over Bell.
Ford completed 66 of 140 passes for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns. He had eight interceptions.
The Indians graduated their top four receivers: Wyatt Van Zant, who caught 17 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns, and Andru Siemer, who caught 20 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns, Darrion Grady, who caught 12 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns, and Garrison Teague, who caught six passes for 96 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, Hollingsworth led the team in tackles with 33. Van Zant and Damien Dunlap, who’ll be a senior this season, recorded 29 and 28, respectively. Jackson Herman, who’ll be a senior, had 23 tackles, while Zane Leger, who’ll be a junior, had 22.
Jackson Parmeter, who’ll be a junior, had two of the team’s six interceptions last year.
