Football Preview: Pace, Milton, Jay, Central set for another week
How will it play out? That will be determined Friday night.
Quick Hit Preview
Pace (6-1) at Pine Forest (2-4)
The Patriots are on a roll and ranked third in the state in 6A. They face a Pine Forest team that just ended a four-game losing streak.
Pace’s defense has shined lately, with the Patriots holding four of their five opponents to eight points or less, including a 30-8 win over Tate last Friday night.
While leading rusher Makael Williams hasn’t played at all in the last two games, Brooks Washington has proven to be a key threat. He rushed for two scores in the win over Tate.
With the Patriots already assured of a playoff spot, the most important thing now for Pace is stay healthy and keep the momentum going. If they win out, they have a great chance of being the No. 2 seed for the regional playoffs.
Milton (6-1) vs. West Florida Tech (4-3)
Assured of their first winning season since 2020, the Panthers are looking to give their fans more to cheer about this week when they face the Jaguars.
Milton rolled past Gulf Breeze 42-0 last week while Tech was beaten 38-37 in overtime by Bay.
The Panthers plan to stick to their ground attack, which has been balanced and anchored by Florida commit Kaiden Hall. Antonio Middleton and Kyle Paul have also played key roles.
Milton’s defense picked up its second shutout in its last four games and will aim to slow down a Jaguar offense that has proven it can put up points.
For Milton, every game matters, especially late in the season as it continues its push for a playoff bid. The Panthers are sixth in Region 1-5A this week and are looking to stay in the top eight.
Jay (3-4) vs. South Choctaw Academy (4-3)
The Royals are riding high after beating rival Northview on the Chiefs’ turf for the first time in more than two decades.
Jay now takes on the Rebels out of Alabama. They have won two in a row, blanking Jackson Academy 40-0 last week.
The Royals have gotten a big lift from Cam Pierce in the running attack and Bryson Morrris and Tanner Mandell are also among the players who have stepped up for the Royals. Morris turned a pick into six to help secure a win over Northview last week.
Jay is hoping to finish the final stretch of the year strong and an all-around effort on both sides of the ball is key. A win here would be huge for the Royals as they look to get in a position to be on track for a winning season for the third year in a row.
Central (0-6) at Vernon (0-8)
This could be the week the Jaguars notch their first win. They are playing a team that is also winless and have a shot at victory if they can put four quarters of football together.
Central hasn’t played a game since Oct. 3 when it lost 47-7 to Jay and that means it has had some extra time to practice in preparation for this one. Vernon lost 68-0 to Holmes County last week.
The Jaguars need a quick start and the most important thing is keeping energy up throughout the game against a team that has managed only 27 points all season. If they can do that, Central will have an enjoyable trip back home.