2024 high school football schedules for the Emerald Coast

July 29 marks the first day of high school fall practice, which of course means one thing: Football is back.

A lot has happened since Choctaw's region finals departure capped the 2023 season.

For starters, the FHSAA abandoned the suburban/metro framework and condensed the fight to seven classes plus one rural class.

Signings (Cole Tabb to Stanford, Maddax Fayard to Navy and more) followed in the winter, and come spring in flew the commitments (Eddie Love to East Carolina, Connor Mathews to UMass, Dante Core to Auburn and more).

Then summer came the transfers (Mathews and Love to Niceville, Core and the Reese brothers to Choctaw and more). All the while, Jay Walls left Navarre and was replaced by the Garrett Bagley, the face of the Raiders' weightlifting dynasty, and Matt Brunson, the man who ended the area's state title drought with a Gators state title run in 2020, returned to Baker.

And let's not forget, high school players now own their name, image and likeness and can profit from it.

But comings and goings and NIL aside, a path has been laid forth for each team. Some a path of eventual riches, some rags. With Aug. 23 approaching quickly, here is the 2024 schedule for the Fort Walton Beach area's 11 football teams.

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Baker (1R)

2023 record: 3-6, missed playoffs

Head coach: Matt Brunson

Aug. 23: vs. FAMU, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30: vs. Destin, 7 p.m.

Sept. 6: vs. Central, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: @ Jay, 7 p.m.

Sept. 20: vs. North Bay Haven, 7 p.m.

Sept. 27: vs. Houston County, 7 p.m.

Oct. 4: @ Northview, 7 p.m.

Oct. 11: @ Zion Chapel (Alabama), 7 p.m.

Oct. 18: @ Freeport, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: vs. Vernon, 7 p.m.

Choctaw (District 2-4A)

2023 record: 10-3, Elite 8 appearance

Head coach: Frank Beasley

Aug. 23: @ Gulf Shores (Alabama), 7 p.m.

Aug. 30: @ Navarre, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 6: vs. Crestview, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: at Pine Forest, 7 p.m.

Sept 20: vs. Niceville, 7 p.m.

*Sept. 27: vs. Arnold, 7 p.m.

Oct. 4: vs. South Walton, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 10: @ Rickards, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 25: vs. Fort Walton Beach, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: @ Enterprise (Alabama), TBA

*District games

Crestview (District 1-6A)

2023 record: 4-6, missed playoffs

Head coach: Thomas Grant

Aug. 23: vs. Milton, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30: vs. Walton, 7 p.m.

Sept. 6: at Choctawhatchee, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: vs. Niceville, 7 p.m.

*Sept: 27: vs. Pace, 7 p.m.

Oct. 4: vs. Pine Forest, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 11: @ Navarre, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 18: @ Escambia, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 25: @ Tate, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: @ Fort Walton Beach, 7 p.m.

*District games

Destin (Independent)

2023 record: 7-3, weren't playoff eligible

Head coach: E.G. Green

Aug. 23: @ Northview, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30: @ Baker, 7 p.m.

Sept. 6: vs. North Bay Haven, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: vs. Pensacola, 7 p.m.

Sept. 20: vs. Port St. Joe, 7 p.m.

Sept. 27: vs. Opp (Alabama), 7 p.m

Oct. 4: vs. Bozeman, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18: vs. Chipley, 7 p.m.

Oct. 25: @ Booker T. Washington, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: @ Carrollwood Day, 6 p.m.

Freeport (District 1-2A)

2023 record: 3-7, missed playoffs

Head coach: Shaun Arntz

Aug. 23: @ North Bay Haven, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30: @ Jay, 7 p.m.

Sept. 6: vs. Northview, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: @ Cottondale, 7 p.m.

Sept. 20: vs. Vernon, 7 p.m.

*Sept. 27: @ Pensacola Catholic, 7:30 p.m.

*Oct. 11: vs. South Walton, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18: vs. Baker, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 25: @ Walton, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: vs. Liberty County, 7 p.m.

* District games

Fort Walton Beach (District 2-4A)

2023 record: 5-5, missed playoffs

Head coach: Bobby Clayton

Aug. 23: vs. Tate, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30: vs. South Walton, 7 p.m.

Sept. 6: @ West Florida, 7 p.m.

Sept. 12: @ Booker T. Washington, 7 p.m.

Sept. 19: vs. Leon, 7 p.m.

*Sept. 27: vs. Rickards, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 11: @ Arnold, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18: vs. Godby, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 25: @ Choctaw, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: vs. Crestview, 7 p.m.

Navarre (District 1-6A)

2023 record: 7-4, lost in first round of playoffs

Head coach: Garrett Bagley

Aug. 23: @ Pensacola Catholic, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 30: vs. Choctawhatchee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 12: @ Mosley, 7 p.m.

Sept. 20: vs. Milton, 7:30 p.m.

*Sept. 27: @ Tate, 7 p.m.

Oct. 4: @ Escambia, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 11: vs. Crestview, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 18: @ Gulf Breeze, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 25: vs. Pace, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 1: vs. Niceville, 7:30 p.m.

*District games

Niceville (District 1-5A)

2023 record: 9-3, lost in Sweet 16

Head coach: Grant Thompson

Aug. 23: vs. South Sumter, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30: vs. Escambia, 7 p.m.

Sept. 6: vs. Pine Forest, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: @ Crestview, 7 p.m.

Sept. 20: @ Choctawhatchee, 7 p.m.

*Sept. 27: vs. Gulf Breeze, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 11: @ Mosley, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18: vs. Lincoln, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 25: @ Milton, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 1: @ Navarre, 7:30 p.m.

*District games

South Walton (District 1-2A)

2023 record: 6-5, lost in first round of playoffs

Head coach: Phil Tisa

Aug. 23: @ Gulf Breeze, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30: @ Fort Walton Beach, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: @ Arnold, 7 p.m.

Sept. 20: vs. FSU, 7 p.m.

*Sept. 27: @ Walton, 7 p.m.

Oct. 4: @ Choctawhatchee, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 11: @ Freeport, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18: @ Wakulla, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 25: vs. Pensacola Catholic, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: vs. Marianna, 7 p.m.

*District games

Walton (District 1-2A)

2023 record: 11-1, lost in Sweet 16

Head coach: Keith White

Aug. 23: @ Arnold, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30: @ Crestview, 7 p.m.

Sept. 6: @ Holmes County, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: vs. West Florida, 7 p.m.

*Sept. 27: vs. South Walton, 7 p.m.

Oct. 4: vs. North Bay Haven, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 11: @ Pensacola Catholic, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18: vs. Bay, 7 p.m.

*Oct. 25: vs. Freeport, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: vs. Blountstown, 7 p.m.

*District games

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: 2024 high school football schedules for the Emerald Coast