The first week of the Bay County football season brought a stunning upset and plenty of lopsided wins. Last week, I began one of the most enjoyable aspects of being a high school sports writer: making predictions. I went a mediocre 2-2 with my Week 1 predictions thanks to Arnold defying the odds with a victory and making me eat crow.
Throughout the season, I'll preview each matchup, share my predictions and keep a running tally of my record.
Instead of predicting the exact scores of the games, I will choose a winner and the margin of their victory. For example, if Mosley were to face South Walton, I might predict a Mosley victory by 21 points. If Mosley wins, I would count that as a 1-0 record, and so on.
Find out below who your favorite teams face in Week 2 of the 2024 football season.
Rutherford vs. Blountstown
Series record: Blountstown 2-0
Latest matchup: Blountstown def. Rutherford 17-13 in 2023
The Rams are coming off a big loss against a talented Mosley team and have had to compartmentalize it as they host Blountstown on Thursday night. Head coach Albert Floyd said the team did many things right in the second half, spearheaded by freshman quarterback Jaleel Reed, who reached the end zone on multiple occasions.
The Tigers opened the season with a big 48-14 victory over Liberty County, led by a rushing attack from sophomore Kayin Martin, who had 101 yards and a touchdown. Blountstown will be smaller than Mosley up front but still poses a challenge on both offensive and defensive lines.
Prediction: Blountstown victory by 10.
Mosley vs. Bay
Series record since 2004: Mosley 13-6
Latest matchup: Mosley def. Bay 62-7 in 2023
Voted the best rivalry in Bay County, Bay and Mosley clash for a matchup between two of the most talented squads in the county. Both teams' defenses will be tested against high-powered offenses. The Dolphins are led by Sammy Freitas, who threw five touchdowns last week and his stable of weapons is led by receivers Carson Griffin, Adam Land, Jack Massey and Fletcher Taylor.
Bay's offense is spearheaded by quarterback Chris Noble and boasts a talented receiver group featuring four-star Javar Bowden, Wykien Waters, Taurean Hill and Omari Johnson. The outcome of the game will rely on which defense can generate turnovers and capitalize by scoring from them.
Prediction: Mosley victory by 30.
Arnold at Hamilton County
Series record: First meeting
The Marlins ended their nearly two-year losing streak with an 8-7 victory over Bay last week. The defense played at its best, containing a talented Bay offense to a touchdown and stopping the Tornadoes with a goal-line stand. The Marlins offense will have to take advantage of scoring opportunities to outpace opponents.
Hamilton County won its season opener against Jefferson County 20-15 led by junior quarterback Bandon Atwood, who threw for 76 yards and a touchdown. Atwood also rushed for 58 yards and a score. The Marlins offense will key in on defensive back Nate Ortiz, who came up with an interception last week.
Prediction: Arnold victory by 7.
Bozeman at Vernon
Series record since 2004: Vernon 9-4
Latest matchup: Bozeman def. Vernon 47-6 in 2021
Both teams are coming off significant home losses, with Bozeman falling 40-23 to Holmes County and Vernon being shut out 34-0 by Jay. The Bucks committed four turnovers last week, but had a 20-point second-half swing which showed the true potential of the offense.
Head coach Bronson Sweatt highlighted receiver Lakota Johnson as the player who will need a big night for the team to be successful. Johnson returned a kickoff and threw a touchdown last week.
Vernon specializes in the run game, spearheaded by running back Caden Hammack and quarterback Caiden Coltrane.
Prediction: Bozeman victory by 14.
North Bay Haven at North Florida Christian
Series record: First meeting
Both teams were shut out last week but are in the fortunate situation that after the final whistle one of them will have a notch in the win column. North Bay Haven is running a triple-option offense but has featured a passing game with receivers Connolly Forehand, Carter Wright and Jirah Coney.
The Eagles offense features two quarterbacks in juniors Tommy Coyne and Brooks Warmack. It will be a journey for the Buccaneers to Tallahassee, but with the size advantage up front, North Bay Haven should run the ball with ease.
Prediction: North Bay Haven victory by 10.
Banji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1 .
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County high school football: Week 2 previews and predictions
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