Two seasons ago, Columbia and Bradford stood on the precipice of greatness.
The teams from Lake City and Starke were each two wins from a state championship in Classes 3S and 2S, respectively.
Both teams lost those state semifinals — Columbia to Lake Wales , Bradford to Cocoa .
Now, both programs face a 2024 season with questions and uncertainty and staring down uncompromising schedules.
Here’s what lies ahead after narrow Week 1 wins:
COMPLETE LOCAL HS FOOTBALL CONTENT HERE: High school football in North-Central Florida: Complete coverage from the 2024 season
Can Columbia hold on until late September?
That question will be asked throughout Lake City for the next month.
Why? Because QB Xavier Collins sprained his MCL on Aug. 12 in practice, four days before the Tigers Kickoff Classic versus Bradford.
The injury was expected to keep him out for 4-6 weeks. Coach Brian Allen confirmed after the classic that WR Zamarion Jones would move to QB and until Collins returns.
Jones got some reps at QB last season, and Allen was impressed with his performance in the kickoff classic.
“He’s a dynamic athlete, and he’ll get better the more he’s in the QB room,” Allen said. “We’re working it out with his mechanics, and he’s going to be a threat with the ground attack.”
Jones' numbers — 187 yards passing, 46 yards rushing and two TDs — weren’t bad, but the Tiger offense struggled to generate excitement. It was shut out in the first half of a 13-0 win over Suwannee.
The win was crucial for CHS as the schedule before Collins returns picks up a notch.
The team travels to Coffee out of Douglas, Georgia this week — defending GHSA AAAAA state champions.
It returns home to face Hillsborough and Madison County before a grueling three-game stretch vs Trinity Christian, St. Augustine and Bolles.
Collins should return during one of those three weeks, and once he returns, the schedule lightens up with Ridgeview, Clay and North Miami Beach.
Allen said he likes to begin the season with tough games to prepare his team for district showdowns like St. Augustine.
Speaking of the Yellow Jackets, they’ll bring new challenges to the Tigers. Last season, Columbia won just one game out of district, but it rolled past Middleburg, Ridgeview and Clay to enter the postseason with a 4-6 record.
A district title is now not guaranteed with the entry of St. Aug, 3S runners-up from 2023.
“I'm excited that it won't be a pushover district. I think Week Six is going to determine who's the district champion,” Allen said. “These games the first five weeks will be preparing us for that week six district contest.”
Can Bradford’s offense do enough?
The defense carrying the Tornadoes is nothing new. In their last two historic seasons, when Bradford went to states twice and combined for a 26-3 mark, defense was its calling card.
Some questioned whether that would remain the case. The Tornadoes lost four Division I signees on defense.
However, they retained Jeremiah McKenzie and Duke Lewis, both of whom are receiving offers.
Through the kickoff classic and Friday’s 13-7 win over Baker County, that unit remains the engine.
Bradford also replaced key pieces on the offense, from QB Dae’Jon Shanks to Chalil Cummings at receiver.
The adjustment there might take a little longer.
The Tornadoes' 13 points in the opener were fewer than all but three games in 2023. Now, one of those games was Week 1 vs Baker County — a 12-0 win — so BHS can recover easily.
That recovery will be needed as Bradford’s next six games are against playoff teams from 2023.
It begins this week with Dunnellon before a brutal two-game stretch versus South Sumter and Mandarin.
Then, district play begins against Keystone Heights, Palatka and Newberry — a game that will likely decide the district).
BHS needs a tough schedule to prepare it for the playoffs. Region 2 of Class 2A is the state's only region featuring two state champions from last season (Cocoa and Berkeley Prep).
“That’s why you schedule those types of games,” coach Jamie Rodgers said. “You can’t help what your district is, but you can play teams that are going to be in the playoffs. Mandarin might be ranked No. 1 in 6A.”
Rodgers also knows Bradford has a target on its back after the past two seasons.
“On our board, it says, ‘You aren’t the hunter anymore, you are the hunted,'" Rodgers said. “We want our kids to know that.”
Other Week 2 games to keep an eye on
- Newberry at Hawthorne, 7:30 p.m.
- Buchholz at Vero Beach, 7 p.m.
- Eastside at Rickards (Tallahassee), 7 p.m.
- Gainesville High at Santa Fe, 7:30 p.m.
- Union County at Keystone Heights, 7:30 p.m.
Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: 'You are the hunted:' Bradford, Columbia look to succeed despite losses and grueling schedules
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