GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Led by junior quarterback Merrick Rapoza, who ran for two touchdowns and threw for a third, and Payton Dykas, who had 152 receiving yards and a touchdown, the Clay High football offense raised expectations for the upcoming season by scoring four touchdowns in the Blue-White game at Clay High School on Sat., Aug. 5.

Clay head coach Kyle Kennard, 3-7 last year after two region berths, orchestrated a controlled scrimmage with eight possessions for the varsity offense against the varsity defense and four possessions for the junior varsity offense against the junior varsity defense, with special teams plays inserted at the conclusion of most of the possessions. An FHSAA officiating crew monitored for infractions.

“It was a little sloppy, but we expected that,” said Kennard. “Ball security is a major issue, we need to improve our blocking on the perimeter, and we need to clean up the penalties.”

The referees called eight penalties, while the Blue Devils fumbled four times and threw three interceptions. The interceptions were all thrown by the junior varsity.

The varsity offense started slowly, losing fumbles on two of its first three possessions, but fired on all cylinders late, scoring on four of its final five possessions. Rapoza, a junior who is locked in a battle with rising sophomore Landon Chadwick for the starting quarterback job, got the scoring started with a 70 yard bomb to senior Payton Dykas. Dykas ran a post pattern and outfought sophomore Gavin Baille for the ball, securing it after an initial tip while Baille fell to the ground. Dykas coasted the remaining 40 yards to the end zone.

Rapoza completed four of eight passes for 101 yards and did significant damage with his feet, rushing eight times for 104 yards. On the fifth possession, the 6’1, 185-pounder faked a handoff to fellow junior Antonio Thomas running right, ran left, evaded two tacklers and outran the safeties to the end zone for a 40 yard score. Rapoza ran the same play to the other side of the field on the seventh possession and found paydirt again, this time from 29 yards out.

Chadwick directed the varsity offense on four possessions, moving the ball through the air. He threw 11 passes, completing seven of them for 129 yards, and ran four times for a net of zero yards. He led an eighty yard scoring drive on the sixth possession, starting it with a 60-yard completion to Dykas. Running back Gino Addison finished it with an eight yard run, starting out to his right, cutting back left and crashing through the safeties to fall across the goal line.

Kennard was pleased with the play of both quarterbacks, noting that each brings a different skillset.

“Merrick is a big, physical kid, a good downhill runner who has a strong arm and who can throw the deep ball well. Landon is very fast, maybe the quicker of the two, is very accurate and throws a catchable ball.” Kennard is likely to play both quarterbacks, saying that the situation is fluid and that he may not name an official starter all year.

“They can both help us win games,” he said.

No matter which quarterback plays more, it is clear that Dykas will be their main target. The 5’11”, 160-pound receiver, who scored 10 touchdowns while garnering Honorable Mention All-State FHSAA honors last year, had five receptions for 152 yards on Saturday. No one else had more than one.

“Explosion,” said Kennard when asked what Dykas brings to the Clay offense. “He takes the top off of the defense. He is a great route runner and has great hands. He is the total package at wide receiver.”

Kennard expects a lot of production from the Blue Devils offense, which returns all but one starter from last year. The offense will also welcome Addison, a 5’11”, 175-pound sophomore who Kennard says will share carries with senior Chandler Thomas. Addison, a transfer from Bradford County, ran for 39 yards on nine carries Saturday.

Linemen Will Kelly, Omar Goosby and Aaron Stacy return to anchor the Clay defense, which must find a new linebacker and four new defensive backs for its base 4-2-5 scheme. Kennard expects the defensive line to be the strength of his young defense.

“That is where our biggest, toughest guys are,” he said.

Kelly and Stacy recovered fumbles on Saturday, getting into the backfield to recover botched handoffs, while Goosby had a sack and a tackle for loss.

The Clay coaching staff remains the same as in 2022 except for the additions of wide receivers coach Marvin Burke and Darrell Smith, who will coach the secondary.

The Blue Devils travel to Jacksonville Bishop Kenny High for a preseason classic on August 18 at 6:30 p.m., and begin the regular season at Fleming Island on August 25 at 7:30 p.m. Clay’s first home game is September 1 against Ridgeview.

The Blue Devils’ slate for 2023 is exactly the same schedule as they had for 2022, except that the away games last year are home games this year and the road games last year are home games in 2023. In addition to the early games with Fleming Island and Ridgeview, the line-up includes battles with fellow Clay County public schools Oakleaf, Orange Park and Middleburg. The District 3S-4 opponents will be Gainesville, Matanzas, Menendez and St. Augustine.

“I think we have a good football team. I am very optimistic,” said Kennard. “But there are no easy games on our schedule.”

Freshman safety Mikiese Battle had two interceptions for the junior varsity, returning one of the thefts 39 yards.