Mostly Cloudy, 61°
Weather sponsored by:

Knights warm up with Shark tanking

By Mike Zima Correspondent
Posted 8/21/19

OAKLEAF - With a brutal schedule ahead of them, it is best not to get too giddy after witnessing Oakleaf’s 44-7 dismantling of visiting Ponte Vedra in Friday’s preseason classic. But one thing is …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Don't have an ID?


Print subscribers

If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.

Non-subscribers

Click here to see your options for subscribing.

Single day pass

You also have the option of purchasing 24 hours of access, for $1.00. Click here to purchase a single day pass.

Knights warm up with Shark tanking


Posted

OAKLEAF - With a brutal schedule ahead of them, it is best not to get too giddy after witnessing Oakleaf’s 44-7 dismantling of visiting Ponte Vedra in Friday’s preseason classic. But one thing is clear:

The Knights are loaded.

Oakleaf junior quarterback Walter “Tre” Simmons, III, threw four touchdown passes in little over two quarters, Terrance Anthony caught three touchdown passes, and the defense held the Sharks to 138 total yards as the hosts pulled away with a 23-point barrage in the second quarter.

Most important of all, Oakleaf found a running back to fill the shoes of the departed Keyshawn King, who is now plying his trade at Virginia Tech.

Stars abound. Simmons was excellent, passing for 154 yards on 22 passes without an interception while leading all first half rushers with 82 yards on six carries. Oakleaf head coach Frank Garis noted that Simmons improved his passing skills over the summer.

“He’s [Simmons] always had speed,” Garis explained. “He has done a much better job of rotating his lower half to match his upper half, and maintaining a proper arm angle and release point.”

Anthony and fellow receiver Sean Washington consistently beat the Sharks’ man coverage, each hauling in five passes for over 70 yards. Washington scored the first touchdown of the game on a slant pass from Simmons, while Anthony scored all of his on receptions of 41, 24 and nine yards.

Freshman running back Devin Outlaw debuted with a one yard touchdown run on his only carry of the first half, bulling over a Sharks linebacker on his way into the end zone. He was electric in the third quarter, displaying both power and speed— sometimes on the same play— while gaining 111 yards on seven rushes. He ran away from the Ponte Vedra secondary on a 69-yard scoring run, escaping the grasp of Sharks safety T.J. Moffo inside the ten yard line.

“There is a reason he is a freshman playing on varsity,” said Garis. “His role will continue to grow.”

Starting running back Adrian Grey gained 43 yards on 13 carries. He and Outlaw will replace King, who rushed for 4,834 yards and 62 touchdowns in his Oakleaf career.

On defense, outside linebacker Korei Sheppard proved he could be a capable bookend to defensive end Chantz Williams, a University of Miami commitment. The senior had two tackles for loss and one of the Knights’ three sacks of Ponte Vedra quarterback Jacobi Myers.

Sophomore Deon Briggs’ fumble recovery led to the Knights’ first touchdown, while cornerback Omarh Toliver set up a Damian Rogers field goal with a second quarter interception that he returned 22 yards.

Oakleaf proved almost impossible to run against, holding a Ponte Vedra squad that won eight games and made it to the regional playoffs in 2018 to 53 yards on 25 rushes.

“Our juice, our energy pleased me the most,” Garis said of his defense. “Outside of five plays [during the Sharks’ only scoring drive], the defense played exceptionally well.”

The Knights, who outgained Ponte Vedra 414-138, took advantage of great field position to score twice on one-play drives in the second quarter to turn a 7-7 tie into a runaway. Each time, Simmons found Anthony open on post patterns.

While Oakleaf can legitimately entertain dreams of a state title, Garis wants his Knights to concentrate on their next task.

“This was only the first step,” said Garis. “Now we are focused on Orange Park. With the way the playoff system is now, every game matters.”

The Knights visit the Raiders in the season opener on Friday, August 23.

Oakleaf enters the season as the ninth ranked team in Class 8A, the Knights first year in Florida’s highest classification. A brutal schedule that includes District 1-8A games against defending Class 8A state champion Mandarin, Jacksonville Sandalwood and Bartram Trail and non-district games at Lake City Columbia and Clay awaits.

Aside from the daunting schedule, one thing that could derail the Knights is injuries. Five star recruit Jalen Rivers, Oakleaf’s left tackle, and four star Chantz Williams, a defensive end, missed Friday’s game. Neither Rivers, who is dealing with an ankle injury, nor Williams, who has a sprained knee, is expected to play at Orange Park. On Friday, senior linebacker Jordan Randall suffered an apparent left knee injury on a goal line play. He was taken from the field in an ambulance after trainers applied a splint to his leg.