KEYSTONE HEIGHTS - In two of the more interesting preseason football clashes to open the 2025 season, Ridgeview High coach Merlin Smith pulled the proverbial rabbit out of his hat with a 50-yard touchdown slinger on his very first play of the year.

Meanwhile, Middleburg High coach Ryan Wolfe saw a methodical, yet precise, first-quarter blast of 21 points on three running back scores from Gino Addison, as the Panthers and Broncos dominated their preseason games with surprising efficiency and big wins.

"My wife, Nicole, was the one who told me to go for the big play on the first play of the game," said Smith, as his Panthers reversed a four-year trend of preseason losses to Keystone Heights with a 42-0 win off a 23-0 first half with mainly starters on both sides. "Our quarterback, Jordan Mesa, showed that he was going to be the guy for us with his two touchdown strikes early in the game."
On their first offensive series, after a defensive stop on Keystone Heights strong running game of Hunter Crumpton, who was getting gains of eight-to-10 yards pretty consistently right through the "two-hole" side of the massive Indians front line of Peter Bostic and Luke Bacorn.

Ridgeview got a 15-yard punt return from Edren Rhodes to midfield before Mesa launched a moonshot in front of the Keystone Heights bench that Tyaun Edmondson, a highly touted New Jersey transfer, caught and ran about 20 yards to paydirt on his first Florida pass catch.
"I've been saying that he was going to be a player, though only a sophomore," said Smith. "That was a big shot in the arm for us, and I don't even mind the flag for sideline violation because our sideline went nuts on that one."
From there, Smith got another defensive stand and a 30-yard punt from the Indians' end zone to put Mesa back on the field on the 30.
"We went to our big tight end Christian Hanson across the middle and he made a tough catch in traffic, then barreled through a few guys for the second score," said Smith. "He has been wanting more ball time since last year."
Keystone Heights continued to battle, though, with Cumpton and quarterback Cole Crabtree trying to evade a rugged Panther pass rush with sporadic gains on their next offensive series.
In the final varsity score of the half before a lightning break, Mesa danced his
way 75 yards downfield to end the first quarter, the tip-toed the sideline for a key first down on the Indians' red zone before running back Christian Felder took a direct snap in Wing T formation to paydirt behind massive tackle Michale Moglia.
Ridgeview got a 34-yard field goal from Hanson to finish the half up 23-0.

Middleburg 37, Baldwin 13

For Middleburg, a quick and efficient running game behind Bradford County transfer Gino Addison put three scores, with kicker Brock Araujo being perfect throughout the night, including a 30-yard field goal, as the Broncos dominated a historically playoff-bound Baldwin squad that seemed confounded by the many looks of the Broncos' front line.

Middleburg pulled their starters after the third scoring drive.
"Addison had 11 carries, 90 yards with three scores on our first three drives while quarterback Mason Bacus was seven of eight for 125 yards on passes to Jordan Williams (four for 60) and Deshun Green (two for 30) with Mason overthrowing Green on a long post pattern for his only miss."
Wolfe was also happy with his defense to stop the Baldwin offense, with defensive tackle Gabe Baker stealing a tailback screen interception in the Baldwin red zone.
"It would have been neat if he scored from that one, but he got knocked down right after he caught it," said Wolfe. "I think Baldwin has been in the region playoffs six or seven times the last seven years."
Middleburg will host Westside High in their regular-season opener, following Westside's 42-0 preseason loss to Fleming Island under their new head coach, Tom Macpherson.