Buchholz vs. Bartram Trail: High School Football Preview

After all the hard work, day in and day out, it comes down to this. A district championship is on the line this Friday night as Buchholz High School travels to take on Bartram Trail. With both football teams ranked in the Top 100 in the state of Florida, combined with talented players all over the field, it will more than likely be a competitive game down to the end.

First, let’s look at Buchholz:

Simply put, this team has been playing some incredible football as of late. The Bobcats boast a 6-2 record and are undefeated in their district. They are coming off a huge win against Oakleaf in their Homecoming game last week.

For Buchholz, a win on Friday secures a district championship and a spot in the playoffs. But with a loss, a playoff berth is up in the air. Head Coach Mark Whittemore feels his team is ready for this game.

The Bobcat offense is powered by Quarterback Camden Orth. In his last two games against Creekside and Oakleaf, he’s 30 for 38 with seven touchdowns. He has nearly 1500 passing yards on the season. In addition to his passing yardage, he’s also supported by wide receiver Blake Mitchell. The senior has over 400 receiving yards – paired with eight total touchdowns.

But Whittemore says that this season, he’s seen the most improvement from his team on the defensive end.

Their district championship hopes will be challenged greatly by Bartram Trail, a team Whittemore believes is a scoring machine.

A look at Bartram Trail:

The Bears have been dominating on offense this season. The team averages over 500 yards of offense per game, scoring an average of 36 points in each matchup. Currently, Bartram Trail is 5-3 and has only lost once in district play. This team also has a good chance of making it to the playoffs with the record they boast.

Running Back Devin Ellison leads the team in the run game. The 5 foot nine-inch senior has just over 1000 rushing yards and has eight touchdowns on the season. Junior Quarterback Chad Dodson has helped lead the offense as well. With just two interceptions, he’s thrown for over 1200 yards and has connected on 14 touchdown passes.

Whittemore says he’s expecting a fierce matchup tomorrow, with all that is on the line.

Tomorrow’s matchup begins at 7 p.m. at Bartram Trail High School in St. Johns.