High School Football Preview: Week 5

Week 5 of high school football is set to kick off. Twelve games featuring schools around the Gainesville area are set to play Friday.

Buchholz vs Vanguard

One of the biggest matchups in the fifth week of high school football is between the Buchholz Bobcats and the Vanguard Knights.

The Bobcats travel to Ocala 3-0. In their last game, they beat Creekside 48-41.

Buchholz is led by a strong quarterback in Creed Whittemore. The senior hopes to lead his team to a strong season before he starts his collegiate career with the Florida Gators.

Florida has themselves a big time talent in QB/ATH in Creed Whittemore Son of #Buchholz HC Mark Whittemore. 5'11" 175 he can run a 4.4 and has quick twitch athletic ability. Can Play WR/SB/DB. student of the game. 10.8 100 m. Perfect 4.5 GPA.@c_whit115 exciting offensive player. pic.twitter.com/cKJTrPliBU

— Tom Lemming (@LemmingReport) September 21, 2022

They are also led by a strong defensive end in Kendall Jackson. The 2024 three-star recruit has nine D1 offers, including one from the Gators.

Vanguard is coming off a dominant 34-6 win over Leesburg.

They have strong talent as well. Safety Fred Gaskin III is a 2024 four-star recruit. He also has an offer from the Gators along with 19 other schools. Gaskin is not a one-trick pony. He has also filled in at quarterback, running back and cornerback.

They also have senior linebacker Tre Stokes. He is a 2023 recruit who is getting looks from multiple college programs.

Buchholz head coach Mark Whittemore has high praise for Vanguard’s program.

Newberry vs Union County

With an impressive 65-6 win over Trenton, Newberry comes into this game 3-0.

They are one of the more interesting teams in the mix. They have a very young core. Freshman Keil McGriff leads their quarterback group, and freshman running back/wide receiver Kaleb Woods is one of their biggest contributors on offense.

Head coach Edward Johnson is very happy with the performance of his inexperienced core, and he gives a lot of credit to the teachers and mentors on his staff for leading them toward success.

Union County is 2-1 after they dominated P.K. Yonge 55-7 in their last game.

They are led by a dominant defensive end in Markus Strong. The senior has high interest from D1 schools, including Troy and FIU.

https://twitter.com/Markus_Strong2/status/1572571596514299906

Bradford vs Munroe

Bradford is another team looking to stay undefeated. They are back at home after blanking a talented Eastside team 28-0.

They have a lot to be proud of in junior wide receiver/cornerback Chalil Cummings. The three-star has 12 D1 offers.

Munroe is looking to get back on track after a 43-13 loss against Wakulla.

Headlining their roster is running back Ostin Perkings. He is a 2024 recruit who has received interest from multiple D1 programs. He has one offer so far from Florida A&M.

Gainesville vs Santa Fe

The Hurricanes and the Raiders are two teams looking for their first win this season. They both come in 0-4, and a win can help turn either of their season’s around.

For Gainesville, they are coming off a 28-10 loss against Clay. Santa Fe is hosting this game after a 40-6 home loss against North Marion.

The Rest of High School Football

Eight more games are set to kick off that include teams from the Gainesville/Alachua area:

Bronson vs Cornerstone Academy

Columbia vs Trinity Christian Academy

Dixie County vs Jefferson County

Ft. White vs Williston

Keystone Heights vs Interlachen

Oak Hall vs Eagle’s View

Seven Rivers Christian vs St. Francis

P.K. Yonge vs Hawthorne