MIDDLEBURG - Both head football coaches from Middleburg and Keystone Heights High School had two different reasons for wanting to be in the playoffs at the end of the 2023 season.

For Middleburg coach Ryan Wolfe, the specter of "being lucky" in his second season to squeeze into the playoffs off a rugged schedule made 2023 a proving point that said rugged scheduling had its benefits.

"As long as the kids understand that our schedule is designed to have us ready in November," Wolfe has said repeatedly. "These kids don't think much about the fact that we were 0-4 last year and 0-3 this year to start because they know that playing that caliber of teams we play only makes us better."

Wolfe's schedule slate included 1A two-time state champion Hawthorne, currently 9-0; also unbeaten 2A Bradford (10-0) and 4S region playoff contender Ponte Vedra (7-3).

A string of wins; Ribault, Ridgeview, a thriller at Clay, then a grinder loss to Columbia put Wolfe in contention with a win over Bishop Kenny, the fourth loss last year, a confidence boost.

What Wolfe did not anticipate, for sure, was a near-disastrous 41-22 thumping by an equally playoff-hopeful Orange Park.

"That game was a punch in the stomach," said Wolfe. "All week, we told the kids that their legacy would be how they responded to the Fernandina Beach game."

The Broncos responded with a resounding 32-0 win and a locked playoff spot.

Middleburg leaned on their stellar defense led by linebacker Austin Cruce with a pick-six interception from defensive back Trenton Robinson late in the game, a strip sack blitz from defensive back Erick Fryer that turned into a Fryer fumble recovery for a touchdown and a drive-stalling interception from Wayne Sulph in the first half.

Offensively, quarterback Jaydan Jenkins' highlight included a nicely disguised deep tight end drag pass to Travis McStephenson who galloped 65 yards to paydirt with the Fernandina Beach defense in his wake. Wide receiver Braydan Street had another spectacular end zone snag for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

For Keystone Heights coach Steven Reynolds, who was defensive coordinator under long-time Indians coach Chuck Dickinson, taking over the following year from Dickinson's curtain call 10-2 region semifinal season would be tough considering nearly the entire varsity roster graduated.

"We knew we were going to have a rough season come fall of 2022 and we did (2-8)," Reynolds noted before the 2023 campaign start. "But, these kids, a lot of them freshman and sophomores who got to fill holes and play some varsity, learned quick and the result was a pretty good year."

Middleburg, which transitioned away from senior quarterback Jaydan Jenkins for the beginning of the season, transitioned back to Jenkins at quarterback with a sprinkling of Carson Stewart in as a pocket presence designed to get Jenkins the ball outside the hash marks.

"We went back to old school where we put the ball in our best players hands," said Wolfe. One guy who had been the Rock of Gibraltar for Wolfe was senior linebacker Austin Cruce.

After Cruce led his defensive compadres to a goose-egg finish on Fernandina Beach, Wolfe presented the wily tackling machine with the game ball with some legacy-level words about his senior leader.

"This guy was the one that we knew was the example of what Middleburg football is becoming," said Wolfe. "He set the standard this season."

For Reynolds, a scrappy defense, led by ball hawks in the secondary; Wyatt Van Zant, Jackson Parmeter, Colton Hollingsworth and Jackson Herman; six interceptions total, and a defensive unit as a whole with nine of the 11 starters with double-figure tackling totals, the 11 hats to the ball is a way of life for Keystone Heights football. Ironically, the two leading tacklers are also two of the smallest guys on the field, Hollingsworth; all of 135 pounds at about 5'-3", and Van Zant, all of 140 pounds.

"These kids love to play the game the way it used to be played," said Reynolds. "They just fly around, hit people and get back up."

For Wolfe, the hit-man (though with a few flags) has become safety Landon Nalepa with Cruce nearing 80 stops on his resume.

The guy that has been a driving force has been Luke Wheeler, 51 tackles, another smaller-than-usual defensive lineman who always seems to be at the bottom of the pile or chasing someone from behind as they scat away.

The two guys to watch are defensive ends B.J. Carter and Tucker Cody who have become bookend disasters for enemy offensives with big engines unrelenting their pursuits. Cody, a senior, is amped for a great final campaign and big finish while Carter, a junior, is rising to state-level wrecking machine and should be a blue chipper next year.

Offensively, Middleburg goes as Jenkins goes. And, in a pinch, as Cruce goes behind the Big Boy offense. St. Augustine already knows that. Middleburg keeps pounding the between-the-tackles offensive then "pop" Jenkins throws a 40-yard strike to Braydan Street downfield or, in Fernandina Beach, a 60-yard to a burly tight end named Travis McStephenson who shook the turf en route to paydirt, then got oxygen.

Keystone Heights goes with their big offensive line, rugged running from Cartez Daniels and a smooth growth curve from sophomore quarterback Bailey Ford.

St. Augustine: 9-0, strength of schedule 20.9, 24th in FL, No. 2 in 3S, No. 2 in Jacksonville to Camden County, No. 3 is Hawthorne

Middleburg: 5-5, strength of schedule 21.4, 23rd in 3S

St. Augustine Schedule

Bolles 43-36

Brunswick (GA) 45-35

Menendez 44-6

Bartram Trail 34-31

Matanzas 49-9

Nease 49-30

Gainesville 56-0

Clay 49-9

Palatka 41-6

Vs. Middleburg 8-0, last game 2021 54-37 (Mike Mitchell 255 yds rushing, 4TDs)

QB: Wake Forest commit Locklan Hewlett, junior, 1344 yards passing, 14TDs, 1INT, Three games 300-plus passing

RB: Devonte Lyons, Senior, 767 Yds, 12TDs, 5-100-Plus games

WR: Three guys, No. 1 Trenton Jones, 38 passes 4TDs, No. 2 Carl Jenkins, Jr, 34 passes 10TDs, No. 5 Myles Simmons, Sr., 31 passes 10TDs.

Yulee: 8-2, 17th in 2S, strength of schedule 4.8

Keystone Heights 5-4, 41st in 2S, strength of schedule -5.6

Yulee schedule

Charlton Cty (GA)(2-8) 31-20 W

Titusville (9-1) 27-14 L

Zaraphath Academy (5-5) 48-12 W

Tradition Prep (4-5) 43-6 W

Fernandina Beach (3-7) 26-14 W

Baldwin (5-5) 12-7 W

Baker County (6-3) 32-14 L

Episcopal (5-5) 33-0 W

West Nassau (3-7) 33-6 W

Menendez (4-6) 18-0 W