JACKSONVILLE – Oakleaf High junior quarterback Walter “Tre” Simmons, III, played like the seasoned veteran he is, but his 127 yards passing were not enough to overcome mistakes at critical moments in Oakleaf’s 20-0 loss at First Coast in the schools’ spring game on Fri., May 18.

Simmons, a two-year starter who will be a junior in the fall, displayed accuracy and arm strength while completing 15 of 23 passes without an interception. His statistics were even more impressive considering he was frequently harassed by a speedy Buccaneers defense that sacked him four times and forced him to throw multiple passes off of his back foot or on the run.

On the game’s first series, the Knights earned four first downs as they crisply moved to the First Coast 10 yard line. But Simmons could not control a shotgun snap that went high and to his left, and the ball fell to the turf. Simmons jumped on the ball and appeared to be in the process of securing it, but Buccaneers linebacker Jamal Gelsey dove in and ripped the ball out of his hands for a turnover.

“There were times when we came off our blocks a little early. But a majority of the calls tonight were run-pass options, meaning that we leave a linebacker unblocked and read him,” Oakleaf coach Frank Garis explained.

Oakleaf mounted another scoring threat to begin the second quarter. But a holding penalty negated an 18 yard run by Adrian Grey, and on fourth down, First Coast safety Criston Johnson blitzed and sacked Simmons to keep the Knights off the scoreboard.

Simmons opened the Knights’ first possession of the third quarter with six straight passes, completing five of them, to get the Knights into the red zone. But the drive stalled when Simmons was forced to leave the pocket and take a two yard loss on a third down play. On fourth and six from the Buccaneers 15, Simmons’ pass to the sideline was broken up.

The Oakleaf defense, which returns seven starters from last year, was stout. The Knights limited First Coast to 106 total yards in the first half and forced two turnovers. Junior defensive end Josh Murrell had two sacks. With the Buccaneers on the Knights’ side of the field, rover Chrystian Sellers stepped in front of an underthrown pass, picked it off and returned the ball 12 yards to the Oakleaf 35. Linebacker Marcus Anthony intercepted a desperation heave by Edwards on the final play of the first half, returning the pick 32 yards before being knocked out of bounds.

Each team had exactly 225 total yards of offense.

One area of focus coming into the game was the quest to find a running back to replace three-year starter Keshawn King, a Virginia Tech signee who rushed for 4,834 yards and 62 touchdowns in his Oakleaf career. Grey appeared to gain the upper hand in that battle, leading the Knights in rushing with 35 yards on eight carries and catching three passes out of the backfield for another 36 yards. Fellow sophomore Kevin Harris ran for 23 yards on seven totes. Garis said after the game he is intent on using both of them.

“I am not looking for someone to seize the job,” said Garis. “Davis brings a lot of power, but he is more elusive than you think. Grey has a really good feel for where the open space is, and finding holes.”

The 2019 version of the Knights may have to throw in order to set up the run. If so, Simmons and an experienced receiving corps seem up for the challenge. Sophomore Terrance Anthony led all pass catchers with eight catches for 64 yards, while junior Sean Washington snared three balls for 28 yards.