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Oakleaf football gets sneak peek against 5A finalist

Knights vs. Sharks 7 on 7

By Randy Lefko
Posted 7/20/17

PONTE VEDRA - Oakleaf High football is in a significant reload stage with the upcoming 2017 season with the loss of a four year quarterback, but freshman Walter Simmons seemed undaunted by the task …

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Oakleaf football gets sneak peek against 5A finalist

Knights vs. Sharks 7 on 7


Posted

PONTE VEDRA - Oakleaf High football is in a significant reload stage with the upcoming 2017 season with the loss of a four year quarterback, but freshman Walter Simmons seemed undaunted by the task at hand.

Against Ponte Vedra on Wed., June 12, Simmons, who guided the Oakleaf Junior High School football squad under first year coach Merlin Smith to a title last year, came out chucking and utilized his bevy of weaponry; KeShawn King, Jakobi Baker and Jakari Williams, to excellent results in a 7 on 7 throwdown with Class 5A runnerup Ponte Vedra High School. Joining the starting seven werer Jamaric Bonner, a double threat as a running quarterback, but also as effective in a slot position, and wideout Julian Gonsalves, who arrived but made an immediate impact with some quick catches off the sidelines.

From the first snap, both teams were intent on getting the ball vertical with Oakleaf running back Jakobi Baker showing smooth hands and strong concentration across the middle with the burly ballcarrier anchoring a slot position and making two “crowded” catches in front of the Ponte Vedra safety.

On two long scoring plays, King got loose out of the backfield with Simmons laying up a perfect ball in stride to catch the 10-flat speedster at full throttle in a scene that coach Steve Reynolds hopes to replicate numerous times throughout the season.

“If we can sneak him out and get a linebacker matched on him or just like that, he’s all alone, that’s a scary play,” said Reynolds. “We’re thinking defenses will try to keep him in between the tackles, but then Jakobi plays in the equation and he has become as good a catching running back as I’ve ever seen.”

On the outer edges, Williams, with added bulk and looking like a D-1 passcatcher at 6-foot, three inches, will be dangerous wherever he lines up and will be twice as lethal after making the catch with his new frame.

Williams snagged a perfectly thrown bomb down the center of the field that went the distance with the Ponte Vedra safety missing the pattern and leaving the fast-moving Williams to just making the catch and hitting the throttle.

Bonner, who suffered a horrific leg injury last year, has returned to full tilt and can resume his open field theatrics both from the backfield and also on the edge. If Bonner gets a Wildcat nod, he can go or throw with equal aplomb.

The third downfield threat will be Gonzalves, at 6-3, who can go vertical for jump balls in the end zone.

Simmons did get stung on two passes; one for a potential pick-six pickoff on a crossing pattern on his left side (he is right-handed), and, though a freshman, will need learn to relax and be patient while letting his weapons do their work.

“He’s doing a good job and is a fast learner,” said Reynolds. “He’s got the tools out there physically and is very quick to pick up reads and make good choices. We like him back there.”

For the Knights’ defense, middle linebacker Dexter Moore positioned in the middle with Kenny Davis and Jordan Randall on his wings as the second wave of defense with veteran ex-linebacker Tristan Brown growling from the safety spot with a choice of Zach Nesby, who made numerous quality pass breakups for the evening and challengers Richard Coffey and Demonta Stevens getting reps on the opposite corner of Nesby.

Stepping in also as a light linebacker or a beefed corner was Jordan Randall who will be tasked with fine-tuning his skill set for one of the two positions.

Oakleaf will join Middleburg and handful of out of county teams at Camp Blanding this week in a torturous two-day summerfest on the military facility.