ST. John, Fla. – Bartram Road went into a victory formation with two minutes left on Friday night and began to kneel. That’s when it was finally done.
Not only was the game against the host Creekside, but he also scored a goal. The Bears’ offense consisted of scoring on every possession until they hit their knees. Another Bartram blowout in the neighborhood rivalry was a way to end.
The Bears showed every facet of their well-rounded game. Layton Biddle had 198 rushing yards and three scores at halftime, Riley Trujillo finished with 323 yards passing and four touchdowns and the defense beat the Knights quarterbacks in a 59-27 romp in the News4JAX Game of the Week.
Not only did it leave Bartram Trail (7-0, 2-0) with its 14th win in 15 all-time games against Creekside (5-2, 1-2) — the 13th time the Bears have won by double digits — but it also tied the team for the District 3-4S title with Gainesville Buchholz and Oakleaf. It keeps him on schedule with games played against him.
Or, as it is known on Bartram Trail, business as usual.
“We came out and killed it,” said Biddle, who had scoring runs of 31, 3 and 88 yards. “It was a competitive game, and we came in here and knew what we wanted to do. We did, and we play every game like that. We expect to do so.
“Everything was business. Get on the bus, come here and play the game. Now we go home. All Business”
Bears coach Darrell Sutherland said he likes the business approach but doesn’t want to take all the fun out of the game for the players. He doesn’t need to worry. It’s hard not to be excited when a team piles up 577 yards before putting together a winning streak.
The defense was also on the game. While top-scoring Creekside had 27 points, it was 16 more than the Knights’ average and failed to break 37 points for the second time this season.
Bartram Duka was able to keep Creekside’s runners from breaking big, and the defense collected six sacks. Arion Stitt had a pair of sacks and another tackle for a loss, and Davis Hook, Shane Armstrong, Zeke Cromwell and Jack George also had sacks.
As the Knights, ranked fourth all-time in the Super 10, began to close in on the Bears, second in the Super 10, Bartram Trail responded. Creekside capped a three-play scoring drive with Wilson Edwards hitting Ashton Reynolds 38 yards out to make it 24-14 with 1 minute, 23 seconds left in the first half.
So on the next offensive play it was Biddle up the middle for 88 yards.
“They had an answer for what we were doing on defense,” Knights coach Sean McIntyre said. “We made adjustments and then they made adjustments. It was a game of cat and mouse and we couldn’t get our hands on them.”
“It was a running back before the half. They did a great job of responding throughout the night whenever we tried to find something.
Had that not destroyed Creekside, the opening second half could have taken the wind out of the Knights’ sails. Sharif Denson made a great play in the second half. Four plays later, Trujillo connected with Taylor Rhodes for a 25-yard score in the corner of the end zone and 38-14.
Trujillo’s portion of the game also began. Biddle carried defenders just three times for five yards in the second half, and Trujillo got through Creekside with great accuracy.
“We were just trying to take what we were given,” Sutherland said. “They’re a very well-coached football team, and they don’t want to give us anything. We just had to resist.
“It makes guys do all the little things. That’s what we preach: Fake work, make blocks downfield. Guys aren’t selfish.
It’s easy with players like Trujillo. He failed to connect on just five of 27 passes, spread the ball to 10 different receivers and helped coax big plays out of Rhodes, who had six catches for 136 yards and a pair of scores and Jack Kremen had three catches for 96 yards. And a two-touchdown, tip-toe-down-to-the-sideline 54-yard touchdown reception for the Bears’ third score.
“We were going to run the offense as hard as we could,” said Trujillo, who passed for 195 yards and scored three touchdowns in the second half. “We have great running backs, great line, great receivers. I know my guys, one on one, they will win. I take my boys one by one anytime.
While Creekside was out of the district title chase, the playoffs were out of reach. They entered the evening as the fourth team in Region 1-4S. The winners of the region’s four districts make the playoffs, while the next four ranked teams are at large.
This gives added importance to games against Fleming Island, Ponte Vedra and Atlantic Coast, especially since Ponte Vedra is ranked seventh in the region entering the weekend.
As for Bartram Trail, it appears the Bears are headed for district — and possibly state — dominance along with Buchholz. But good luck making the players treat it like any other game.
His team beat its neighborhood rival and claimed to win itself as a team in district and state play, but like Biddle, Trujillo was all work.
“It was a lot of fun,” Trujillo said. “They are a great team. It was a great game. I only have to take one game at a time. Same with the district – one by one.
59 Bartram Road, 37 Creekside
Bartram Trail, 14, 17, 14, 14-59
Creekside, 7, 7, 7, 6 — 27
BT – Leighton Biddle 31 runs (Liam Padron kick)
C – Wilson Edwards 19 runs (Ronald Darajati kick)
BT – Biddle 3 run (Padron kick)
BT – Jack Creman 54 pass from Riley Trujillo (Padron Kick)
BT – Padron 43 F.G
C – Ashton Reynolds pass from Edwards 38 (Darajati Kick)
BT – Biddle 88 run (Padron kick)
BT – Taylor Rhodes pass from Trujillo 25 (Padron kick)
C – Edwards 2 runs (Darajati Kick)
BT – Creman 36 from Trujillo (Padron kick)
BT – Rhodes 22 pass from Trujillo (Padron kick)
C – Hampton Riddle pass from Sean Ashenfelder 9 (pass failed)
BT – Shaun McElroy 4 runs (Christian Marmo hit)
Category: BT – C
First downs: 24-20
Rushes-yards: 37-240 – 42-150
Pass: 323 – 190
Comp-Att-Int: 22-27-0 – 14-28-2
Fumble-Lost: 0-0 — 0-0
Penalties-Yards: 0-0 – 0-0
Individual statistics
rush – BT: Biddle 16-203, McElroy 7-21, William Bryant 3-19, Trujillo 6-10, Arthur Lewis 1-5, Team 4-(-18). C: Nicky Williams 18-85, Ashenfelder 8-32, Edwards 14-26, Jacob Akel 0-5, Danny Approbato 2-2.
to pass – BT: Trujillo 22-27-0-323. C: Edwards 8-19-0-131, Ashenfelder 3-6-0-47, Darajati 1-1-0-12.
acceptance – BT: Rhodes 6-136, Creman 3-96, Nico Weiss 4-39, Lewis 2-14, Francis Pirrung 1-12, Julian Porter 2-11, Joey Davoli 1-7, Jacob Kalner 1-6, Bryant 1 -2, Bid 1-0. C: Reynolds 2-50, Brendan McMillian 5-47, Andrew Kelly 1-42, Riad 2-39, Eros Taufer 1-10, Williams 1-2.
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