For the third consecutive year, I will be broadcasting high school football with former Gator football player Hank Rone every Friday night.
The games will air on 106.9 FM “I am Country” and online at IamCountryRadio.com.
We will also broadcast an audio Game of the Week online at Mainstreet Daily News (MDN). Cam Parker will handle the play-by-play for our Friday games, while Marty Pallman will provide PBP for the Thursday broadcasts.
Our other analysts will include Aiden Wacksman, Alex Washburn and Lance Williams, among others.
All radio broadcasts begin 30 minutes before the kickoff. We will have a 15-minute pregame for our games on MDN.
Here is our 2024 high school football broadcast schedule (games and times are subject to change) –
Friday, Aug. 23
Braden River (Bradenton) at Gainesville, 7 p.m. – MDN
Buchholz at Vanguard (Ocala), 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
The Gainesville football team only won one game all last year but after a win against Trinity Catholic (Ocala), 14-7, and North Marion (Citra), 13-0, last week in only one quarter of play each in a referee scrimmage, the half of football is promising for the ‘Canes, who will be more unified in 2024.
A familiar face returns to the sidelines for Buchholz in Mark Whittemore, who is back for his second stint with the Bobcats. Buchholz won this battle of unbeatens last year, but it took a last-second field goal to win it two years ago at Booster Stadium in Ocala.
Friday, Aug. 30
Gainesville at Santa Fe (Alachua), 7:30 p.m. – MDN
Newberry at Hawthorne, 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
Santa Fe struggled last year and finished 0-10. One of their losses was to GHS, 49-21, which avenged a 14-7 win by the Raiders in 2022. It was Santa Fe’s only win that year in a matchup of winless teams. The visiting Hurricanes have won nine of the last 10 in the series since 2005.
Newberry at Hawthorne is a rematch of last year’s Class 1R-Region 4 semifinal, which the Hornets won 27-7 on the way to their second straight state title. Hawthorne defeated the Panthers, 40-10, during the regular season.
Friday, Sept. 6
Buchholz at Eastside, 7:30 p.m. – MDN
Newberry at Vanguard (Ocala), 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
Buchholz continued its dominance over Eastside. The Bobcats defeated the Rams, 35-0, at Citizens Field to win their 10th straight in the series.
A rare meeting for the Panthers against a Vanguard team that finished 11-3 and lost to Mainland (Daytona Beach) in the Class 3S state semifinals.
“I’m excited,” said Newberry coach Ed Johnson. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Coach (Edwin) Farmer and what they do down there. He called me and I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ Why not? We want to compete and we feel like we’ve got some guys, they’ve always got some guys so that should be a good game at Booster Stadium.”
Thursday, Sept. 12
Trinity Catholic (Ocala) at Eastside, 7:30 p.m. – MDN
The visiting Celtics played a tough schedule last year which paid off, as Trinity Catholic advanced to the Class 1S state championship game before falling to Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota) in the title game in the final minute.
“Eight out of the 10 teams we play this year were in the playoffs last year,” said Trinity Catholic coach John Brantley. “Just like always, we’re not going to back down. The talent level may not be as good at Trinity but we’re going to bring these young guys up. We’re going to coach them up and we’re going to rebuild it again.”
This is the first meeting between the two since Trinity Catholic’s 45-21 win against Eastside in 2014.
Friday, Sept. 13
Manatee (Bradenton) at Buchholz, 7 p.m. – 106.9 FM
The visiting Hurricanes have a storied program. Manatee has won five state championships (1915, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1992 and 2011). They are coached by former Gator Jacquez Green and finished 9-3 last year following a 35-30 loss to Sarasota Riverview in the 4S-Region 4 Semifinals.
Thursday, Sept. 19
Forest (Ocala) at Gainesville, 7 p.m. – MDN
It’s an Alachua County vs. Marion County showdown at Citizens Field. This is the first meeting between the two teams since Gainesville’s 46-7 win in 2018.
Friday, Sept. 20
Williston at Eastside, 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
This will be the first meeting between the Red Devils and the Rams since Eastside’s 42-20 win in 2018. Williston defeated Eastside, 21-6, in 2017.
Friday, Sept. 27
Dunnellon at Eastside, 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
Trinity Catholic (Ocala) at Williston, 7:30 p.m. – MDN
Dunnellon and Eastside will compete in the same district this year (3A-District 5), which also includes North Marion and South Sumter (Bushnell). It’s the first meeting between the Tigers and the Rams since Dunnellon’s 50-0 win in 2020.
The Trinity Catholic-Williston game features a matchup of coaches who have won state titles. Brantley, who was a state runner-up last year and in 2008, led the Celtics to a state title in 2010. He is also the only person in Florida history to win a state high school football championship as a player (Ocala Forest), as an assistant coach (Trinity Catholic) and then as a head coach.
Williston is coached by Robby Pruitt, who won four state football championships at University Christian in Jacksonville (1987, 1989, 1991, 1992) and three straight at Union County in Lake Butler (1994-96).
Friday, Oct. 4
Gainesville at Buchholz, 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
Santa Fe (Alachua) at Newberry, 7:30 p.m. – MDN
It’s a city showdown and an Alachua County showdown in our two games this week.
Last year Buchholz claimed the city title by defeating GHS, 35-7, to extend their winning streak to five games in the series.
Newberry cruised to a 68-10 win against Santa Fe in last year’s meeting and extended their winning streak against the Raiders to three straight games. This is a 2A-District 5 tune-up for the Panthers, who will likely play for the district title the following week.
Friday, Oct. 11
Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) at Buchholz, 7 p.m. – MDN
Bradford (Starke) at Newberry, 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
The Bobcats are in a new district this year (6A-District 3) which includes Bartram Trail (St. Johns), Nease (Ponte Vedra), and the visiting Toros, who finished 5-5 last year. This is the first meeting between the two teams.
Last year the Tornadoes made a run to the Class 2S state championship game before falling to defending state champion Cocoa. Bradford won a program-record 14 games last season. They will face a Newberry team that is expected to challenge for a Class 2A state title. However, they’re both in the same district this year (2A-District 5) so this could be the first of two meetings this year. This is the first meeting since Bradford’s 51-13 win in 2021.
Thursday, Oct. 17
Lake Weir (Ocala) at Gainesville, 7 p.m. – MDN
It’s the battle of the Hurricanes. Lake Weir finished 7-3 last year competing as an Independent. After a 1-9 season last year, this might just be what Gainesville needs. GHS is 10-0 against Lake Weir since 2009. This will be the first meeting between the two teams since Gainesville’s 47-24 win on Sept. 14, 2018.
Friday, Oct. 18
Sandalwood (Jacksonville) at Eastside, 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
As a 1986 graduate of Sandalwood, this has special meaning to me. Although the visiting Saints struggled last year with a 0-10 record, they compete in the largest classification (Class 7A), which should be a good test for the Class 3A Rams. It’s a rare meeting against a team from Duval County.
Friday, Oct. 25
Trinity Catholic (Ocala) at P.K. Yonge, 7 p.m. – MDN
Newberry at Williston, 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
Just as it was last year, this is a two-horse race for the district title. Last year, the Celtics dominated P.K. Yonge, 49-8, to claim their second-straight Class 1S-District 3 title. This year they are the only two teams in Class 1A-District 4.
This is a rematch of last year’s instant classic. Williston’s Jharez Williams scored on a 16-yard run on a Statue of Liberty play call with 47 seconds left to stun Newberry, 24-22. The Red Devils won the rest of their games for a second straight unbeaten regular season.
Thursday, Oct. 31
Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach) at Buchholz, 7 p.m. – MDN
The visiting Crusaders made the Class 1M state playoffs last year and finished with a 9-2 record following a 40-0 loss to nationally ranked (No. 2 by MaxPreps) and eventual 1M state champion Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood). This is the regular season finale and Senior Night for the Bobcats.
Friday, Nov. 1
Eastside at Gainesville, 7:30 p.m. – 106.9 FM
Two years ago, the Rams defeated the Hurricanes Rams, 36-0, during an 0-10 season for the Hurricanes. It was the first time that Eastside had defeated GHS since 2008. Eastside’s 42-0 win last year gave the Rams a 2-game winning streak in the series for the first time since 2007-08. Can Eastside, which is seeking its third straight district title in 2024, win its third straight in the series or will the Hurricanes swing the series back in their favor?
