The 2024 high school football season is in the books and we're unveiling our top 16 players and our Varsity 4 All-News4JAX football teams. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin break down our top 16 players and what those athletes did to turn heads in 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It was a tough finish for the Raines football team in a 41-0 loss to Miami Northwestern in the Class 3A state championship game. The title games as a whole were dominated by South Florida teams. In this era of football, how can teams like Mandarin, Oakleaf, Raines and St. Augustine be better prepared for the state series-level games? Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin offer some suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Three local teams played in the state football semifinals and only one made it through. The Raines Vikings head to Pitbull Stadium on Saturday night for a date with Miami Northwestern in the Class 3A state championship game. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin break down the matchup in this episode of the Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Only three local teams are still standing in the high school football state playoffs — Raines, St. Augustine and Trinity Christian. The Vikings are the lone area program to be playing at home. Which team or teams will be moving on to championship games? Plus, our best guesses at an early signing day flip as Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin break things down in this Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Raines has been on a tear the likes of which we haven't seen in quite some time. The Vikings are 11-0 and walloping opponents in the playoffs. Can Bishop Kenny cool off the Vikings in the regional finals? Plus, looks at the other classifications and which teams we think will be playing on into December. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin break the brackets down in a Thanksgiving edition of the Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After a very good opening week of the high school football playoffs, we're in the second round of the postseason with some excellent local showdowns on tap. Plus, an update from a state representative on how the low pay issue in Florida could be approached next year. All that and more in this episode of the Varsity 4 podcast with Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The high school football playoffs are here. There were some grumbles around the state after the brackets were announced, with some very valid points. Should the FHSAA be more transparent in how its formula with MaxPreps works or is it balanced already? What about going to a system like the one in Georgia? Plus, Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin break down our favorite first-round matchups and how many local teams will move on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Who are our favorite and top high school football players of the last five seasons? Names like Grayson Howard, Orel Gray and Drake Stubbs come to mind. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin talk about the final week of the regular season, our Super 10 teams, a questionable sideline forearm and then discuss our top players from 2020-2024 in this episode of the Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's the final full week of the regular season in high school football and just about every district title has been decided. Plus, why teams like Christ's Church, Paxon, Stanton and West Nassau provide the blueprint on what smaller programs should consider doing. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin cover all the bases in Week 11 of the Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's Week 10 of the high school football season and the playoff picture is coming into focus as district races wind down. Plus, Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin discuss which of our Super 10 teams can make it at least two rounds deep into the postseason. Do Raines, Nease and St. Augustine shape up to be the area's best contenders? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After weeks of hurricane and weather cancellations, postponements and delays, we should be back on track with a normal high school football schedule. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin recap a wild Monday night of football in Week 8 and look ahead to Week 9. Plus, one team we think could wind up in Miami playing for a championship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hurricane Milton is shaking up the high school football Week 8 schedule. Plus, Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin draft our top four players and three coaches to start their own high school football franchise. All that and our updated Super 10 rankings in this week's Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nease has been on a tear and its 20-17 OT win over Buchholz on Monday night is further proof that the Panthers just may be the area's best team. Plus, small schools St. Joseph, Union County and Zarephath Academy are having excellent seasons and can the Raines defense turn up the pressure a little bit more. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin cover the action from Week 6 and look ahead to Week 7. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hurricane Helene has shaken up Week 6 of the high school football season, but we do have some games of merit. Plus, how the surging Nease Panthers have rocketed up to state prominence under coach Collin Drafts. Plus, it's been tough to see the injuries stack up on the preseason No. 1 Mandarin Mustangs. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin cover all the bases in this week's episode of the Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're almost at the midway point of the high school football regular season and the heavyweights are beginning to step forward. Bradford knocked off top-ranked Mandarin to trigger a big shakeup in the Super 10. Plus, we look at our preseason candidates for state championship seasons and if we still think they're positioned to make that run. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin cover all the bases in a Week 5 edition of the Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch...
Weather has been uncooperative early in the high school football season, with a handful of games taken off the books in Week 3. Plus, how does an injury to Mandarin QB Tramell Jones change the championship forecast for the Mustangs? And does school size really mean what it used to on the field or are student enrollment numbers a dated way of putting schools in classes? Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin cover those topics and look ahead to Week 4. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...
The Varsity 4 podcast heads into Week 3 of the high school football season and we've got a headliner clash between No. 2 St. Augustine and No. 4 Bolles. Plus, a look back on some big performances, including a five-TD game for Tae'shaun Gelsey of Riverside and a tough injury to Mandarin quarterback Tramell Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It was a blockbuster opening week of the high school football season, including a tense Raines win over Bolles in a classic that turned heated from things off the field. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin recap a stellar 2024 opening week and look ahead to a big Week 2 in this episode of the Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The high school football regular season is here. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin break down our top four games and list the four games that aren't scheduled this season that we'd love to see in this Varsity 4 podcast that kicks off the 2024 season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The high school football regular season is just over a week away. Every team thinks it can win a championship but few have a realistic opportunity to win it. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin break down the contenders and the pretenders in this episode of the Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The high school football regular season is less than a month away. We kick off our new brand in Varsity 4, unveil our preseason Super 10, kick around name, image and likeness in Florida and what we're looking forward to this season. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin kick off the march to the season in the Varsity 4 podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The FHSAA voted to approve name, image and likeness in high school sports this summer, a seismic change for athletes here. What does it mean for Florida? And the addition of a championship division to start in 2026 will create a playoff bracket for blue chippers. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin debate the good and the bad of both. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It was a special high school football season with a bunch of special players. Who did we think were among the best? Names like Laython Biddle, Tramell Jones, Locklan Hewlett, Jaime Ffrench and more in this edition of the V4RSITY podcast. Plus, the FHSAA is trying to find the balance for a new playoff system and it hasn't been easy or pretty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It was a disappointing week in Tallahassee as Bradford, Mandarin and St. Augustine all came up short in championship games. Unpacking that challenging week, and looking ahead as a new postseason system is on the horizon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bradford survived in overtime. Mandarin's offense turned in another gem on the road. And St. Augustine's defense and ground game looked excellent for another week. Now, it's title time. Will any area team bring home a championship this week in Tallahassee? Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin talk about the chances for area teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's state semifinals time for high school football teams. Bolles, Bradford, Mandarin, St. Augustine and Trinity Christian are in the state final four. Can any of those teams clear the hurdle and reach the championship after the area was shut out of the finals last year for the first time since 2000? Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin recap a festive regional final week and look at the best options for title game appearances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Any time a high school football team can make it to a Thanksgiving morning practice, that's a successful season. Baker County, Bartram Trail, Bradford, Bolles, Mandarin, St. Augustine, Trinity Christian and Union County are all still standing tall. Plus, fall season wraps up with cross country state championships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're in the heart of the high school football playoffs and we've got some excellent rematches in the second round, including Bolles-Raines, Mandarin-Lake Mary and University Christian-Trinity Christian. Plus, it's a banner time of year for volleyball, golf and swimming teams from the area. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin take you through a big week in the area in this week's episode of the V4RSITY podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The playoff brackets are here! Creekside and Nease shine down the stretch. Plus, it's rematches galore. And, what we like and what we don't like about the playoff system. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin cover a lot of ground in this week's edition of the V4RSITY podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nease's upset over Ponte Vedra in Week 10 created a wild scenario for the final week of the regular season. Plus, Bolles, First Coast and Raines get a little bit of payback with district championships. Justin Barney and Sponge Franklin recap a wild Week 10 and look ahead to some postseason scenarios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
