Team: Wakulla War Eagles
Sunshine State 25 Preseason Ranking: No. 20
Head Coach: Scott Klees
2014 Record: 8-3
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Look Back On 2014
Wakulla was able to bounce back from a 2013 season that saw them win 8 games and being out of the playoffs to finishing 8-3 overall after reaching the playoffs last season with a lot of promise coming for the 2015 season.
Players To Watch
QB Feleipe Franks, Sr.; RB/LB Monterious Loggins, Sr.; RB Demarcus Lindsey, Jr.; RB/LB Antonio Morris, Sr.; WR Keith Gavin, Jr.; OL Kyle Weaver, Jr.; S Jake McCarl, Sr.; LB Andrew Gaylord, Sr. WR/DB Kelton Donaldson, Jr.
The Outlook
Wakulla could be looking at the best season they have had since 2011 when the War Eagles reached the Class 5A state championship.
The War Eagles will be led by Elite 11 quarterback Feleipe Franks who racked up 2,200 yards through the air last year along with 28 touchdowns while Franks’ favorite target Keith Gavin is back to help Franks have another big season. Gavin himself caught 44 passes from Franks last season for 1,131 yards.
There will be other key players that will help contribute across both sides of the ball for the War Eagles including Monterious Loggins who is receiving Division I attention like Franks and Gavin has while rising junior Kelton Donaldson will see his named called often.
Coach Klees feels his offensive line is the best he has had in his coaching tenure at Wakulla and he is expecting big things from the as they help protect Franks in the passing game.
Overall, the War Eagles will still have a small district to contend with and if they start of the season with wins against Spartanburg and Cathedral Prep, they very well could out with a solid record towards the time postseason rolls around, but that also means winning the district games to put them in the drivers seat for the playoffs.
To learn more about Wakulla for the 2015 season, watch our interview above with Coach Klees.
The District
District 5A-2 was one of the very few districts to remain untouched by the FHSAA in the latest reclassification cycle. As such Wakulla, Godby and Rickards are all capable of producing a playoff contending team and the two district games for each matter. It should also be noted that a team from District 5A-2 has represented Class 5A North three times out of the last four year in state championships games.
Three Games To Watch
Saturday 8/29 vs. Spartanburg, SC – The will be the first high school football game to ever be televised on ESPN from the Big Bend Region and it will start the season for the War Eagles. The War Eagles should be ready for this one and if they come out on top, this will be one game that national analyst will look back on to see if Wakulla is deserving of a national ranking during the season.
Thursday 10/1 at Godby – First of two district games for the War Eagles comes at the start of October. Godby will be a solid team and it will be interesting to see where the Cougars are actually at when this game comes around. For the War Eagles, they should be battled tested at this particular point after opening up the season with four out of five solid teams. If the War Eagles win, this will put them in the driver’s seat for the district championship. For all of this to happen though, they will need to play near-perfect football.
Friday 10/16 Rickards – The second of two district games for the War Eagles and this will likely secure a playoff spot for someone, knock someone out or throw the district into a tiebreaker situation. Knowing that there are a few scenarios here for all three teams in District 5A-2, Wakulla will want to win this one to secure a playoff spot. What will be nice for Wakulla is the fact their bye week is sandwiched between the two district games. That should have the War Eagles well rested for when the Raiders come to town.
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Previous Sunshine State 25 Countdown Stories
No. 21: Naples
No. 22: Lake Gibson
No. 23: North Marion
No. 24: Palm Bay Heritage
No. 25: Bishop Moore
