HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

An always excellent rivalry clash. Can Nease get over the hump against rival Ponte Vedra in our Football Friday Game of the Week? The game will streamed on News4JAX.com and on the News4JAX+ app. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Sofia Chepenik became the first female college athlete to sign a lifetime Name, Image, and Likeness deal. She was announced as part of the seven-member inaugural transfer class for the University of South Florida girls lacrosse team.

Facing blowback, the director of Florida’s high school sports governing body is backing away from using an eligibility form that requires female athletes to disclose their menstrual history.

There are a few high school sports dynasties in our area. Bolles swimming and St. Johns Country Day girls soccer jump right to mind. But we should include the cheerleading program at West Nassau in that list.

Facing blowback, the director of Florida’s high school sports governing body is backing away from using an eligibility form that requires female athletes to disclose their menstrual history.

Two Bishop John J. Snyder High School baseball players were arrested Monday in connection with threats made toward their African American teammate, according to reports from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Our Football Friday Game of the Week for Week 7 is Yulee at Baldwin.

On Sept. 23, Wewoka High School’s football team was about to forfeit a game due to a lack of players when it asked a couple of senior girls at the school if they would suit up to give the team enough players.

Three key takeaways from the state’s football scene -- and a glimpse at what’s to come next week.

It’s Week 3 of Football Friday, and our game of the week is Raines High School at Sandalwood High School.

As the announcement blared over the school’s PA system, Zahria Liggans became curious.

Hobbs Kessler produced one of the greatest runs ever by an American high schooler.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – An estimated 1,700 in-person school days were lost as a result of COVID-19 isolation and quarantining and one person died after a two-day wrestling tournament that featured athletes from 10 high schools across three Florida counties, according to federal study released Tuesday. The study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not disclose the names of the three counties, but the host county had a 7.7% COVID-19 positivity rate when it hosted the event. The tournament on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5 was attended by 130 wrestlers, coaches and referees. Through contact tracing, public health officials determined that those 38 patients had close contacts with 446 people, most of them at school. Among contacts, virus-attack rates were highest among household members and wrestlers who did not attend the tournament.

Those are just a few of the questions News4Jax Sports Editor Justin Barney fielded during Tuesday’s Ask Me Anything. A lot of youth on this year’s Jaguars team and I think that inexperience is going to continue to show. I think a 5- or 6-win season is in the cards in 2020 for the Jaguars. Justin: I think it’s too early to say he’s overmatched or that he’s a franchise QB. Justin: I’ll take the Jaguars this week and hope that the coaching staff has corrected that pitiful effort against the Dolphins.

With so much uncertainty surrounding high school sports this year, News4Jax wants to provide an outlet for all your thoughts and outstanding questions. And what better way to do that than by hearing directly from you? So were launching a mailbag feature for Insiders, whether youre a parent, student-athlete, administrator or fan. Share your concerns, musings and questions and, if theyre selected, sports editor Justin Barney will write about them. Just fill out the form below (app users click here instead):

Kelsey Sparks is captain of the competitive cheerleading squad at Creekside High School. Kelsey is in the National Honor Society, Link Crew, the Senior Beta Club, Senior Women and Best Buddies. Her volunteer work includes working with Christian Cheerleaders of America teaching cheer camps to groups all over the United States. She also volunteers with the March of Dimes and Ronald McDonald House. Kelsey currently has a 4.3 GPA.