The Ponte Vedra area's two high school football programs opened the 2026 season on the wrong side of the scoreboard, with Nease falling 30-23 to Ed White in a preseason kickoff classic and Ponte Vedra absorbing a 40-7 loss to St. Augustine.
Ed White 30, Nease 23
The Panthers hosted the Ed White Commanders in a preseason kickoff classic at Ponte Vedra High School on Thursday, Aug. 13, and jumped out early. Senior running back Enrique Ordonez rushed for a first-quarter touchdown that put Nease ahead 9-0. Senior wide receiver Tyshawn Ford added a long safety-kick return and caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Aiden Phifer.
The early cushion didn't hold. Ed White took a 30-23 lead before thunderstorms ended the game during the third quarter, according to the Ponte Vedra Recorder.
Nease drew attention during spring ball earlier this year when more than 50 schools visited to evaluate Panthers players, according to the program's website. That recruiting interest didn't translate into a preseason victory, but the individual performances from Ordonez and Ford suggest the Panthers have playmakers who can carry the offense into the regular season.
St. Augustine 40, Ponte Vedra 7
The Sharks opened their preseason a day later, on Friday, Aug. 14, against the St. Augustine Yellow Jackets in a kickoff classic. Quarterback Carter Sole threw an early interception that was returned for a pick-six, and the Sharks never recovered in the lopsided 40-7 result.
Ponte Vedra enters the season as the defending FHSAA Class 5A regional champion from its 2025 playoff run, when the Sharks won the regional title and reached the state semifinal, according to the program's official social media account. The Sharks also described their 2026 district as "the most loaded district in 5A in the State of Florida," signaling a challenging road ahead even before the blowout loss to St. Augustine.
Regular-season openers
Both teams opened the regular season on Friday, Aug. 21. Creekside defeated Nease 21-14 at Creekside High School after a location change. University Christian defeated Ponte Vedra 31-29 at the Shark Tank.
Nease is scheduled to play at St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra is scheduled to play at Bishop Kenny on Friday, Aug. 28.
