Choctaw RB Dante Whidbee carries the ball during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw RB Dante Whidbee carries the ball during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Fort Walton Beach area high school football Week 10 picks, predictions
Niceville MLB Noah Renes tackles Choctaw RB Dante Whidbee during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw QB Isaiah Collins hands off to Choctaw RB Dante Whidbee during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw QB Isaiah Collins leaps as the Indians score on their first possession during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville RB Jakobe Gilyard runs with the ball during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville RB Jakobe Gilyard avoids a tackle during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville QB Deagan McCoy rolls out during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville TE Jason Leach runs after a reception during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville kicker Nate Martinez attempts a short field goal during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
The Indians defense forces a fumble during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw QB Isaiah Collins looks for a receiver during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville returner Caleb Leonard is tackled by Choctaw DB Jordyn Long during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville WR Caleb Leonard runs for extra yards after a catch during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville defender Isaac Wyatt and Choctaw returner Amir Reese push at each other during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw RB Dante Whidbee is wrapped up by Niceville MLB Noah Renes during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw QB Baker Giles scrambles during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw RB Von’tavius Keller gains yardage during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw QB Baker Giles throws to the corner of the end zone during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville DB DJ Stafford breaks up a pass to Choctaw WR Noah Calderon in the end zone during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw TE Ryne Burks hauls in a pass for a touchdown during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw TE Ryne Burks hauls in a pass for a touchdown during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw TE Ryne Burks celebrates a touchdown during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw DE Bryce Henderson breaks into the backfield during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville TE Jason Leach signals a first down after a long gain during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville RB Jakobe Gilyard is stopped near the goal line during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville QB Deagan McCoy throws a pass to the flat during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville QB Deagan McCoy passes during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Niceville RB Jakobe Gilyard cuts towards the end zone during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
A Choctaw player performs with the band at halftime during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw head coach Frank Beasley adjusts his headphones during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
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Choctaw rides ground game to rout of Niceville
Choctaw returner Amir Reese evades Niceville defenders on a return during the Choctaw Niceville high school football game at Choctaw.
(Michael Snyder, Michael Snyder)
FORT WALTON BEACH — Choctaw’s 48-18 rout of Mosley in Friday’s Region 1-4A quarterfinal at Joe Etheredge Stadium wasn’t about redemption.
It was more about fifth-seeded Mosley (9-2), which handed fourth-seeded Choctaw (8-2) a 15-13 loss in the season opener at Tommy Oliver Stadium, simply getting in the way of a powerhouse with 10 wins in its 14 playoff games since 2022.
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No matter the 0-2 start to 2026. No matter the myriad injuries. No matter the Week 1 setback to Mosley, which came in the absence of DC Terrence Brooks. Death, taxes and Choctaw being a second half team … those are the only constants in life.
“When you get to this stage, when you do this consistently, our kids understand it’s not a 10-game season,” Choctaw head coach Frank Beasley said. “It’s a 15-, 14-, 13-game year. It’s a long haul. Our kids know how to handle themselves, they know how to show up on time and they know how to win playoff games, whether it be here or on the road.”
They’ll have to find an answer for Choctaw’s ground game, which scored six times against Mosley behind three touchdowns and 200 yards from Carter Marracco, another two scores from Von Keller and a 40-yard score from Dante Whidbee. Marracco especially shined in the wildcat, needing just two carries into 65 yards on the opening drive to score and finding the end zone on runs of 39, 3 and 3 out of the direct snap.
“With Von and Dante back there, it helps,” said Marracco. “They have to worry about all three of us back there, so it’s a big threat. To start the game, you’re not expecting that. You have to get your eyes ready for it. We break free, they lose tackles and they pull the defense away and open up gaps and the O-line does amazing.”
Beasley can agree about the O-line, saying the run game frees up the rest of the offense. He says the credit extends up and down the offense, pointing specifically to Baker Giles’ 26-yard touchdown to Noah Calderon as pivotal moment that put the Big Green up 21-11 and gave the junior QB confidence after a pair of lost fumbles.
“Good things are happening when our O-line starts blocking and I’ll tell you, it really starts wearing on safeties when they have to come down in the box,” Beasley said. “We hit a big RPO to Noah for a touchdown and our wide receivers are playing so unselfish now. They’re getting downfield and blocking better than they have all year. They’re really selling out. We talk to our guys about doing whatever it takes to get to the next one and they’re doing that.”
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Choctaw’s defense is certainly doing everything it can each week. With Brooks on the sideline, the Big Green are unbeaten and allowing 12 points per game. He wasn’t there during the first matchup with Mosley due to obligations involving the NFL. Now his crew is dialed in, making adjustments and, most importantly, making tackles and applying the pressure.
“I have a standard about myself that no matter who we play or what time of day, we do things the right way,” Brooks said. “And our group, they think the same exact way from offense to defense to special teams, and you see that reflected in the way they pick each other up and carry themselves.”
As for health, which Choctaw looked better than ever Friday with CJ Reynolds, TJ Franklin and Isaiah Matthews dominating up front, Brooks said, “We’re getting there. We’re still got the little bangs and bruises here and there, but we’re getting them treatment. Patty, our trainer, she’s amazing. She gets these guys ready to go even when we can’t, so we’ll get even healthier this week and stay hydrated.”
