Pine Forest has proven they are the team to beat in Class 3A-Suburban

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA- Was there ever a doubt that this Pine Forest Eagles team would be back in the conversation of getting back to states?

I guess if you really believe in championship loss hangovers then you might have resorted to the forgone conclusion that the Eagles would not be the front runner in Class 3A-Suburban. 

Yes, Pine Forest lost a heartbreaker down in Fort Lauderdale last year to Jesuit, 35-29, in the Class 6A state championship. That was obviously a tough pill to swallow for everyone up in the Central Time Zone of Pensacola. 

Leaving that all behind them and coming back even stronger was always the plan for Ronnie Douglas and crew, with the Eagles rolling through competition the first seven weeks of play. The latest challenger to Pine Forest’s undefeated mark was nearby Niceville, which was a state semifinalist in 2020 in Class 7A. 

Result? Pine Forest cruised past Niceville 28-7 in a contest that was competitive, but the Eagles proved they are the top team in the panhandle and for plenty of reasons. 

Everything starts up at the line of scrimmage and that’s where many teams have problems going up against Pine Forest. The Eagles feature one of the top offensive line units in the state of Florida, with Elijah Douglas and Jonathan Daniels paving the way. 

Both Douglas, a Georgia Tech commit, and Daniels, are 300-plus pound linemen that can prove to be very difficult for opposing defensive lines in the panhandle. They have led the way for 1,687 yards on the ground so far. 

Next most important position on the field obviously is at quarterback, where Pine Forest has themselves a good one in Tierra Wilson. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound signal caller has not only done it through the air, but on the ground as well. 

Wilson has completed 61-of-100 passes for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air and has rushed for an additional 402 with eight scores. His 19 total touchdowns make him one of the state’s top dual-threat quarterbacks. 

The skill players surrounding Wilson includes four other players that have rushed for 132 yards or more this season, including Miequle Brock (548 yards), Zhimer Brown (247 yards), Kobe Johnson (195 yards) and Donielle Hayes (132 yards). 

The defensive unit has been a stingy group when it comes to points, only yielding 7.4 a contest. Other than West Florida, no other team has scored more than nine points or more against the Eagles. 

Seven interceptions, 14 sacks and five fumble recoveries has this defense screaming havoc every time they take the field versus opposing offenses. 

This Pine Forest team is good and there’s no doubt about that. They should go undefeated with games versus Escambia and Pensacola Booker T. Washington left until the playoffs. From there, Pine Forest’s won’t be easy, but they’ll be the team to beat in Class 3A-Suburban. 

The Eagles want to right the wrong from last year and win a state championship. They will be the prohibitive favorites and rightfully so. When it comes to making a run, the only thing stopping them will be themselves. 

Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.