No. 17 – Timber Creek Wolves

2016: 8-4, lost to Winter Park 35-21 in 8A region semifinals

Head Coach: Jim Buckridge (17th, 103-71)

Key Returners: RB Peter Hayes-Patrick (204 car, 1,379 yds, 19 TD), LB Parker Smith (110 tk, 8 TFL), ATH Caleb Blake (64 tk, 3 INT), DB Brendon Lightsey (42 tk)

The Scoop: Timber Creek pulled off one of the biggest playoff upsets in area history last season by knocking off No. 1 ranked Apopka in the first round. Despite a second round loss to district rival Winter Park, the Wolves still experienced another successful season. With 10 playoff appearances in the last 11 years, reaching the postseason has become the norm for Timber Creek.

Running back Peter Hayes-Patrick leads a strong corps of juniors that should serve as the foundation of the Wolves program for the next two seasons. Hayes-Patrick, who eclipsed 100 rushing yards in seven games last season, holds offers from Florida State, Kentucky, Ohio State and UCF.

Other juniors Caleb Blake and Brendon Lightsey figure to see time on both sides of the ball after playing almost exclusively in the secondary last season. Coach Jim Buckridge hopes to give his offense another dynamic by giving Blake and Lightsey more reps.

Senior linebacker Parker Smith, who won a state championship in the spring with Timber Creek’s baseball team, was the leading tackler last season and is one of four returning defensive starters.

Quotable: “I feel like every year, we, through all the sports we have we don’t get any respect.” –senior linebacker Parker Smith.

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With 10 playoff appearances in the last 11 years, Timber Creek is established as a consistent winner.

Despite that success, players say the program isn’t getting the attention it deserves.

“I feel like every year, we, through all the sports we have we don’t get any respect,” senior linebacker Parker Smith said.

The perceived slight provides motivation in the locker room.

“It kind of pushes us and gives us a chip on our shoulder and I think that’s why me personally, I work as hard as I do,” Smith said.

“We try not to beat the respect thing too much but it is there in the background and the kids do like it when we beat good teams,” Wolves coach Jim Buckridge said. “We beat Wekiva, a very good team last year.”

The Wolves also knocked off perennial power Apopka in a shocking first round upset that bolstered the program’s reputation of being able to play with the big boys.

“Obviously beating Apopka is a big win with them being number one in the state but it was last year, so it’s a little bit to build on,” Buckridge said.

Last year, we really realized after we beat Apopka what we could do and what we could do as a team,” Smith said.

With a strong crop of juniors, the Wolves project to be in the postseason again this year.

But regardless of the talent level, Timber Creek fields a competitive team every season. And Buckridge’s philosophy remains constant.  

“They’re really good kids and the buy in to what we do and they’re very coachable and really the chemistry is what sets us apart from a lot of the other teams,” Buckridge said.