JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mandarin made quick work of Bartram Trail, winning 49-7 and setting up a marquee matchup to close the regular season: the Varsity 4 Game of the Week against undefeated St. Augustine.
The Yellow Jackets are 9-0, and playoff positioning is still in play. But for Mandarin star Brysen Wright, the lead-up to Friday night comes with a personal layer that starts at home.
A dad on the sideline — and in St. Augustine’s halls
At the Wright home, trophies and plaques honoring the family accolades are spread all over. But its a “Top Jacket” trophy from when Brysen was 8 years old that his dad said stands out.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Colby Wright said.
He said its the moment Brysen Wright became BFye.
“He’s just super competitive,” Colby said. “He wants to win. He wants to be the best. And those two things are super important to him. And that’s just, you know, what drives him and motivates him.”
And he said much of that motivation was natural but some of the competition came from facing his older brother Myles each and every step of the way.
“I grew up watching him play football and made me want to play football… Our bond is real tight.”
And his dad says the four year age gap — pushed Brysen to where he is today.
But says a lot of it is BFye being who he has always been.
“I’m a big believer in letting things naturally occur,” Colby said. “And so, so a lot of these moments I let him have to himself in terms of how he prepares himself and how he responds.”
“It just means a lot,” Brysen said. “That’s my pop. So when I, when he tells me like I’m tripping or he can see I’m tripping, I know I got to tighten up.”
Colby Wright is not only Brysen’s dad — he is also part of the St. Augustine community.
“I’m a teacher,” he said. “Saint Augustine High.”
Colby Wright said he is a St. Augustine native and played football there.
“It’s fun,” Colby Wright said. “Those guys you grew up with playing against them on Friday night. … It’s all fun. Those guys are still family and friends.”
When it comes to the atmosphere around the matchup, Brysen Wright said the familiarity does not lower the temperature.
“It just put more fuel to the fire,” he said. “Going against my dogs. … Just making sure I win my reps.”
As for Colby Wright’s loyalties this week, he summed it up with a smile.
“I tell St. Aug they can go 14 and 1 every year,” he said. “That Mandarin beat them. And then they can go win the state championship after that.”
A test at the right time
Mandarin coach Toby Bullock expects a high-level matchup.
“I feel it’s going to be a really good game versus two really good football teams,” Bullock said. “They’re extremely well coached. We’re excited to play them. It’ll be a fun game.”
The game is also the final regular-season home game for Mandarin’s seniors, something Bullock said matters inside the program.
“The senior class is great,” Bullock said. “I love them to death and they’ve been really good for us. And so I would love to give them that.”
About the series: Varsity 4 “Plus 2”
Plus 2 is Varsity 4’s season-long, behind-the-scenes series following the Mandarin Mustangs — the work, the standards, and the moments that define a high school football season, week to week.
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