JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
A dad on the sideline \u2014 and in St. Augustine\u2019s halls<\/p>\n
At the Wright home, trophies and plaques honoring the family accolades are spread all over. But its a \u201cTop Jacket\u201d trophy from when Brysen was 8 years old that his dad said stands out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t miss it for the world,\u201d Colby Wright said.<\/p>\n
He said its the moment Brysen Wright became BFye.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just super competitive,\u201d Colby said. \u201cHe wants to win. He wants to be the best. And those two things are super important to him. And that\u2019s just, you know, what drives him and motivates him.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up watching him play football and made me want to play football… Our bond is real tight.\u201d<\/p>\n
And his dad says the four year age gap \u2014 pushed Brysen to where he is today.<\/p>\n
But says a lot of it is BFye being who he has always been.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a big believer in letting things naturally occur,\u201d Colby said. \u201cAnd so, so a lot of these moments I let him have to himself in terms of how he prepares himself and how he responds.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cIt just means a lot,\u201d Brysen said. \u201cThat\u2019s my pop. So when I, when he tells me like I\u2019m tripping or he can see I\u2019m tripping, I know I got to tighten up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colby Wright is not only Brysen\u2019s dad \u2014 he is also part of the St. Augustine community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a teacher,\u201d he said. \u201cSaint Augustine High.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colby Wright said he is a St. Augustine native and played football there.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fun,\u201d Colby Wright said. \u201cThose guys you grew up with playing against them on Friday night. \u2026 It\u2019s all fun. Those guys are still family and friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it comes to the atmosphere around the matchup, Brysen Wright said the familiarity does not lower the temperature.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just put more fuel to the fire,\u201d he said. \u201cGoing against my dogs. \u2026 Just making sure I win my reps.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for Colby Wright\u2019s loyalties this week, he summed it up with a smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tell St. Aug they can go 14 and 1 every year,\u201d he said. \u201cThat Mandarin beat them. And then they can go win the state championship after that.\u201d<\/p>\n
A test at the right time<\/p>\n
Mandarin coach Toby Bullock expects a high-level matchup.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel it\u2019s going to be a really good game versus two really good football teams,\u201d Bullock said. \u201cThey\u2019re extremely well coached. We\u2019re excited to play them. It\u2019ll be a fun game.\u201d<\/p>\n
The game is also the final regular-season home game for Mandarin\u2019s seniors, something Bullock said matters inside the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe senior class is great,\u201d Bullock said. \u201cI love them to death and they\u2019ve been really good for us. And so I would love to give them that.\u201d<\/p>\n
About the series: Varsity 4 \u201cPlus 2\u201d<\/p>\n