Choctawhatchee (Florida) is playing its best football at the right time

The Indians throughout the season have been up and down, but now look like a team ready to make a deep playoff run

FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA- If you were trying to get a read on the Choctawhatchee Indians in the first half of the season, forget about it. 

The opening five games were somewhat of a mixed bag when it came to the Fighting Frank Beasley's, a nickname given to the team after last year's stellar postseason run. 

A 41-17 season-opening loss to Pace was head scratching and then a loss to Niceville nearly a month later had a Choctawhatchee team with state championship aspirations sitting at 3-2. 

That certainly isn't going to get it done in November nonetheless looking into booking any hotel reservations in Tallahassee for December. 

The second half of the season, however, has been a lot more like it for the Indians. Choctawhatchee has bounced back from the hot-cold stretch to start the season to being winners of five straight games. 

What has been the difference? Getting healthy and playing to their fullest potential down the stretch. 

Beasley, head coach for the Indians, has seen his offense out-score opponents 215-57 during the five-game winning streak and it hasn't been a soft portion of the schedule, either. 

The Indians (8-2) have notched victories during the win streak against talented teams like Escambia, Mosley and South Walton along the way. Knowing this team has begun to really peek, however, is taking a closer look at the final two games of the season. 

Wins over an improved Fort Walton Beach and district champion Mosley were close as one may expect. The Indians straight up ran away and dominated in each game as Beasley's defense notched back-to-back shutouts en route to out-scoring the opposition 76-0. 

The most recent victory over Mosley proved that Choctawhatchee is ready to make a serious run through the Class 3S playoffs, with many seeing the Indians on the state level as a darkhorse contender in winning it all. 

Leading the way all season long on offense for the Indians has been the play of dual-threat quarterback Jesse Winslette. Running back Cole Tabb, a Stanford commitment, has missed a couple games due to injury, and Winslette has stepped up in his place. 

On the season, Winslette has completed 81-of-154 passes for 1,354 yards, 19 touchdowns and a mere one interception. Winslette has also rushed for 144 yards and four touchdowns. 

The key to everything is needing a healthy Tabb in the lineup in order for Choctawhatchee to make it deep into November and possibly December. Through seven games played, Tabb has rushed for 1,039 yards on 116 carries and scored seven touchdowns. 

If Beasley's bunch wants to get by the region final round this time around, they'll need their two key pieces on offense to be playing at their best and healthy. With the way the Indians have looked in the second half of the season, the momentum heading into the playoffs looks very promising. 

Potentially Tallahassee bound promising at that. 

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl