FORT WALTON BEACH -- Even as Choctawhatchee's offense finds its stride in the postseason, you can't help but buy into the adage that, yes, "defense wins championships."

A week after the second-seeded Big Green (10-2) opened the Region 1-4A playoffs with a 49-0 shutout of seventh-seeded Arnold in a game where they ceded just 80 yards of offense, Choctaw's defense forced four Escambia turnovers and scored twice Friday night on picks by Alante Reese and Hugh Boudreaux to rout the third-seeded Gators 41-7 at Joe Etheredge Stadium.

For the third straight year, Choctaw is bound for the Elite Eight and a trip to the Jacksonville area to face top-seeded Augustine for the rubber match in their short-lived-but-storybook rivalry. The teams split their previous two matchups, Choctaw beating St. Augustine 42-35 to open the playoffs in 2022 before losing 35-26 on the road in the region finals last year.

When's the last time Choctaw advanced to three straight Elite 8s? Head coach Frank Beasley, a Choctaw alum, certainly can't remember such a feat.

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"It means we're pretty good," Beasley said matter-of-factly.

Pretty good may be underselling it. Since back-to-back September losses to Pine Forest and Elite-Eight-bound Niceville, the Big Green have won seven straight and outscored foes 261-60. The latest was a rout of a 9-2 district champ whose only losses came to 5A powerhouses Mosley and Niceville.

Von Keller rushed 26 times for 179 yards to back up the defense's four turnovers forced and two scores That's a formula that'll never lose a game.

"We ran the ball really well and the defense just continues to play great," Beasley said. "We're excited about the trip (to St. Augustine). We're excited for the kids, for the program, for the community. I don't know if this has ever been done. The seniors are doing a great job and they still wanna play."

Two wins down, three to go for the Big Green.