Fort Walton Beach, FL — FORT WALTON BEACH — "It got real, pretty quick." With one Cole Tabb highlight-reel 75-yard touchdown — a jaunt up the left sideline where he met two tacklers in the backfield only to put both on their backs — Wednesday's spring game at hospitable Steve Riggs Stadium went from friendly scrimmage to contentious playoff atmosphere. After all, these were two titans trying to get a gauge on the success of their respective springs. Niceville answered Tabb with a Harrison Orr 47-yard run to set up Deangelo Shorts's two-yard score, only to be met by Jesse Winslette capping a 75-yard drive with a three-yard keeper to paydirt. Kane Lafortune, just a freshman casts into the quarterback spotlight, capped the first half with a 3-yard touchdown run. 14-all, the scoreboard read as both varsity teams strolled to their respective end zones as the backups readied for their third quarter glory. Some say a tie is like kissing your sister. Well, not here. Grant Thompson and Frank Beasley — each chasing that perfect 10-0 regular-season with the understanding that starts with their rivals — agreed this had the environment of a playoff game, the former ushering the aforementioned "It got real, pretty quick" blurb. "They played well. What a good half of football," added Thompson, the three-time reigning Daily News Coach of the Year. "They're playing better football and that helps determine where we're at as a team." Echoed Beasley, who in his first year at the Big Green helm turned an 0-8 program into a 6-4 program despite losing 39-0 to Niceville: "It really doesn't (feel like spring football). But we gotta keep it all in perspective. They're looking at a bunch of kids. We're looking at a bunch of kids. We're breaking in some new things and they're doing the same thing, so two good programs meeting up to get a lot of reps in, it was all really good." With a vocal Beasley yelling "Be more physical" and praising his defense after one of its three stops and Thompson responding to the Eagles' second and final score with "That's fun! How about that?!" both coaches were clearly fired up. So what'd we learn from this way-too-early exercise, the fruition of three weeks of spring practice? Well, a lot. And nothing at all. Here's three takeaways for both programs, beginning with the benchmark Eagles. 1. Thompson's crew is weathering injuries Prized Power 5 recruit Jayden Sheppard was limping on the sideline after playing just one series. Harrison's Orr's shoulder was wrapped up with ice after a cross-up in signals left him sidelined. Micah Turner wasn't even involved in a snap until the second quarter. To call a 14-all tie a success with three starters out and missing 70% of last year's offense more than two-thirds of a Sweet-16-qualifying defense would be an understatement, as Niceville traditionally doesn't fare well in spring ball for whatever reason. They also understand this team will look very different come August — more physical, more disciplined, more on brand for what we expect from the University of Niceville. With Azareyeh Thomas and Addie Moore departed and only two offensive lineman returning and the same inexperience facing the defensive line, a long summer will serve this crew well. 2. Niceville is in good hands under center Orr, coming off a first-team all-area campaign at defensive back, dazzled during spring to win the QB1 job. Kane Lafortune dazzled Wednesday night. Regardless of who's starting their opener against North Miami Beach Aug. 26 at Eagle Stadium, and that very well appears to be the projectable 6-foot-2, 195-pound rising junior in Orr, Thompson is confident. Both marched the Eagles down to a score Wednesday night. It was Orr's 47-yard keeper that set up Shorts' 2 yard touchdown run. But the next drive would feature a David Pettway sack that ended Orr's night early. "Look, he's had a really nice spring, so we're thinking big things from him," Thompson said. Following the early exit, Kane proceeded to mount a seven-minute, 18-play drive that featured a 4-for-4 effort through the air and was capped by a 3-yard keeper to paydirt to knot the score at 14. "He ran the offense like he's supposed to," Thompson said. "Poised, confident, made good decisions. To come in cold in your first varsity action and to lead us down on an 18-play drive for a touchdown, that was impressive." 3. Niceville's defense needs reps Forced or not by Tabb's elusiveness, the missed tackles and lack of big hits were noticeable compared to the Eagles under Thompson. Tabb easily topped 100 yards and Jesse Winslette proved elusive in the pocket, able to get to the edge on most scrambles and turn upfield. The good news? Niceville held Choctaw scoreless on its final two drives, the last resulting in a Brendan Giddings interception. "We just didn't respond well to the speed of Cole Tabb early on, but we kind of settled in as it went on," Thompson said. "Cole Tabb is good player. He deserves all those offers." Speaking of Choctaw and Tabb .. 1. Tabb is the real deal, maybe even Michael Carter 2.0 Tabb won't go down against one tackler or even two. In the open field, between the tackles, on the edge ... the guy simply has a nose for the end zone. We saw that the second play of the night in breaking two tackles and outracing a secondary. Last year that blend of power and speed resulted in 1,731 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns. If Wednesday is any indication, those numbers should easily fall by, dare we say, October? 2. Winslette has transformed into a dual threat Last year the 6-foot-6 signal caller had just 18 carries for five yards and a score during the 6-4 campaign. From the looks of Wednesday, that ceiling is laughable. Against Niceville, he found the end zone on a tough-nosed keeper and piled up more than 50 rushing yards. "Let's go boys. Give me that TD," he yelled. After one 25-yard run, he absorbed a huge hit on the right sideline and popped right up, slapping a Niceville player on the helmet as to indicate, "Good hit, dude!" "We're trying to spread the ball a little more and we're focused on run-blocking for Cole and keeping people off Jesse," Beasley said. Winslette never appeared to buckle under a collapsing pocket, kept plays alive and showcased that speed we haven't seen from him just yet. Just a rising junior, his maturation into electric playmaker should be a fun journey. 3. Choctaw's defense looked legit Color Beasley impressed. The Big Green forced a punt on the opening drive and, after giving up a 47-yard run to Orr to set up Niceville's first touchdown, forced a three-and-out on Pettway's sack of Orr. Shorts and Demontre Allen had trouble finding the holes and any open field. In fact, the bulk of Niceville's ground game came behind Orr and Lafortune. Choctaw was just more physical behind the front-eight core of Jashawn Armstrong, Pettway, Jacob Muse and Co. "I was really impressed with our defense," Beasley said. "We'll go into the summer and get better and hopefully this will propel us to a great offseason and successful fall camp."