10 Round 2 Playoff Games To Check Out

Nobody needs to tell anyone how important this second round of the Florida State High School Football Playoffs are to those programs that still remain. It’s Friday and that means that stadiums from Homestead to Pensacola will be alive with playoff football – as programs will look to keep their dreams alive during this round that will spotlight some impressive teams. As we began Round 2, our state champions: Baker (1A), Hialeah Champagnat Catholic (2A), Jacksonville Trinity Christian (3A), Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (4A), Plantation American Heritage (5A), Miami Central (6A), Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (7A) and Sanford Seminole (8A) are very much alive. Keep in mind that Trinity Christian has moved to 2A and Miami Central to 5A, so things can get mighty interesting. Every Friday we bring you 10 Top Games to check out – and as there are many quality matchups – here is this week’s games to keep an eye on: 8A No. 3 Apopka (9-2) at No. 2 St. Johns Bartram Trail (9-2). This is a very interesting game that will pit two very hot teams – and the Blue Darters have been in the mix for a state championship the past three seasons. The Bears are very tough at home and that figures to keep this contest a low scoring affair. One that should come down the final minutes. 7A No. 4 Lakeland Lake Gibson (7-3) at No. 1 Orlando Edgewater (10-1). On the surface, the Eagles are at home and are two-time defending state runner ups and come into this contest playing very well. But this Braves’ team may be hard to figure out, but own two wins over rival Lakeland and have the athletes to hang in there with just about anyone. 6A No. 3 Miami Northwestern (8-3) at No. 2 Naples (10-0). A few weeks ago, when Miami Central ran the clock on the Bulls, many wondered about this program that started the season with an exhibition loss to Venice as well as two setbacks to Central and one to national power IMG Academy, but this is a very talented team capable of playing against anyone. People are NOT giving the Golden Eagles a chance at home in this one, and from a pure football perspective, Naples is NOT Northwestern or Central and until they prove otherwise, they will be huge underdogs. It’s up to them to break this long-standing cycle. No. 3 Orlando Jones (9-2) at No. 2 Auburndale (9-0). This is a really good matchup on the surface – with the Tigers getting the nod for being in these games the past two years. But they are on the road against a talented and unbeaten Bloodhound team that has not been down this road in a long while. Good Polk County contest to catch! 5A No. 3 Miami Central (8-2) at No. 2 American Heritage (6-3). The game of games. Simple as that. These two teams were Top 15 nationally when things got under way, and if you check the Rockets or Patriots’ rosters, you will see plainly why these teams are capable of beating anyone on any given night. A lot has changed from a national standpoint, but the winner of this game will be hard to knock off on the way to Fort Lauderdale and the 5A state title game. 4A No. 3 Keystone Heights (10-1) at No. 2 The Villages Charter (10-0). Here is a game where two programs that rarely get the spotlight will certainly receive their share – especially because these two program have won 20 of 21 games heading into this second round. This should really be an entertaining contest between two schools who can score. 3A No. 3 Tallahassee Florida High (9-1) at No. 2 DeFuniak Springs Walton (9-1). Another one of those interesting contests as Florida High will be on the road after another impressive season that kept them in the spotlight throughout the season, posting a few very big wins. While this should be a home field advantage for this impressive and talented team, they will have to play a mistake free game against a lower, but talented seed. This could truly be one of the best games in the area. 2A No. 5 Fort Pierce John Carroll (6-2) at No. 1 Hollywood Avant Garde (8-0). If you follow football, you know that while Avant Garde has been around for a few years, they have never had a season like this – going unbeaten and stealing a No. 1 seed away from two-time defending state champion Champagnat Catholic. This is a really good team – on both sides of the ball, using some veteran players to go along with very young performers. John Carroll is another one of those programs, who have been building toward this point – with solid performers who have talent. If the Sharks win this game, they could be a very tough out, but they are up against their toughest assignment, even if it’s at home. 1A No. 3 Madison County (8-3) at No. 2 Port St. Joe (8-1). The Cowboys have dominated 1A through the years, and while they come into this contest with three losses, they have all come against larger competition. They are still very dangerous. Speaking of dangerous, the Sharks at home is never an easy assignment. They have plenty of impressive talent and tremendous coaching, but size is truly in Madison County’s favor. No. 3 Lake Butler Union County (11-0) at No. 2 Hilliard (9-1). Football purists all remember the great programs that Union County has had in the past, but this is a different time – with players and coaches who have not advanced this far, but this program has answered every bell – and going on the road in the second round of the state playoffs will not be easy. Hilliard is a solid team that will play all four quarters, as they have throughout a very productive season. THURSDAY’S RESULTS 8A No. 2 Miami Palmetto (9-2) 27, No. 3 Deerfield Beach (9-3) 14 5A No. 1 Miami Killian (12-0) 37, No. 5 Fort Lauderdale Stranahan (7-5) 0   DON’T MISS ANYTHING – YEAR ROUND ON PREP REDZONE FLORIDA. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/florida/">https://prepredzone.com/florida/</a> You Can Contact [player_tooltip player_id="111610" first="Larry" last="Blustein"] with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com