Playoff Week 3: Things Are Taking Shape
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As we head into the third round of the state football playoffs in the Sunshine State, you can already see how things are starting to fall into place.
While there continues to be upsets along the way, many of the favorites are emerging – as the final few weeks of the 2021 season winds down.
With the loss by IMG Academy to the same team that Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas beat, the Ascenders drop in the polls for the first time this season as their year comes to an end. Our new No. 1 team is Tampa Plant, which beat St. Thomas Aquinas earlier in the season.
Here is a look at the latest ranking from Florida Prep Redzone, heading into the third week of the state playoffs:
1. Tampa Jesuit (6A, 12-0). The Tigers move into the top spot with a convincing second round win against Bradenton Braden River, 49-9. THIS WEEK: It’s a rematch against No. 7 seed Tampa Hillsborough.
2. Miami Central (5A, 9-2). The Rockets blasted off with a 41-28 win against No. 2 seed Plantation American Heritage. THIS WEEK: No. 1 seed Miami Killian (12-0) is next up on Saturday.
3. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (7A, 12-1). The two-time defending state champions rolled to a 42-12 win over No. 4 seed Miramar. THIS WEEK: It could be a test as No. 2 Homestead (10-1) travels north.
4. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (3A, 9-1). The No. 1 seed Lions, searching for a sixth straight trip to the 3A state finals, beat No. 5 seed Miami Edison, 45-0. THIS WEEK: No. 3 seed and much improved West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (8-3) pays a visit.
5. Bradenton IMG Academy (Independent, 9-1). With a week off, the Ascenders get back to it this week. THIS WEEK: SEASON IS FINISHED.
6. Sanford Seminole (8A, 12-1). The defending champs beat No. 5 seed Lake Mary for the second time this season – 18-7. THIS WEEK: A huge meeting with No. 3 seed Apopka (10-2). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
7. Venice (8A, 11-1). The Indians once again scored over 50 in a 56-14 win over district rival Sarasota Riverview. THIS WEEK: A very interesting meeting with No. 2 seed Winter Garden West Orange (11-1) on Friday.
8. Tampa Bay Tech (7A, 12-0). The Titans won for the 12th straight time this season with a hard-fought 26-18 victory over No. 4 seed Palmetto. THIS WEEK: A rematch with a very impressive No. 6 seed Tampa Wharton (9-2).
9. Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (4A, 8-2). The defending 4A state champions played their first game in the playoffs and came away with a 42-0 win over No. 6 Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest. THIS WEEK: A huge matchup at No. 1 seed Miami Gulliver Prep (9-1) on Friday.
10. Miami Gulliver Prep (4A, 9-1). The Raiders moved one step closer to the region final with a 43-0 win against No. 4 seed Miami Booker T. Washington. THIS WEEK: The long-awaited matchup with No. 2 seed Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons on Friday.
11. Cocoa (4A, 10-1). The No. 1 seed Tigers continued to roll along in this special season – with a 41-0 win against No. 4 seed Bushnell South Sumter. THIS WEEK: It will be unbeaten and No. 2 seed The Villages Charter at home on Friday.
12. Tampa Berkeley Prep (3A, 10-0). Winning for the 10th time this season, 38-0, over No. 5 seed Fort Myers Bishop Verot, the Buccaneers continue to roll. THIS WEEK: It’s a home game with No. 2 seed Clearwater Central Catholic (8-3).
13. Miami Killian (5A, 12-0). The No. 1 seeded Cougars continued to roll along unbeaten – with a 35-0 win at home against No. 5 Fort Lauderdale Stranahan. THIS WEEK: A huge Saturday matchup with No. 3 seed Miami Central at Tropical Park.
14. Ocala Vanguard (6A, 12-0). With a 24-13 win over a solid No. 5 seed Lake Wales, the Knights continued a tremendous season. THIS WEEK: It could be the toughest test yet on Friday at home against No. 3 Orlando Jones (10-2).
15. Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (8A, 9-1). The No. 2 seed Titans remained very hot with a home win against Orlando Boone, 51-19. THIS WEEK: A trip to play No. 1 seed Wellington Palm Beach Central (10-0).
16. Gainesville Buchholz (7A, 11-1). The No. 1 seed Bobcats rolled over No. 5 Orange City University, 39-7. THIS WEEK: Another home game against surprising and hot No. 7 Ponte Vedra Nease (9-3).
17. Tallahassee Florida State University High (3A, 10-1). The No. 3 seeded Seminoles went on the road and took care of No. 2 DeFuniak Springs Walton, 55-7. THIS WEEK: Will once again travel to No. 1 seed Ocala Trinity Catholic (7-2).
18. Lynn Haven Mosley (6A, 11-1). The No. 2 seed came up with a huge home win against Tallahassee Lincoln, 31-28. THIS WEEK: A trip to No. 1 seed Pensacola Pine Forest (10-1) on Friday evening.
19. Winter Garden West Orange (8A, 11-1). As a No. 2 seed at home again, the Warriors beat No.6 Kissimmee Osceola, 16-7. THIS WEEK: A huge meeting at No. 1 Venice (11-1) on Friday night.
20. Merritt Island (5A, 11-1). The No. 1 seed Mustangs continued to turn heads – with a second-round win over area rival No. 5 Rockledge, 21-6. THIS WEEK: A key game against surprising No. 3 seed Satellite.
21. Lakeland Christian (3A, 10-0). The No. 1 seed Vikings took care of business at home against a stubborn Frostproof squad, 10-3 to remain unbeaten. THIS WEEK: Another home game against a competitive No. 2 seed North Palm Beach Benjamin (8-2).
22. Wellington Palm Beach Central (8A, 10-0). In coming from behind to beat No. 5 Vero Beach, 28-21, the Broncos remained unbeaten. THIS WEEK: Will play its toughest game of the year – at home – against No. 2 seed Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (9-1).
23. Jacksonville Bolles (4A, 8-2). The No. 1 seed Bulldogs got back on track with a convincing win against No. 6 Havana Gadsden County, 27-6. THIS WEEK: Another home game against No. 2 Santa Rosa Beach South Walton (10-1).
24. Miami Christopher Columbus (8A, 8-3). In upending No. 1 Davie Western, 27-8, the Explorers are ready for yet another championship run. THIS WEEK: For the third time this year, it’s No. 2 seed Miami Palmetto on Friday night.
25. Miami Palmetto (8A, 9-2). The Panthers stayed alive with a convincing win against No. 3 seed Deerfield Beach, 27-14. THIS WEEK: It’s a home (Harris Field) against a No. 5 seed Christopher Columbus team they have played twice – each winning once.
OTHER TEAMS TO CONSIDER:
No. 3 Clewiston (8-2)
No. 1 Hawthorne (1A, 8-0)
No. 2 Hialeah Champagnat Catholic (2A, 8-2)
No. 1 Jacksonville Trinity Christian (2A, 7-4)
No. 3 Lake Butler Union County (1A, 12-0)
No. 3 Melbourne (7A, 10-2)
No. 1 Ocala Trinity Catholic (3A, 7-2)
No. 2 Pahokee (1A, 8-1)
No. 7 Ponte Vedra Nease (9-3)
No. 1 St. Petersburg Lakewood (4A, 9-2)
No. 6 Satellite (5A, 10-2)
No. 3 Sebring (8-3)
No. 6 Tampa Wharton (7A, 9-2)
No. 2 The Villages Charter (4A, 10-0)
TEAMS FINISHED FOR THE SEASON: Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley (8A, 6-5), Auburndale (6A, 9-1), Belleview (6A, 8-3), Boca Raton (8A, 8-3), Boynton Beach (5A, 7-4), Citra North Marion (5A, 6-4), Clearwater Countryside (6A, 5-6), Coral Springs Coral Glades (8A, 6-3), Daytona Beach Mainland (6A, 5-5), Daytona Beach Seabreeze (5A, 6-5), Doral Academy (7A, 8-2), Fort Lauderdale Dillard (7A, 9-2), Fort Myers (6A, 5-4), Fort Myers Dunbar (6A, 9-1), Gulf Breeze (6A, 7-4), Hollywood South Broward (7A, 8-2), Jacksonville Terry Parker (5A, 7-4), Jacksonville Raines (5A, 8-3), Jacksonville Riverside (6A, 9-2), Lake City Columbia (6A, 6-5), Lake Mary (8A, 10-2), Leesburg (5A, 6-4), Lehigh (7A, 7-3), Lithia Newsome (8A, 8-3), Lutz Steinbrenner (8A, 7-4), Miami Florida Christian (4A, 8-2), Naples (6A, 10-1), Neptune Beach Fletcher (7A, 5-6), Niceville (7A, 10-2), Orlando Edgewater (7A, 10-2), Port Orange Spruce Creek (7A, 8-2), Pensacola West Florida (5A, 9-2), Port St. Lucie (6A, 7-3), No. 5 Rockledge (5A, 9-3), South Fort Myers (6A, 8-3), St. Johns Creekside (8A, 8-3), St. Lucie West Centennial (8A, 5-5), St. Petersburg Gibbs (5A, 8-4), St. Petersburg Northeast (6A, 9-2), Stuart Martin County (7A, 9-1), Tallahassee Rickards (6A, 6-5), Tampa Gaither (7A, 6-5), Trenton (1A, 4-6), Trinity Mitchell (7A, 8-3), Viera (7A, 5-5), Wellington (8A, 7-4), West Palm Beach Forest Hill (8A, 6-3), Zephyrhills (5A, 9-2)
TRACKING FLORIDA: Teams Look At 2021 Season. https://prepredzone.com/2021/03/tracking-florida-teams-look-at-2021-season/
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com