TOP 25: Miami Central To The Top
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Very few ever expected state powerhouse Miami Central to head to Bradenton last Friday night and beat national power IMG Academy. They forgot to ask the Rockets.
Convinced that they were the more prepared team, the Rockets beat the Ascenders, 20-14, sending shock waves across the nation.
In winning, head coach Jube Joseph and his team moves into the top spot this week – and will have a week to stay there, enjoying an off week before playing rival Miami Booker T. Washington on Sept. 9.
Here is a look at teams to keep an eye on:
1. Miami Central (2M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Off. NEXT GAME: Miami Booker T. Washington, Sept. 9). LAST WEEK: The Rockets knocked off the state’s No. 1 team, IMG Academy, 20-14 in Bradenton.
2. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: No. 13 Fort Lauderdale Dillard, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: At No. 7 Miami Northwestern, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Lions held on in the Inaugural Broward Showcase to beat national power St. John’s Prep, Washington DC, 35-28.
3. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (3M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: At Fort Myers, Sept. 2. NEXT GAME: No. 23 Cocoa, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Raiders kicked off the season at home in the Broward Showcase with a win against national power, St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia, 48-37.
4. Bradenton IMG Academy (Independent – (0-1). THIS WEEK: De Smet Jesuit, St. Louis, Sept. 3. NEXT GAME: At East Salt Lake City, Utah, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Ascenders were upset at home by this week’s No. 1 team, Miami Central, 20-14.
5. Tampa Jesuit (3M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast, Sept. 2. NEXT GAME: At No. 21 Miami Christopher Columbus, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Tigers won a thrilling opener against Tampa Wharton, 24-13.
6. Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (2M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: MiamiGulliver Prep, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Chiefs got off to a great start with an 11-6 win against national power Hyattsville DeMatha, Maryland in the Inaugural Broward Showcase.
7. Miami Northwestern (2M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Miami Jackson, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: Against No. 2 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Bulls avenged last year loss against Venice, beating the Indians, 32-26.
8. Sanford Seminole (4M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: At No. 25 Kissimmee Osceola. Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Seminoles opened the year with a convincing 48-0 win over Sarasota Riverview.
9. Lakeland (4S – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Largo, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: Winter Haven, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Dreadnaughts began the season on the road with a win at Clearwater, 42-6.
10. Plantation American Heritage (2M – 2-0: THIS WEEK: Lakeland Lake Gibson, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: At No. 2 Chaminade-Madonna, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Patriots were impressive in the Inaugural Broward Showcase with a 56-27 win against Los Alamitos, California.
11. Tampa Bay Tech (3M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Lutz Steinbrenner, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: At Lithia Newsome, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Titans opened the season, beating much-improved Tampa Plant, 28-21.
12. Jacksonville Trinity Christian (1M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Jacksonville Raines, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: At Jacksonville North Florida Educational Institute, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The defending state champions won a thriller against Ed White, 48-40.
13. Fort Lauderdale Dillard (3M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: At No. 2 Chaminade-Madonna, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: At Miramar, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Panthers started the season out with a Broward Showcase win at home against Rock Creek Christian, Maryland, 35-0.
14. Orlando Jones (3M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: At Duncanville, Texas, Sept. 3). NEXT GAME: No. 15 Orlando Edgewater, Sept. 16. LAST WEEK: The Tigers shook off a kickoff classic loss to beat state-rated Cocoa on the road, 29-19.
15. Orlando Edgewater (3M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Ramsey Don Bosco Prep, New Jersey, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: At Winter Garden West Orange, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Eagles won the battle of College Park, 22-7, against Orlando Bishop Moore.
16. Davie Western (4M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: The Wildcats will enjoy the week off.
NEXT GAME: At Coconut Creek, Sept. 9). LAST WEEK: The Wildcats opened the season at home in the Broward Showcase with a 33-14 win over Johns Creek of Georgia.
17. Venice (4S – (0-1). THIS WEEK: Naples, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: National power Baltimore St. Francis Academy, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The defending 8A state champions opened the year at home with a loss to state-rated Miami Northwestern, 32-26.
18. Palm Beach Central (4M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: At No. 4 St. Petersburg Lakewood, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: At Lake Worth Park Vista, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Broncos started the season out with a convincing 80-0 win against Palm Beach Lakes.
19. Gainesville Buchholz (4S – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Sarasota Riverview, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: At Gainesville Eastside, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Bobcats opened the season with a win against Lake City Columbia, 31-14.
20. Apopka (4M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: At Winter Garden West Orange, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: Orlando Dr. Phillips, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The defending 8A state runner up Blue Darters won a thrilling 13-12 game against Ocoee.
21. Miami Christopher Columbus (4M – (1-0). THIS WEEK: Miami Killian, Sept. 1). NEXT GAME: No. 5 Tampa Jesuit, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Explorers started out 2022 with a win at home against Benedictine, Georgia, 41-15.
22. Pensacola Pine Forest (3S – (1-0). THIS WEEK: At Navarre, Sept. 2). NEXT GAME: Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee. LAST WEEK: Last year’s 6A state runner up Eagles started things out with a 34-0 win against Cantonment Tate.
23. Cocoa (2S – (0-1). THIS WEEK: Off. NEXT GAME: At No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas, Sept. 9). LAST WEEK: The Tigers lost at home to open the season against state-rated Orlando Jones, 29-19.
24. St. Petersburg Lakewood (2M, 1-0). THIS WEEK: No. 18 Palm Beach Central, Sept. 2. NEXT GAME: Homestead, Sept. 9. LAST WEEK: The Spartans opened the season with a 21-0 win against St. Petersburg Northeast.
25. Kissimmee Osceola (4S, 1-0). THIS WEEK: No. 8 Sanford Seminole, Sept. 2. NEXT GAME: At No. 9 Lakeland, Sept. 2. LAST WEEK: The Kowboys started season out with then state-rated Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast, winning 14-5.
OTHER TEAMS TO WATCH: Auburndale (3S, 0-0), Blountstown (1R, 1-0), Bradford County (1S, 1-0), Bushnell South Sumter (2S, 1-0), Chiefland (1R, 1-0), Clearwater Central Catholic (1M, 1-0), Coconut Creek (3M, 1-0), Daytona Beach Mainland (3S, 1-0), DeLand (4S, 0-1), Fort Myers Dunbar (3S, 1-0), Fort Pierce John Carroll (1S, 1-0), Hawthorne (1R, 1-0), Homestead (3M, 1-0), Jacksonville Bolles (2M, 1-0), Jacksonville Raines (2M, 1-0), Jacksonville Riverside (2M, 1-0), Lakeland Christian (1S, 1-0), Lake Mary (4M, 1-0), Lake Wales (3S, 1-0), Lynn Haven Mosley (4S, 1-0), Madison County (1R, 1-0), Miami Gulliver Prep (2M, 0-1), Miami Norland (2M, 0-0), Miami Palmetto (4M – (0-1), Miramar (1-0),Naples (3S, 1-0), North Fort Myers (3S, 1-0), New Port Richey Mitchell (4S, 1-0), Niceville (4S, 1-0), Ocala Vanguard (3S, 1-0), Oviedo (3M, 1-0), Pace (4S. 1-0), Pahokee (1R, 0-1), Port St. Joe (1R, 1-0), Port St. Lucie (3S, 1-0), Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (4S, 0-1), Quincy Munroe Day (1S, 1-0), Rockledge (3S, 1-0), Sebring (3S, 1-0), Seffner Armwood (3M, 0-1), St. John’s Bartram Trail (4S, 1-0), Tallahassee Florida High (2S, 1-0), Tallahassee Lincoln (3S, 1-0), Tallahassee North Florida Christian (1S, 1-0), Tampa Berkeley Prep (2M, 0-1), Tampa Gaither (3M, 1-0), Tampa Plant (4M, 0-1), Tampa Wharton (3M, 0-1), Vero Beach (4S, 1-0), West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (1M, 1-0), Winter Garden West Orange (4M, 1-0)
UPDATED CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS. https://prepredzone.com/florida/rankings/2023-rankings/
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS. https://prepredzone.com/2022/08/updated-2024-florida-rankings/
Tracking Florida’s Football Teams For 2022 – https://prepredzone.com/2022/04/tracking-florida-football-teams/
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com.
TOP 25: The Season Gets Started. https://prepredzone.com/2022/08/top-25-the-season-gets-started/