Hurricane Ian Takes Center Stage This Week
With district games being played all over the state of Florida this week, Hurricanes Ian has made sure that most of the Sunshine State will not play those games – for at least another week – and in some case much longer.
The fury of this powerful hurricane, predicted to make landfall along the populated west coast, football is secondary – at best – and for that reason much of this state is on hold when it comes to this week’s schedule.
With the entire state watching this storm, where it hits and makes landfall can affect nearly every county, and that is why things are taking shape day-by-day.
No matter who plays this week, there is still a ranking to get out – with games from last week. Here is a look at this week’s Top 25:
1. Miami Central (2M – 4-0). THIS WEEK: An away game on Sept. 30 against North Miami Beach. NEXT GAME: The annual war against Miami Northwestern on Oct. 7 at Traz Powell Stadium. LAST WEEK: The Rockets blasted Fort Lauderdale Dillard, 43-7
2. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1M – 5-0). THIS WEEK: A home game on Sept. 30 against Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast. NEXT GAME: Back on the road for a game with a hot and cold Venice team. LAST WEEK: The Lions remained hot with a convincing 28-0 win against Miami Gulliver in a game that was called at the half due to bad weather.
3. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (3M – 5-0). THIS WEEK: A home game against Miramar on Sept. 30. NEXT GAME: A huge road district matchup with a Fort Lauderdale Dillard team that came close to beating them last year. LAST WEEK: The Raiders went on the road again and took care of business against Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast, 21-7.
4. Bradenton IMG Academy (Independent – 3-1). THIS WEEK: A home game against No. 21 Orlando Jones on Sept. 30. NEXT GAME: A home game against St. Thomas More of Wisconsin on Oct. 7. LAST WEEK: The Ascenders put it all together on the road in a 41-26 win against Phenix Central in Alabama.
5. Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (2M – 5-0). THIS WEEK: It’s a huge home game on Sept. 30 against No. 8 Plantation American Heritage. NEXT GAME: A Thursday (Oct. 6) home game against Miami Belen Jesuit schedule for FAU. LAST WEEK: The Chiefs went to Key West, 63-7.
6. Lakeland (4S – (4-0). THIS WEEK: The Dreadnaughts opened the week on Monday with a 26-7 win against rival Lake Gibson. NEXT GAME: Scheduled for Oct, 7 against Bartow. LAST WEEK: They were off.
7. Miami Christopher Columbus (4M – 5-0). THIS WEEK: An away game on Friday, Sept. 30 against Miami High. NEXT GAME: A huge hurdle on Oct. 7 against No. 16 Homestead on the road. LAST WEEK: The Explorers went north and took care of business against Miami Northwestern, 23-19.
8. Plantation American Heritage (2M – 4-1). THIS WEEK: A huge road game at No. 5 Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons on Oct. 7. NEXT GAME: A big home game on Oct. 7 against No. 18 Davie Western. LAST WEEK: The Patriots took the week off after five straight to start the season.
9. Tampa Bay Tech (3M – 5-0). THIS WEEK: A home game on Friday, Sept. 30 against Tampa Freedom. NEXT GAME: An away game on Oct. 7 against Tampa Hillsborough. LAST WEEK: The Titans are heating up as they took care of Tampa Gaither, 54-14
10. Orlando Edgewater (3M – 5-0). THIS WEEK: A Sept. 30th road game against Apopka Wekiva. NEXT GAME: A Thursday (Oct. 6) home game against Orlando Timber Creek. LAST WEEK: The Eagles rolled along with a convincing 28-19 win at home against Apopka.
11. Jacksonville Trinity Christian (1M – 5-0). THIS WEEK: A Sept. 30th away game at Jacksonville Christ Church Academy. NEXT GAME: An Oct. 7 away game at Jacksonville Riverside. LAST WEEK: The Conquerors continued to make a statement with a 43-30 win against Lake City Columbia.
12. Gainesville Buchholz (4S – 4-0). THIS WEEK: Will take the week off. NEXT GAME: LAST WEEK: A Thursday home game (Oct. 6) against longtime rival Gainesville. The Bobcats won a seco0nd straight huge road game – against Ocala Vanguard, 24-21.
13. Pensacola Pine Forest (3S – 5-0). THIS WEEK: It’s back on the road for a game on Sept. 30 at Fort Walton Beach. NEXT GAME: A huge home game on October 7 against No. 15 Niceville. LAST WEEK: The Eagles got by Pensacola West Florida, 35-21.
14. St. John’s Bartram Trail (4S – 5-0). THIS WEEK: A home game against Fleming Island on Sept. 30. NEXT GAME: After a tremendous start, this team will take the week off. LAST WEEK: The Bears remained unbeaten with a convincing home win against St. Augustine, 59-37.
15. Niceville (4S, 5-0). THIS WEEK: It’s on the road on Sept. 30 at Crestview. NEXT GAME: A very big game on Oct. 7 against No. 13, Pensacola Pine Forest. LAST WEEK: The Eagles stayed unbeaten with a tough road win, 23-13, at Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee.
16. Homestead (3M, 4-0). THIS WEEK: A home game against South Miami on Sept. 30. NEXT GAME: A really big home game on Oct. 7 against No. 7 Miami Christopher Columbus. WEEK: The Broncos took the week off after a solid start.
17. Winter Park (4M, 5-0). THIS WEEK: A home game on Sept. 30 against unbeaten Oviedo Hagerty. NEXT GAME: A Thursday away game on Oct. 6 against Ocoee. LAST WEEK: The Wildcats rolled on with a 37-10 road win against Orlando Evans.
18. Davie Western (4M – 3-1). THIS WEEK: It’s back on the road on Sept. 30 at Sunrise Piper. NEXT GAME: Another big road game against No. 8 Plantation American Heritage on Oct. 7. LAST WEEK: The Wildcats came back after their first loss with a 51-0 win against Coral Springs Taravella.
19. Venice (4S – 2-2). THIS WEEK: A road game at Sarasota Riverview, Sept. 30. NEXT GAME: The Indians have called next week’s (Oct. 7) game against No. 2 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna off. LAST WEEK: Just when you thought that this season would be a total disappointment after four games, the Indians beat No. 20 Sanford Seminole, 24-17.
20. Sanford Seminole (4M – 4-1). THIS WEEK: Another away contest against Apopka on Friday, Sept. 30. NEXT GAME: A home game against a talented Cocoa team. LAST WEEK: The Seminoles rolled to a 51-0 win against Orlando Evans.
21. Orlando Jones (3M – (2-2). THIS WEEK: Back on the road at No. 4 IMG Academy in Bradenton on Sept. 30. NEXT GAME: A Thursday home game against Orlando University. LAST WEEK: The Tigers turned things around with a 17-14 win against Winter Garden West Orange.
22. Seffner Armwood (3M, 3-1). THIS WEEK: An away game against Tampa Wharton on Friday, Oct. 30. NEXT GAME: An away game on Oct. 7 against Lutz Steinbrenner. LAST WEEK: The Hawks entered the Top 25 with a convincing 27-10 win against No. 23 Tampa Jesuit.
23. Kissimmee Osceola (4S, 2-2). THIS WEEK: An away game against St. Cloud on Sept. 30. NEXT GAME: An away game at Sarasota Riverview on Oct. 7. LAST WEEK: Finally put it all together with an impressive 31-7 road win against No. 24 Rockledge.
24. Rockledge (3S, 4-1). THIS WEEK: This team will enjoy the week off. NEXT GAME: Bradenton Manatee on the road on Oct. 7. LAST WEEK: Just when the Raiders were flying high and looking like one of the best teams in the state, Kissimmee Osceola happened, 31-7!
25. Tampa Jesuit (3M – 2-2). THIS WEEK: A Friday, Oct. 23 road game at Seffner Armwood. NEXT GAME: A Sept. 23 meeting at Seffner Armwood. LAST WEEK: The 6A state champions went down to defeat for the second time this season, 27-10, to No. 22 Seffner Armwood.
OTHER TEAMS TO WATCH: Apopka (4M, 2-2), Auburndale (3S, 2-1), Baker County (2S, 3-1), Bartow (4S, 4-1), Blountstown (1R, 4-1), Bradenton Braden River (3S, 3-0), Bradenton Manatee (4S, 4-1), Bradford County (1S, 4-0), Bushnell South Sumter (2S, 5-0), Chiefland (1R, 4-0), Citra North Marion (2S, 4-1), Clearwater Central Catholic (1M, 4-1), Cocoa (2S – 2-2), Dade City Pasco (4-0), Daytona Beach Mainland (3S, 3-1), Deltona (3S, 5-0), Dover Strawberry Crest (4M, 5-0), Eau Gallie (3S, 4-0), Flagler Palm Coast (4S, 3-2), Fort Lauderdale Dillard (3M – 2-2), Fort Myers Bishop Verot (2S, 3-2), Fort Myers Dunbar (3S, 3-0), Fort Pierce John Carroll (1S, 4-0), Harmony (4A, 3-1), Hawthorne (1R, 4-0), Interlachen (SSAC, 5-0), Jacksonville Bolles (2M, 2-2), Jacksonville Ed White (2M, 4-0), Jacksonville Mandarin (4M, 3-1), Jacksonville Raines (2M, 3-1), Jacksonville University Christian (1M, 5-0), Jensen Beach (3S, 4-1), Lakeland Christian (1S, 4-0), Lake Mary (4M, 3-1), Lake Minneola (4S, 4-1), Lake Wales (3S, 4-0), Land O’Lakes (4-0), Lynn Haven Mosley (4S, 4-1), Madison County (1R, 2-3), Melbourne (4S, 3-2), Miami Norland (2M, 4-0), Miami Northwestern (2M – 3-2), Miramar (3-1), Naples (3S, 4-1), North Fort Myers (3S, 3-1), New Port Richey Mitchell (4S, 3-2), Ocala Vanguard (3S, 3-2), Orange Park Fleming Island (4S, 3-1), Orlando Olympia (4M, 2-2), Oviedo (3M, 4-1), Oviedo Hagerty (4M, 4-0), Pace (4S, 3-1), Pahokee (1R, 4-1), Palatka (2S, 4-0), Pensacola Catholic (2S, 5-0), Plantation (3M, 3-1), Port St. Joe (1R, 2-1), Port St. Lucie (3S, 2-2), Quincy Munroe Day (1S, 2-2), Riverview Sumner (4M, 4-1), Sebring (3S, 3-2), Spring Hill Springstead (4S, 5-0), St. Augustine Tacoi Creek (2S, 4-1), St. John’s Creekside (4-1), St. Petersburg Lakewood (2M, 2-3), Stuart Martin County (4S, 4-1), Tallahassee Florida High (2S, 5-0), Tallahassee Lincoln (3S, 3-1), Tallahassee North Florida Christian (1S, 5-0), Tampa Alonso (5-0, 4M), Tampa Berkeley Prep (2M, 2-2), Tampa Wharton (3M, 3-1) Vero Beach (4S, 5-0), Wellington Palm Beach Central (4M, 3-1), Wesley Chapel Cypress Creek (3S, 4-0), West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (1M, 5-0), Wildwood (1R, 4-1), Winter Garden West Orange (4M, 2-3).
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.