Week 8 – Season Moving Along
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As we said the past few weeks, this season is indeed flying by.
Before you know it, we will be sitting in Tallahassee watching the nine state title games. That's how quickly we are moving along.
As we speed toward Week 8, you will see that there will be plenty of district games that will feature programs among the Top 25 in the state.
While we are receiving statewide and regional exposure, there are several teams who are getting some of that national spotlight as well.
While we release our Week 8 rankings, understand that things continue to change every week – as you have already watched:
1. Bradenton IMG Academy (Independent, 5-0). LAST WEEK: Had little problem with St. John's Bartram Trail, 49-20. THIS WEEK: Home against Pensacola Pine Forest. NEXT WEEK: Bye.
2. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1M, 7-0). LAST WEEK: The Lions rolled over Fort Lauderdale Dillard, THIS WEEK: Off this week. NEXT WEEK: A home district game against Hollywood Avant Garde Academy.
3. Miami Central (2M, 3-2). LAST WEEK: The Rockets won their annual rivalry with Miami Northwestern, 17-10. THIS WEEK: A huge district matchup at No. 5 Miami Norland. NEXT WEEK: GMAC Week.
4. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (3M, 6-1). LAST WEEK: The Raiders remained hot as they beat Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson, 58-0. THIS WEEK: An away district game against Fort Lauderdale. NEXT WEEK: An away contest at 6-1 Monarch.
5. Miami Norland (2M, 6-0). LAST WEEK: The Vikings came from behind to beat a very strong Miami Booker T. Washington, 20-19. THIS WEEK: A huge district contest against No. 3 Miami Central. NEXT WEEK: GMAC Week.
6. Cocoa (2S, 5-1). LAST WEEK: The Tigers continued to show why they are one of the best in the state with a convincing 28-3 win against No. 20 Sanford Seminole. THIS WEEK: An away game against surprisingly unbeaten (7-0) Titusville. NEXT WEEK: A homer game against Titusville Astronaut.
7. Orlando Edgewater (3M, 7-0). LAST WEEK: Another convincing 38-7 win against Orlando Timber Creek. THIS WEEK: A home game against Ocoee. NEXT WEEK: A road district contest at Winter Garden Horizon.
8. Daytona Beach Mainland (3S, 6-0). LAST WEEK: Enjoyed the week off. THIS WEEK: Another home game against Kissimmee Osceola. NEXT WEEK: Bye.
9. Homestead (3M, 4-1). LAST WEEK: A convincing Saturday night win against No. 10 Miami Christopher Columbus, 32-16. THIS WEEK: A key home district game against Miami Southridge. NEXT WEEK: GMAC Week.
10. Miami Christopher Columbus (4M, 6-1). LAST WEEK: The Explorers lost for the first time this season, 32-16, against No. 9 Homestead. THIS WEEK: A home game against Doral Academy. NEXT WEEK: GMAC Week.
11. Tampa Bay Tech (3M, 7-0). LAST WEEK: Rolled to a convincing 45-12 win against Tampa Hillsborough. THIS WEEK: An away contest at Tampa Wharton. NEXT WEEK: A big home game against Tampa Jesuit.
Plantation American Heritage (2M, 4-1). LAST WEEK: The Patriots remained hot with a 28-14 road win at Davie Western. THIS WEEK: A home game against Fort Lauderdale Stranahan. NEXT WEEK: A home game against Naples.
13. Miami Palmetto (4M, 6-1). LAST WEEK: The Panthers continued to roll along with a 13-0 win against Miami Edison. THIS WEEK: A home district game against Homestead South Dade. NEXT WEEK: GMAC Week.
14. Gainesville Buchholz (4S, 6-0). LAST WEEK: A convincing win against Gainesville, 35-7. THIS WEEK: A road district game against Orange Park Oakleaf. NEXT WEEK: A home district matchup against St. John's Bartram Trail.
15. Lakeland (4S, 5-2). LAST WEEK: The Dreadnaughts beat previously unbeaten Bartow, 30-2. THIS WEEK: A home game against Lakeland George Jenkins. NEXT WEEK: They will be at home against Clearwater Academy International.
16. Clearwater Central Catholic (1M, 7-0). LAST WEEK: The Marauders shutout St. Petersburg Northside Christian, 45-0. THIS WEEK: An away district matchup with Tampa Cambridge Christian. NEXT WEEK: Bye.
17. Lake Mary (4M, 6-0). LAST WEEK: The Rams crushed overmatched North Miami Beach, 49-10. THIS WEEK: A home district game against Orlando Evans. NEXT WEEK: An important away district contest against Apopka.
18. Vero Beach (4S, 5-1). LAST WEEK: The Indians beat Wellington, 40-0. THIS WEEK: A home district contest against Port St. Lucie Centennial. NEXT WEEK: Will be at home for a district game against Stuart Martin County.
19. Seffner Armwood (3M, 5-1). LAST WEEK: The Hawks took care of Lutz Steinbrenner, 42-4. THIS WEEK: An away district contest against Tampa Freedom. NEXT WEEK: Will be on the road against Plant City.
20. Sanford Seminole (4M, 5-2). LAST WEEK: The Seminoles lost to No. 6 Cocoa on the road, 28-3. THIS WEEK: A home matchup with talented DeLand. NEXT WEEK: An away game at Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley.
21. Lake Wales (3S, 6-0). LAST WEEK: The defending 3S state champs continued to roll with a 28-0 win against Lakeland Lake Gibson. THIS WEEK: A home district contest against Kissimmee Gateway. NEXT WEEK: A home district game with Kissimmee Liberty.
22. Fort Myers Bishop Verot (2S, 6-1). LAST WEEK: The Vikings suffered their first loss of the year – on the road – against Tampa Jesuit, 36-29. THIS WEEK: An away game against Fort Myers Gateway. NEXT WEEK: A home game against Sarasota Cardinal Mooney.
23. West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (1M, 5-1). LAST WEEK: The Crusaders got back on the winning track with a 63-12 win at Clewiston. THIS WEEK: An away game at Boca Raton St. John Paul II. NEXT WEEK: A huge district game at home against North Palm Beach Benjamin.
24. Orange City University (4A, 6-0). LAST WEEK: The Titans had the week off. THIS WEEK: A huge home district game against Port Orange Spruce Creek. NEXT WEEK: Another big home game against DeLand.
25. Venice (4S, 4-2). LAST WEEK: The Indians beat Bradenton Manatee, 56-24, to make their Top 25 return. THIS WEEK: A home game against Sarasota. NEXT WEEK: Will be at home against Palmetto.
OTHER TEAMS TO WATCH
While the competition has been competitive during the first seven weeks, expect more teams to emerge.
Apopka (4M, 4-2)
Apopka Wekiva (3M, 3-4)
Bartow (3S, 6-1)
Blountstown (1R, 4-2)
Bradenton Manatee (4S, 6-1)
Bushnell South Sumter (2S, 6-1)
Clearwater Academy International (Independent, 2-3)
Clearwater Calvary Christian (2M,4-2)
Coconut Creek (3M, 5-2)
Coconut Creek Monarch (4M, 6-1)
Crawfordville Wakulla (2S, 7-0)
Davie Western (4M, 3-3)
DeLand (4S, 5-1)
Delray Beach Atlantic (3M, 5-1)
Dunnellon (2S, 4-2)
Eau Gallie (3S, 6-1)
Englewood Lemon Bay (2S, 6-0)
Estero (2S, 5-1)
Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy (2M, 5-2)
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (2M, 4-2)
Fort Lauderdale NSU University School (Independent, 6-0)
Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy (Independent, 6-0)
Fort Meade (2S, 6-0
Fort Myers (3M, 4-2)
Fort Myers Dunbar (3S, 5-1)
Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee (3S, 4-2)
Gainesville Oak Hall (Independent, 6-0)
Hawthorne (1R, 6-0)
Hollywood South Broward (3M, 5-1)
Hudson (2S, 6-0)
Hudson Fivay (3S, 4-2)
Jacksonville Bolles (2M, 3-4)
Jacksonville Mandarin (4M, 5-2)
Jacksonville Raines (2M, 5-1)
Jacksonville Riverside (2M, 5-2)
Jacksonville Trinity Christian (1M, 4-3)
Jacksonville University Christian (1M, 4-2)
Jensen Beach (3S, 5-1)
Kissimmee Osceola (4S, 1-5)
Lake Minneola (4S, 4-3)
Lakeland Christian (1S, 5-1)
Land O'Lakes (4S, 2-4)
Lantana Santaluces (4M, 5-1)
Largo Indian Rocks Christian (1M, 5-1)
Leesburg (3S, 6-1)
Live Oak Suwannee (2S, 6-0)
Madison County (1R, 3-1)
Merritt Island (3S, 4-2)
Miami Booker T. Washington (2M, 4-2)
Miami Dr. Krop (3M, 3-3)
Miami Edison (2M, 4-2)
Miami Northwestern (2M, 2-5)
Miami Ransom Everglades (Independent, 7-0)
Miami True North Classical Academy (1M, 6-0)
Miramar (3M, 3-2)
Naples (3S, 6-1)
Naples Golden Gate (3S, 4-2)
Naples Gulf Coast (4S, 4-2)
Naples First Baptist (1S, 4-2)
New Port Richey Gulf (3S, 3-4)
New Port Richey Mitchell (4S, 4-3)
New Smyrna Beach (3S, 5-1)
Niceville (3S, 6-1)
Ocala Vanguard (3S, 6-1)
Ocoee (4M, 3-4)
Orlando Jones (3M, 3-3)
Orlando Olympia (4M, 4-2)
Pace (4S, 5-1)
Palm Bay Heritage (4S, 6-1)
Palm Beach Gardens (4M, 3-3)
Palm Beach Gardens Benjamin (1M, 5-1)
Palm Harbor University (4M, 5-1)
Parrish Community (3S, 5-1)
Pensacola Catholic (2S, 5-1)
Pensacola Escambia (3S, 5-1)
Pensacola Pine Forest (3S, 4-32)
Plantation (3M, 5-1)
Plant City (4M, 4-2)
Plant City Durant (4M, 6-1)
Pompano Beach Blanche Ely (3M, 5-1)
Ponte Vedra (4S, 5-1)
Port Charlotte (3S, 5-2)
Port Orange Spruce Creek (4S, 5-2)
Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (4S, 4-2).
Riverview Sumner (4M, 6-1)
Rockledge (3S, 3-3)
Sarasota Riverview (4S, 3-3)
Sebring (3S, 2-2)
Sneads (1R, 2-4)
South Fort Myers (3S, 4-2)
Spring Hill Springstead (4S, 4-2)
Starke Bradford County (2S, 6-0)
St. Augustine (3S, 6-0)
St. John's Bartram Trail (4S, 3-3)
St. John's Creekside (4S, 3-3)
Stuart Martin County (4S, 4-2)
Tallahassee FSU High (2S, 4-2)
Tallahassee Leon (4S, 5-1)
Tallahassee Lincoln (3S, 5-1)
Tampa Berkeley Prep (1M, 4-2)
Tampa Carrollwood Day (1M, 4-1)
Tampa Catholic (2M, 2-3)
Tampa Jesuit (3M, 4-2)
Tampa Plant (4M, 5-2)
Titusville (2S, 7-0)
Wesley Chapel Cypress Creek (3S, 6-0)
Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Ranch (4S, 5-1)
Williston (1R, 7-0)
Winter Garden West Orange (4M, 2-4)
Winter Park (4M, 6-0)
Zephyrhills (3S, 5-2)
PROSPECT SHEET: Statewide Coverage Daily. https://prepredzone.com/2023/03/statewide-daily-team-coverage/
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com.
