Five Must-See Round 2 Playoff Games
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The time for high school football is back and Prep Redzone will be on the move this fall providing some of the best and up-to-date coverage in the country. Let’s kick Game Week off with a preview of some top…
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Continue ReadingThe time for high school football is back and Prep Redzone will be on the move this fall providing some of the best and up-to-date coverage in the country. Let’s kick Game Week off with a preview of some top Round 2 Playoff Matchups around Polk and the Central Florida area. *Below are matchups with notable players to watch for our readers! Most of these games will be played on Friday – 11/17.
Bartow vs. Lakeland
Yellow Jackets: Jaydon Williams DB – DJ Galva DB – Tavares Murray Jr DB – Amari Turner Amari Turner 6'1" | 185 lbs | QB Auburndale | 2025 FL QB – Cory Butler WR – Jayson Williams TE – Quavion Bird Quavion Bird 6'1" | 265 lbs | DL Bartow | 2024 FL DT – Joshod Hampton DB – Jeremiah Martin DE – Janie’s Taylor ATH – Brett Tyree OL
Dreadnaughts: Zander Smith Zander Smith 6'4" | 215 lbs | QB Lakeland | 2025 State FL QB, Rick Penick WR, Dee Rucker RB, Jamar Taylor WR, Malik Morris LB, Jameson Young Jameson Young 6'2" | 155 lbs | DB Lakeland | 2024 FL DB, Keon Young Keon Young 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Lakeland | 2025 State FL DB
A must-see matchup in a Polk County heavyweight showdown to prove who’s at the top for Big schools in the area. Lakeland gave the Yellow Jackets their first defeat in the regular season in a stunner blowout win. Bartow has gained its momentum back with a 7-0 round one win over Winter Haven. The offense will have to put it together to keep up with a talented Dreadnaught squad.
Leesburg vs. Lake Wales
Yellow Jackets: Salmon Georges QB, Demetrice McCray Demetrice McCray 6'0" | 190 lbs | WR Orlando The First Academy | 2026 FL WR, Lavoctris Patterson RB, Evan James Evan James 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH Leesburg | 2025 FL WR, Aiden Hall LB, Dajleon Ward DB, Izayia Williams Izayia Williams 6'1" | 205 lbs | LB Leesburg | 2026 FL LB, Jaedon Mickens LB
Highlanders: Levidiotis Bryce QB – Johnquae Richardson LB – Messiah Marlow LB – Dylan Simmons LB – Carldayle Brantley WR – Jaishon Berry DT, Kaneilius Purdy ATH, D’Cari Smith DB
Lake Wales has the chance to put on for the city of Polk County as they meet head-to-head with a confident bunch in Leesburg. This will be another must-see matchup that features two schools that continue to produce talent on both sides of the ball. The Highlanders have won 26 straight games and will put that on the line Friday.
Mandarin vs. 8 Lake Mary
Mustangs: Jaime Ffrench Jr. WR, Tramell Jones QB, Tiant Wyche RB, Drake Stubbs ATH
Rams: Noah Grubbs QB, Isaiah Thomas Isaiah Thomas 6'2" | 205 lbs | DB Clearwater Academy International | 2024 State FL RB, Carson Hinshaw WR, Caden Harshbarger WR, Logan Cook WR, Luke Prieto Luke Prieto 6'1" | 190 lbs | LB Lake Mary | 2025 FL LB, Eli Straker LB, TJ Clayton DB
Mandarin won the last 4 / 5 games and will try to be one of the only teams to slow down 2026 QB Noah Grubbs and his crew of talented WRs. Lake Mary lost its only game of the regular season to Seminole by one point and pulled off a second-half comeback to hold off a first-round upset to Boone. This should be a good one.
Tampa Bay Tech vs. 23 Armwood
Titans: Xzavier Jackson QB, Logan Rodgers QB, Rod Gainey Rod Gainey 5'11" | 180 lbs | RB Tampa Bay Tech | 2024 State FL Jr RB, Dallas Sims Dallas Sims 6'2" | 195 lbs | WR Clearwater Academy International | 2024 FL WR, Santonyo Isaac Santonyo Isaac 6'0" | 160 lbs | WR Tampa Bay Tech | 2025 State FL WR, Matthew Stahl DE, Rukeem Stroud Rukeem Stroud 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB Tampa Bay Tech | 2025 State FL DB
Hawks: Rhys Brush QB – Girard Pringle RB – Kason Stokes Kason Stokes 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR Seffner Armwood | 2024 State FL WR – Jaelen Waters Jaelen Waters 6'2" | 180 lbs | DB Seffner Armwood | 2026 FL DB, Olontae Dean ATH – Zamari Hall ATH – Rashad Godfrey DB – Richard Dennis OT
Had to show love to the West side! Man this is a rematch game that saw Armwood take a 51-34 win against TBT as RB Girard Pringle essentially took over the game on the ground. This will be the highlight game in the area that’ll be the talk of the city this weekend.
18 Jones vs 10 Edgewater
Tigers: Trever Jackson Trever Jackson 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Orlando Jones | 2024 State FL QB, D’antre Robinson D’antre Robinson 6'4" | 300 lbs | DL Orlando Jones | 2024 State FL DL, Vernell Brown III Vernell Brown III 5'11" | 165 lbs | ATH Orlando Jones | 2025 State FL WR, Dereon Coleman Dereon Coleman 5'10" | 145 lbs | QB FL QB, Jaylen Smith Jaylen Smith 5'8" | 160 lbs | WR Plant City | 2024 FL WR, Sean Murphy WR, George Brown IV DB
Eagles: Cai Bates Cai Bates 5'9" | 175 lbs | DB Orlando Edgewater | 2024 State FL DB, Josh Alexander-Felton DT, Michael Clayton QB, AJ Howard WR, Ja’Torian Mack DB, Kaden Shields-Dutton RB, Semaj Fleming Semaj Fleming 5'10" | 175 lbs | WR Orlando Edgewater | 2025 State FL ATH
Jones hasn’t lost a game since a week 4 regular season loss to Edgewater (31-14). The Tigers have found their groove but run into an undefeated Edgewater team that is outscoring opponents 208-27 in the last five games. That’s a stout defense and productive offense to look out for.