Notable Playoff Rankings and Matchups (Part 1)
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It’s Playoff time folks! The Florida High School Athletics Association hosted a live football bracket show on Sunday to reveal high school playoff rankings and matchups in march to the Florida HS State Championship that will be played at FAMU.…
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Continue ReadingIt’s Playoff time folks! The Florida High School Athletics Association hosted a live football bracket show on Sunday to reveal high school playoff rankings and matchups in march to the Florida HS State Championship that will be played at FAMU. For ranking context, the higher seed is designated the host in all regional matchups except during the regional first round where a District Champion faces an at-large team, the champ is designated the host regardless of seeding. This article will highlight some notable games to watch in the Polk, Orlando, and North Florida areas. Tickets are available on GoFan or NFHS Netowork.
Listed in Class/Region Order:
Class 1S Region 3
1. Zephrhyills Christian vs. 4. Victory Christian
Players to watch
ZCA: Parker Stirnkorb QB, Kendall Johnson ATH, Rodger Jones ATH, Amari Range WR, Alexander Hairston RB, Myles McDonald Myles McDonald QB Zephyrhills Christian Academy | 2027 FL QB, Brent Clements DE, Jayden Ramos WR, Chris Bailey ATH, Kaden Paghense DL
VCA: Jackson Benton QB, Curtis Ingram RB, Martell Thomas ATH, Kooper Jones WR, Jaden Gray DB, Noah Cabrera WR, JoJo Scott JoJo Scott 6'2" | 170 lbs | DB Lakeland Victory Christian | 2025 FL ATH
Regular season rematch that saw ZCA earn an away victory which gave them lead way to the No.1 seed.
2. Lakeland Chrisitan vs. 3 Cardinal Mooney
Players to watch
LCA: Trey Berry Trey Berry 6'1" | 190 lbs | LB Lakeland Christian | 2025 FL DB – Josh Bellamy RB – Brody Brenneman QB – Preston Garcia QB – Tate Horne WR
CM: Zy’marion Lang WR, Carson Beach Carson Beach 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Cardinal Mooney | 2024 FL RB, Michael Valentino QB, Devin Mignery QB, George Leibold LB, Jacob Brown LB, Bryce Fulda DE, Nick Bryan DB
One of the top private schools in Polk will put it on the line against a team from out west.
Class 2S Region 4
1. Bishop Verot vs. 8 Mulberry
Players to watch
Vikings: Matthew Turner WR, Charles Watts WR, Deshon Jenkins Deshon Jenkins 5'10" | 195 lbs | RB Bishop Verot | 2026 FL Jr. RB, Carter Smith Carter Smith 6'4" | 180 lbs | QB Fort Myers Bishop Verot | 2025 State FL QB, Ryan Gadsen DB, Micha Anderson LB, Parker Turner LB, Ryan Peterson DL
Panthers: Devin Burgess ATH, Jeffrey Duvalt ATH, Lloyd Knight RB, Timothy Jones LB, Jaquan Turner LB, Jermaine Mills OL/DL, Timothy Jones LB, Paul Sledge Paul Sledge 5'10" | 155 lbs | DB Mulberry | 2025 FL ATH
2. Fort Meade vs. 7 Sarasota Booker
Players to watch
Miners: Carson Montsdeoca QB – Joshua Porter WR – Ryan Screen WR – Darian Kirkland Darian Kirkland 6'1" | 165 lbs | ATH Avon Park | 2025 FL WR – Keveun Mason RB – Omari Russell DB – Cyhdrin Simmons DB – Tedrick Simon DB – Davion Borders DB – Ashton White LB – Josiah Lozano WR – Markell Baker ATH
Booker: Josiah Booker Josiah Booker 5'9" | 155 lbs | WR Sarasota Booker | 2024 State FL WR, Tyren Wortham WR, Joshua Burrows WR, Ahmad Hunter RB, Jordan Radkey DT, Omarion Patterson DB, Jordan Johnson QB
Class 4M Region 1
1. Lake Mary vs. 8 Boone
Players to watch
LM: 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
Boone: Isaiah Mizell Isaiah Mizell 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Orlando Boone | 2025 State FL WR, Laggarius Marshell RB, Aaron Hardy RB, Sam Johnson QB
The Rams have been on fire this season with 2026 QB Noah Grubbs taking the nation by storm.
2. Seminole vs. 7 Hagerty
Players to watch
BokeyFB: Karson Lasky QB, Preston Watson Preston Watson 6'2" | 270 lbs | DL Sanford Seminole | 2024 State FL DT, Trey Clarke RB, Tavari Hampton LB, David Parks ATH, Justin Rosado WR, Cori Smith DB, Juan Berchal Juan Berchal 5'10" | 175 lbs | DB Sanford Seminole | 2025 FL DB
Hagerty:
Seminole is one of the more talented teams in the Orlando area and will meet with a Hagerty squad that has a few pieces to get it done.
3. Apopka vs. 6 Evans
Players to watch
Apopka: Tyson Davison Tyson Davison 6'1" | 175 lbs | QB Apopka | 2026 FL QB, Marcus Grant DB, Malachi Davey Malachi Davey 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB FL DB, Antwone Robinson DB, Donovan Muldrow LB, Lorenzo Payne LB
Trojans: Chris Peterson QB, Roytavious Ricketts WR, Jermaine Hardy RB, Gaboreius Baldwin LB, Tommy Dixson DL, Li’darious Pryor LB
Another Central Florida matchup between two teams that have had mediocre seasons can make it count in the playoffs.
4. Winter Park vs. 5 Mandarin
Players to watch
WP: Evan Van Dyke WR, Jalil Miller RB, Zion Wolf Zion Wolf 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Winter Park | 2025 FL WR, Atticus Vandyke QB
Mandarin: Jaime Ffrench Jr. WR, Tramell Jones QB, Tiant Wyche RB, Drake Stubbs ATH
This should be an interesting matchup as one of the more talented teams in the North Florida area travels to meet WP in Central Florida.
Class 4M Region 2
3 Olympia vs. 6 Dr. Phillips
Players to watch
Panthers: Stanley Anderson QB, Maliki Wright Maliki Wright 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB Orlando Dr. Phillips | 2025 State FL ATH, Jashad Presley DB, Amari Major Amari Major 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Orlando Dr. Phillips | 2025 FL RB, Mykel Calixte WR, Cameron Dixon ATH, Jayshaun Fox WR, Jerard Smith Jerard Smith 6'0" | LB Orlando Dr. Phillips | 2024 FL LB, Alfred Thomas LB
Titans: Juan Gainous Juan Gainous 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB Olympia | 2024 FL QB, Melo Ware RB, RoMelo Walker ATH, Brandon Dumzeil DT, Jalon Thompson Jalon Thompson 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Orlando Olympia | 2024 FL DB, Xavier Tucker Xavier Tucker 5'11" | 160 lbs | WR Orlando Olympia | 2025 FL ATH
4. Vero Beach vs. 5 Heritage (Palm Bay)
Players to watch
VB: Tyler Aronson Tyler Aronson 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB Vero Beach | 2024 FL QB, Jonathan Hillsman RB, TJ Alford LB, Octavion Osby Octavion Osby 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Melbourne Palm Bay | 2024 FL RB, Isaiah Roberts WR, Affeon Rivers LB, Elijah Anderson DB
Heritage:
Class 2S Region 3
1. Cocoa vs. 8 Eustis
Players to watch
Cocoa: Brady Hart Brady Hart 6'4" | 185 lbs | QB Cocoa | 2026 FL QB, Nick Teeter WR, Jayvan Boggs Jayvan Boggs 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR Cocoa | 2025 State FL WR, CJ Bragg CJ Bragg 5'11" | 170 lbs | ATH Cocoa | 2024 FL WR, Samadrae Hawkins Samadrae Hawkins 5'11" | 220 lbs | LB Cocoa | 2024 FL LB, Dai’Veon Parham LB, Javion Hilson Javion Hilson 6'5" | 230 lbs | DL Cocoa | 2025 State FL DE, O’kece Battle ATH, Daviyon-Hawkins-Ingram OL
Eustis:
Class 3S Region 2
3. Leesburg vs 6 Auburndale
Players to watch
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
Bloodhounds: Nate Gabriel Nate Gabriel 6'3" | 285 lbs | DL Auburndale | 2024 FL DT – Elijah Dias Elijah Dias 5'11" | 175 lbs | LB FL LB – Jaysean Pritchard Jaysean Pritchard 5'11" | 180 lbs | ATH Auburndale | 2025 FL ATH – Tahjae McQueen WR – Bryson Jiles DB – Chad Williams Chad Williams 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Auburndale | 2026 FL QB – Dayrel Glover RB – Carmelo Henderson WR
Class 4S Region 2
1. Lakeland vs. 8 Mitchell
Players to watch
Lakeland: 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
Mitchell:
2. Lake Minneola vs 7 Haines City
Players to watch
LM:
HC:
4. Winter Haven vs. 5 Bartow
Players to watch
WH: Guiseann Mirtil Guiseann Mirtil 6'2" | 210 lbs | ATH Winter Haven | 2024 State FL TE – John Kostuch John Kostuch 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Winter Haven | 2025 FL QB – Alfred Smothers RB – Trey’On Ellington LB – Ora Farlow WR – Allen Cadet-Ford DB – Tyrone Footman LB – Donovan Grayson LT – Ja’tavious Scaife ATH, Quantavious Calloway ATH
Bartow: 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