Chaminade-Madonna Finishes No. 1
While Bradenton’s IMG Academy spent the entire season on top of the state football rankings, there is NO arguing who the best team in Florida – and perhaps the nation – was at the end of the season.
With their 56-0 win over previously unbeaten Clearwater Central Catholic, head coach Dameon Jones and his Lions (14-0) pushed by IMG to finish as the No. 1 team in the state.
This football team played one of the most challenging schedules in the country, outscoring the opposition 687-137, dominating the five playoff games, 207-7, which included four shutouts.
The Lions’ first six games included wins against Baltimore St. Frances Academy, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, New Jersey’s Bergen Catholic, Plantation American Heritage, Miami Central and Coconut Creek. All were playoff teams.
In addition to Chaminade-Madonna, here is the final Top 25 Florida standings for the 2023 season:
1 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1M, 14-0). LAST WEEK: The Lions beat previously unbeaten Clearwater Central Catholic, 56-0.
2. Bradenton IMG Academy (Independent, 10-0).
3. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (3M, 14-1). LAST WEEK: The Raiders beat Homestead, 31-28, for their fifth consecutive title.
4. Cocoa (2S, 14-1). LAST WEEK: The Tigers ended the year with their second consecutive state title, 20-6 over previously unbeaten Starke Bradford County.
5. Miami Christopher Columbus (4M, 13-2). LAST WEEK: The Explorers captured their second straight state title with a 38-19 victory over Jacksonville Mandarin.
6. Daytona Beach Mainland (3S, 14-1). LAST WEEK: The Buccaneers broke through after falling short last season with a 21-19 win against previously unbeaten St. Augustine.
7. Lakeland (4S, 12-3). LAST WEEK: The Dreadnaughts beat Venice for the second straight season in record setting fashion, beating the Indians, 60-48.0
8. Tampa Berkeley Prep (2M, 13-2). LAST WEEK: The Buccaneers pulled off another huge upset in taking down previously unbeaten Miami Norland, 28-20 for the school’s first ever state football crown.
9. Miami Norland (2M, 14-1). LAST WEEK: The Vikings saw their dreams of a state title and unbeaten season fade in a loss to Tampa Berkeley Prep, 28-20.
10. Homestead (3M, 12-2). LAST WEEK: The Broncos grabbed the attention of every football fan in the Sunshine State, falling just short of national powerhouse, St. Thomas Aquinas, 31-28
11. Clearwater Central Catholic (1M, 14-1). LAST WEEK: The Marauders ran into one of the best teams in the country, losing to Chaminade-Madonna, 56-0, ending a great year.
12. Venice (4S, 12-3). LAST WEEK: The Indians were part of the highest scoring game in FHSAA state football finals, dropping a 60-48 decision to Lakeland.
13. St. Augustine (3S, 13-1). LAST WEEK: The Yellow Jackets dropped a tough state final to Daytona Beach Mainland, 21-19, ending a perfect season and dreams of a state title.
14. Jacksonville Mandarin (4M, 11-4). LAST WEEK: The Mustangs dropped a 38-19 decision to Miami Christopher Columbus.
15. Plantation American Heritage (2M, 10-2).
16. Gainesville Buchholz (4S, 13-1).
17. Orlando Jones (3M, 10-4).
18. Miami Central (2M, 8-3).
19. Orlando Edgewater (3M, 11-1).
20. Ocala Vanguard (11-3).
21. Tampa Plant (11-3).
22. Hawthorne (13-0). LAST WEEK: In winning for the 25th straight time, and 35th time in 36 games, the Hornets defended their state title, 22-13, against Madison County.
23. Starke Bradford County (14-1). LAST WEEK: The Bulldogs came to Tallahassee with one of the largest throngs of fans, but lost for the first time to powerhouse Cocoa, 20-6.
24. Madison County (10-2). LAST WEEK: The Cowboys returned to the state title game, losing to 1R power Hawthorne, 22-13.
25. Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (12-2). Appearing in the state finals for the first time since 1972, the Cougars came up big in the final minute to get by Ocala Trinity Catholic, 31-27.
OTHER PLAYOFF TEAMS
1R
REGION 1
Bonifay Holmes County (9-3).
Century Northview (5-7).
Chipley (6-3).
Jay (7-4).
Panama City Bozeman (12-1).
Vernon (5-6).
REGION 2
Blountstown (8-4).
Cottondale (7-4).
Monticello Aucilla Christian (8-2).
Port St. Joe (7-5).
Sneads (6-5).
Wewahitchka (5-6).
REGION 3
Branford (7-3).
Fort White (9-2).
Hilliard (3-8).
Lake Butler Union (8-4).
Mayo Lafayette (7-5).
REGION 4
Chiefland (4-7).
Cross City Dixie County (7-4).
Newberry (9-3).
Pahokee (6-5).
Williston (11-1).
1S
REGION 1
Quincy Munroe (1-9).
Tallahassee North Florida Christian (8-4).
Tallahassee Maclay (5-6).
Tallahassee Saint John Paul II (5-6).
REGION 2
Daytona Beach Halifax Academy (7-3).
Melbourne Central Catholic (9-3).
Melbourne Holy Trinity Episcopal (7-4).
Ocala Trinity Catholic (6-8).
REGION 3
Lakeland Victory Christian (7-6).
Zephyrhills Christian (8-3).
Lakeland Christian (7-4).
REGION 4
Community School of Naples (8-2).
Fort Myers Evangelical Christian (6-5).
Moore Haven (7-4).
Naples First Baptist Academy (10-3).
2S
REGION 1
Crawfordville Wakulla (11-1).
DeFuniak Springs Walton (11-1).
Havana Gadsden County (6-5).
Live Oak Suwannee (6-4).
Marianna (6-5).
Pensacola Catholic (11-2).
Santa Rosa Beach South Walton (6-5).
Tallahassee Florida High (10-3).
REGION 2
Baldwin (5-6).
Gainesville Eastside (8-4).
Glen St. Mary Baker County (8-4).
Keystone Heights (6-5).
Palatka (8-3).
Port Orange Atlantic (5-6).
Yulee (9-3).
REGION 3
Eustis (7-4).
Brooksville Nature Coast (8-3).
Bushnell South Sumter (11-2).
Dunnellon (8-4).
Hudson (9-2).
Palm Bay (7-4).
Titusville (10-2).
REGION 4
Fort Myers Bishop Verot (11-2).
Mulberry (7-4).
Estero (9-3).
Wauchula Hardee County (8-3).
Sarasota Booker (9-4).
Fort Meade (9-1).
Frostproof (7-4).
Englewood Lemon Bay (10-2).
3S
REGION 1
Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee (10-3).
Lake City Columbia (4-6).
Middleburg (5-6).
Palm Coast Matanzas (7-4).
Pensacola Escambia (8-4).
Pensacola Pine Forest (6-5).
Tallahassee Lincoln (9-3).
REGION 2
Auburndale (7-4).
Lake Wales (12-1).
Leesburg (10-2).
New Port Richey Gulf (5-6).
New Port Richey River Ridge (4-6).
Wesley Chapel Cypress Creek (9-2).
Zephyrhills (8-4).
REGION 3
Eau Gallie (10-2).
Fort Pierce Westwood (7-4).
Jensen Beach (9-2).
Merritt Island (6-5).
Rockledge (6-6).
Satellite (5-6).
Sebring (9-3).
REGION 4
Cape Coral Mariner (8-3).
Naples Golden Gate (9-3).
Fort Myers (8-3).
Fort Myers Dunbar (11-3).
Parrish Community (7-4).
Naples (10-3).
Naples Barron Collier (8-3).
Port Charlotte (9-3).
4S
REGION 1
Lynn Haven Mosley (6-5).
Navarre (7-4).
Niceville (9-3).
Ponte Vedra (8-4).
Ponte Vedra Nease (7-4).
St. John’s Bartram Trail (8-5).
St. John Creekside (6-5).
REGION 2
Bartow (7-5).
Haines City (6-5).
Lake Minneola (9-4).
Spring Hill Springstead (7-4).
New Port Richey Mitchell (6-5).
Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Ranch (9-3).
Winter Haven (7-4).
REGION 3
DeLand (11-2).
Kissimmee Osceola (4-7).
New Smyrna Beach (6-5).
Orange City University (10-2).
Palm Bay Heritage (9-2).
Port Orange Spruce Creek (7-4).
Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (9-3).
Vero Beach (9-3).
REGION 4
Bradenton Lakewood Ranch (4-7).
Bradenton Manatee (9-3).
Immokalee (6-6).
Naples Gulf Coast (5-5).
Palmetto (5-6).
Punta Gorda Charlotte (4-7).
Sarasota Riverview (8-5).
CLASS 1M
REGION 1
Jacksonville Trinity Christian (9-4).
Jacksonville Providence (7-4).
Jacksonville University Christian (5-6).
Orlando Christian Prep (10-2).
REGION 2
Largo Indian Rocks Christian (6-5).
St. Petersburg Northside Christian (6-5).
Tampa Carrollwood Day (9-2).
REGION 3
Hollywood Avant Garde (5-6).
North Palm Beach Benjamin (8-3).
West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (9-2).
REGION 4
Miami Archbishop Carroll (12-2).
Miami Palmer Trinty (6-4).
Miami True North Classical Academy (9-3).
Miami Westminster Christian (5-6).
CLASS 2M
REGION 1
Jacksonville Andrew Jackson (3-8).
Jacksonville Bishop Kenny (6-5).
Jacksonville Bolles (7-6).
Jacksonville Episcopal (6-5).
Jacksonville Ed White (6-5).
Jacksonville Raines (10-2).
Jacksonville Riverside (9-3).
Orlando Bishop Moore (9-4).
REGION 2
Clearwater (7-5).
Clearwater Calvary Christian (10-3).
St. Petersburg Lakewood (2-9).
Tampa Blake (7-4).
Tampa Catholic (5-6).
Tampa Middleton (4-7).
Tampa Robinson (8-3).
REGION 3
Boynton Beach Somerset Canyons (7-4).
Coconut Creek North Broward Prep (5-6).
Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian (9-3).
Boca Raton St. Andrew’s (9-2).
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (9-4).
Fort Lauderdale Stranahan (4-7).
West Palm Beach The King’s Academy (9-3).
REGION 4
Miami Booker T. Washington (9-3).
Miami Edison (6-5).
Miami St. Brendan (7-4).
Miami Gardens Monsignor Pace (7-5).
North Miami Beach (4-7).
Pinecrest Gulliver Prep (7-4).
CLASS 3M
REGION 1
Seffner Armwood (3M, 10-2).
Jacksonville First Coast (6-5).
Neptune Beach Fletcher (7-4).
Oviedo (8-3).
Tampa Wharton (6-5).
REGION 2
Gibsonton East Bay (8-2).
Largo (8-4).
Pinellas Park (6-5).
St. Petersburg (8-3).
St. Petersburg Northeast (8-3).
Tampa Gaither (8-6).
Tampa Hillsborough (6-5).
Tampa Jesuit (10-3).
REGION 3
Coconut Creek (10-3).
Delray Beach Atlantic (9-2).
Fort Lauderdale Dillard (5-6).
Plantation (6-5).
Pompano Beach Blanche Ely (9-3).
Sunrise Piper (6-5).
West Boca Raton (9-3).
REGION 4
Hialeah (9-2).
Hialeah American (6-5).
Hollywood McArthur (5-5).
Hollywood South Broward (8-3).
Miami Belen Jesuit (5-7).
Miami Southridge (7-5).
Miramar (8-5).
CLASS 4M
REGION 1
Apopka (8-4).
Lake Mary (10-2).
Orlando Boone (5-6).
Orlando Evans (5-6).
Oviedo Hagerty (6-5).
Sanford Seminole (10-3).
Winter Park (9-1).
REGION 2
Orlando Dr. Phillips (7-5).
Orlando Olympia (8-3).
Palm Harbor University (8-3).
Plant City (6-5).
Plant City Durant (9-3).
Riverview (7-4).
Riverview Sumner (11-2).
REGION 3
Boca Raton (7-5).
Boca Spanish River (7-4).
Coconut Creek Monarch (11-3).
Lantana Santaluces (8-4).
Palm Beach Gardens (6-5).
Parkland Stoneman Douglas (4-7).
Wellington Palm Beach Central (10-3).
REGION 4
Davie Western (9-4).
Doral Academy (5-5).
Homestead South Dade (8-4).
Miami Lakes Barbara Goleman (5-5).
Miami Palmetto (4M, 9-2).
Pembroke Pines West Broward (7-4).
Weston Cypress Bay (8-3).
THE 2023 SEASON
Playoff Week 1. https://prepredzone.com/2023/11/playoff-week-1/
Playoff Week 2. https://prepredzone.com/2023/11/on-to-the-region-semifinals/
Playoff Week 3. https://prepredzone.com/2023/11/on-to-the-region-finals/
Statewide Coverage Daily. https://prepredzone.com/florida/
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com.