Must-See Semifinal Playoff Games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">The time for high school playoff football is back and Prep Redzone continues to be on the move while 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 Semifinal Playoff Matchups around Polk and the Central Florida areas. *Below are matchups with notable players to watch for our readers! Most of these games will be played on Frida</span>y. - 12.1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Final 4 Games to Watch&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"17px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:17px"><strong>Cocoa vs. Booker&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tigers:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1247449' first='Brady' last='Hart'] <strong>QB, </strong>Nick Teeter <strong>WR, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='953682' first='Jayvan' last='Boggs'] <strong>WR, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='606130' first='CJ' last='Bragg'] <strong>WR, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404257' first='Samadrae' last='Hawkins'] <strong>LB, </strong>Dai'Veon Parham <strong>LB, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='749702' first='Javion' last='Hilson'] <strong>DE, </strong>O'kece Battle <strong>ATH, </strong>Daviyon-Hawkins-Ingram <strong>OL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Booker: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='944699' first='Josiah' last='Booker'] <strong>WR</strong>, Ahmad Hunter <strong>RB</strong>, Tyron Wortham <strong>WR</strong>, Jordan Radkey <strong>DT</strong>, Dajien Walton <strong>LB</strong>, Rah'shad Hill <strong>DE</strong>, Jason Thomas <strong>S</strong>, Jordan Johnson <strong>QB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cocoa has been on fire this season with 2026 stud QB [player_tooltip player_id='1247449' first='Brady' last='Hart'] throwing dimes under center. The Tigers moved up in the top 25 national rankings and will look to put it all on the line against a confident Booker squad who earned a huge upset win over Bishop Verot last week. Makes for a good showdown, and a must-see matchup.!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"17px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:17px"><strong>Lakeland vs. Buchholz&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dreadnaughts: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='827385' first='Zander' last='Smith'] <strong>QB, </strong>Rick Penick <strong>WR, </strong>Dee Rucker <strong>RB, </strong>Jamar Taylor <strong>WR, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1247490' first='Malik' last='Morris'] <strong>LB, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1123185' first='Jameson' last='Young'] <strong>DB, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1127045' first='Keon' last='Young'] <strong>DB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Buchholz: </strong>Justin Williams <strong>WR</strong>, Quinton Cutler <strong>RB</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='940634' first='Myles' last='Graham'] <strong>ATH</strong>, Matthew Cade <strong>LB</strong>, Trace Johnson <strong>QB</strong>, Thomas Weinhardt <strong>LB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>My game of the week will be held in Gainesville as the undefeated Buchholz Bobcats face the 2022 state-champion Lakeland Dreadnaught in a highly anticipated semifinal matchup. Buchholz has dominated its competition this season but now faces a confident and tough bunch from Polk County. Skill players will be all over the field in this one. Get your popcorn early. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"17px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:17px"><strong>Mandarin vs. Monarch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mandarin: </strong>Jaime Ffrench Jr. <strong>WR, </strong>Tramell Jones <strong>QB, </strong>Tiant Wyche <strong>RB, </strong>Drake Stubbs <strong>ATH</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Monarch: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='212268' first='Jabari' last='Brady'] <strong>WR</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='827408' first='Samari' last='Reed'] <strong>WR</strong>, Clayton Cannon <strong>WR</strong>, AJ Hairston <strong>QB</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='404607' first='Gabriel' last='Birnbaum'] <strong>DE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Huge win for Mandarin last week taking down a well-coached Seminole team. The Mustangs will travel down from Jacksonville to South Florida to meet head-to-head with a talented Monarch group led by senior UMASS QB commit AJ Hairston.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"17px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:17px"><strong>St. Augustine vs. Dunbar</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SAHS: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='826612' first='Locklan' last='Hewlett'] <strong>QB, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='829478' first='Carl' last='Jenkins Jr.'] <strong>WR, </strong>Trenton Jones <strong>WR, </strong>Myles Simmons <strong>WR, </strong>Ja'ki Singleton <strong>DB, </strong>Julian Quintero <strong>DB, </strong>Drake Lusk <strong>LB, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404236' first='Devonte' last='Lyons'] <strong>RB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dunbar: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='833754' first='Chris' last='Singleton'] <strong>ATH</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='944717' first='Eric' last='Fletcher'] <strong>ATH</strong>, Kyeran Garcia <strong>LB</strong>, Jaylon Christmas <strong>DE</strong>, Austin Price <strong>QB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Yellow Jackets are undefeated on the season and will put on the line against Fort Myers based Dunbar High. St. Augustine's offense has been on fire, scoring over 30+ PPG the entire season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Best of the Rest:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"17px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:17px"><strong>Mainland vs. Vanguard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mainland: </strong>Clarence Mccloud <strong>WR, </strong>Dennis Murray <strong>QB</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='834227' first='Khamani' last='Robinson'] <strong>RB</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='404168' first='Rodney' last='Hill'] <strong>ATH</strong>, Lawal Mccray <strong>ATH</strong>, Myron Shafer <strong>ATH</strong>, Emmanuel Yisrael <strong>WR, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404168' first='Rodney' last='Hill'] <strong>LB, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404169' first='Zavier' last='Mincey'] <strong>DB</strong>&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Vanguard: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404084' first='Fred' last='Gaskin III'] <strong>ATH</strong>, Mitchell Brown <strong>ATH</strong>, Dallen Ponder <strong>WR</strong>, Markell Davis <strong>LB</strong>, Terrence Farmer <strong>LB</strong>, Josiah Farmer <strong>LB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"17px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:17px"><strong>Deland vs. Venice&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Deland: </strong>TJ Moore<strong> QB, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1123156' first='Javon' last='Ross'] <strong>ATH</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='951701' first='Wyatt' last='Darlington'] <strong>ATH</strong>, Dante Mascio <strong>LB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Venice: </strong>Jaydn Glasser <strong>QB</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='404035' first='Charles' last='Lester III'] <strong>DB</strong>, Eli Seed <strong>LB</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='992858' first='Jamarice' last='Wilder'] <strong>RB</strong>, CJ Lewis <strong>WR</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='748997' first='Ryan' last='Matulevich'] <strong>WR, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='750489' first='Ryan' last='Daly']<strong> DL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"17px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:17px"><strong>Jones vs. Homestead&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jones: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='740856' first='Trever' last='Jackson'] <strong>QB, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404137' first='D'antre' last='Robinson'] <strong>DL, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='826542' first='Vernell' last='Brown III'] <strong>WR, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='212264' first='Dereon' last='Coleman'] <strong>QB, </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='118781' first='Jaylen' last='Smith'] <strong>WR, </strong>Sean Murphy <strong>WR, </strong>George Brown IV <strong>DB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Homestead: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='826432' first='Cortez' last='Mills'] <strong>WR</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id='404164' first='Isaac' last='Brown'] <strong>RB</strong>, Joshua Townsend <strong>QB</strong>, Santonio Wallace <strong>LB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><div> <span style="font-size: 16px"></span></div></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->