Must-See Semifinal Playoff Games
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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…
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Continue ReadingThe 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 Friday. – 12.1
Final 4 Games to Watch
Cocoa vs. Booker
Tigers: 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
Booker: Josiah Booker Josiah Booker 5'9" | 155 lbs | WR Sarasota Booker | 2024 State FL WR, Ahmad Hunter RB, Tyron Wortham WR, Jordan Radkey DT, Dajien Walton LB, Rah’shad Hill DE, Jason Thomas S, Jordan Johnson QB
Cocoa has been on fire this season with 2026 stud QB Brady Hart Brady Hart 6'4" | 185 lbs | QB Cocoa | 2026 FL 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.!
Lakeland vs. Buchholz
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
Buchholz: Justin Williams WR, Quinton Cutler RB, Myles Graham Myles Graham 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Gainesville Buhholz | 2024 State FL ATH, Matthew Cade LB, Trace Johnson QB, Thomas Weinhardt LB
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.
Mandarin vs. Monarch
Mandarin: Jaime Ffrench Jr. WR, Tramell Jones QB, Tiant Wyche RB, Drake Stubbs ATH
Monarch: Jabari Brady Jabari Brady 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR FL WR, Samari Reed Samari Reed 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Coconut Creek Monarch | 2025 State FL WR, Clayton Cannon WR, AJ Hairston QB, Gabriel Birnbaum Gabriel Birnbaum 6'2" | 210 lbs | TE Coconut Creek Monarch | 2024 FL DE
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.
St. Augustine vs. Dunbar
SAHS: Locklan Hewlett Locklan Hewlett 6'1" | 175 lbs | QB St. Augustine | 2025 State FL QB, Carl Jenkins Jr. Carl Jenkins Jr. 6'3" | 165 lbs | WR St. Augustine | 2025 State FL WR, Trenton Jones WR, Myles Simmons WR, Ja’ki Singleton DB, Julian Quintero DB, Drake Lusk LB, Devonte Lyons Devonte Lyons 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB St. Augustine | 2024 FL RB
Dunbar: Chris Singleton Chris Singleton 5'8" | 160 lbs | WR Fort Myers Dunbar | 2025 FL ATH, Eric Fletcher Eric Fletcher 6'1" | 190 lbs | ATH Fort Myers Dunbar | 2024 State FL ATH, Kyeran Garcia LB, Jaylon Christmas DE, Austin Price QB
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.
Best of the Rest:
Mainland vs. Vanguard
Mainland: Clarence Mccloud WR, Dennis Murray QB, Khamani Robinson RB, Rodney Hill Rodney Hill 5'10" | 205 lbs | LB Daytona Beach Mainland | 2024 State FL ATH, Lawal Mccray ATH, Myron Shafer ATH, Emmanuel Yisrael WR, Rodney Hill Rodney Hill 5'10" | 205 lbs | LB Daytona Beach Mainland | 2024 State FL LB, Zavier Mincey Zavier Mincey 6'3" | 190 lbs | DB Daytona Beach Mainland | 2024 State FL DB
Vanguard: Fred Gaskin III Fred Gaskin III 5'10" | 165 lbs | ATH Ocala Vanguard | 2024 State FL ATH, Mitchell Brown ATH, Dallen Ponder WR, Markell Davis LB, Terrence Farmer LB, Josiah Farmer LB
Deland vs. Venice
Deland: TJ Moore QB, Javon Ross Javon Ross 5'9" | 165 lbs | ATH DeLand | 2024 FL ATH, Wyatt Darlington Wyatt Darlington 6'0" | 215 lbs | RB DeLand | 2024 FL ATH, Dante Mascio LB
Venice: Jaydn Glasser QB, Charles Lester III Charles Lester III 6'1" | 175 lbs | DB Venice | 2024 State FL DB, Eli Seed LB, Jamarice Wilder Jamarice Wilder 5'9" | 180 lbs | RB Sarasota Booker | 2025 State FL RB, CJ Lewis WR, Ryan Matulevich Ryan Matulevich 6'0" | 185 lbs | WR Venice | 2025 State FL WR, Ryan Daly Ryan Daly 6'2" | 280 lbs | DL Venice | 2024 State FL DL
Jones vs. Homestead
Jones: 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
Homestead: Cortez Mills Cortez Mills 6'1" | 160 lbs | WR Homestead | 2025 State FL WR, Isaac Brown Isaac Brown 5'9" | 180 lbs | ATH Homestead | 2024 State FL RB, Joshua Townsend QB, Santonio Wallace LB