Top Week 2 Games to Watch in Polk County

<!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top Games to Watch in Polk County</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Kathleen (0-1) vs. Mulberry (1-0)</strong><br>A clash between two historic schools in Polk County that's sure to bring intensity. Mulberry is riding high after a dominant 39-0 win last week, while Kathleen's Red Devils will be fighting hard to keep them out of the endzone.<br><br>Key Players: <strong>Kathleen: </strong>Ethan McArthur, Jimmy Paris, [player_tooltip player_id='1019965' first='Jimmie' last='Borders']. <strong>Mulberry: </strong>Cedric Townsend, Traveon Hymes, Jamarian James<br><br></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Gulf Coast (0-1) vs. Bartow (0-1)</strong><br>The Yellow Jackets are under pressure at home, needing a win after struggling to put points on the board recently. With plenty of talent and a strong coaching staff, Bartow has the tools to bounce back against Gulf Coast, who is also looking to recover from a tough loss.<br><br>Key players: <strong>Bartow:</strong> Tavares Murray, [player_tooltip player_id='1022076' first='Blake' last='Johnson'], Kam Thomas, De'Coryian Stanley. <strong>Gulf Coast</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='1319616' first='Cayden' last='Daugherty'], Jace Seyler<br></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Lake Wales (1-0) vs. Ridge (1-0)</strong><br>Lake Wales enters this matchup stacked with athletic talent, but they can't afford to overlook Ridge, who started their season with a win under the guidance of Coach Tate. This game could shape up to be a true battle of wills.<br><br>Key players: <strong>Lake Wales: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1670969' first='Kaneilius' last='Purdy'], Bryce Levidiotis, [player_tooltip player_id='1322290' first='Carldayle' last='Brantley']<br></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Lake Region vs. Winter Haven</strong><br>This Thursday night rivalry game promises excitement, with only 15 minutes separating these two schools. Winter Haven, though in search of answers after losing key players, should have enough firepower to handle Lake Region before their big road trip to Knoxville Catholic next week.<br><br>Key players: <strong>Lake Region: </strong>Israel Bernardo, Nashawn Cook-Manuel. <strong>Winter Haven: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='829494' first='John' last='Kostuch'], Percy Perry<br><br>5. <strong>Lake Gibson (0-1) vs. Haines City (1-1)<br></strong><br>This matchup features two teams loaded with under-the-radar talent on both sides of the ball. Haines City is coming off a big-time win against ZCA, with the Hornets' coaching staff earning major credit for their performance. While Lake Gibson is a young team, they still have the pieces to pull off a win. This game could easily turn into a thrilling battle between two evenly matched squads.<br><br>Key Players: <strong>Lake Gibson: </strong>Derrick McBride. <strong>Haines City:</strong> Deont Fielder</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list -->