Week 2 FLORIDA TOP 30 – Lakeland Is No. 1
In this article:
Since the end of the 2023 season, the team at Prep Redzone Florida has been attending every 7-on-7, prospect camp, combine and team event across the Sunshine State.
With over 90 TEAMS profiled and well over 3,500 individual player blogs, stories and breakdowns, we have had the pleasure of producing more content than anyone in the state – by far.
If you have followed what we do, you already know that when it comes to evaluating and watching teams and players, there are very few who see more.
Our in season team rankings – like our player rankings – are accomplished by being at everything LIVE and not just going off the word of many who never see the teams perform in person.
During the season, we adjust team rankings as games are played – being fair to every program in the Sunshine State.
While no team ranking is ever going to please everyone, those who know the game understand the process that if a certain school does not appear at the beginning – it is the final ranking that counts.
While we respect everyone's opinion, it's tough to argue with people who see every player and team live.
Here are 30 teams to watch after week 1:
1- Lakeland (1-0, 5A). LAST WEEK: Beat Miami Central, 16-8. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @ No. 15 Lake Mary.
2. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (0-1, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Raiders dropped a tough 29-21 decision in the Broward County National Showcase, 29-21, to defending national champion Las Vegas Bishop Gorman. THIS WEEK: 8/30 - Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – No. 13 Miami Christopher Columbus.
3. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (0-1, 1A). LAST WEEK: The Lions opened the season in the Broward County National Showcase, dropping a 34-27 decision to national power St. John Bosco of California. THIS WEEK: 8/30 - @Pompano Beach Blanche Ely. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – Plantation American Heritage.
4. Cocoa (1-0, 2A). LAST WEEK: The Tigers opened the season with 42-10 win against Titusville. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Daytona Beach Mainland. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @Bradenton IMG Academy.
5. Venice (1-0, 7A). LAST WEEK: The Indians got off to a great start with a 63-40 win against Tampa Bay Tech. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Miami Northwestern. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @Fort Myers Bishop Verot.
6. Seffner Armwood (1-0, 6A). LAST WEEK: The Hawks continued to impress with a 42-19 win against Tampa Gaither. THIS WEEK: 8/30 - @Riverview Sumner. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – Tampa Bay Tech.
7. Orlando Jones (0-0, 4A). LAST WEEK: The opener against Winter Park was rained out. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Orlando Timber Creek. NEXT GAME: 9/7 - @Orlando Evans.
8. Jacksonville Mandarin (1-0, 6A). LAST WEEK: Opened the season with a convincing 57-13 win against St. Johns Creekside. THIS WEEK: 8/30 - @Jacksonville Atlantic Coast. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – Jacksonville Sandalwood.
9. Orlando Edgewater (0-0, 5A). LAST WEEK: The opener against Wekiva was rained out. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Orlando The First Academy. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – Orlando Freedom.
10. Miami Northwestern (1-0, 3A). LAST WEEK: Head Coach Teddy Bridgewater and his Bulls rolled to a Broward Showcase win against Coconut Creek, 45-0. THIS WEEK: 8/22 - @Venice. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – Miami Carol City.
11. Miami Central (0-1, 3A). LAST WEEK: The Rockets were beaten at home, 16-8, by Lakeland. THIS WEEK: 8/31 – Miami Edison. NEXT GAME: 9/7 – Miami Booker T. Washington.
12. Bradenton IMG Academy (0-1, Independent). LAST WEEK: Lost to Corner Canyon, Utah, 35-34. THIS WEEK: 8/28 – Bergen Catholic, New Jersey. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - Cocoa.
13. Miami Christopher Columbus (1-0, 7A). LAST WEEK: The two-time defending state champions opened with a 17-14 win against Miami Southridge. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Our Lady of Good Counsel, Maryland. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @ No. 2 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.
14. Plantation American Heritage (0-1, 4A). LAST WEEK: The Patriots dropped a 37-28 decision in the Broward National Showcase to Georgia power Milton. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – No. 11 Davie Western. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna.
15. Lake Mary (1-0, 7A). LAST WEEK: The Rams opened the season with a convincing 45-20 win against Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons in the Broward County National Showcase. THIS WEEK: 8/30 - Kissimmee Osceola. NEXT GAME: 9/6 No. 1 Lakeland.
16. Miami Norland (1-0, 4A). LAST WEEK: After a disappointing kickoff classic loss, the Vikings bounced back with a 27-0 win against Miramar. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Miami Carol City. NEXT GAME: 9/13 – Miami Northwestern.
17. Tampa Plant (1-0, 6A). LAST WEEK: The Panthers opened with a huge 28-14 win against Tampa Carrollwood Day. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Tampa Gaither. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – Tampa Robinson.
18. Gainesville Buchholz (1-0, 6A). LAST WEEK: The Bobcats opened with a convincing 24-7 win against Ocala Vanguard. THIS WEEK: 8/30 - @Vero Beach. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @Gaineville Eastside.
19. Davie Western (0-1, 7A). LAST WEEK: The Wildcats dropped a 17-14 decision to Hoover, Alabama in the Broward County National Showcase. THIS WEEK: 8/30 - @ No. 14 Plantation American Heritage. NEXT GAME: 9/13 – No. 2 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.
20. Miami Palmetto (1-0), 7A). LAST WEEK: The Panthers upended No. 21 Homestead, 14-10. THIS WEEK: 8/29 - @Miami Booker T. Washington. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @Miami Southridge.
21. Homestead (0-1, 6A). LAST WEEK: The Broncos were upended by No. 20 Miami Palmetto, 14-10. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Homestead South Dade. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @Vero Beach.
22. Tampa Bay Tech (0-1, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Titans were beaten on the road by No. 5 Venice, 63-40. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Tampa Wharton. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @ No. 6 Seffner Armwood.
23. St. Augustine (1-0, 4A). LAST WEEK: Opened the season with a 42-6 win at Palatka. THIS WEEK: 8/30 - @St. Augustine Menedez. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - Jacksonville Bolles.
24. Lake Wales (1-0, 4A). LAST WEEK: The Highlanders opened with a 47-0 win against Winter Haven. THIS WEEK: 8/30 - @Davenport Ridge Community. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – Auburndale.
25. Coconut Creek Monarch (1-0, 6A). LAST WEEK: The Knights outlasted Suwannee Peachtree Ridge in Broward County National Showcase, 30-29. THIS WEEK: 8/29 – Deerfield Beach. NEXT GAME: 9/13 - @Sanford Seminole.
26. Jacksonville Raines (1-0, 3A). LAST WEEK: The Vikings beat city rival Jacksonville Bolles, 32-23. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Jacksonville Sandalwood. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – Jacksonville Trinity Christian.
27. Clearwater Central Catholic (1-0, 1A). LAST WEEK: The Marauders beat defending state champion No. 28 Tampa Berkeley, 28-14. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Sebring. NEXT GAME: 9/13 – Clearwater.
28. Tampa Berkeley Prep (0-1, 2A). LAST WEEK: The defending state champions dropped the opener to No. 27 Clearwater Central Catholic, 28-14. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Sarasota Booker. NEXT GAME: 9/6 – Tampa Carrollwood Day.
29. Delray Beach Atlantic (1-0, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Eagles opened the season with a 42-3 win against Palm Beach Gardens. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Jonesboro, Georgia. NEXT GAME: 9/5 – North Miami Beach.
30. Hawthorne (1-0, R). LAST WEEK: The two-time defending state champion Hornets started the season with a 51-0 win against Holiday Anclote. THIS WEEK: 8/30 – Newberry. NEXT GAME: 9/6 - @Tallahassee Florida High.
FIFTEEN MORE TO WATCH: Bradenton Manatee (1-0, 5A), Bushnell South Sumter (0-1, 3A), Clearwater Calvary Christian (1-0, 2A), Crawfordville Wakulla Crawfordville Wakulla FL (1-0, 3A), Daytona Beach Mainland (0-1, 5A), DeLand (0-1, 7A), Eau Gallie (1-0, 3A), Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (0-1, 2A), Fort Myers Bishop Verot (1-0, 2A), Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee (1-0, 4A), Homestead South Dade (0-1, 7A), Jacksonville Bolles (0-1, 2A), Jacksonville Trinity Christian (1-0, 1A), Kissimmee Osceola (1-0, 6A), Madison County (1-0, R), Melbourne Eau Gallie (1-0, 3A), Miami Booker T. Washington (1-0, 2A), Miami Southridge (0-1, 6A), Naples (1-0, 4A), Naples First Baptist (1-0, 1A), Niceville (1-0, 5A), North Palm Beach Benjamin (0-1, 1A), Ocala Vanguard (0-1, 4A), Orange City University (1-0), Orlando Bishop Moore (1-0, 3A), Orlando The First Academy (1-0, 1A), Palm Bay Heritage (1-0, 5A), Palm Beach Central (1-0, 7A), Pembroke Pines West Broward Pembroke Pines West Broward FL (1-0, 6A), Pensacola Catholic (1-0, 2S), Pensacola Escambia (1-0, 4A), Sanford Seminole (0-0, 7A), Sarasota Booker (1-0, 3A), Starke Bradford County (1-0, 2A), St. John's Bartram Trail (1-0, 6A), St. John's Creekside (0-1, 7A), Tampa Carrollwood Day (0-1, 1A), Tampa Jesuit (0-1, 4A), Tarpon Springs (1-0, 2A), Trinity Mitchell (1-0, 6A), Vero Beach (0-1, 7A), West Boca Raton (1-0, 6A), West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (1-0, 1A), Williston (0-1, R), Winter Park (0-0, 7A).
WEEKLY STATE RANKINGS
Statewide Coverage Daily. https://prepredzone.com/florida/
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com.
COACHES, PLAYERS: Do You Have A Subscription? Contact us for a savings code so you can see what everyone has been talking about! Floridakids1@aol.com.
