New Schools Are Starting To Emerge
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As we head toward the fourth week of the 2024 Florida high school football season, you can see how some new programs are starting to come up with big wins and finding themselves among the top teams in the state.
While many rank teams each week, we are confident that 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 and have a feel of what programs are indeed among the best.
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 Florida.
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 3:
1 Lakeland (2-0, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Dreadnaughts got by No. 13 Lake Mary on the road in overtime, 35-34. THIS WEEK: 9/13 @Winter Haven. NEXT GAME: 9/20 – The home opener against Miami Booker T. Washington.
2. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (2-1, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Raiders dominated two-time defending state champion Miami Christopher Columbus, 42-6. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – @Davie Western. NEXT GAME: 9/20 – Hollywood McArthur.
3. Venice (3-0, 7A). LAST WEEK: The Indians continued to pile up the numbers with a 71-56 win against No. 25 Fort Myers Bishop Verot. THIS WEEK: 9/13 @Port Charlotte. NEXT GAME: 9/20 – No. 11 Cocoa.
4. Seffner Armwood (3-0, 6A). LAST WEEK: Won a thriller against No. 30 Tampa Bay Tech, 31-27. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – Plant City Durant. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @Tampa Hillsborough.
5. Bradenton IMG Academy (2-1, Independent). LAST WEEK: The Ascenders rolled to a 34-13 win against No. 11 Cocoa. THIS WEEK: 9/12 – Mount Zion Prep Academy. NEXT GAME: 9/20 – No. 7 Jacksonville Mandarin.
6. Orlando Jones (2-0, 4A). LAST WEEK: The Tigers won a tough 28-21 win against Orlando Evans. THIS WEEK: 9/14 – No. 29 Orlando Edgewater. NEXT GAME: 9/19 - @Kissimmee Osceola.
7. Mandarin (3-0, 6A). LAST WEEK: The Mustangs came up with their second Jacksonville consecutive shutout, 41-0, against Jacksonville Sandalwood. THIS WEEK: 9/6 – Jacksonville Sandalwood. NEXT GAME: 9/13 @Starke Bradford County. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @No. 5 Bradenton IMG Academy.
8. Miami Central (2-1, 3A). LAST WEEK: The Rockets rolled to a 55-25 win against Miami Booker T. Washington. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – The district opens against Pompano Beach. NEXT GAME: 9/20 – A home game against No. 16 Plantation American Heritage.
9. Gainesville Buchholz (3-0, 6A). LAST WEEK: The Bobcats rolled to their third straight win, 35-7, against Gainesville Eastside. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – Bradenton Manatee. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @Richmond Hill, Georgia.
10. Miami Northwestern (2-1, 3A). LAST WEEK: The Bulls scored over 40 for the third straight week, rebounding with a 42-7 win against Miami Carol City. THIS WEEK: 9/13 @ No. 12 Miami Norland. NEXT GAME: 9/19 – Miami Christopher Columbus.
11. Cocoa (2-1, 2A). LAST WEEK: The Tigers were knocked off by No. 5 Bradenton IMG Academy, 34-13. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – Palm Bay Heritage. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @No. 3 Venice.
12. Miami Norland (2-0, 4A). LAST WEEK: The Vikings were off. THIS WEEK: The Vikings will be off. NEXT GAME: 9/13 – No. 10 Miami Northwestern. NEXT GAME: 9/13 - @No. 15 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna.
13. Lake Mary (2-1, 7A). LAST WEEK: The Rams lost a tough overtime contest to No. 1 Lakeland, 35-34. THIS WEEK: After three games to start the year, they will take the week off. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @Orlando Dr. Phillips.
14. Pompano Beach Blanche Ely (3-0, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Tigers remained unbeaten with a convincing 54-20 win against Fort Lauderdale Stranahan. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – No. 22 Delray Beach Atlantic. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @Sunrise Piper.
15. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1-2, 1A). LAST WEEK: The Lions rebounded with a thrilling 48-45 contest against No. 16 Plantation American. THIS WEEK: 9/12 – Miami Edison. NEXT GAME: 9/19 – No. 12 Miami Norland.
16. Plantation American Heritage (1-2, 4A). LAST WEEK: The Patriots lost a tough 48-45 game against No. 15 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna. THIS WEEK: 9/13 - @Naples. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @No. 8 Miami Central.
17. Clearwater Central Catholic (2-0, 1A). LAST WEEK: The Marauders continued to roll along with a 48-7 win against Tampa Catholic. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – Clearwater. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @Ocala Trinity Catholic.
18. St. Augustine (2-0, 4A). LAST WEEK: The game with Jacksonville Bolles was cancelled due to inclement weather. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – Jacksonville Riverside. NEXT GAME: 9/20 – Ponte Vedra Nease.
19. Lake Wales (3-0, 4A). LAST WEEK: The Highlanders stayed perfect with a 23-0 win against Auburndale. THIS WEEK: 9/13 - @Sebring. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @Sanford Seminole.
20. Coconut Creek Monarch (1-0, 6A). LAST WEEK: The Knights were off. THIS WEEK: 9/13 - @Sanford Seminole. NEXT WEEK: 9/20 - @Fort Lauderdale.
21. Jacksonville Raines (3-0, 3A). LAST WEEK: The Vikings continued to show that they are for real – with a 48-23 win against Jacksonville Trinity Christian. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – Daytona Beach Mainland. NEXT GAME: 9/27 – Jacksonville Riverside.
22. Delray Beach Atlantic (3-0, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Eagles flew by North Miami Beach, 43-7. THIS WEEK: 9/13 - @No. 14 Pompano Beach Blanche Ely. NEXT GAME: 10/4 – Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast.
23. Orlando The First Academy (3-0, 1A). LAST WEEK: The Royals cruised by Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast, 42-7. THIS WEEK: 9/13 - @Melbourne Central Catholic. NEXT GAME: 9/27 – Orlando Christian Prep.
24. Niceville (3-0, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Eagles remained unbeaten with a 36-14 win against Pensacola Pine Forest. THIS WEEK: 9/13 - @Crestview. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @ No. 28 Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee.
25. Fort Myers Bishop Verot (2-1, 2A). LAST WEEK: The Vikings battled No. 3 Venice before dropping a 71-56 basketball-like score. THIS WEEK: 9/13 – Clearwater Calvary Christian. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @Sarasota Cardinal Mooney.
26. Tampa Plant (2-1, 6A). LAST WEEK: The Panthers bounced back with a 59-0 win against Tampa Robinson. THIS WEEK: 9/13 - @No. 30 Tampa Bay Tech. NEXT GAME: 9/20 – Riverview Sumner.
27. Eau Gallie (3-0, 3A). LAST WEEK: The Commodores registered their second consecutive shutout, 21-0, against Palm Bay Heritage. THIS WEEK: 9/13 - @Satellite. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @Orange City University.
28. Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee (3-0, 4A). LAST WEEK: The Indians recorded their second straight shutout, 14-0, against previously unbeaten Crestview. THIS WEEK: @Pensacola Pine Forest. NEXT GAME: 9/20 – No. 24 – Niceville.
29. Orlando Edgewater (2-1, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Eagles came up with two wins – 43-6 against Apopka Wekiva and 56-0 against Orlando Freedom. THIS WEEK: 9/14 - A huge matchup at No. 6 Orlando Jones. NEXT GAME: 9/20 – Apopka.
30. Tampa Bay Tech (1-2, 5A). LAST WEEK: The Titans dropped a competitive game to No. 5 Seffner Armwood, 31-27. THIS WEEK: 9/13 - No. 26 Tampa Plant. NEXT GAME: 9/20 - @Tampa Gaither.
MORE TO WATCH: Belle Glade Glades Central (3-0, 2A), Bradenton Manatee (2-1, 5A), Bushnell South Sumter (1-2, 3A), Clearwater Calvary Christian (1-1, 2A), Crawfordville Wakulla Crawfordville Wakulla FL (2-1, 3A), Crestview (2-1, 6A), Davie Western (0-2, 7A), DeLand (2-1, 7A), Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (1-1, 2A), Fort Myers (3-0, 5A), Hawthorne (2-1, R), Homestead (1-2, 6A), Homestead South Dade (1-2, 7A), Jacksonville Bolles (1-1, 2A), Jacksonville Trinity Christian (1-2, 1A), Jensen Beach (3-0, 4A), Kissimmee Osceola (1-4, 6A), Madison County (2-1, R), Miami Booker T. Washington (1-1, 2A), Miami Christopher Columbus (1-2, 7A), Miami Palmetto (1-1), 7A), Miami Southridge (2-1, 6A), Middleburg (3-0, 5A), Naples (3-0, 4A), Naples First Baptist (3-0, 1A), Neptune Beach Fletcher (2-0, 6A), Newberry (1-2, 2A), North Palm Beach Benjamin (0-3, 1A), Ocala Vanguard (2-1, 4A), Orange City University (3-0), Orlando Bishop Moore (3-0, 3A), Palm Bay Heritage (1-2, 5A), Palm Beach Central (2-1, 7A), Pembroke Pines West Broward Pembroke Pines West Broward FL (1-2, 6A), Pensacola Catholic (2-0, 2S), Pensacola Escambia (1-1, 4A), Ponte Vedra Nease (2-0, 6A), Port Orange Spruce Creek (2-0, 7A), Sanford Seminole (2-0, 7A), Sarasota Booker (2-1, 3A), Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (3-0, 2A), Starke Bradford County (3-0, 2A), St. John's Bartram Trail (1-2, 6A), St. John's Creekside (0-3, 7A), Tallahassee Lincoln (3-0, 5A), Tampa Berkeley Prep (0-3, 2A), Tampa Carrollwood Day (1-2, 1A), Tampa Gaither (5A, 2-1), Tampa Jesuit (1-2, 4A), Tarpon Springs (3-0, 2A), Trinity Mitchell (3-0, 6A), Vero Beach (0-3, 7A), West Boca Raton (2-0, 6A), West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (3-0, 1A), Williston (1-1, R), Winter Park (1-0, 7A).
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