Critical Week 4 Matchups With Season Implications

Week 4 Matchups With Season Implications   Lakeland @ Osceola   Lakeland is coming off that double-overtime loss to Venice, and now they get another physical test.   Osceola is 2-1 and coming off a 17-9 win over Lake Mary, so they're not coming into this game intimidated by Lakeland's name or history. This is also a 5A District 6 matchup, so there's real weight behind it.   For Lakeland, the question is simple: How do the Dreadnaughts respond? They showed they can play with Venice, but now they have to turn around and handle another physical opponent on the road.    ZCA vs The Villages Charter   ZCA: [player_tooltip player_id='2089742' first='Josiah' last='Carter'], [player_tooltip player_id='1687623' first='Gavin' last='Davis'], Kevin Moss, Ragin   TVC: [player_tooltip player_id='1868239' first='Jadence' last='Kennedy'], Ja'Marion Clark, Tanard Roberts   Interesting matchup.   This one feels like a really good measuring-stick game for both programs. ZCA is 1-2, but they've already seen some different styles early, including Boca Ciega and Coffee, while The Villages comes in 2-0 after wins over Zephyrhills and South Lake.    Both teams have athletes all over the field, and TVC has already shown they can make plays offensively. For ZCA, this is a chance to show that the early-season experience has prepared them for a team with legitimate playmakers. Good test for both staffs and both teams.   Bartow vs Auburndale   Bartow: Amire Hall, Carmelo Harden, Jakobie Terry, Moscow Shaw   Auburndale: [player_tooltip player_id='2376744' first='Teo' last='Edwards'], [player_tooltip player_id='2339081' first='Takeo' last='Edwards'], [player_tooltip player_id='1657157' first='Malachi' last='Moore'], Major McBath, [player_tooltip player_id='2124069' first='Michael' last='Gaskins']   Polk County rivalry.   And this one is obviously personal for me from a coverage standpoint.   Bartow is 2-1, Auburndale is 2-0, and both teams are sitting in 5A District 6. Auburndale hasn't allowed a point through two games, while Bartow has won two straight after dropping the opener.    That's exactly the type of game Polk County football should be talking about.   This one is personal. This one matters. And somebody is leaving this game with their first real statement of the season.   CCC vs Calvary Christian   CCC: [player_tooltip player_id='1895080' first='Khayse' last='Barrett'], [player_tooltip player_id='1870833' first='Dicarieze' last='Williams'], [player_tooltip player_id='608343' first='Luke' last='Wilson'], Pharoah Tillman   Calvary Christian: [player_tooltip player_id='1155341' first='Jaden' last='Quenga'], Colton Outzen, Cole Johnson, AJ Avila-Mena   That's a good one.   Two programs I really want to see against each other.   CCC is 2-0 and coming off a bye, while Calvary is 3-0 and has scored 134 points through three games. This is also a district matchup, so there's more riding on it than just bragging rights.    Both programs have solid athletes on both sides of the football. If CCC can come out and dominate this game, I think they really start setting the tone for that side of the state.   Tampa Bay Tech vs Plant   TBT: Maravius Conway, [player_tooltip player_id='2339078' first='Carlos' last='Lemons'], [player_tooltip player_id='2171576' first='KeSean' last='Smith']   Plant: [player_tooltip player_id='2123000' first='Aiden' last='Alexander'], [player_tooltip player_id='2365958' first='Jackson' last='Conte']   I just mentioned both teams.   Now they play each other.   This is one of my games to watch.   TBT is 3-0, has scored 100 points and allowed just 16. Plant is 2-1 and has already played Manatee and Gaither before beating Hillsborough last week. This is a 5A District 9 game.    This is a good opportunity for TBT to prove the hot start is real, while Plant can completely change the conversation with a win.   Columbia @ Ribault   Columbia: [player_tooltip player_id='2122460' first='Kyren' last='Caldwell']   Ribault:    Columbia is 3-0.   Ribault is 2-0.   And this is another district matchup.   Columbia has already beaten Bolles, Lakewood and Madison County, so the résumé is getting pretty interesting. Ribault has taken care of First Coast and Andrew Jackson to start the year.    So now we get another serious test for Columbia.   Is this team legit?   I'm buying the stock for now after three wins, but this is the type of game that can create a real momentum shift for either program.   Carrollwood Day vs Steinbrenner   CDS: [player_tooltip player_id='690863' first='Myles' last='McDonald'], [player_tooltip player_id='1073722' first='Kameron' last='Battle'], Derrell Hines, [player_tooltip player_id='963368' first='Zylen' last='Little']   Steinbrenner: [player_tooltip player_id='2365235' first='Rylen' last='Dutka'], [player_tooltip player_id='2138170' first='Jaydon' last='Page']   This is one I'm watching because of Carrollwood Day.   I've talked about them as a potential Top 8 team, and now they get an undefeated Steinbrenner team that has already beaten Robinson and Sickles.    Carrollwood is 3-0 and has allowed just seven points all season. That defense is the thing I want to watch.   For Steinbrenner, this is a great measuring-stick game. They have some weapons and they're undefeated — now let's see how they perform against this level of competition.   Oviedo vs Melbourne   Oviedo: [player_tooltip player_id='1604864' first='Sebastian' last='Galeano'], Carmari Soloman, [player_tooltip player_id='2381643' first='Johnnie' last='Cobbs'], [player_tooltip player_id='499514' first='Jordan' last='Donahoo']   Melbourne: [player_tooltip player_id='2381621' first='Tyrese' last='Jefferson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2075136' first='Jace' last='Richardson'], Howard Dewitt   Two teams with plenty of athletes.   Should be fun.   Oviedo is coming off a 35-28 overtime win over Lake Brantley after starting the season with two one-score losses. They're feeling it right now, and this is a chance to build some momentum.    Melbourne is 2-1 and has already shown it can put points on the board, including 55 against Winter Springs. And you've got the young talent in this game, including the 2029 RB we've been watching.   This is also a district game, so there's more to it than just a good matchup.   Edgewater vs Lake Nona   Edgewater: [player_tooltip player_id='221588' first='Cruz' last='James'], [player_tooltip player_id='2381631' first='Jahmari' last='Hammonds'],    Lake Nona: [player_tooltip player_id='2343671' first='Elijah' last='Nickerson'], [player_tooltip player_id='476396' first='Sebastian' last='Lora'], Taebor Willaims   Another Central Florida game that could tell us something.   Edgewater is 2-1 and coming off a 42-28 win over Windermere. Lake Nona is 1-2, but they already showed they can knock off a team like Evans, and their last game was a tough 13-10 overtime loss to Winter Park.    So I look at this as a game where both teams need to make a statement.   For Edgewater, just be Edgewater. For Lake Nona, can they bounce back and show that the early-season upset wasn't a fluke?   Evans vs Winter Park   Evans: [player_tooltip player_id='1144254' first='William' last='Jackson'], [player_tooltip player_id='1671212' first='Brian' last='Dillard'], [player_tooltip player_id='2251492' first='Devin' last='Coleman']   WP: Cade DePriest, Jordan Dejesus, Ayden Riley   Evans needs to start putting some things together.   They're 1-2, and this is a game where they really need to get back on track. They beat Boone 47-13, but they've also lost to Lake Nona and Jones, including a 12-6 loss to Jones last week.    Winter Park is 2-1 and coming off an overtime win over Lake Nona, so they're playing with some confidence right now.    For Evans, if you're talking about the Top 8 in Central Florida, these are the games you have to win. This feels like a must-win if they're going to get themselves back into that conversation.

Week 4 Matchups With Season Implications