Football Hotbed Week 4 Florida High School Football Rankings


Marcus Benjamin @_benjaminmoney

It was business as usual for many teams across the state.  Teams that were expected to win came out with victories and district rivalries were settled on the field.  In the top ten, Miami Carol City and American Heritage (Plantation) looked dominant in district games over the weekend.  While St. Thomas Aquinas, Deerfield Beach, Miami Central  and Lakeland dismantled their local opponents with ease.

One of the more competitive games from the weekend was Columbia (Lake City) defeating Lee (Jacksonville) 42-37 in a 7A District 2 barn-burner.  Columbia built a 21-0 lead when an injury to their starting quarterback gave Lee new life. The Tigers only gave up 28 total points in their previous three regular season games before giving up 37 to the Generals.

Also in an exciting back and fourth game, Columbus (Miami) pulled out a gutsy win over Miami Booker T. Washington 28-21.  Another strong performance from running back Henry Parrish Jr. carried the Explorers to victory.  The junior finished the game with 184 yards rushing including the eventual game winning score, a 75-yard run with 6:40 left in the game.

Armwood (Seffner) just got by Chamberlain (Tampa) 20-14 while Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) and Osceola (Kissimmee) had impressive victories over Bolles (Jacksonville) and Winter Haven respectively.  Vero Beach extended their regular season winning streak to 47 with a 42-3 win over Fort Lauderdale in the Football Hotbed Game of the Week.

Top Performers

TJ Jones, WR, Columbia (Lake City) – After starting quarterback Jordan Smith was knocked out of the game with a concussion in the first half, Jones came up big for his team.  The senior finished the game with five catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

Jacorey Brooks, WR, Miami Booker T. Washington – In a losing effort, the sophomore Brooks had another amazing game catching 17 balls for 175 yards and two touchdowns.

Dwayne McGee, RB, Osceola (Kissimmee) –  The Kowboys ran for a total of 363 yards with 182 yards coming from the junior running back.  He would also score two touchdowns in the shutout of Winter Haven.

Emmanuel Anderson, DB, Vero Beach – The Football Hotbed MVP made tackles all over the field last Friday night.  The senior also recorded and interception and two pass break-ups.

Jaylan Knighton, RB, Deerfield Beach – The junior running back toted the rock 16 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns.

Colby Dempsey, DB, Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) – The junior corner would take an interception 52 yards to the house for a touchdown.  He also had five tackles and two pass break-ups.

Trevis Robinson, LB, Cardinal Gibbons – The senior had four sacks in win over Miami Jackson.

Games to Watch this Week

Miami Central At St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) Friday 7:00 PM

American Heritage (Plantation) At Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) Friday 7:00 PM

Monsignor Pace (Miami) At University School (Davie) Friday 7:00 PM

Miami Southridge At Rockledge Friday 7:00 PM

Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) At Palm Beach Gardens Friday 7:00 PM

Vero Beach At Pahokee Friday 7:00 PM

Madison County At Columbia (Lake City) Friday 7:30 PM

Miami Northwestern Vs. Miami Booker T. Washington at Traz Powell Stadium Friday 7:30 PM

IMG Academy (Bradenton) at Mater Dei (CA) Friday 7:30 PM

Top 25

  1. Miami Carol City (6A) (3-0)

Last week: Defeated Miami Norland 36-7

This week:  Vs. Dr. Krop Thursday 7:30

 

  1. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) (7A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Stranahan (Fort Lauderdale) 52-0

This week: Vs. Miami Central Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Deerfield Beach (8A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Blanche Ely (Pompano) 46-0

This week: At Coral Springs Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Miami Central (6A) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Miami Edison 41-0

This week: At St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Columbia (Lake City) (7A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Lee (Jacksonville) 42-37

This week: Vs. Madison County Friday 7:30 PM

 

  1. Lakeland (7A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Gibbs (St. Petersburg) 58-0

This week: At East Lake (Tarpon Springs) Friday 7:30 PM

 

  1. Wekiva (Apopka) (8A) (3-0)

Last week: Idle

This week:  Vs. Olympia (Orlando) 7:00PM

 

  1. American Heritage (Plantation) (5A) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Coconut Creek 40-0

This week: At Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Vero Beach (8A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Fort Lauderdale 42-3

This week: At Pahokee Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Atlantic (Delray) (8A) (3-0)

Last week: Idle

This week: At Park Vista 7:00 PM

 

  1. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) (3A) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Northeast (Oakland Park) 48-0

This week: Vs. American Heritage (Plantation) Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (5A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Bolles (Jacksonville) 41-13

This week: At Palm Beach Lakes Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Pinellas Park (Largo) (7A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated East Lake (Tarpon Springs) 45-24

This week: Idle

 

  1. Osceola (Kissimmee) (8A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Winter Haven 31-0

This week: Idle

 

  1. Tampa Bay Tech (7A) (3-0)

Last week: Defeated Strawberry Crest (Dover) 47-10

This week: Vs. Hillsborough (Tampa) Friday 7:30 PM

 

  1. Miami Columbus (8A) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Miami Booker T. Washington 28-21

This week: Vs. Belen Jesuit (Miami) Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Armwood (Seffner) (6A) (2-1)

Last week: Defeated Chamberlain (Tampa) 20-14

This week: Vs Jefferson (Tampa) Friday 7:30 PM

 

  1. University School (Davie) (4A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Village Academy (Delray) 79-0

This week: Vs. Monsignor Pace (Miami) Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Vanguard (Ocala) (6A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated  Dunnellon 35-13

This week: At South Lake (Groveland) Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Plantation (8A) (3-0)

Last week: Defeated Miramar 22-14

This week: Vs. Cypress Bay (Weston) Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Rockledge (5A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated  Space Coast (Cocoa) 35-0

This week: Vs. Miami Southridge Friday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Lee (Jacksonville) (7A) (3-1)

Last week: Lost to Columbia (Lake City) 42-37

This week: Idle

 

  1. South Dade (8A) (Homestead) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Homestead 27-7

This week: At Curtis Park Vs. Miami Jackson Friday 7:30 PM

 

  1. Miami Palmetto (8A) (3-0)

Last week: Idle

This week: At Tropical Park Vs. Coral Gables Thursday 7:00 PM

 

  1. Edgewater (Orlando) (7A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Ocoee 31-25

This week: Idle

 

Also Receiving Votes:

 

Apopka (8A) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Dr. Phillips (Orlando) 38-7

This week: At Boone (Orlando) Friday 7:00 PM

 

Bolles (Jacksonville) (5A) (2-2)

Last week: Lost to Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) 41-13

This week: Idle

 

Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) (5A) (2-2)

Last week: Defeated Miami Jackson 16-6

This week: At Stoneman Douglas (Parkland) Friday 7:00 PM

 

Clearwater Central catholic (3A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Tarpon Springs 47-6

This week: At Northeast (St. Petersburg) Friday 7:30 PM

 

Cocoa (4A) (2-1)

Last week: Idle

This week: At Viera Friday 7:00 PM

 

Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) (7A) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Palm Beach Lakes 41-13

This week: At Palm Beach Gardens Friday 7:00 PM

 

Escambia (6A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated West Park Prep (Hollywood) 49-0

This week: Idle

 

Golden Gate (Naples) (6A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Fort Meade 22-15

This week: At East Lee County (Lehigh Acres) Friday 7:00 PM

 

Godby (5A) (Tallahassee) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Leon (Tallahassee) 57-0

This week: Vs. Titusville 7:00 PM

 

Madison County (1A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Williston 46-6

This week: At Columbia (Lake City) Friday 7:30 PM

 

Miami Booker T. Washington (4A) (2-2)

Last week: Lost to Miami Columbus (Miami) 28-21

This week: At Traz Powell Stadium Miami Northwestern Friday 7:30 PM

 

Miami Northwestern (6A) (2-2)

Last week: Defeated Hialeah-Miami Lakes 48-0

This week: At Traz Powell Stadium Vs Miami Booker T. Washington Friday 7:30 PM

 

Miami Southridge (8A) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Miami Killian 57-13

This week: At Rockledge Friday 7:00 PM

 

Navarre (4-0) (6A) (4-0)

Last week: Defeated Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) 53-7

This week: Vs. Pine Forest (Pensacola) Friday 7:30 PM

 

Plant (Tampa) (7A) (2-1)

Last week: Idle

This week: At Gaither (Tampa) Friday 7:30 PM

 

Piper (Sunrise) (8A) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Stoneman Douglas (Parkland) 42-6

This week: Idle

 

Raines (Jacksonville) (4A) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Fletcher (Jacksonville) 47-14

This week: Vs. Mandarin (Jacksonville) Friday 7:00 PM

 

Treasure Coast (8A) (Port St. Lucie) (3-1)

Last week: Defeated Martin County (Stuart) 57-18

This week: Vs. Matanzas (Palm Coast) Friday 7:00 PM

Marcus Benjamin works as the senior writer and editor for FootballHotbed.com. He attended Florida A&M and Florida Memorial University completing a bachelors degree in communications in 2010. He's covered high school football in the South Florida area since 2010 for the Miami Herald, Miami Sports Tribune and ShawSports.net. He is married and lives in Fort, Lauderdale, FL.

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