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Each week reveals more about the teams in the sunshine state. As the 2021 season takes shape, teams and players prove their worth and others reveal true colors. We rank the top teams competing for a state championships based on their strength of wins and losses, so it pays to schedule up. Nine teams return from the first edition and obviously one is left out of the top ten.
Lake Gibson Pulls Off Upset Over Lakeland
The only team to drop from the rankings went down in dramatic fashion. Lake Gibson defeated Lakeland 38-32 at home. It was the first time the Braves beat the Dreadnaughts in the regular season since 1995. Jaylon Glover rushed for 268 yards and nearly has 1,000 yards on the season after four games.
Lakeland made this one interesting recovering back-to-back onside kicks with under three minutes to play. Lakeland would convert a Mason Martin to Jhoelle Velasquez 31-yard touchdown pass to pull within one score. After the second recovery, Martin failed to convert on fourth down literally falling short of the line to gain. The (2-2) Braves should expect an intense battle should there be a rematch with the (3-1) Dreadnaughts in the 7A playoffs. Lakeland drops from top ten with loss.
Chaminade Shuts Out Georgia’s Best
By far and away the most impressive win from a Florida team came from the top ranked team in 3A, Chaminade-Madonna Hollywood. The Lions traveled to Buford Georgia to take on who many consider the top team in the peach state and came away with a 7-0 shutout win. Buford only managed 98 total yards of offense against the vaunted “Nadeboys” defense. The MVP of this game went to sophomore running back Davion Gause, who carried the ball 29 times for 220 yards and scored the games only touchdown.
Gause, nicknamed “Bullet,” scored on a 63-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
Tigers Stay On Top
Tampa Jesuit maintains its position as the number one team in the state. The Tigers jumped out to a four-touchdown lead and cruised to a comfortable 28-7 win against a solid Hillsborough team. Jaydyn Girard, a Wake Forest commit, had 138 all-purpose yards to help Jesuit remain undefeated. Girad took an 87-yard jet sweep for a touchdown in the first half. Joquez Smith added 172 yards on 18 carries.
Raiders Keep Pace At Bay
The Raider combination of Zion Turner and Camden Brown connected for two touchdowns in a 56-6 blowout win over Monsignor Pace (Miami). Turner passed for 233 yards completing just 7 of his 13 passes. Pittsburgh commit Brown had 135 yards receiving.
Venice Shuts Down Sarasota
Venice quarterback Ryan Browne threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 73 yards and two scores on the ground. Logan Ballard and Dasavion Cassaway contributed with a pick six each in a 49-13 win over Sarasota. Cassaway had two interceptions.
Seminoles Still Streaking
The defending 8A state champs Seminole (Sanford) defeated local rival Flagler Palm Coast 27-3. The win extended a 16-game winning streak and a 23-game regular season winning streak for the Noles.
State Rankings
1. Tampa Jesuit (4-0) (6A)
Last Game: Beat Hillsborough (Tampa) 28-7
Best Win: St. Thomas Aquinas 24-21
Next Game: Plant City
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) (3-1) (7A)
Last Game: Beat Monsignor Pace (Miami) 56-6
Best Win: St. Frances Academy (MD) 38-23
Next Game: Western (Davie)
3. Miami Central (2-2) (5A)
Keyone Jenkins, Quarterback, Miami Central
Last Game: Beat Miami Springs 55-0
Best Win: Miami Booker T. Washington 51-7
Next Game: North Miami Beach
4. Venice (4-0) (8A)
Last Game: Beat Sarasota 49-13
Best Win: Edgewater (Orlando) 41-7
Next Game: Palmetto
5. Treasure Coast (Port St. Lucie) (3-0) (8A)
Eden James, Running Back, Treasure Coast
Last Game: Beat Bishop Moore (Orlando) 26-7
Best Win: American Heritage Plantation 29-21
Next Game: Cocoa
6. American Heritage Plantation (1-2) (5A)
Marvin Jones Jr., Defensive End, American Heritage Plantation
Last Game: Lost to St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) 24-16
Best Win: Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) 26-24
Next Game: Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) (10/1)
7. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) (3-1) (3A)
Last Game: Beat Buford (GA) 7-0
Best Win: Buford (GA) 7-0
Next Game: Champagnat Catholic (Hialeah) (Cancelled)
8. Seminole (Sanford) (4-0) (8A)
Last Game: Beat Flagler Palm Coast 27-3
Best Win: Beat Riverview (Sarasota) 35-6
Next Game: Mainland (Daytona)
9. Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) (3-0) (4A)
Last Game: Beat Bucholz (Gainesville) 16-7
Best Win: Bucholz (Gainesville) 16-7
Next Game: Calvary Christian (Fort Lauderdale)
10. Cocoa (2-1) (4A)
Last Game: Lost to Venice 21-20
Best Win: Osceola Kissimmee 21-20
Next Game: Treasure Coast
Top Four Teams By Class
8A
1. Venice
2. Treasure Coast
3. Seminole
4. Osceola Kissimmee
7A
1. St. Thomas Aquinas
2. Orlando Edgewater
3. Dillard (Fort Lauderdale)
4. Tampa Bay Tech
6A
1. Jesuit
2. Miami Northwestern
3. Orlando Jones
4. Naples
5A
1. Miami Central
2. American Heritage Plantation
3. Miami Killian
4. Rockledge
4A
1. Cardinal Gibbons
2. Cocoa
3. Gulliver (Miami)
4. Bolles (Jacksonville)
3A
1. Chaminad-Madonna (Hollywood)
2. Miami Edison
3. Florida High (Tallahassee)
4. Berkeley Prep (Tampa)
2A
1. Champagnat Catholic (Hialeah)
2. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville)
3. Dade Christian
4. University Christian (Jacksonville)
1A
1. Pahokee
2. Madison County
3. Blountstown and Baker (Tied For 3rd)
4. Hawthorne
