Booker T. Washington unanimous No. 1 on Florida’s HSFB Top 25

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Booker T. Washington Tornadoes continue to do what they do best – winning – as they claim the top spot in a unanimous decision on Florida’s HSFB Top 25 after three weeks into the season.

The Tornadoes (4-0) rolled by 6A Miami Carol City, 38-14 Friday night to continue an in-state best, 30 game win streak that dates back to the 2012 season. Also new head coach Tim Harris, Jr. has yet to lose a game as a first-time head coach. The Tornadoes will host Miami Jackson on Friday night.

Miami Central (3-1) slides up to No. 2 after being a No. 3 since the start of the season after previous No. 2, St. Thomas Aquinas (1-1) slid a couple of spots to No.4 due to a loss at Don Bosco Prep, NJ on Saturday. For Miami Central, they easily defeated 8A Coral Reef, 47-0, on Friday night. Miami Central will host Columbus on Thursday night at Traz Powell, while St. Thomas Aquinas returns back to Florida and will travel to No. 8 Miramar on Saturday for a highly anticipated rivalry showdown.

Mainland (3-0) which has outscored opponents 138-9 over the last three games rises up one spot from No 4. to No. 3. The Buccaneers will host Pine Ridge out of Deltona to open up district play on Friday night.

Rounding out the top five is American Heritage-Plantation (1-1), which stays put in the same position as last week. The Patriots return to the field on Friday night against 3A Chaminade-Madonna after being off last week.

Inside the top ten for this week includes Armwood (3-0) at No. 6, First Coast (3-0) at No. 7, Miramar (2-1) at No. 8, Dr. Phillips (3-0) at No. 9 and Cocoa (2-0) at No. 10.

While there wasn’t much change for the next group of ten teams from No. 11 to No. 20, there was four new teams to enter the poll in the No. 21 to No. 25 spots.

The highest ranked team to enter the poll this week is Columbus (3-0), which enters the poll at No. 21. The Explorers which defeated previously ranked Coral Gables in district play last week are looking to continue the winning this Thursday as they travel to No. 2 Miami Central.

St. Augustine (3-0) which has gotten off to a hot start this season checks in to the poll this week at No. 23. The Yellow Jackets, which are no stranger to success will start another run to a district title as they travel to Bartram Trail on Friday to open up district play.

Boynton Beach (3-0) which has scored over 160 points in the first three weeks makes is debut in the poll at No. 24. The Bengal Tigers will host Westminster Christian (3-0), a team that has received votes, on Friday night.

The fourth and final team to enter the Top 25 this week is Manatee (2-1), which defeated previously ranked Naples, 31-19 in what some have considered a statement game for the Manatee program so far this season.

Florida’s HSFB Top 25 is voted on weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters from around the state. Florida’s HSFB Top 25 is the only all-classification poll voted on through out the state during the season by members of the media.

Florida’s #HSFB Top 25 – Week 3
Rank, Team, First Place Votes in parenthesis, record, points, previous
1. Booker T. Washington (22) (4A), 4-0, 550, 1
2. Miami Central (6A), 3-1, 521, 3
3. Mainland (6A), 3-0, 503, 4
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (7A), 1-1, 431, 2
5. American Heritage – Plantation (5A), 1-1, 424, 5
6. Armwood (6A), 3-0, 423, 6
7. First Coast (8A), 3-0, 393, 8
8. Miramar (8A), 2-1, 389, 7
9. Dr. Phillips (8A), 3-0, 365, 9
10. Cocoa (4A), 2-0, 312, 10
11. Flanagan (8A), 3-0, 304, 11
12. Niceville (7A), 3-1, 239, 13
13. Trinity Christian – Jacksonviile (3A), 1-1, 233, 12
14. Bolles (4A), 3-0, 228, 14
15. Apopka (8A), 2-1, 213, 16
16. East Lake (7A), 3-0, 193, 17
17. Plant (8A), 2-1, 155, 19
18. Osceola – Kissimmee (7A), 2-1, 152, 21
19. Lakeland (7A), 3-0, 135, 24
20. Lake Mary (8A), 2-0, 129, 22
21. Columbus (8A), 3-0, 105, NR
22. Clay (5A), 3-0, 89, 23
23. St. Augustine (6A), 3-0, 64, NR
24. Boynton Beach (6A), 3-0, 57, NR
25. Manatee (8A), 2-1, 53, NR

Dropped Out: No. 15 Coral Gables (8A, 2-1); No. 18 Naples (6A, 2-1); No. 20 Fort Pierce Central (8A, 2-1); No. 25 Oak Ridge (8A, 2-1)

Others Receiving Votes: Coral Gables (8A, 2-1) – 52; Dwyer (7A, 2-1) – 46; Westminster Christian (3A, 3-0) – 42; Naples (6A, 2-1) – 37; Hallandale (3A, 3-0) – 32; American Heritage-Delray (3A, 2-1) – 31; Miami Killian (8A, 3-0) – 30; South Sumter (5A, 3-0) – 28; Venice (6A, 3-0) – 25; South Dade (8A, 2-1) – 21; West Orange (8A, 3-0) – 19; Navarre (6A, 3-0) – 16; Lake Gibson (6A, 3-0) – 15; Oviedo (8A, 3-0) – 13; Merritt Island (5A, 2-1) – 11; Fort Pierce Central (8A, 2-1) – 8; Clearwater Central Catholic (3A, 3-0) – 8; Viera (7A, 2-0) – 7; Clewistion (4A, 3-0) – 6; Vero Beach (8A, 3-0) – 6; Royal Palm Beach (7A, 2-0) – 5; Dixie County (1A, 3-0) – 1; Pahokee (3A, 2-1) – 1; Monarch (8A, 2-0) – 1