Florida has long been known for one of the best states in the nation when it comes to high school football, but how do we tell who is really the best football team in a certain time frame? There are many answers to this question, but we are going to provide you with our answer. That answer is 10 years.
Why 1o years? It is a decade and we felt it would be a good thing to keep things in perspective. Going beyond 10 years or cutting it short with the amount of information readily available for us ton consider could have many different effects.
With that we are launching what we believe is the first ever attempt to establish dynasty rankings for high school football in Florida. We have compiled data from nearly 450 teams that have made the playoffs in the last 10 years and we taking a look at the top 200 teams based on a points system we came up with.
First, we took 10 years worth of the Associated Press/Florida Sports Writers Association final regular season polls and gave teams points in each classification based upon final standing. That means a first place team in any classification would get 10 points.
Second, we came up with a playoff points system going from 32 points with the state champion of each classification down to 1 point for the worst team in the playoffs. To make this as simple as possible, the later a team exited the playoffs, they received a higher point value after records were imputed with amount of points determined based upon overall winning percentage. If a bracket only had 16 teams the highest 8 teams were given 32 points down to 25 points. The last 8 teams, which exited in the first round got points anywhere from 8 points down to 1 point.
As the points added up it became clear this was easily the best way to determine dynasty rankings and we think you will be impressed what our formula has churned out on our end.
With that said, we want to present to you the first part of the Florida HS Football Ultimate Dynasty Rankings, which will expand out over 10 days. Everything will be counted down in groups and you can easily share them with anyone using our share buttons above.
Breakdowns: 1-25 | 26-50 | 52-75 | 76-100 | 102-123 | 127-150 | 151-175 | 178-197
Condensed list: View full condensed list here
The Varsity Message Board: Share you thoughts on the Ultimate Dynasty Rankings here
| 102. Winter Park | 129 points | ||||
| The Wildcats have become a team that you can expect to make the playoffs almost any year when they are healthy and have a ton of talent. Out of the last 10 years 2005 was the biggest year to date for Winter Park. | |||||
| 103. Jesuit | 128 points | ||||
| This group of Tigers have been storied as one of the best programs in Tampa for decades and their playoff track record shows it. Just in the last 10 years alone, Jesuit has made the playoffs six times, with several them going to at least the regional rinals. | |||||
| 104. Miami Southridge | 128 points | ||||
| If you add in the 1990’s, then it would be likely that the Southridge Spartans would be further up this list. However, that does not mean they have stopped contending for playoff spots. In the last 10 seasons, Southridge has made the playoffs five times, with all trips going past the first round at least. | |||||
| 105. Raines | 126 points | ||||
| The Raines Vikings have been looked as a possible state title contender the last few years, but playoff runs past the regional final have not been there. Overall, though the Vikings have reached the playoffs seven times in the last 10 seasons. | |||||
| 106. Robinson | 125 points | ||||
| This South Tampa team came close to making the state finals in 2012 that would have given former head coach Mike DePue something to ride off into retirement with. However, the Knights have still been highly successful having seen the playoffs five times in the last 10 seasons. | |||||
| 107. King’s Academy | 124 points | ||||
| King’s Academy is going to the independent route starting in the 2014 season and we surely expect them to drop down in the Dynasty Rankings in future rankings. However, King’s can look back at the last decade and see how well they did do. That is because the Lions made the playoffs five times during that stretch | |||||
| 108. Palmetto | 123 points | ||||
| Had the Tigers not made deep playoff runs in 2011 and 2012, they would be a bit further down this list in the rankings. Overall, you can credit this team with seven trips to the postseason in the last decade. | |||||
| 109. Cape Coral | 122 points | ||||
| Arguably the best program in the Cape Coral city limits, the Seahawks have been one team you could expect to be in the playoff hunt year-in and year-out. Six trips to the playoffs in the last ten seasons is not a bad feat. | |||||
| 110t. Booker | 121 points | ||||
| The Booker Tornadoes have seen the state finals once in the last decade, losing to St. Augustine in the 2005 Class 3A title game. However, this team has only made four trips to the playoffs in the last 10 seasons. | |||||
| 110t. Southeast | 121 points | ||||
| Give out going head coach Paul Maechtle a lot of credit here for what he was able to do in 30 plus years as the head coach at Southeast. Although no trips to the state finals occurred in the last decade for the Seminoles, seven trips to the postseason are on this teams resume in that same time frame. | |||||
| 112t. Melbourne | 120 points | ||||
| The Bulldogs have seen the words state championship since the 1960’s, but that doesn’t keep them from trying hard to push forward. Melbourne has seven trips to the playoffs in the books over the last 10 seasons. | |||||
| 112t. Trenton | 120 points | ||||
| If it were not for the last two years of Trenton making the state championship games or winning a title outright, we believe that this group of Tigers would be towards the bottom end of the Top 200. However, with the success they have been having as of lately, we expect them to rise up come the 2015 update of the Dynasty Rankings. | |||||
| 114. Eastside | 117 points | ||||
| Although Eastside has not made the state finals at all, they have made significant runs in the playoffs that helped give them the points they got. Six trips to the postseason in the last decade is pretty solid. | |||||
| 115. Seminole (Sanford) | 115 points | ||||
| Sanford shocked the state in 2008 when they defeated Miami Northwestern to claim the Class 6A state championship. Overall in the last decade the school has made the playoffs five times. | |||||
| 116t. Astronaut | 112 points | ||||
| Although the War Eagles haven’t made the playoffs since 2011, this team is usually in the thick of the playoff hunt in most years. Overall, Astronaut has made seven trips to the post season in the last 10 seasons. | |||||
| 116t. Timber Creek | 112 points | ||||
| Timber Creek has made the playoffs seven times in the last decade and has shown they can be annual contender no matter what year it is. | |||||
| 118t. Jefferson County | 111 points | ||||
| The Tigers the 2011 Class 1A state championship, their first in 20 years at that particular point. However, looking back on the last decade, Jefferson County has only seen the playoffs five times. | |||||
| 118t. Newberry | 111 points | ||||
| The Panthers came within inches of making the Class 1A state championship game in 2012, but they have 2007 to look back upon when they did finish as a state runner-up. Those two seasons a deep run in 2008, helped the Panthers acquire the points they earned in the first set of dynasty rankings. | |||||
| 120t. Bishop Kenny | 109 points | ||||
| Bishop Kenny has seen a high rate of success of the last four years thanks to a successful quarterback name John Wolford, who is now heading off to Wake Forest. Overall, the Crusaders have made six trips to the postseason in the last decade. | |||||
| 120t. Miami Norland | 109 points | ||||
| The Vikings of Miami Norland can claim the Class 5A state championship from 2011 as one of their biggest moments in school history. Overall, five trips to the playoffs in the last 10 seasons is not bad at all. | |||||
| 122. Freeport | 106 points | ||||
| The Freeport Bulldogs only have four trips to the playoffs in the last decade, but look at all four and you can tell just how far they were able to push past from the first round. | |||||
| 123t. Berkeley Prep | 105 points | ||||
| The Buccaneers have only four trips to the playoffs in the last 10 seasons, but 2010 and 2011 can be looked at as the high points for the team. | |||||
| 123t. Graceville | 105 points | ||||
| This rural Panhandle team has a lot of pride and heritage behind them and in most years you can find them in the running to get to the postseason. Five trips to the playoffs including a state championship game appearance in 2005 is part of the record these Tigers. | |||||
| 123t. Oviedo | 105 points | ||||
| Oviedo can credit themselves with six playoff trips in the last 10 seasons. Almost every year you can expect this group to be competing for playoff spots, year-in and year-out. | |||||
| 123t. Trinity Christian (Deltona) | 105 points | ||||
| The Eagles has a great run of success in the mid-2000’s including reaching the state semifinals once in 2008. Overall six trips to the playoffs is not a bad thing at all in the 10 year time span we looked at. | |||||
Breakdowns: 1-25 | 26-50 | 52-75 | 76-100 | 102-123 | 127-150 | 151-175 | 178-197
Condensed list: View full condensed list here
The Varsity Message Board: Share you thoughts on the Ultimate Dynasty Rankings here
