GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Booker T. Washington Tornadoes (14-0) rode the wave of another undefeated season and continuing a 40-game winning streak that dates back to 2012. They can also claim to be the best of the best of 2014 in Florida as they finish No. 1 in Florida’s HSFB Top 25. It is a familiar spot the Tornadoes have held all season as the finish the season as the Class 4A State Champion. The Tornadoes have now won three straight state championships.
However, the Tornadoes did not claim all the first place votes like they have in most of the other polls this season. St. Thomas Aquinas (14-1), finished in the final poll with four of the 16 first place votes. The Raiders rode through the playoffs untouched to win their second Class 7A state championship in three years last week.
Rounding out the Top 5 includes Miami Central (14-1) finishing No 3. after clinching the Class 6A state championship last week. It was their third straight state championship and fourth title in five years. Mainland (13-1), which finished as a Class 6A state semifinalist finished No. 4 in the final poll, while Armwood (14-1), the Class 6A state runner-up for the second year in a row finished No. 5.
Trinity Christian (12-2) which won its second straight Class 3A state championship, finished No. 6 in the final poll while Apopka (11-4) clawed back into the final poll, finishing No. 7, after being un-ranked at the end of the regular season. The Blue Darters rode a strong wave of playoff finishes that allowed them to be the first school in the largest classification in Florida with four losses to win a state championship.
Plantation American Heritage (12-3), clinched its second straight Class 5A state championship last week finishes at No. 8 in the Top 25. Cocoa (11-2) finishes out the year at No. 9 and continues a streak going back to 2008 of at least reaching the state semifinals each year. The Tigers came close to a win in the state semifinals against eventual Class 4A State Champion, Booker T. Washington, losing that game 14-12. Flanagan (13-1) rounds out the Top 10 after reaching their first regional final and state semifinal appearances in school history.
Two other teams that were not ranked in the last poll at the end of the regular season includes Bolles (11-3) who finished ranked at No. 23, while Choctawhatchee (11-3), a Class 6A state semifinalist, finished the year ranked at No. 25.
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 – 2014 FINAL POLL
Rank, Team, First Place Votes in parenthesis, record, points, previous ranking
1. Booker T. Washington (12) (4A), 14-0, 396, 1
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (4) (7A), 14-1, 376, 4
3. Miami Central (6A), 14-1, 375, 3
4. Mainland (6A), 13-1, 313, 2
5. Armwood (6A), 14-1, 306, 6
6. Trinity Christian – Jacksonville (3A), 12-2, 288, 20
7. Apopka (8A), 11-4, 287, NR
8. American Heritage – Plantation (5A), 12-3, 269, 23T
9. Cocoa (4A), 11-2, 262, 13
10. Flanagan (8A), 13-1, 245, 5
11. Columbus (8A), 13-2, 229, 22
12. First Coast (8A), 12-1, 205, 7
13. Manatee (8A), 12-2, 174, 12
14. Dr. Phillips (8A), 11-1, 173, 14
15. Osceola – Kissimmee (7A), 13-2, 168, 15
16. East Lake (7A), 13-1, 167, 10
17. American Heritage – Delray (3A), 11-2, 142, 17
18. Lakeland (7A), 11-1, 128, 9
19. Hallandale (6A), 10-1, 95, 18
20. Miami Killian (8A), 12-1, 87, 14
21. Plant (8A), 10-2, 146, 16
22. Niceville (7A), 11-3, 53, 21
23. Bolles (4A), 11-3, 50, NR
24. West Orange (8A), 11-0, 48, 11
25. Choctawhatchee (6A), 11-3, 44, NR
Dropped Out: No. 19. Lake Mary (8A, 11-1); 23T. Oakleaf (7A, 12-1); No. 25. South Sumter (5A, 11-1)
Others Receiving Votes: Godby (5A, 12-3) – 34; Victory Christian (2A, 12-1) – 32; Bishop Moore (5A, 13-1) – 31; Port St. Joe (1A, 12-2) – 30; Lake Mary (8A, 11-1) – 26; Clewiston (4A, 11-1) – 24; Suwannee (5A, 12-2) – 17; Monarch (8A, 9-2) – 6; Trinity Catholic (3A, 9-2) – 6; South Sumter (5A, 11-1) – 5; Boynton Beach (6A, 9-2) – 5; St. Augustine (6A, 10-2) – 4; Oakleaf (7A, 12-1) – 4; Fort Myers (7A, 12-1) – 2; Clearwater Central Catholic (3A, 10-3) – 2; South Fort Myers (6A, 10-3) – 1; Clay (5A, 10-2) – 1; Lakeland Christian (3A, 11-2) – 1
