2015 Preview Guide: East Coast Regional Rankings – Preseason

Here are the 2015 Preseason East Coast Regional Rankings from FloridaHSFotoball.com

1. Cocoa Tigers
2014 Record: 11-2
Comment: The Tigers are by far the best team along the East Coast Region since they won their first state championship in 2008. Every year since then, the Tigers have either reached the state semifinals or state finals under head coach John Wilkinson. Several key play makers are back for the Tigers including 2017 Ohio State commit, QB Bruce Judson (1,840 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, 755 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns), Florida commit CB Chauncey Gardner (30 tackles, 3 interceptions; 1 punt return for touchdown, 1 kickoff return for touchdown; 279 rushing yards and five touchdowns and 132 receiving yards and one touchdown) and OT Jawaan Taylor (part of an offensive line that helped the offense averaged over 400 yards per game in 2014). Although some say last year could have been the year that Cocoa should have overtaken Booker T. Washington to get to Orlando, some feel it could happen this year, given the changes at that has happened this off-season. Coach Wilkinson says the defense will be very young and will have to grow up quickly, but the strengths lie in the offensive line and at quarterback.

2. Heritage Panthers
2014 Record: 9-4
Comment: This team has been fast rising among all East Coast teams having advanced to at least the regional semifinals over the last several seasons. The Panthers are going to be loaded with a lot of senior talent as well as some talented underclassmen as well. Biggest names that will be worth watching for the Panthers included running backs Josh Gaines (1,282 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns; 428 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns as well as 85 tackles, five tackle for loss and four sacks on defense) and Lasedrick King (1,058 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns). Also Daeshawn Mills will be back again lining up under center, providing both ground and passing support. Mills finished last season with 1,357 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns while passing for 837 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Biggest defensive play makers to watch will be LB Davonte Bartley who had 115 tackles and six sacks last season and DE Trey Reid who collected up 16.5 sacks last year.

3. Vero Beach Indians
2014 Record: 11-1
Comment: The Indians have excelled exceeding well under Coach Lenny Jankowski’s leadership over the last four years which included winning a district title last season as the team went undefeated in the regular season. However, the Indians will have to replace several key play makers, but none more than QB Carter Stanley who threw for over 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns last season. However, Vero Beach hasn’t lost everything as talented wide receiver MJ McGriff (1,545 yards receiving, 22 touchdowns) is back as well DL Patrick Bethel (65 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 7 sacks) will be the anchor to the defensive line. Nothing has changed for Vero Beach’s district and Fort Pierce Central will be the biggest challenge the Indians must go thorough to win another district title this season.

4. Merritt Island Mustangs
2014 Record: 8-3
Comment: The Mustangs have been consistent winners under head coach Jeff McLean and that should not change in 2015. While the Mustangs are not usually full of big name players, the players that do come through the program have always had a winning mentality, which is something that has been a key ingredient for the Mustangs to stay competitive. A couple of key players to keep an eye on include OL Bailey Herring who will once again anchor the offensive line as well as SS/WR Luke Clark who as receiver last year had 455 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. The biggest thing that Merritt Island will certainly have to worry about is when it comes time to play Palm Bay, but will depend on how improved Palm Bay is compared to last season.

5. Viera Hawks
2014 Record: 9-1
Comment: The Hawks are no longer Brevard County’s favorite team to schedule for homecoming any more. In fact, they could be your worse nightmare now depending on how you want to look at it. Returning for the Hawks include the highly recruited and talented WR Tre Nixon (1,065 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, plus three more touchdowns on rushing) as well as QB Hayden Kingston (1,741 yards passing and 23 touchdowns). The Hawks also added in Alex Cabrera who comes from Satellite. Last year Cabrera rushed for 1,410 yards and should be a nice addition to the Hawks offense this season as they will be tested early by defending national champion, the Allen Eagles.

6. Palm Bay Pirates
2014 Record: 7- 2
Comment: Usually a 7-2 record will get you into the playoffs, but for the Pirates last year, that was not good enough, which forced the Pirates to watch the playoffs from home for the first time in 19 seasons. However, the Pirates want to return and the district which only changes out Astronaut for Space Coast has not changed much at all. Merritt Island will still be a test and the team that knocked them out of the playoff race, Titusville, sure to remains a team that will throw up a challenge as well. 10 overall starters return for the Pirates and this should help as multiple players are holding college offers to this date, according to Coach Burke.

7. Melbourne Central Catholic Hustlers
2014 Record: 9-2
Comment: The Hustlers will have some big shoes to replace as they return only 4 total starters from last year. The biggest shoes to be filled will be at quarterback as leading passer, Brandon Ziarno, who threw for over 3,100 yard and 44 touchdowns has graduated and is now across the street at Florida Tech. Also Max Erdman is another big name that will be missing this year. Erdman was a 1,000-plus yard receiver last year for the Hustlers. The biggest name returning will be Max Erdman’s brother, DB/WR Will Erdman (78 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception; 647 yards receiving, four touchdowns). Major concerns will be lack of depth on both offensive and defensive lines, but the attitudes about the team are high, according to Coach Riazzi.

8. Melbourne Bulldogs
2014 Record: 7-4
Comment: With a familiar face taking over as head coach (Scott Grish) for the Melbourne Bulldogs, there should not be too much uncertainty when they take the field this season. The Bulldogs have 9 starters returning this season including 2016 RB B.J. Daniels (1,473 yards rushing, 14 touchdowns) and 2014 All-State DL Tanner Rowell. The Bulldogs will have to be ready to compete in what is now a four-team Class 7A district. As such, all three district games matter and any of the teams in the district have known to get hot at just the right times.

9. Fort Pierce Central Cobras
2014 Record: 4-6
Comment: Despite a down 2014, the Cobras reached the playoffs before falling out quickly to juggernaut Manatee. However, if you look past all of that, there is a lot of bright spots for Fort Pierce Central this season. Key players to keep an eye on will include QB Jake Celidonio (2,024 yards passing, 19 touchdowns), OL Stewart Reese (87% blocking grade along with 79 pancake blocks), LB Greg Simmons (90 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, six sacks) and DL Will Davis (93 tackles, 23 takcles for loss, six sacks). With the Cobras returning a lot of players from last year’s squad, there should be no reason that the Cobras can’t bounce back, but will have to earn their way up the rankings by winning.

10. John Carroll Golden Rams
2014 Record: 5-5
Comment: The Golden Rams could be a team that either rises ups quickly in the regional rankings or stays the same depending on how well they come of the gate to start the season. The biggest thing for the Golden Rams will be having to fill the shoes of the now-graduated quarterback in Jordan Watkins who threw for 2,400 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. The good news though is that LB Brock Miller (118 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 9 sacks) and WR Mason Wilfong (784 yards receiving, eight touchdowns) are back and will be the leaders of the team this season.

Next Five On The Bubble: Bayside, Sebastian River, South Fork, Eau Gallie, Jensen Beach