In Regions three and four of Class 1A resides four of the top five teams as ranked by FloridaHSFootball.com. Only one of those teams will emerge to represent Class 1A South in Orlando this year. Who will it be? Trenton? Pahokee? Fort Meade? Someone else we are not thinking of? It all starts here with the regional semifinals.
NOTE: All game times are slated for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Friday unless noted.
REGION THREE
Union County (9-1) at Madison County (7-3)
Last Playoff Appearance: Union County, 2014; Madison County, 2014
Skinny: Records can be deceiving here when look at who has the potential chance in winning this game. For Union County having lost to Fort White now means a trip to Boot Hill to take on a Madison County team that has by far played a tougher schedule this season. With that said and given the close battles Union County has been in the last few weeks, this game either could be close or it could get ugly. All depends how well each team is prepared for the other. Either way, this is will be small town football at its finest.
Joe Pinkos Line: Madison County 17 over Union County
FHSF Predictions
Joshua Wilson: Madison County 35, Union County 20
Corey Davis: Madison County 35, Union County 17
Jefferson County (6-4) at No. 5 Fort White (8-2)
Last Playoff Appearance: Jefferson County, 2012; Fort White, 2014
Skinny: Jefferson County returns to the playoffs after a two-year absence, but in no way can you compare this team to the 2011 team that was 5-5 coming into the playoffs and ran the table. Fort White who upset Union County to clinch the district championship this year in District 6 now has its eyes set to make some noise in the 1A playoffs and very much has the potential to do so. Between both teams, Fort White is by far the stronger team and this one might not be exactly close.
Joe Pinkos Line: Fort White 11 over Jefferson County
FHSF Predictions
Joshua Wilson: Fort White 30, Jefferson County 14
Corey Davis: Fort White 27, Jefferson County 14
REGION FOUR
No. 4 Fort Meade (8-1) at No. 1 Trenton (10-0)
Last Playoff Appearance: Fort Meade, 2012; Trenton, 2014
Skinny: Fort Meade is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2012, but this not an appealing hand to be dealt with a Trenton team that has dealt 10 running clocks to all 10 teams it has played this season. However, if you do a little more digging the strength of schedule advantage goes right into Fort Meade’s hands and this will be something that could play a factor in the game. Another factor is if this game comes down to a full four-quarters. How will Trenton respond to that considering most of their games have been either been put away by halftime or sometime early in the 3rd quarter? This will be a game to keep an eye on.
Joe Pinkos Line: Trenton 19 over Fort Meade
FHSF Predictions
Joshua Wilson: Trenton 38, Fort Meade 37
Corey Davis: Fort Meade 42, Trenton 35
Dixie County (7-2) at No. 2 Pahokee (8-2)
Last Playoff Appearance: Dixie County, 2014; Pahokee, 2013
Skinny: Pahokee entered Class 1A this year for the first time and was able to win the district. However, earlier in the week it was announced that head coach Alphonso Smith would not be on the sideline depending on the outcome regarding an investigation involving him that is non-FHSAA related. That issue likely will not keep Pahokee from seeing this as a game they can’t win as they have home field advantage and know that Dixie County will have a long bus ride to get down to the muck. For Dixie County this will be a true test to see if the Bears can upset one of the top 1A teams in the first round.
Joe Pinkos Line: Pahokee 4 over Dixie County
FHSF Predictions
Joshua Wilson: Pahokee 30, Dixie County 24
Corey Davis: Pahokee 28, Dixie County 14
