FloridaHSFootball.com breaks down tonight’s Class 7A regional finals with the final eight teams remaining to contend for four spots to next week’s state semifinals. Included is our predictions from Publisher Joshua Wilson and Senior Writer Corey Davis as well as Joe Pinkos’ prediction.
Bartram Trail (9-3) at Columbia (11-1)
The road: Bartram Trail def. Hagerty 28-21 and Buchholz 35-21; Columbia def. Chiles 42-27 and Lincoln 57-20.
Skinny: Bartram Trail is not the same kind of team that started off the season a bit sluggish. Nor is this the Bartram Trail team that you want to mess with in the playoffs, especially if your name is Columbia. In this case, this is what we have going on for tonight’s matchup between the two programs who are no strangers to each other when it comes to critical playoff matchups. The key for Columbia tonight will be to commit the fewest mistakes possible and use the air and ground game to its advantage. For Bartram Trail, it will be a test to see if the two-quarterback system can stand the test from a Columbia team that seems to be scoring points like crazy this season. Either way expect a battle out of this game.
Joe Pinkos Line: Columbia 14 over Bartram Trail
FHSF Predictions
Joshua Wilson: Columbia 35, Bartram Trail 30
Corey Davis: Columbia 28, Bartram Trail 21
Twitter Poll Results:
POLL: Who will win the 7A Regional Final between @BTHS_Football & @TigerTownCHS on Friday? #flhsfb
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) November 25, 2015
Lakeland (9-2) at Viera (8-4)
The road: Lakeland def. Sickles 55-26 and Plant 21-11; Viera def. Harmony 38-8 and Martin County 47-17
Skinny: Lakeland has bounced back nicely from two losses during the season to Miami Carol City and Bartow this year in which the later of the two games almost became costly. In that sense now, Lakeland has run a very good route through the playoffs so far and is likely on the verge of its first state semifinal appearance since 2011. However, the Dreadnaughts aren’t totally full of brand name Division I talent this time around like they have usually been in the past which makes things even more special for the Dreanaughts. This is Viera’s first trip to the regional finals in school history and while although picked by some to possibly make their first trip to the state semifinals, it should be noted that Lakeland is not an easy opponent to get to this stage of the game. They will have to use all their offensive weapons including the likes of Tre Nixon to their full advantage to win over Lakeland in this game.
Joe Pinkos Line: Viera 1 over Lakeland
FHSF Predictions
Joshua Wilson: Lakeland 28, Viera 24
Corey Davis: Lakeland 21, Viera 20
Twitter Poll Results:
POLL: Who will win the 7A Regional Final between @LHSDreadnaughts & @VieraHawks on Friday? #flhsfb
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) November 25, 2015
Braden River (12-0) at Plant City (11-1)
The road: Braden River def. Gulf Coast 37-14 and Venice 17-0; Plant City def. East Lake 47-34 and Tampa Bay Tech 35-15.
Skinny: For the first time in school history for either team is a trip to the regional finals with a trip to the state semifinals on the line for the first time as well. Braden River has proven to be a team that has solid offense while providing a lights out defense that has been hard to score upon this season. Plant City has been a surprising team this year and has shown they can muddle through even the toughest games after which getting blownout Week 1 by another playoff team in the Armwood Hawks. This could be a a big battle for both teams that will come down to the final minutes of the game.
Joe Pinkos Line: Braden River 7 over Plant City
FHSF Predictions
Joshua Wilson: Braden River 28, Plant City 21
Corey Davis: Braden River 28, Plant City 14
Twitter Poll Results:
POLL: Who will win the 7A Regional Final between @piratenationhs & @Raider_Football on Friday? #flhsfb
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) November 25, 2015
Mater Academy (10-1) at St. Thomas Aquinas (10-1)
The road: Mater Academy def. Nova 35-34 and Miami Sunset 42-19; St. Thomas Aquinas def. Royal Palm Beach 29-0 and Dwyer 24-7
Skinny: A homecoming of sorts for Mater Academy head coach Rocco Casullo who just last year was in the process of leading the Raiders to another state championship victory. For Mater Academy, they would love nothing more than to slap some revenge on St. Thomas Aquinas after the Raiders put the Lions out of the playoffs in the first round. While this is Mater’s first trip to a regional final, the experienced Raiders will have more going for them in this regional final and this game likely won’t be pretty when the final score shows on the scoreboard.
Joe Pinkos Line: St. Thomas Aquinas 38 over Mater Academy
FHSF Predictions
Joshua Wilson: St. Thomas Aquinas 45, Mater Academy 17
Corey Davis: Bishop St. Thomas Aquinas 45, Mater Academy 3
Twitter Poll Results:
POLL: Who will win the 7A Regional Final between @MaterFootball & @STA_Football on Friday? #flhsfb
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) November 25, 2015
