Week 4 is already upon us here in Florida and that means a lot of teams will be getting into the action of playing their first district games this week. However, some teams are still in non-district action and between both side of the ball, there are quite a few great games this week. Here is FloridaHSFootball.com’s Top 10 Games of the Week.
1. Booker T. Washington (2-1) vs. Miami Southridge (2-0)
Why: Booker T. is coming off a painful loss to Miami Jackson and with that dashed hopes of a national championship this season. The Tornadoes will have to be ready to play in this game as Miami Southridge has already proven they are a contender in Class 8A South after knocking off Columbus last week.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: Southridge 15, Booker T. Washington 12
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: Booker T. Washington 28, Southridge 7
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: Southridge 7 over Booker T. Washington
2. Dr. Phillips (3-0) at Apopka (3-0)
Why: Two Orlando-area heavy weights meet here in this game which could give us an early glimpse of who we might expect to emerge as the team to represent Class 8A North this year. Dr. Phillips has given up seven points or less in each of their first three games, however Apopka has dropped 175 points opponents in the same stretch which could open the door for either a shootout or a defensive battle.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: Apopka 35, Dr. Phillips 27
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: Dr. Phillips 24, Apopka 22
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: Apopka 1 over Dr. Phillips
3. Deerfield Beach (1-1) at Grayson (GA) (1-1)
Why: A solid Florida vs. Georgia matchup, the Bucks will try to become the second team from Florida to try to win against Grayson this season. Deerfield which had a week off to recover from a stinging loss to Hallandale in Week 2 should be primed and ready to go, but the same thing could be said for Grayson as well. Expect this one to stay close for four quarters.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: Deerfield Beach 20, Grayson 19
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: Grayson 34, Deerfield Beach 8
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: Grayson 7 over Deerfield Beach
4. Miami Jackson (1-1) at Cardinal Gibbons (3-0)
Why:It is hard to believe how fast things can change in a matter of three weeks, but that has been the case with this game. Once thought to be a write off with not much appeal, both teams are looking to shake up District 5A-16 with their new found approaches to winning tough games. Jackson is coming a very decisive victory over Booker T. Washington while Cardinal Gibbons is looking to make a statement by moving to 4-0 on the season with this game.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: Miami Jackson 28, Cardinal Gibbons 27
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: Miami Jackson 28, Cardinal Gibbons 20
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: Miami Jackson 3 over Cardinal Gibbons
5. Winter Haven (2-0) at Kissimmee Osceola (3-0)
Why:This could be a tough one for the visiting Blue Devils, but they pulled out a tough one against Ridge Community to stay undefeated on the season. The Kowboys with a K are also looking like they haven’t skipped a beat despite looking like a rebuilding team during the spring and preseason. Overall, it expect this game to be a fight for both teams.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: Osceola 30, Winter Haven 21
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: Osceola 28, Winter Haven 14
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: Winter Haven 7 over Osceola
6. Oakleaf (1-1) at Buchholz (2-0)
Why:Oakleaf comes into this game looking for revenge to a 20-14 loss they suffered at home last year, a loss that ended up costing them a spot in the playoffs. Buchholz is riding high after last week’s 27-point come back against Columbia that was one of the biggest upsets of Week 3. A tough battle should be expected for this one in Gainesville on Friday night.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: Buchholz 28, Oakleaf 17
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: Oakleaf 21, Buchholz 20
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: Buchholz 19 over Oakleaf
7. Orange City University (3-0) at Sanford Seminole (2-0)
Why: This game has been the talk of District 8A-2 since early in the summer when it was pretty evident that both University and Seminole would be the two teams to beat. University is riding high with Lorenzo Lingard doing his damage on the ground, while Seminole has a more balanced approach that will test the University defense. Overall, this is a money well spent kind of game.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: University 48, Seminole 28
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: University 44, Seminole 14
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: University 3 over Seminole
8. Kathleen (2-1) at Viera (2-1)
Why:Viera would like to erase the drubbing they took in Lakeland last year and now they get that chance in this game. Viera which quickly rose on the scene in Class 7A last year has shown they are still hungry to get back to the state championship game this season. A win here for Viera will go along way towards establishing that path. However, a Kathleen win again could make things very interesting for the rest of the season.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: Viera 35, Kathleen 20
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: Viera 34, Kathleen 13
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: Viera 28 over Kathleen
9. Trinity Catholic (1-0) at Wakulla (1-1)
Why:Trinity Catholic is on sort of revenge tour this season, looking to take bake wins that were losses for them last season. This is one that was put into the loss column last year. Both the Celtics and the host War Eagles are completely different teams than they were last year, so that certainly helps the dynamics for Trinity Catholic to get a win on the road. However, Wakulla is looking to pick up a win at home after getting knocked off by Madison County last week.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: Wakulla 28, Trinity Catholic 24
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: Wakulla 38, Trinity Catholic 12
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: Wakulla 6 over Trinity Catholic
10. Victory Christian (2-0) at Admiral Farragut (1-0)
Why:A good small school showdown between Victory Christian and Admiral Farragut, both which are expected to be playoff-bound teams later this season in Class 2A. The visiting Storm would like to avenge last year’s lost to the Blue Jackets, but like any road game, it could be tough to do. However, this should be a competitive game for both teams.
Predictions
Josh’s Prediction: Admiral Farragut 28, Victory Christian 21
USA TODAY HSS Score Predictor: Admiral Farragut 32, Victory Christian 18
Joe Pinkos’ Forecast: Admiral Farragut 1 over Victory Christian
Last Week:
FHSF: 8-2
USA TODAY HSS: 7-3
Joe Pinkos: 7-3
Season Records (does not count Week 2 with games being washed out for some of GOTW)
FHSF: 14-6
USA TODAY HSS: 10-10
Joe Pinkos: 13-7
