WEEK 3 RANKINGS: Class 7A regional rankings

After missing last week due to illness, Joshua Wilson is back with a look at the Class 7A Regional Rankings with complete analysis as we head into Week 3.

REGION 1

1. Niceville, 2-0
2. Gainesville Buchholz, 2-0
3. Navarre, 1-0
4. Orange Park Fleming Island, 1-1
5. Port Orange Spruce Creek, 2-0
6. Orange City University, 1-0

ANALYSIS: Niceville and Buchholz are both off to 2-0 starts and look to repeat likely as the two best teams in Region 1 as they were last season. Navarre is right behind them as the No. 3 team overall in the region. Fleming Island took an upset win over Lake Minneola in Week 2 to bump them back up in the region rankings while Spruce Creek and Orange City University round out the bottom of the Region.

REGION 2

1. Lakeland, 2-0
2. Orlando Edgewater, 1-1
3. Lakeland Lake Gibson, 0-2
4. Melbourne Viera, 1-1
5. Stuart Martin County, 1-0
6. Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer, 1-1

ANALYSIS: Lakeland has shown they are likely much improved for 2021 and have taken the top spot in the region. Edgewater got off to a hot start in Week 1 but slipped heavily in Week 2 against Venice. Lake Gibson which has been on the edge of two close games slips to No. 3. Viera rises up after a win over Baker County while Dwyer has fallen to the last spot in the region after a huge loss to Palm Beach Central.

REGION 3

1. Tampa Bay Tech, 2-0
2. Tampa Gaither, 2-0
3. Seffner Armwood, 1-1
4. New Port Richey Mitchell, 2-0
5. Valrico Bloomingdale, 1-1
6. Palmetto, 0-1

ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Tech and Gaither have both come out of the gate hot already with both sporting 2-0 records. Armwood slipped last week with an unexpected loss to Hillsborough. Mitchell and Bloomingdale are right behind Armwood while Palmetto tries to shake off a loss to Lakewood that opened the season for them.

REGION 4

1. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, 1-1
2. Fort Lauderdale Dillard, 2-0
3. Delray Beach Atlantic, 1-1
4. Homestead, 1-1
5. Miramar, 1-0
6. Fort Lauderdale, 2-0

ANALYSIS: I am going to say I am being selfish in a way to keep St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 1 after last week’s loss at Tampa Jesuit, but I truly don’t feel Dillard has done enough yet to say they are the top team in Region 4 or even in Class 7A. Earning the No. 1 spot takes work and while yes they got a 21-0 win over Deerfield Beach in one half of a play, I still feel St. Thomas Aquinas is the team to beat. Atlantic, Homestead and Miramar make up the middle of the pack with the Region 4 rankings.