FLAG FOOTBALL: Class 1A-Region 3 districts preview

District tournament week is here for Flag Football and there is a lot of exciting action about to go down in all 32 districts in two classifications across the Sunshine State with the preparation of regional playoffs starting next week.

Here is a look at the districts in Class 1A-Region 3 which includes Districts 9, 10, 11, and 12.

DISTRICT 1A-9

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
at Belleview
Tuesday

No. 5 Pierson Taylor (4-5) vs. No. 4 Dunnellon (1-5), 4:30
No. 7 Crescent City (3-9) vs. No. 2. Belleview (9-5), 7:30
No. 6 Palm Coast Matanzas (0-8) vs. No. 3 Lake Weir (5-6), 6

Remaining Schedule

SEMIFINALS
at Belleview
Wednesday

Winner of Taylor/Dunnellon vs. No. 1 Trinity Catholic (11-2), 5:30
Winner of Crescent City/Belleview vs. Winner of Matanzas/Lake Weir, 7

FINALS
at Belleview
Friday

District Championship, 6:30

QUICK ANALYSIS: This district has two teams we believe are in the mix for the district championship with Trinity Catholic and Belleview, both of which have had a great season. However, the big advantage for Trinity Catholic is they already have one shutout victory over Belleview which came back on April 7, but it could provide more fire to Belleview to find a way to win the district outright this time around. Outside of that rest of the teams are by far long shots to even look at getting an at-large playoff berth.

PLAYOFF TEAMS PREDICTION
Trinity Catholic – District Champion
Belleview – At-Large

DISTRICT 1A-10

PLAY IN GAMES

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
at Port Orange Atlantic
Monday

No. 8 Port Orange Atlantic (1-11) vs. No. 1 Orlando Jones (10-1), 7:30
No. 5 Deltona (3-7) vs. No. 4 Deltona Pine Ridge (10-5), 4:30
No. 7 Deltona Trinity Christian (1-5) vs. No. 2 Daytona Beach Mainland (9-4), 4:30
No. 6 Orlando Bishop Moore (3-10) vs. No. 3 Daytona Beach Seabreeze (10-5), 6

Remaining Schedule

SEMIFINALS
at Port Orange Atlantic
Tuesday

Winner of Atlantic/Jones vs. Winner of Deltona/Pine Ridge, 6
Winner of Trinity Christian/Mainland vs. Winner of Bishop Moore/Seabreeze, 7:30

FINALS
at Port Orange Atlantic
Wednesday

District Championship, 7

QUICK ANALYSIS: This is an interesting district that stretches along I-4 with Jones getting the No. 1 seed while Daytona Beach Mainland which has played a better strength of schedule has the No. 2 seed. It is almost safe to say that these two likely could meet each other for the first time this season in the district championship but watch out for Daytona Beach Seabreeze to try to play the spoiler role as Seabreeze is ranked No. 9 in the regional rankings.

PLAYOFF TEAMS PREDICTION
Mainland – District Champion
Jones – At-Large
Seabreeze – At-Large

DISTRICT 1A-11

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
at Higher Seed
Monday

No. 5 Fort Pierce John Carroll (2-9) at No. 4 Sebring (8-5), 7
No. 7 Lake Placid (1-6) at No. 2 Okeechobee (7-6), 7
No. 6 Winter Garden Horizon (2-10) at No. 3 Kissimmee Gateway (7-7), 7

Remaining Schedule

SEMIFINALS
at Higher Seed
Wednesday

Winner of John Carroll/Sebring vs. No. 1 Fort Pierce Lincoln Park Academy (7-6), 7
Winner of Lake Placid/Okeechobee vs. Winner of Horizon/Gateway, 7

FINALS
at Higher Seed
Friday

District Championship, 7

QUICK ANALYSIS: This district is interesting as it is hard to look at and point to a clear-cut team that could win the district championship. Lincoln Park Academy which is in its second year of flag football holds the No. 1 seed in the district, but Okeechobee is not far behind at the No. 2 seed. Either of these two teams could win the district but keep an eye on Kissimmee Gateway and Sebring who are ranked currently No. 13 and No. 14 in the region as they could make a push and emerge out of the district as district champions.

PLAYOFF TEAMS PREDICTION
Lincoln Park Academy – District Champion

DISTRICT 1A-12

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
at Higher Seed
Monday

No. 8 Pahokee (0-12) at No. 1 Jensen Beach (12-3), 6
No. 5 West Palm Beach Oxbridge Academy (5-6) at No. 4 Belle Glade Glades Central (3-4), 6
No. 7 Port St. Lucie (1-9) at No. 2 Riviera Beach Suncoast (10-5), 6
No. 6 Boynton Beach (2-5) at No. 3 Boynton Beach Somerset Canyons (7-4), 6

Remaining Schedule

SEMIFINALS
at Boynton Beach Somerset Canyons
Tuesday

Winner of Pahokee/Jensen Beach vs. Winner of Oxbridge Academy/Glades Central, 5:30
Winner of Port St. Lucie/Suncoast vs. Winner of Boynton Beach/Somerset Canyons, 7

FINALS
at Boynton Beach Somerset Canyons
Thursday

District Championship, 6

QUICK ANALYSIS: Jensen Beach, which reached the Class 1A state semifinals last year as a team that emerged from a lower seed in district tournament play holds the No. 1 seed in this district and should likely have the advantage to win the district given their strength of schedule this season. Suncoast is another team in the mix for the district championship and could likely emerge out of the district tournament with at least an at-large playoff berth. Somerset Canyons has the potential to be the dark horse in the tournament and with a strong showing could get an at-large playoff berth.

PLAYOFF TEAMS PREDICTION
Jensen Beach – District Champion
Suncoast – At-Large