FLAG FOOTBALL: Class 2A-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 2A-Region 3 which includes Districts 9, 10, 11, and 12.

DISTRICT 2A-9

PLAY IN-GAME
at Harmony
Monday

No. 9 Kissimmee Tohopekaliga (0-9) vs. No. 8 Orlando Lake Nona (2-8), 4

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
at Harmony
Monday

Winner of Tohopekaliga/Lake Nona vs. No. 1 Harmony (12-2), 7
No. 5 Orlando Freedom (5-7) vs. No. 4 St. Cloud (8-6), 5:30

at Orlando Cypress Creek
Monday

No. 6 Kissimmee Liberty (4-9) vs. No. 3 Kissimmee Poinciana (8-3), 5:30

Remaining Schedule

SEMIFINALS
at Harmony
Tuesday

Winner of Play-In/Harmony vs. Winner of Freedom/St. Cloud, 5:30
No. 2 Orlando Cypress Creek (10-2) vs. Winner of Liberty/Poinciana, 7

FINALS
at Harmony
Thursday

District Championship, 6

QUICK ANALYSIS: Harmony has been consistently a top team in the Orlando area over the last few years and once again they are in a position to win another district championship. However, this time they are not looking to have a letdown like they did last year against St. Cloud which kept them out of the playoffs. Cypress Creek has bounced back and looks solid as a program but sits No. 10 in the region so a strong showing in the district tournament is going to be required for the Bears to reach a playoff berth. For Poinciana and St. Cloud, they sit further down the list in the regional playoff rankings, so anything but winning a district championship would likely keep them out of making the final eight teams in the region.

PLAYOFF TEAMS PREDICTION
Harmony – District Champion

DISTRICT 2A-10

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
at Higher Seed
Monday

No. 8 Stuart South Fork (5-8) at No. 1 Stuart Martin County (12-1), 6
No. 5 Fort Pierce Central (10-5) at No. 4 Jupiter (7-4), 6
No. 7 Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (5-6) at No. 2 Fort Pierce Westwood (9-2), 6
No. 6 Vero Beach (5-3) at. No. 3 Port St. Lucie Centennial (9-5), 6

Remaining Schedule

SEMIFINALS
at Higher Seed
Tuesday

Winner of South Fork/Martin County vs. Winner of Fort Pierce Central/Jupiter, 6
Winner of Treasure Coast/Fort Pierce Westwood vs. Winner of Vero Beach/Centennial, 6

FINALS
at Stuart South Fork
Thursday

District Championship, 7

QUICK ANALYSIS: Martin County which struggled at times last season before losing the district championship to Centennial is back on top with things and locked in the No. 1 seed only losing once the entire season to Apopka. Fort Pierce Westwood, which is in Class 2A for the first time this year has done exceptionally well after sliding back last season and will be looking to avenge their first loss of the season against Treasure Coast in the opening round of the district tournament. Centennial which won the area 2A district last season is sitting at the No. 3 seed and is currently sitting on the edge as the No. 7 ranked team in Region 3.

PLAYOFF TEAMS PREDICTION
Martin County – District Champion
Centennial – At-Large Berth
Fort Pierce Westwood – At-Large Berth

DISTRICT 2A-11

PLAY IN-GAME
at Wellington
Monday

No. 9 West Palm Beach Lakes (2-10) vs. No. 8 Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer (4-11), 6

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
at Higher Seed
Monday

Winner of Palm Beach Lakes/Dwyer vs. No. 1 Wellington (10-4), 7:15
No. 5 Greenacres John I. Leonard (7-5) at No. 4 West Palm Beach Forest Hill (8-4), 6
No. 7 Wellington Palm Beach Central (5-7) at No. 2 Westlake Seminole Ridge (9-3), 6
No. 6 Royal Palm Beach (7-6) at No. 3 Palm Beach Gardens (7-4), 6

Remaining Schedule

SEMIFINALS
at Westlake Seminole Ridge
Tuesday

Winner of Play-In/Wellington vs. Winner of John I. Leonard/Forest Hill, 6
Winner of Palm Beach Central/Seminole Ridge vs. Winner of Royal Palm Beach/Palm Beach Gardens, 7:15

FINALS
at Westlake Seminole Ridge
Thursday

District Championship, 7

QUICK ANALYSIS: What is probably the most shocking thing here is that it is Wellington that is holding the No. 1 seed and not Seminole Ridge in this district. And further investigation indicates that Wellington has played a tougher strength of schedule compared to Seminole Ridge. Now in all due fairness, all three of Seminole Ridge’s losses came at the hand of quality opponents like Tampa Robinson, Tampa Alonso, and Boca Raton Spanish River this season, but in terms of quality games outside that, Wellington has certainly played a better share of quality teams. However, the biggest thing is this – Wellington and Seminole Ridge have not played each other this season but may finally face each other if both reach the district championship which could paint a bigger picture on both programs and what they are doing. Palm Beach Gardens and Forest Hill will need to pull of some upsets in the district tournament to have a crack of any potential playoff berth happening.

PLAYOFF TEAMS PREDICTION
Seminole Ridge – District Champion
Wellington – At-Large Berth

DISTRICT 2A-12

PLAY IN GAMES
at Lake Worth Park Vista
Monday

No. 9 Lantana Santaluces (2-8) vs. No. 8 Boca Raton (3-10), 6

at Boca Raton Spanish River
Monday

No. 10 Lake Worth (0-15) vs No. 7 Boca Raton Olympic Heights (2-6), 6

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
at Higher Seed
Monday

Winner of Santaluces/Boca Raton at No. 1 Lake Worth Park Vista (12-0), 7:30
No. 5 Parkland Stoneman Douglas (3-3) at No. 4 West Boca Raton (5-4), 6
Winner of Lake Worth/Olympic Heights at No. 2 Boca Raton Spanish River (12-2), 7:30
No. 6 Deerfield Beach (6-5) at Delray Beach Atlantic (6-5), 7

Remaining Schedule

SEMIFINALS
at Boca Raton Spanish River
Tuesday

Winner of Play-In/Park Vista vs. Winner of Stoneman Douglas/West Boca Raton, 6
Winner of Play-In/Spanish River vs. Winner of Deerfield Beach/Atlantic, 7:30

FINALS
at Boca Raton Spanish River
Wednesday

District Championship, 7

QUICK ANALYSIS: Park Vista has been a consistent top tier team over the last few years, and they are undefeated coming into the district tournament with Spanish River not far behind with a solid season this year that includes a big victory of Westlake Seminole Ridge, one of the top flag football programs in Florida. Both teams seemed poised to reach the playoffs, but neither of them has faced each other as of yet this season. However, that will all change if both reached the district championship game on Wednesday to determine the best of the best from the district. Either way, it is safe to say that both Park Vista and Spanish River will make the playoffs.

PLAYOFF TEAMS PREDICTION
Park Vista – District Champion
Spanish River – At-Large