FLAG FOOTBALL: Class 1A regional quarterfinal playoff preview

Playoff time is here and with the newly expanded brackets for the first time ever in regional playoffs, that means there are more games and more excitement to be had in flag football as 32 teams are competing for the goal of becoming the state champion in Class 1A.

Here is our preview of all 16 Class 1A regional quarterfinal games:

REGION 1 QUARTERFINALS

No. 8 Green Cove Springs Clay (7-4) at No. 1 Middleburg (14-0)

NOTES: This will be the third meeting between the Blue Devils and the Broncos this season … Middleburg defeated Clay in the regular season on April 11, 20-0, and then defeated them for the second time this season in the district tournament by the same score of 20-0 … For Clay this is their first regional playoff appearance since 2019 … Keep an eye out for quarterback Dakota Hills for Clay who had over 1,100 yards passing and 17 touchdowns during the regular season as well as over 330 yards rushing on 73 carries with 4 more touchdowns … Defensively, keep an eye on linebacker Shelby McClain who has been one of the key leaders of the defense this season with over 40 tackles and a couple of interceptions … Clay has averaged 16.9 points per game this while giving up 12.2 points per game … For Middleburg, has now completed two undefeated regular seasons and district tournament … Middleburg has won back-to-back district championships and is in their second straight regional playoff appearance in school history … Offensively keep an eye on Brooke Swenson who has had a second straight amazing year, this time with over 1,800 yards passing, 30 touchdown passes, only one interception plus 6 rushing touchdowns … A couple of favorite targets for Swenson include Laura Palagyi (48 catches, 558 yards receiving, 7 touchdowns) and Kayleigh McWatters (48 catches, 427 yards, 8 touchdowns) … Defensively for the Broncos, Jaden Lopresti has had five interceptions on the season while  Cheyenne Jenkins has racked up 35 tackles and six interceptions including two that have been returned for touchdowns … Rusher Desiree Hall leads team in sacks with nearly a dozen … Middleburg has averaged 27.1 points per game this season while only giving up only 4.6 points per game that includes seven shutouts posted.

PREDICTION: Middleburg over Clay

No. 5 Tallahassee FAMU DRS (9-2) at No. 4 Live Oak Suwannee (11-6)

NOTES: For FAMU DRS they are in their second straight regional playoff appearance and are looking for a path to get back to the state finals this year after finishing as the Class 1A State Runner-up in 2021 … Keep an eye on players Amerai Logan and Jade Dubose, both who were the biggest contributors to the team last season and have been again this season … The Baby Rattlers have scored an average of 27.7 points per gam this season but have given one of the highest amounts of points in the state among playoffs teams with 15 points per game on average … For Suwannee this is their first regional playoff appearance in their short history after launching as a program in 2019 … There were no available statistics as of press time on the top players for the Bulldogs … Suwannee has scored an average of 17.4 points per game this season while giving up 11.8 points per game.

PREDICTION: FAMU DRS over Suwannee

No. 7 Tallahassee Godby (10-4) at No. 2 Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee (11-2)

NOTES: This will be the third meeting between Godby and Choctawhatchee this year … Choctawhatchee has won the previous two meetings on April 16 with a score of 30-7 and in last week’s district tournament semifinals by a score of 30-7 … This is Godby’s first regional playoff appearance since 2019 … A few of players to keep an eye on offense include Chrissie Jessie, Alisha Washington, and Chinera Shaheed … Defensively for the Cougars, keep an eye on Jamaya Daniels as well as Jessie and Shaheed to lead things … Godby has scored an average of 16.5 points per game during the season while giving up just under 10 points per game with 9.7 … For Choctawhatchee, this is their second straight regional playoff appearance … one of the biggest names to keep an eye on for the Indians will be Rowan Franklin who has been one of the key pillars for the program the last few years … Choctawhatchee has scored an average of 24.1 points per game during the season while giving up 12 points per game.

PREDICTION: Choctawhatchee over Godby

No. 6 Jacksonville Ed White (12-5) at No. 3 Jacksonville Stanton (18-0)

NOTES: A battle of two Gateway Conference teams in the playoffs who actually did not play each other during the season … For Ed White, this is the first regional playoff appearance since 2013 … Offensively for the Commanders, Endia Maxwell is going to be leading the way as she has had an impressive season with nearly 2,400 yards passing and 35 touchdowns … Before we talk about the passing game, the Commanders like to run the ball some as Brianna Henderson, Tyra Pierce, and Tremesha Harris all have rushed for over 300 yards each during the season … As for targets in the passing game for Maxwell, Harris has been the standout who has caught 88 passes for 1,337 yards and 19 touchdowns and if Harris isn’t catching the ball Destiny Whitmore will do some damage as she has 41 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns on the season … Defensively for Ed White, Sydney Brown leads in tackles with 63 tackles while Chloe Boykin leads the team in sacks with eight … Harris leads the team with eight interceptions with Pierce right behind here with eight interceptions … The Commanders have averaged 20.6 points per game this season while giving up around 9.9 points per game … For Stanton, this marks their first regional playoff appearance since 2012 … Stanton won their first Gateway Conference championship in flag football a couple of weeks ago … The two key players for Stanton to keep an eye on are linebacker and wide receiver Courtney Brown and quarterback and safety Charlee Evoniuk, both of who are underclassmen for the Blue Devils … Stanton has averaged 25.9 points per game this season while giving up just 3.6 points per game.

PREDICTION: Ed White over Stanton

REGION 2 QUARTERFINALS

No. 8 Parrish Community (9-3) at No. 1 Tampa Robinson (17-1)

NOTES: This is Parrish Community’s first regional playoff appearance in school history … The Bulls did not have any statistical information available at press time on their best players this season … Parrish Community has scored an average of 17.3 points per game this season while giving up 8.2 points per game … For Robinson, who is no stranger to the regional playoffs or making deep playoff runs for state championships is now looking for their seventh state championship in the last eight years (excluding 2020) … Offensively speaking for the Knights, keep an eye on Brianna Stearns who has thrown for over 2,700 yards this season and 49 touchdowns while Sydney Hall has seen the action as well having thrown for over 1,300 yards and 19 touchdowns … The top targets in the passing game include Adriana Williams (74 catches, 1,013 yards, 13 touchdowns), Katejion Robinson (56 catches, 820 yards, 19 touchdowns), Christal Rolack (53 catches, 676 yards, 13 touchdowns), and Jaylen Stasio (45 catches, 546 yards, 10 touchdowns) … Defensively, Rolack has led the team in tackles with 88 as well as with interceptions at 10, while Julia Guillermo has racked up 79 tackles and is also the sack leader at 27 sacks … Robinson has averaged 31.8 points per game during the season while giving up just 4.5 points per game.

PREDICTION: Robinson over Parrish Community

No. 5 Seminole Osceola (10-2) at No. 4 Tampa Chamberlain (8-3)

NOTES: Osceola is making their first regional final appearance since 2018 … As of press time there were no available statistics on the Warriors’ top athletes … Osceola has averaged 19.9 points per game during the season while giving up just 6.8 points per game … For Chamberlain, this is their second straight regional playoff appearance and the second straight year they have won a district championship … As of press time there were no available statistics on the top players for the Chiefs … Chamberlain has averaged 22.7 points per game this season while giving up 10 points per game.

PREDICTION: Osceola over Chamberlain

No. 7 Crystal River (8-3) at No. 2 St. Petersburg Gibbs (13-1)

NOTES: This is Crystal River’s first regional playoff appearance since 2019 … As of press time there were no available statistics on the top players for the Pirates … Crystal River has averaged 16.5 points per game during the season while giving up 6.7 points per game … For Gibbs, this is their first regional playoff appearance in school history after winning their first ever district championship … Offensively keep an eye on Destiny Lockett who has thrown for 1,795 yards and 31 touchdowns this season while also rushing for 1,061 yards and 18 more touchdowns … The biggest target for Lockett this season has been Myesha Hill who has 60 catches for 995 yards and 23 touchdowns … Defensively both Lockett and Hill lead the Gladiators in tackles with 57 and 50 respectively while also leading the team in interceptions with 9 each … Freshman Denijah Joyce who was 34 tackles on the season leads the team in sacks with 24 … Gibbs has averaged 29.4 points per game this season while giving up 5.4 points per game.

PREDICTION: Gibbs over Crystal River

No. 6 St. Petersburg (9-5) at No. 3 Lecanto (16-1)

NOTES: This is St. Petersburg’s first trip to the regional playoffs in school history from what records indicate … The Green Devils have no available statistics as of press time for their top players … St. Petersburg has scored an average of 17.9 points per game during the season while giving up 12.6 points per game … For Lecanto, this is their second straight regional playoff appearance … The Panthers are led by senior quarterback Taylin Huffman who has thrown for over 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns this season while rushing for 237 more yards and four touchdowns … Lecanto likes to mix things up on offense as Elisha Bluford leads the team in rushing with 1,498 yards and 27 touchdowns … The top target in the passing game for the Panthers is Kayla Negron who has 64 catches for 566 yards and four touchdowns … Defensively Mackenzie Kusnierz leads the team in tackles with 111 … Carly Furniss leads the team in interceptions with nine while Negron and Kusnierz each have eight interceptions each … Lecanto has averaged 20.9 points per game during the season while giving up just 2.6 points per game.

PREDICTION: Lecanto over St. Petersburg

REGION 3 QUARTERFINALS

No. 8 Riviera Beach Suncoast (12-6) at No. 1 Daytona Beach Mainland (12-4)

NOTES: This is Suncoast’s four straight regional playoff appearance … As of press time there were no available statistics on the Chargers’ top athletes … Suncoast has averaged 21.4 points pers game this season while giving up 7.6 points per game … Mainland is in their second straight regional playoff appearance and looks to bounce back from the first round exit they had last year … For the Buccaneers the key player to keep an eye on is Alexa Wilson who has thrown for over 1,800 yards this season and 29 touchdowns while rushing for over 400 yards and seven more touchdowns … Top targets in the passing game for Wilson have included Camyrn Campbell (40 catches, 545 yards, 4 touchdowns) and Kassie Stoner (57 catches, 506 yards, 13 touchdowns) … Defensively, Wilson leads the team in tackles with 33 while Tania Bolden is second with 32 tackles although she leads the team in sacks with 16 … Wilson also leads the Buccaneers in interceptions with nine … Mainland has scored an average of 22.2 points per game this season while giving up 9.7 points per game.

PREDICTION: Mainland over Suncoast

No. 5 Orlando Jones (12-2) at No. 4 Fort Pierce Lincoln Park Academy (9-6)

NOTES: This is Jones’ first regional playoff appearance since 2018 … As of press time there were no available statistics on the top Tigers’ athletes … Jones has scored an average of 26 points per game this season while giving up 6.2 points per game … For Lincoln Park Academy, this is their first regional playoff appearance in the school’s short history in flag football after winning their first-ever district championship last week … For the Greyhounds, keep an eye on quarterback Leah Murphy who has thrown for 2,448 yards and 27 touchdowns this season … Murphy also leads the team in rushing with 575 yards and four touchdowns … Top targets in the passing game for the Greyhounds include Lahela Cornett (83 catches, 979 yards, 8 touchdowns) and Kylah Tiger (48 catches, 462 yards, 6 touchdowns) … Defensively speaking for Lincoln Park Academy Jade Magrane leads the team with 81 tackles while Reese Williams follows up behind Magrane with 68 tackles … Mackenzie Kenney who has recorded 39 tackles this season leads the team with 18 sacks … Cornett leads the Greyhounds with 21 interceptions … Lincoln Park Academy has scored an average of 17.1 points per game during the season while giving up 9.4 points per game.

PREDICTION: Jones over Lincoln Park Academy

No. 7 Belleview (11-6) at No. 2 Ocala Trinity Catholic (13-2)

NOTES: This is the third meeting of the season between Bellview and Trinity Catholic … Trinity Catholic has won both meetings with a win on April 7 with a score of 20-0 while defeating Belleview for the district championship last week by a score of 21-0 … For Belleview this is their first regional playoff appearance since 2018 … Key players to keep an eye on offensively for the Rattlers include Savana Shelor at quarterback and Tia Dantzler at receiver … Defensively, keep an eye on Emma Brantley, Hannah Collett, and Dantzler … Belleview has averaged 21.8 points per game during the season while giving up 9.1 points per game … For Trinity Catholic, this is their first regional playoff appearance in school history after the Celtics won their first district championship in school history last week … The Celtics are led offensively by Madison Boyd who has thrown for 1,883 yards and 29 touchdowns on the season while rushing for 329 more yards and eight touchdowns … Top targets in the passing game for Boyd include Rose Gravel (26 catches, 428 yards, 8 touchdowns) and Heaven Sanders (46 catches, 396 yards, 7 touchdowns) … Defensively, Sanders leads the team in tackles with 56, while Ava Crews and Jelunys Serrano-Irene both each have 49 tackles … Kieley Bateman and Gravel lead the Celtics in interceptions with eight each … Trinity Catholic has scored an average of 20.8 points per game while giving up just 4.7 points per game.

PREDICTION: Trinity Catholic over Belleview

No. 6 Daytona Beach Seabreeze (11-6) at No. 3 Jensen Beach (15-3)

NOTES: This marks Seabreeze’s first regional playoff appearance since the 2019 season … The key player to keep an eye on for the Sandcrabs will be quarterback Chelsea McQuarrie who has thrown for over 1,400 yards this season … Seabreeze has averaged 17.1 points per game while giving up 8.7 points per game during the season … For Jensen Beach, this is the second straight regional playoff appearance … The offense will be led by Courtney Cromer who has had an impressive season so far, throwing for 2,965 yards and 47 touchdowns and also has added two rushing touchdowns on the ground … Top receiving targets for Cromer include Julia Thurlow (81 catches, 851 yards, 15 touchdowns), Lauren Duke (68 catches, 716 yards, 16 touchdowns), and Bella Faherty (44 catches, 397 yards, 9 touchdowns) … Defensively, Faherty leads the team in tackles at 76 while Angelina Arguelles is second with 59 tackles … Faherty leads the team in sacks with 21 this season while Duke leads with 17 interceptions … Jensen Beach has averaged 24.8 points per game during the season while giving just 6.4 points per game.

PREDICTION: Jensen Beach over Seabreeze

REGION 4 QUARTERFINALS

No. 8 Miami Killian (8-5) at No. 1 Miami Edison (11-1)

NOTES: This is Killian’s first regional playoff appearance since the 2018 season when they were in Class 2A that season … As of press time there were no available statistics for the Cougars’ top athletes … Killian has averaged 14.5 points per game during the season while giving up 7.5 points per game … For Edison, they have been in the regional finals every year since Miami-Dade County started fielding flag football teams in 2016 … As of press time there were no available statistics on the top athletes for the Red Raiders’ top athletes … Edison has scored an average of 31.8 points per game during the season while giving up just 1.6 points per game having posted 10 shutouts in 12 games played.

PREDICTION: Miami Edison over Miami Killian

No. 5 Miami Central (13-3) at No. 4 Miami Norland (8-3)

NOTES: This is Miami Central’s first regional playoff appearance in school history … The Rockets quarterback Zakyra Whyms has a variety of targets at her disposal including Victoria Francois, Francis Staten, Dierra Walton, Destiny Martinez, and Joy Williams … Defensively, Kimberly Dumay, Walton, and Martinez will be leading the way for the Rockets … Miami Central has scored an average of 19.4 points per game this season while giving up just 4.8 points per game … For Miami Norland this is their first regional playoff appearance since 2017 … As of press time there were no available statistics on the Vikings’ top athletes … Norland has scored an average of 20.1 points per game during the season while giving up just 6.8 points per game.

PREDICTION: Miami Central over Miami Norland

No. 7 Miami TERRA Institute (8-3) at No. 2 Miami Somerset Silver Palms (13-1)

NOTES: For both TERRA Institute and Somerset Silver Palms, both teams are in the regional playoffs for the first time in school history … As of press time TERRA Institute had no available statistics on their top athletes … The Wolves have scored an average of 12.8 points per game this season while giving up 6.5 points per game … Offensively for the Stallions, keep an eye on Jaida Bayron who has 2,816 passing yards this season along with 35 touchdowns while also rushing for 723 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground … The top receiving targets for Somerset Silver Palms have been Dianka Hardisson (96 catches, 1,046 yards) and Shanaii Gamble (58 catches, 748 yards) … Gamble leads the team in interceptions with 12.

PREDICTION: Somerset Silver Palms over TERRA Institute

No. 6 Miami Northwestern (6-3) at No. 3 Pembroke Pines Charter (9-5)

NOTES: Miami Northwestern is in the regional playoffs for the first time in school history … As of press time the Bulls had no available statistics on their top athletes … Miami Northwestern has scored an average of 13.4 points per game during the season while giving up 10.3 points per game … For Pembroke Pines Charter this is their second straight regional playoff appearance … As of press time there were no available statistics for the Jaguars’ top athletes … Pembroke Pines Charter has scored an average of 14.1 points per game this season while giving up 11.1 points per game.

PREDICTION: Pembroke Pines over Miami Northwestern