2023 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN: Lake Minneola looks for third deep playoff run in four years with competitive schedule

LAKE MINNEOLA HAWKS

District: 4S-5

2023 SCHEDULE

* – District Contest

MILEAGE BREAKDOWN

This season, the road trips will be an adventure for Lake Minneola, with all their road trips outside of the East Ridge trip going over 40 miles one way on each of the four contests. The longest road trip will be a 118-mile trip to Fleming Island at about the season’s midway point. The shortest road trip of the season will come in Week 4 when the Hawks travel to rival East Ridge, just a quick 4.1 miles down Hancock Road. Overall, fans should buckle up and get ready to see the various sights of Florida with Lake Minneola’s road schedule in 2023.

To East Ridge: 4.1 miles
To Mainland: 74.3 miles
To West Port: 57 miles
To Fleming Island: 118 miles
To Lake Gibson: 44.4 miles

One-Way: 297.8 miles
Round-Trip: 595.6 miles

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

FloridaHSFootball.com has developed a weighted strength of schedule formula that weighs a team’s strength of schedule using data trends from the previous five seasons to measure a team’s overall strength of schedule. This includes all team records for all opponents and other weighted factors given about the teams on a schedule.

When looking at Lake Minneola’s schedule, there is a lot to love about this schedule with how balanced it is with competitive competition while also having a few games that should be automatic wins for the Hawks. The competitiveness will start with five playoff teams gracing the schedule, including a state runner-up for last season in that conversation.

Teams like Manatee, Vanguard, Wekiva, and Lake Gibson were all regional playoff teams from last season. Still, out of the five playoff teams that are a part of the schedule for Lake Minneola, Mainland is the biggest one that helps the Hawks’ strength of schedule coming into the season. Mainland, who finished as the Class 3S state runner-up last season, provides the biggest boost to the strength of schedule and will be a tough opponent for the Hawks this season.

Games against West Port and South Lake, both district opponents, should be the easiest games for the Hawks to secure victories this season. The other district game against Forest will need a watchful eye on as it is expected that Forest will be even more improved in 2023 after finishing last season with a non-losing record despite not reaching the playoffs.

As we look at the strength of schedule formula, Lake Minneola will have a .586 strength of schedule coming into the season. That number tells us that Lake Minneola has themselves in a position to compete with quality opponents on the schedule, but also has a schedule that they should be able to win the games they are predicted to win while keeping things balanced as they seek out a second straight district championship. This comes on the heels of finishing last season with a deep playoff run that got them to the regional finals before falling to eventual Class 4S state champion Lakeland.

MORE: Find all the links to all the schedule breakdowns published here

KEY DISTRICT GAME

10/20 – Forest: Forest showed they were a much-improved team last season and will be a team that should rise even further in 2023. As such, this is the district game we feel the Hawks will have to worry about most this late in the season. With it being a home game, the Hawks should have an advantage, depending on where things stand when Week Nine rolls around.

KEY NON-DISTRICT GAME

9/22 – Mainland: A lot to love about this game as Mainland returns a lot of talent from last year’s state runner-up team, and with the talent that has been coming through Lake Minneola over the previous few years, this will be a competitive matchup as the Hawks seek revenge. Lake Minneola fell to Mainland 39-26 last season in a competitive battle at home.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Lake Minneola head coach Walter Banks has shown he can build a program and has been able to develop solid talent that wins games. Over the last few years, the Hawks have been consistent winners on the field, with state runner-up and regional finalist finishes coming over the previous few years. As such, the schedule for this year is very much geared up again for the Hawks to have another deep playoff run. However, they must keep an eye on Forest in the district as they will undoubtedly be much more competitive. If the Hawks can continue to do what they have done best under Coach Banks, there is no other reason not to think Lake Minneola will have another deep playoff run in 2023.