Here is our preview of the Class 2M regional quarterfinal playoff games to be played this week in the Sunshine State. All games are scheduled for Friday with a 7:30 p.m. local time kickoff unless noted.
THE FIVE BEST
No. 5 Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (6-4) at No. 4 Bolles (Jacksonville) (5-5)
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Skinner-Barco Stadium, Jacksonville
REGION: Class 2M-Region 1
SCORING AVERAGES: Bishop Kenny: 31.9-27.7; Bolles 33.7-26.7
WHAT TO KNOW: The visiting Crusaders are 2-3 in their last five games, but is coming off a 29-26 victory over University Christian (Jacksonville) to end the regular season … The host Bulldogs are 3-2 over their last five games but got ran over by Berkeley Prep (Tampa) 42-7 last week to close out the regular season … In their previous meeting this season in Week 10, Bishop Kenny had drawn within six points to Bolles in the last third quarter before the Bulldogs opened up a massive lead in the fourth quarter to beat the Crusaders 52-18 … Iowa commit James Resar is the leading quarterback for the Crusaders this season, but has missed games or has been limited in action at times due to injuries … Freshman Caleb Mattison has come on strong this year and has been the team’s leading rusher … Defensively, Nash Beenen and Kolbe Sexton have been the leaders of the defense and has led the team in tackles … The host Bulldogs have seen some good production out of quarterback DJ Moore this season with 1,562 yards passing and 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions … Naeem Burroughs has been Moore’s favorite target this season with 37 catches for 752 yards and 12 touchdowns … Defensively for the Bulldogs, Simeon Caldwell, and Trent Carter have led the team in tackles with 90 and 87 respectively … Trey Riley and Garrison Butler lead the team in sacks with seven sacks each … Defensive back CJ Ennis has been impressive this season with three interceptions with one of those interceptions being returned for a touchdown.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: Bolles over Bishop Kenny
No. 5 Tampa Catholic (4-5) at No. 4 Robinson (Tampa) (8-2)
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Jack Peters Field, Tampa
REGION: Class 2M-Region 2
SCORING AVERAGES: Tampa Catholic 33.6-28.6; Robinson 32.3-12.6
WHAT TO KNOW: This is a rematch from Week 6 that saw Robinson come away with a 25-24 win that would ultimately lead the Knights to their first district championship since 2012 … For the visiting Crusaders, keep an eye on Trey Hedden who is 93-of-149 passing for 1,825 yards and 16 touchdowns against six interceptions … The Crusaders will run the ball a lot as well and will mix it up well with Josh Andrews leading the way with 624 yards and four touchdowns so far this season … TJ Moore is Tampa Catholic’s leading receiver with 897 yards receiving and has scored 11 touchdowns on 36 catches … Chrystian Ware leads the team in defensive tackles with 47 while Michael Dempsey leads in sacks with seven … For the host Knights, keep an eye on quarterback Eric Archield Jr. who has shown some solid stats in his junior year having thrown for 2,019 yards and 23 touchdowns against five interceptions … Archield has also rushed for 531 yards and five touchdowns, which makes him the Knights’ leading rusher so far this season … Tamez Young leads Robinson in receiving yards with 458 yards on 32 receptions and five touchdowns … Defensively, Robinson has not entered any statistics this year, but based upon the scoring averages, it has been very hard for opponents to score against the Knights.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: Robinson over Tampa Catholic
No. 6 Blake (Tampa) (7-3) at No. 3 Clearwater (6-4)
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Katherine H. Biddle Field at Jack White Stadium, Clearwater
REGION: Class 2M-Region 2
SCORING AVERAGES: Blake 33.9-17.2; Clearwater 27.2-19.5
WHAT TO KNOW: This is Blake’s second straight playoff appearance … For Clearwater this marks the ninth straight year they have made the playoffs including 2020 when they went past the play-in round and reached the regional quarterfinals … The visiting Yellow Jackets are very balanced on offense and have several athletes who will be handling the ball-carrying duties … Xavier Irizarry will be the key weapon to keep an eye on as he has thrown for 961 yards and 10 touchdowns against five interceptions, but also has rushed for 340 yards and four touchdowns … Jadarian Collins is the leading receiver for the Yellow Jackets with 531 receiving yards and nine touchdowns … Javion Collins leads the defense in tackles and tackles for loss with 59 and 10 respectively and also leads in sacks with six-and-a-half sacks … along with Jadarian Collins, Zyon Jones and Markis Watson each lead the Yellow Jackets with two interceptions each … With the host Tornadoes, keep an eye on to see if they rotate quarterbacks as three players have registered time under center this year with Adarius Lemons leading the way … Lemons also leads the way in rushing yards for the team with 932 yards and nine touchdowns recorded through the regular season … Defensively, for Clearwater, Marquez Hartsfield and Nick Robinson lead the team in tackles tied at 84 each while Hartsfield leads in tackles for loss at 16 … Lucas McWhorter leads the Tornadoes in interceptions.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: Clearwater over Blake
No. 5 Somerset Canyons (Boynton Beach) (7-3) at No. 4 King’s Academy (West Palm Beach) (8-2)
WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Kahlert Stadium, West Palm Beach
REGION: Class 2M-Region 3
SCORING AVERAGES: Somerset Canyons 29.4-19.9; King’s Academy 38.9-20.1
WHAT TO KNOW: This is a rematch of a Week 3 contest between the visiting Cougars and the host Lions where The King’s Academy came out a 40-10 winner … Somerset Canyons comes into the playoff matchup having won the four out of their last five games … For King’s Academy they come into the game having lost to Benjamin (Palm Beach Gardens) to close out the final week of the regular season which booked end eight straight wins since dropping Week 1 in a 55-54 overtime contest to Saint Andrew’s (Boca Raton) … Jayden Harrington will be the key offensive weapon for the Cougars who has thrown for 2,053 yards and 20 touchdowns against nine interceptions … Another key player on the offense to keep an eye on will be Tristian Johnson who has rushed 1,466 yards on 169 carries and 16 touchdowns … Tayegan Briskey leads Somerset Canyons in receiving yards with 833 yards and nine touchdowns. Briskey also leads the team in interceptions … Raymone Bailey and Marco Saberson lead the team in tackles with 77 and 76 respectively … Jadon Goldman leads the Cougars in sacks with 11.5 … For King’s Academy a two-quarterback approach may be used in the game as both Joe Dailey and Corbyn Aleshire have both seen action this year in games … Keep an eye out for Marion Victor who has rushed for 1,116 yards and 11 touchdowns … Javian Jones is the team’s leading receiver with 30 catches for 591 yards and 11 touchdowns … Jonathan Darling is the leading tackler currently for the Lions with 51 tackles and also has 13 tackles for loss this season … Peyton Hughes leads King’s Academy with three interceptions.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: King’s Academy over Somerset Canyons
No 4. Monsignor Pace (Miami) (6-4) at No. 5 Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest) (7-3)
WHEN: Friday, 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Raider Field, Pinecrest
REGION: Class 2M-Region 4
SCORING AVERAGES: Monsignor Pace: 26.2-20.3; Gulliver Prep: 24.1-18.2
WHAT TO KNOW: Both Monsignor Pace and Gulliver Prep are coming into this game having won four out of their last five games … When comparing schedules side by side, Monsignor Pace has played nationally ranked Miami Central and Miami Norland, two of the four teams they have lost to this season compared to the three losses Gulliver Prep has taken this year … For the Spartans they have not entered any stats offensively, but defensively Shawn Smith leads the team in tackles with 59 … JP Pierre leads the Spartans in tackles for loss with 10 … Davari Williams is the sack leader for Monsignor Pace with 7.5 sacks … For the host Raiders, Brendan Berry, who is a freshman has shown impressive growth and has thrown for 1,146 yards and 11 touchdowns, but is slippery at times as he has 11 interceptions as well … the leading receiver for Gulliver Prep is Kenny Williams who has 33 catches for 423 yards and two touchdowns … Defensively, Dylan Calero and Roderick Boynton II are the Raider’s two leading tacklers with 96 and 92 respectively … Brandon Rosenthal leads the team in sacks and tackles for loss with 14.5 and 23 respectively … The Raiders as a team have intercepted 17 passes this season led by Marquis Williams with four interception and has returned two of them for touchdowns.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: Monsignor Pace over Gulliver Prep
REST OF THE SLATE
REGION 1
No. 8 Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) (3-7) at No. 1 Raines (Jacksonville) (9-1), 6:30: A district rematch that was not pretty the first time around and with the Tigers sliding in to the playoffs through the backdoor, this rematch should be a runaway for the Vikings. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Raines over Andrew Jackson
No. 7 Episcopal (Jacksonville) (5-5) at No. 2 Riverside (Jacksonville) (8-2), 6:30: The host Generals got an upset last year in the first-round, but this year with a much-improved squad should easily handle things against the visiting Eagles. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Riverside over Episcopal
No. 6 Ed White (Jacksonville) (6-4) at No. 3 Bishop Moore (Orlando) (7-3): The commanders have been up-and-down this season, but the host Hornets are riding a seven-game win streak and that should continue here. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Bishop Moore over Ed White
REGION 2
No. 1 Berkeley Prep (Tampa) (8-2) at No. 8 Middleton (Tampa) (4-6): This one might be over by half-time if you stack the schedules and see there is not much comparison. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Berkeley Prep over Middleton
No. 7 Lakewood (St. Petersburg) (2-8) at No. 2 Calvary Christian (Clearwater) (8-2), 7: Lakewood has struggled greatly this season and with the Warriors looking strong, this game could be done in a hurry. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Calvary Christian over Lakewood.
REGION 3
No. 8 North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek) (5-5) at No. 1 American Heritage (Plantation) (7-1): Up until last week North Broward Prep was on the outside looking in, but a trip to the playoffs will be quick as I expect the Patriots to roll the Eagles here. JOSH’S PREDICTION: American Heritage over North Broward Prep
No. 7 Stranahan (Fort Lauderdale) (5-5) at No. 2 Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) (7-3), 7: District rematch here, and Stranahan will look for ways to slow the Chiefs down, but the Mighty Dragons should see their season end here. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Cardinal Gibbons over Stranahan
No. 6 Calvary Christian (Fort Lauderdale) (7-3) at No. 3 Saint Andrew’s (Boca Raton) (9-1), 7: This one could be interesting as a lot of points have the potential to be scored in this between the visiting Eagles and the host Scots. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Saint Andrew’s over Boca Raton
REGION 4
No. 8 St. Brendan (Miami) (7-3) vs. No. 1 Miami Norland (10-0) at Traz Powell, Thursday, 7: When we talk about records being deceiving, St. Brendan has a record that is deceiving when looking at the schedule they have played. Vikings should roll the Sabres to another first-round exit. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Miami Norland over St. Brendan
No. 7 Miami Edison (6-4) vs. No. 2 Miami Central (6-3) at Traz Powell: Red Raiders will find a way to test the Rockets early. Miami Central eventually pulls away in this one. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Miami Central over Miami Edison
No. 6 North Miami Beach (4-6) vs. No. 3 Booker T. Washington (Miami) (8-2) at Curtis Park, Thursday, 7: People have complained about North Miami Beach making the playoffs, but their schedule speaks for itself. However, facing a tough Tornadoes team might bring the season to a conclusion. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Booker T. Washington over North Miami Beach
