Here is our preview of the Class 4S 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. 8 Mosley (Lynn Haven) (6-4) vs. No. 1 Buchholz (10-0)
WHEN: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Citizens Field, Gainesville
REGION: Class 4S-Region 1
SCORING AVERAGES: Mosley: 32.5- 19.6; Buchholz: 40.3-13.2
WHAT TO KNOW: Mosley upset Niceville in Week 10 to get their ticket into the playoffs … Buchholz went undefeated for the first time since 2001 … Mosley is 3-2 in their last five games … Sammy Freitas for the visiting Dolphins has thrown for 1,954 yards and 22 touchdowns against eight interceptions … Jack Massey is the leading receiver for Mosley with 588 receiving yards and eight touchdowns … Defensively, Wyatt Fleming leads the Dolphins in tackles with 84 and is tied for second with sacks with two on the season … Aiden Dunn leads in sacks with three … Carson Griffin and Ethan Kellum each has two interceptions so far this season … The biggest names for the Bobcats to keep an eye on will be Trace Johnson, the son of University of Florida quarterback and Buchholz alum Doug Johnson, and Myles Graham, a five-star commit for the Gators … Don’t be surprised to see if Bobcats run some Bobcat packages with Graham taking direct snaps and scoring several touchdowns on offense in addition to his primary duties on defense at linebacker.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: Buchholz over Mosley
No. 5 Creekside (St. Johns) (6-4) at No. 4 Ponte Vedra (7-3), 7
WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: The Shark Tank, Ponte Vedra
REGION: Class 4S-Region 1
SCORING AVERAGES: Creekside: 33.1-31.6; Ponte Vedra: 31.0-13.0
WHAT TO KNOW: The visiting Knights are coming into this playoff meeting on a three-game winning streak and has won four of their last five games … Ponte Vedra is on a two-game losing skid … Creekside defeated the host Sharks last week 26-21 … Sean Ashenfielder has thrown for 1,586 yards this season with 12 touchdowns against 10 interceptions while also rushing for 569 yards and 11 touchdowns … Harrison Garrido is the leading rusher with 155 carries for 1,106 yards and 12 touchdowns … Defensively, the Knights have only racked up eight sacks this season … Colton Leavell and Jaxon Earle lead Creekside in tackles with 63 and 62 respectively … For Ponte Vedra, Benjamin Burk will be leading the offensive charge as he has 1,820 yards passing with 19 touchdowns against six interceptions … Brian Case has rushed for 946 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Sharks … Cole Madison is the leading receiver with 589 yards receiving and five touchdowns … Leading the defense in tackles for Ponte Vedra is Ridge Richardson with 80 tackles … The defense has combined for 24 total sacks this season along with 53 quarterback hurries … Maddux Babin leads the Sharks with three interceptions.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: Ponte Vedra over Creekside
No. 5 Bartow (6-4) vs. No. 4 Winter Haven (7-3)
WHEN: Friday, 8 p.m.
WHERE: Southeastern University, Lakeland
REGION: Class 4S-Region 2
SCORING AVERAGES: Bartow: 16.6-15.0; Winter Haven: 25.4-12.8
WHAT TO KNOW: The visiting Yellow Jackets started the season with six straight wins but have been on a four-game losing streak ever since … Winter Haven has won five games straight and won District 4S-8 through a tiebreaker with Bartow and Haines City … Stats have not been updated for Bartow since mostly Week 4, however the biggest weapon on offense will be Kaleef Valentine for the Yellow Jackets … Defensively, keep an eye on Ladarrius Davis who has been a tackling machine for Bartow … John Kostuch will be the offensive player to keep an eye on for the Blue Devils who has thrown for 1,197 yards and 11 touchdowns against four interceptions … Alfred Smothers is the leading rusher for Winter Haven with 769 yards and 11 touchdowns so far this season … Treyon Ellington has emerged as the leading tackler on defense with 89 tackles while Allan Cadet-Ford is second in tackles with 74 … Ellington leads the Blue Devils in sacks with seven …. Three athletes are tied with leading in interceptions with two each.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: Winter Haven over Bartow
No. 4 Vero Beach (8-2) at No. 5 Heritage (Palm Bay) (9-1)
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Panther Stadium, Palm Bay
REGION: Class 4S-Region 3
SCORING AVERAGES: Vero Beach: 29.8-11.0; Heritage: 35.9-6.5
WHAT TO KNOW: Vero Beach has won four of their last five games only losing to Treasure Coast (Port St. Lucie) for the District 4S-12 championship … Heritage has won six straight games since losing to Oviedo in Week 4 … Tyler Aronson has been instrumental for the Indians as he has thrown for 1,762 yards for 22 touchdowns, but can also sputter at times as he has thrown 10 interceptions … The leading receiver for the Indians is Jonathan Hillsman who has 38 catches for 548 yards and eight touchdowns … TJ Alford leads Vero Beach with 78 tackles while Matthew Bacon leads the team in sacks with six … Elijah Anderson and Xavion Griffin each has three interceptions for the Indians this season, which leads the team … For Heritage, defense has been the name of the game, but their offense has also been efficient … Joseph Tenta has thrown 1,205 yards and 19 touchdowns … Defensively, Heritage has racked up 30 sacks on the season with Connor Robinson leading with eight sacks and Rahmir Davis right behind Robinson with six sacks … Demetres Samuel Jr. leads Heritage with five sacks.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: Vero Beach over Heritage
No. 6 Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (7-3) vs. No. 3 DeLand (8-2)
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Spec Martin Municipal Stadium, DeLand
REGION: Class 4S-Region 3
SCORING AVERAGES: Spruce Creek: 24.6-15.5; DeLand: 42.9-20.6
WHAT TO KNOW: This is a rematch from Week 6 that saw the host Bulldogs win by one point on the road against the visiting Hawks, 28-27 … Spruce Creek has won three out of their last five games played … DeLand is on a three-game winning streak and has won four out of their last five games … Luke Smith will be the main person under center for the Hawks and he has thrown for 1,619 yards and 20 touchdowns this season against two interceptions … Smith also have three rushing touchdowns … Anthony Hayden leads Spruce Creek in rushing with 601 yards and three touchdowns … Tony Kinsler is Spruce Creek’s leading receiver with 856 yards receiving on 55 catches with 11 touchdowns … Andrew Halleran has racked up 105 tackles for the Hawks while Dre Hill leads the team in sacks with 14 … Kamron Chamble leads Spruce Creek with four interceptions as the team has only intercepted 10 passes this season … DeLand has TJ Moore who has been the all-around athlete for the Bulldogs … Moore has thrown for 1,197 yards with 15 touchdowns against no interceptions and has also rushed for 940 yards and nine touchdowns … Javon Ross is the second leading rusher for the Bulldogs with 825 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns … Dante Mascio leads DeLand in tackles with 65 while Marion Smokes leads the team in sacks at 10.5 while two other athletes have seven sacks each among the 32.5 sacks registered by the Bulldogs this season … Anterio Wright along with Ross leads DeLand with three interceptions each.
JOSH’S PREDICTION: DeLand over Spruce Creek
REST OF THE SLATE
REGION 1
No. 2 Niceville (8-2) at No. 7 Nease (Ponte Vedra) (7-3), 6: The Eagles have a long road trip to a team that had to win their district to get in the playoffs. Niceville has been a strong team this year… expect the Eagles to head back to the Panhandle with a win. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Niceville over Nease
No. 3 Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (6-4) at No. 6 Navarre (7-3), 7:30 CT: Navarre won its district, but the visiting Bears have by far played a much tougher schedule and should get a win despite the long road trip. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Bartram Trail over Navarre
REGION 2
No. 8 Mitchell (New Port Richey) (6-4) vs. No. 1 Lakeland (7-3) at Bryant Stadium: Tough draw for the visiting Mustangs against a tough Dreadnaught team looking to defend their state championship. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Lakeland over Mitchell.
No. 7 Haines City (6-4) at No. 2 Lake Minneola (7-3): Hawks looking to make another deep run in the playoffs, but against a Hornets team that sometimes you do not know what you will get from them each week. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Lake Minneola over Haines City
No. 6 Springstead (Spring Hill) (7-3) at No. 3 Wiregrass Ranch (Wesley Chapel) (8-2): A district rematch and this one could go either way honestly, but we see the Bulls advancing to the regional semifinals. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Wiregrass Ranch over Springstead.
REGION 3
No. 8 Osceola (Kissimmee) (4-6) vs. No. 1 Treasure Coast (7-2) at South County Stadium, 7: A rematch from Week 1 that was won by Treasure Coast. Osceola is getting healthy now, but will it be enough? Trap game for the Titans. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Treasure Coast over Osceola
No. 7 New Smyrna Beach (6-4) vs. No. 2 University (Orange City) (9-1) at Deltona High: Rematch here between Barracudas and Titans, but don’t see staying close for long. JOSH’S PREDICTION: University over New Smyrna Beach
REGION 4
No. 8 Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton) (4-6) at No. 1 Venice (8-2): Mustangs have no chance of forcing an issue here in this one. Indians will roll. JOSH’S PREDICTOIN: Venice over Lakewood Ranch
No. 4 Gulf Coast (Naples) (5-4) at No. 5 Immokalee (5-5): Gulf Coast lost by a few points to Immokalee in the regular season that decided District 4S-16, but Indians should win here at home. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Immokalee over Gulf Coast
No. 7 Charlotte (Punta Gorda) (4-6) at No. 2 Manatee (Bradenton) (8-2): They have already met once this season and it was not pretty for the Tarpons against the Hurricanes. Likely could be the same result once again. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Manatee over Charlotte
No. 6 Palmetto (5-4) at No. 3 Riverview (Sarasota) (6-4): Interesting matchup between two rival programs. The Tigers either can put points up in batches or not at all. Rams can and will put points up in batches. Looking for a barn burner here. JOSH’S PREDICTION: Riverview
