Class 2A Regional Quarterfinals Preview: Games to Watch, Predictions for every game

Let’s look at the games in the Class 2A slate with one game slated for Thursday night and the rest for Friday as the regional quarterfinals are here. Picks are included from Joshua Wilson and Mike Reno from The Drive To State Show from Tuesday night, which you can watch the show in full on our Playoff Central page.

GAMES TO WATCH

REGION 1

No. 7 Walton (DeFuniak Springs) (6-3) at No. 2 Pensacola Catholic (8-1), Fri. 7:30 p.m. CT – This game has the making for a high scoring affair, but we remind you that the host Crusaders crushed the visiting Braves earlier this season district action. Keep an eye on Walton QB Wells Bettenhausen, who is averaging 267.7 yards passing per game while watching out for Catholic RB CJ Nettles, who has been the biggest catalyst of the Crusader offense for the last few years, averaging 125 yards per game. Josh’s Pick: Pensacola Catholic; Reno’s Pick: Pensacola Catholic

REGION 2

No. 5 Berkeley Prep (Clearwater) at No. 4 Calvary Christian (Clearwater), Fri, 7:00 p.m. – This is a game Berkeley Prep would love to have back from the regular season where the Buccaneers fell to the Warriors in Week 6 by a score of 28-23. For host Calvary Christian keep an eye on Oni Abasial, who is averaging a total of 203.6 yards per game, while star playmaker for Berkeley Prep, Dallas Golden leads with an average of 142.4 yards per game. In the end things are not the same for either team compared to last year at this time. Josh’s Pick: Berkeley Prep; Reno’s Pick: Berkeley Prep

REGION 3

No. 7 Tarpon Springs (6-4) at No. 2 Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) (7-3) – Carter Smith is back full and healthy and we saw that last week when the Vikings crushed Glades Central. However, there is some thought that with the visiting Spongers back in the playoffs for the first time in a while, they could throw some fits and surprise some people. Smith is averaging 222.4 total yards per game while Tarpon Springs QB Joaquin Kavouklis is averaging 211 yards passing per game. Josh’s Pick: Bishop Verot; Reno’s Pick: Bishop Verot

REGION 4

No. 5 Miami Carol City (7-3) at No. 4 Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) (6-4), Fri. 7:00 p.m. – Talk about the turnaround Miami Carol City has had under head coach George Stubbs who has gotten the visiting Chiefs out of being a doormat for Miami-Dade County teams from the past few seasons. Both teams are averaging between 395 to 410 yards per game (Carol City 395.1 ypg, Cardinal Gibbons, 406.1 ypg). Keep an eye on QB Jayden Torres for Cardinal Gibbons who is averaging 253.5 yards per game passing while QB Randy Phillips for Carol City is averaging 148.4 yards per game passing. Josh’s Pick: Carol City; Reno’s Pick: Carol City

REST OF THE SLATE

REGION 1

No. 8 Baldwin (5-5) at No. 1 Gadsden County (Havana) (9-1), Fri. 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Gadsden County; Reno’s Pick: Gadsden County

No. 4 Florida High (Tallahassee) (7-3) at No. 5 Marianna (10-0), Fri. 7:30 p.m. CT
Josh’s Pick: Florida High; Reno’s Pick: Florida High

No. 6 Taylor County (Perry) (7-3) at No. 3 Bolles (Jacksonville) (8-1), Fri. 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Bolles; Reno’s Pick: Taylor County

REGION 2

No. 8 Lake Placid (5-5) at No. 1 Cocoa, Fri. 7:00 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Cocoa; Reno’s Pick: Cocoa

No. 7 The Villages (5-4) at No. 2 Bradford (Starke) (8-1), Fri. 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Bradford; Reno’s Pick: Bradford

No. 6 Palatka (7-3) at No. 3 Newberry (8-2), Fri. 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Newberry; Reno’s Pick: Newberry

REGION 3

No. 8 Somerset Canyons (Boynton Beach) (4-6) at No. 1 Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota) (9-0), Fri. 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Cardinal Mooney; Reno’s Pick: Cardinal Mooney

No. 5 King’s Academy (West Palm Beach) (7-3) at No. 4 Calvary Christian (Clearwater) (7-3), Fri. 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Calvary Christian; Reno’s Pick: Calvary Christian

No. 6 Lakewood (St. Petersburg) (5-5) at No. 3 Glades Central (9-1), Fri. 7:00 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Glades Central; Reno’s Pick: Glades Central

REGION 4

No. 8 North Miami Beach (3-7) at No. 1 Booker T. Washington (Miami) (7-2) at Curtis Park, Thu. 8:00
Josh’s Pick: Booker T. Washington; Reno’s Pick: Booker T. Washington

No. 2 Immaculata-La Salle (9-1) at No. 7 Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest) (4-6), Fri. 3:00 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Immaculata-La Salle; Reno’s Pick: Immaculata-La Salle

No. 6 Ransom Everglades (Miami) (6-3) at No. 3 Monsignor Pace (Miami Gardens) (7-2), Fri. 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Monsignor Pace; Reno’s Pick: Monsignor Pace