Let’s look at the games in the Class 4A 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. 4 Pine Forest (Pensacola) (5-5) at No. 5 Ed White (Jacksonville) (7-3), Fri, 6:30 p.m. – A long road trip for Pine Forest, but the Eagles are no strangers to doing these kinds of things over the years and the host Commanders will certainly get a test here. Ed White is averaging 26.3 points per game compared to Pine Forest with 13.4 points per game. If anything the Eagles will need to have a complete game as they will need to stop Ed White QB King Boylston, who has been averaging 172.5 yards passing per game as well as averaging 194.3 total yards per game. Zakavius Andrews for Pine Forest is averaging 115.3 yards per game this season. Josh’s Pick: Ed White; Reno’s Pick: Ed White
Region 2
No. 5 Rockledge (6-3) at No. 4 Zephyrhills (7-3), Fri, 7:30 p.m. – Rockledge is without their head coach due to suspension, but if anything, sometimes teams can come through moments of adversity and that is what the visiting Raiders hope to accomplish against Zephyrhills. The host Bulldogs have played a balanced schedule and have scored just over 33 points per game while Rockledge is averaging just above 22 points per game. Keep an eye on QB Xzavier Jackson for Zephyrhills who is averaging 186.4 total yards per game and 168.7 passing yards per game. Jordan Pidala for Rockledge leads the team with an average of 122.3 total yards per game this season. Josh’s Pick: Zephyrhills; Reno’s Pick: Zephyrhills
Region 3
No. 5 Jesuit (Tampa) (6-3) at No. 4 Clearwater (7-3), Fri. 7:30 p.m. – These two teams have a history with each other, so this will be by far one of the better playoff games in the Tampa Bay region. The visiting Tigers and the host Tornadoes are averaging just above 36 points a game, so this game could either be a shootout of sorts ora defensive slug fest depending on how the team has prepared for this week. Jesuit is averaging 321.9 total yards per game while Clearwater is averaging just slightly above the Tigers with 325.5 yards per game. Keep an eye on QB Will Griffin for Jesuit who is averaging 208.6 yards per game while keeping an eye on Jordan Pidala for Rockledge who is averaging 122.3 total yards per game. Josh’s Pick: Jesuit; Reno’s Pick: Clearwater
Region 4
No. 5 Dillard (Fort Lauderdale) (8-2) at No. 4 John Carroll (Fort Pierce) (10-0), Fri. 7:30 p.m. – The visiting Panthers could be the favorite to win this game even though John Carroll went a full 10-0 during the regular season. The reason comes down to strength of schedule where the visiting Panthers have played a much tougher strength of schedule compared to the host Golden Rams. John Carroll averages 334.1 yards per game and that could be way lower given the schedule that Dillard has played this season. Keep an eye on QB Jax Vanname for the Golden Rams who averages 146.9 yards per game. Josh’s Pick: Dillard; Reno’s Pick: Dillard
REST OF THE SLATE
No. 8 Columbia (Lake City) (5-5) at St. Augustine (8-1), Fri. 7:00 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: St. Augustine; Reno’s Pick: St. Augustine
REGION 1
No. 7 Arnold (Panama City Beach) (7-3) at No. 2 Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) (8-2), Fri. 7:00 p.m. CT
Josh’s Pick: Choctawhatchee; Reno’s Pick: Choctawatchee
No. 6 Riverside (Jacksonville) at No. 3 Escambia (Pensacola), Fri. 7:00 p.m. CT
Josh’s Pick: Escambia; Reno’s Pick: Escambia
REGION 2
No. 8 Lecanto (6-4) at No. 1 Jones (Orlando) (10-0), Fri 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Jones; Reno’s Pick: Jones
No. 7 Leesburg (6-4) vs. No. 2 Vanguard (Ocala) (9-1) at Booster Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Vanguard; Reno’s Pick: Vanguard
No. 6 New Smyrna Beach (8-2) at No. 3 Lake Wales (6-3), 7:00 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Lake Wales; Reno’s Pick: Lake Wales
REGION 3
No. 8 South Fort Myers (4-6) at No. 1 Port Charlotte (8-2), 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Port Charlotte; Reno’s Pick: Port Charlotte
No. 7 River Ridge (New Port Richey) (7-3) at No. 2 Naples (8-2), 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Naples; Reno’s Pick: Naples
No. 3 Dunbar (Fort Myers) (8-2) at No. 6 St. Petersburg (8-2), 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Dunbar; Reno’s Pick: Dunbar
REGION 4
No. 8 Jensen Beach (7-3) at No. 1 American Heritage (Plantation) (7-2), Fri. 7:00 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: American Heritage; Reno’s Pick: American Heritage
No. 2 Miami Norland (7-2) vs. No. 7 Hialeah (8-2) at Ted Hendricks Stadium at Milander Park, Fri. 7:30 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Miami Norland; Reno’s Pick: Miami Norland
No. 6 Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches) (6-4) at No. 3 Plantation (6-4), Thu. 7:00 p.m.
Josh’s Pick: Plantation; Reno’s Pick: Plantation
