SOUTHWEST FLORIDA POWER 10: Venice Moves to No. 2 as Riverview Makes a Statement

Southwest Florida’s top spot did not change after Week 2, but the order behind IMG Academy National certainly did.

The Ascenders remain No. 1 after beating Cornerstone Christian (Texas) 59-10, while Venice moves into the No. 2 position following a 64-8 win over SmartEn Sports Academy. Cardinal Mooney slips to No. 3 after falling 47-46 to Cardinal Newman in one of the best games of the week.

The bigger shakeup came underneath them. Riverview overwhelmed IMG Academy Junior National 51-0, Manatee responded to its opening loss by beating Naples 28-17, Palmetto bounced back with a 34-26 win over Key West and Out-of-Door continued its strong start with a 48-6 victory over Cambridge Christian.

IMG Academy National Stays on Top, Venice Moves Up

IMG Academy National has given the FPRI little reason to reconsider the No. 1 position. The Ascenders followed a 59-3 opening win over Lone Peak with a 59-10 victory over Cornerstone Christian, giving them 118 points through two games while allowing only 13.

The change comes directly behind them. Venice opened with a 42-40 overtime win over Rabun Gap-Nacoochee before handling SmartEn Sports Academy 64-8 in Week 2. At 2-0, the Indians move ahead of Cardinal Mooney and into the No. 2 spot.

Cardinal Mooney remains firmly in the upper tier despite the drop. The Cougars opened with a 39-21 win over Berkeley Prep before losing 47-46 to Cardinal Newman. One point separates Mooney from a 2-0 start, but the loss gives Venice the opening to move ahead after two weeks.

Riverview Delivers the Week’s Biggest Statement

Riverview had already made a strong first impression by beating Naples 42-21. Week 2 was even louder.

The Rams shut out IMG Academy Junior National 51-0, turning a matchup that looked close entering the week into one of the most decisive results anywhere in the region. Riverview is now 2-0 and has outscored Naples and IMG Academy Junior National 93-21.

The result also gives the FPRI a direct comparison between two teams that had been sitting next to each other in the regional picture. IMG Academy Junior National had opened with a 47-0 win over Zarephath Academy, but Week 2 produced the complete opposite result.

That makes Riverview one of the clearest early-season risers in Southwest Florida.

Manatee and Palmetto Bounce Back

Manatee entered Week 2 needing a response after losing 33-26 to Plant. The Hurricanes got one by beating Naples 28-17, moving to 1-1 and adding a much stronger second result to their profile.

Palmetto followed a similar path. The Tigers lost 28-24 to Clearwater Central Catholic in the opener before defeating Key West 34-26 in Week 2. Both teams now have a loss and a quality response, which keeps the middle of the Power 10 crowded.

Naples, meanwhile, has started 0-2 after losses to Riverview and Manatee. The Golden Eagles have faced a difficult opening schedule, but those two results still give the FPRI significant current-season information to weigh against their preseason starting point.

Port Charlotte, Riverdale Take Their First Losses

Port Charlotte opened with a 63-26 win over Cape Coral, but Clearwater Central Catholic handed the Pirates their first loss in Week 2, 43-24.

Riverdale also entered Week 2 unbeaten after edging Estero 24-20. South Fort Myers stopped that momentum with a 20-17 victory, leaving Riverdale at 1-1 after two games decided by a combined seven points.

Those losses do not erase the opening wins, but they make the middle of the rankings considerably harder to sort. With so few games in the system, a team can look very different from one week to the next.

Out-of-Door Keeps Building

Out-of-Door has quietly produced one of the strongest starts in the region.

The Thunder opened with a 56-0 shutout of Babcock and followed it by beating Cambridge Christian 48-6. Through two games, Out-of-Door has scored 104 points while allowing only six.

The FPRI caps the impact of runaway margins, but consecutive dominant wins still matter. After making a major jump into the Power 10 following Week 1, Out-of-Door has added another result that supports the move.

Week 3 Spotlight: Venice Heads to Lakeland

Venice gets the biggest opportunity of the week when the Indians travel to Bryant Stadium to face Lakeland at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The timing is ideal from an FPRI perspective. Venice has just moved into the No. 2 position in Southwest Florida after starting 2-0, and now gets another chance to strengthen that rise against one of Florida’s most established programs.

Riverview also gets an important regional matchup when the Rams travel to Harllee Stadium to face Palmetto at 7:30 p.m. Both teams are coming off strong Week 2 wins, with Riverview beating IMG Academy Junior National 51-0 and Palmetto defeating Key West 34-26.

Riverdale travels to Bishop Verot at 7 p.m. looking to rebound from its first loss, while Naples hosts Lely as the Golden Eagles try to get into the win column after an 0-2 start.

The Middle of Southwest Florida Is Changing Fast

IMG Academy National remains the standard, but the picture behind the Ascenders is already much different than it was in the preseason.

Venice has moved to No. 2 after a 2-0 start. Cardinal Mooney remains close behind despite its one-point loss. Riverview has opened with wins over Naples and IMG Academy Junior National, including a 51-0 shutout in Week 2, while Manatee and Palmetto both answered opening losses with victories.

Out-of-Door continues to build momentum, while Port Charlotte and Riverdale now have to respond after their first defeats.

Two weeks are still a small sample, but they are already providing the FPRI with far more useful information than the preseason could. Southwest Florida’s top spot remains unchanged. The chase behind IMG Academy National is becoming much more competitive.

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As more games are played, current performance and opponent strength will continue replacing preseason information within the ratings.

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