Leaderboard

Madison though is playing 4 dimensional chess while the rest of us are playing checkers. The use of the charter school to siphon enough students away to lower their population numbers is darn near criminal in my opinion. If Madison played in the classification that their numbers are this wouldn't be an issue. As for Pahokee, they are who we thought they are. They couldn't even beat Hawthorne last year. Imagine if every school could do this. Take every kid who could care so little about sports, band, cheerleading and put them in their own school and your population numbers is only kids who want to play sports, cheer, dance, do band, or just come to games. All of a sudden, we might get very different classifications.

I was only pointing out the fact that Vero has lost at home before. Whether its in the playoffs or not. You stated that Vero has not lost at home since 2012 against a loaded Ft. Pierce Central team. Don't understand why you would hang your hat on the fact that they are dominant at home in the regular season but lose at home in the playoffs....just saying

This is true to a degree, but they had to play these teams. Nobody else would play them. Did anybody really think Flanagan, Cooper City, and the other merry minimums on their schedule last year were going to hang around to get beat by 70 again? They're a 2 time defending state champion that is bringing back a team that would compete for a state championship without a single transfer, instead they have 21 transfers and word is they have some legit super stars transferring in shortly once the summer scholarship goes into effect. (It's the scholarship for learning disabilities). As for Chaminade and Vero. I stand by my statement, If Chaminade is healthy they'll win this one. I'm not saying it'll be a blowout, but they'll end up with more points. They play Central/Carol City/AHP and like years past, they play those super powers early and will lose to one or two of them. By week 7 they'll turn into Super Chaminade and wipe the floor with everybody else except JaxTCA who will have turned into Super JaxTCA by then. I've seen this story to many times.

Vero Beach is playing in a spring jamboree at Boca Raton on May 22. 1st half: Vero vs. Dwyer 2nd half: Vero vs. Boca 3rd half: Dwyer vs. Boca

Some sports have/had county championships which are/were prestigious and a lot of fun to attend/participate in. A team may not have a legitimate shot at a state title, but winning the county championship could be the next best thing. Teams across various classifications competed against each other. Am not proposing that for football. Just throwing out an example I was reminded of by this League....a goal to aim for outside of a state title. ...anything to generate excitement, I say.

Columbia’s gonna kill them! Hope we beat IMG too

Hardee vs Lake Wales - finally, this one is back on!

Word on the street for Kissimmee Osceola: District: Cypress Creek, Freedom, Celebration, and Lake Nona Out of District: Columbus, Cocoa, Harmony, Manatee, St. Cloud. and Liberty Spring: Edgewater Classic: Lakeland

At the end of the day, it is HS basketball. Most people aren't traveling hours to watch that regardless of where you put it. Not regular people that live by and went to the school who have jobs or kids of their own or teachers. You have about 15 kids on each team. So if each kid gets a parent or two and siblings then add on some extra family members, the extreme fan (most schools don't have this), some teachers (Not even the majority would travel) and admin. That is what you are drawing. That is only going to be a couple hundred no matter where you put it. So, who cares if the arena looks funny. At least it is neutral and both teams are traveling similar distances. It isn't like it is getting watched nationally and people are staring at the crown. You are looking at the court if streaming a game or whatever.

Here's my perspective: before the law changed, and kids could transfer to any school they want, public schools like Lakeland knew that they had to get the promising middle-school athletes and the "out of district" kids into their schools for the ninth grade. Similarly, private schools like STA knew that they would raise fewer eyebrows if they brought the 'scholarship kids' in as freshman, knowing that they might swing and miss on a few of their choices (and, occasionally, the scholarship would mysteriously disappear). Once in a school like Lakeland or STA got a player into their school, even the best players would typically play at least one year on JV (STA Giovani Bernard, who went on to play with the Bengals in the NFL, was an exception). But once a kid started out a school, it made it easier for the kids to stay there all four years. And no one really questioned the kid in his junior or senior year if that kid had been at that school from the beginning. With free choice, high school coaches at the better schools can simply get the word out and then wait for the right kids to transfer in. And don't overlook the impact that "all star" 7 on 7 teams have had on the transfer impact. I remain convinced that when you look at coaches and "handlers" (the ones who typically are in the "recruiting spotlight"), their impact is not nearly as great as good, old-fashioned peer pressure.

that's a good assumption I kid I kid

Congrats dragons.

Barry Krauss- Played Pompano Beach HS, and was a linebacker. He was a three year letterman at linebacker for theUniversity of Alabama . In 1977 he led the team in tackles with 91 and in ’78 he was second with 112. On Jan. 1, 1979 in the Sugar Bowl he made the hit on the Penn State running back on 4th and one that kept him out of the end zone and won a National Championship for Alabama . He was named All SEC in ’77 and ’78, All American in ’78 and was named to Alabama ’s All Century team. He was drafted in the first round (6th overall) by Baltimore and was captain of the Colts defense from 1979-1988. In 1984 he was named their MVP. He completed his career with the Miami Dolphins (’88-’89) where he led the team in tackles and captained the defense and named the Dolphins Most Valuable Player in ‘89. He amassed more than 1,000 tackles during his career. I know you meant this to be only about Barry, but when you mentioned that goal line stand against Penn State, you'd be absolutely wrong to not also mention a another Florida boy that was also very much involved on that Play for Alabama.......St Pete Catholic's own Marty Lyons

I was fortunate enough to have my boss provide me with tickets to that game, the only other time I saw the Gators live was also at Tampa against Mississippi State in 1989. Florida during the 70's and 80's would periodically play at Tampa Stadium, I remember also when Tony Green (Sarasota Riverview) made his big splash as a true Freshman at Florida against the University of Maryland in a game also played at Tampa Stadium.......

Taken from the "Ghosts of the Orange Bowl" Facebook page The late Roger Coffey was one of South Florida's all time great high school football coaches. Coffey was the first African American football coach to lead his school to a FHSAA state championship when he led all-black Delray Beach Carver to back-to-back state titles in 1968 and 1969. It was an amazing start to a career that spanned more than 30 years while coaching at Delray Beach Carver, Boca Raton, Miami Northwestern, Miami Jackson and Miami Central High Schools. During that time, he coached some of South Florida's most iconic players and teams. When Coffey started his coaching career in the mid 1960s, high school football in Florida was segregated. Black high schools were not allowed to play their white counterparts. There was also the stereotype that black schools had good athletes but lacked good coaching and discipline. Coffey's Delray Beach Carver teams would shatter that myth. As Florida schools began to integrate in the late 1960s, Carver was one of the first black high schools allowed to join the FHSAA and compete against white schools. Carver players often endured horrible racist taunts from opponents and opposing fans. The team competed in Class B, a classification created by the FHSAA for small high schools at the time. Carver defeated Williston in the 1968 Class B championship game and Alachua Santa Fe in the 1969 title game. Carver was loaded with great athletes, including defensive back/receiver Barry Hill, who went to play for the Miami Dolphins. Both state championship games were played on the road in front of hostile crowds. Carver players and coaches had to be escorted by state troopers to protect their safety.

Ok, so assuming the games listed are "Final Four" games, that pretty remarkable that over a two-year period, a single school would have three girls teams (volleyball, basketball and softball) and four boys teams (football, soccer, basketball and baseball) making it that far. And, based on my recollection, the last two years is not an aberration. The overwhelming majority of public schools would be lucky to have one or two (or, in a very, very good year, three) teams make it that far. The only way to win a state title is to make it to the championship game. STA appears to get to this point more often than just about any other school in the state, regardless of classification. State championship talent just doesn't show up at public schools year in and year out. But, as your list demonstrates, getting to the final four and coming home with the gold medal are two different things.

Don Latimer. Fort Pierce Central. ?

and I cant even get a like

there is always someone trying to get you fired. Sucks people act or think that way.

I really feel for the guy. In the old days, this would have passed. Today, everyone is so worried about image, your so-called friends and supporters bail on you in a heartbeat, regardless of circumstances. Everyone makes mistakes. Gosh, with the mindset today, it's a matter of time before any of us gets thrown in jail and/or fired. Let's make an entire family, not to mention his players, suffer because "it didn't look good"...pathetic.

I know this is a football thread but what a game this gonna be In Doral. The firebirds won last years 7a title and will be looking to defend. Their 31-0 and on the year and have won 51 consecutive games dating back to last year. Dillard after repeating in 2016 and 2017 missed the playoffs last year after being upset By northeast in the district. The panthers are 19-6 on the year. They have played in and out of the state vs some stiff competition. As far as who wins this game. It’s tough to call it’s at Doral I know their fans are gonna be out of their mind they have NO AWAY SIDE (smh) and I know we will not getting any 50 50 calls. All in all I’m hyped tho. Lol

Gonzaga is playing 1-9 Leesburg who is 9,000 plus nationally

Dan Burke Palm Bay

All I can say is wow when you look at our boys and girls basketball teams not only do they have continuity at the coaching staff but they both have won championships in three different decades 80s 90s and 2000s they both have 3 peats our girls almost 5 peated. They both our nationally known. They both have over 10 state titles. With multiple final 4 appearances. And now they both can be in Lakeland in the same year. Our girls are already there and our boys our one game away from going. They both our nationally ranked. I mean I can go on and on all I can say it feels good to support such a storied program/school.

congrats................. on making the biggest title in Florida HS Football history good luck

Earl Garcia at Hillsborough High School. 26 years as the head coach at HHS and led them to the state runner up in 1996.

In that case they to play the state title game @ home and maybe they'll win it every year. greats teams win on the Road in hostile environments.

Glades day

Bolles has 17 state title appearances You have to win a regional title before you can make state finals so they would at minimum have 17 regional titles

In order to make this list, which is comprised of teams currently in 5A-8A, a team had to win 6 or more regional titles, win 32 or more playoff games, and appear in at least one state title game. St Thomas Aquinas-22 regional titles, 8 state runner-up titles, 10 state titles, 104 playoff wins Lakeland-14 regional titles, 1 state runner-up titles, 7 state titles, 68 playoff wins Manatee-15 regional titles, 2 state runner-up titles, 5 state titles, 61 playoff wins Armwood-13 regional titles, 7 state runner-up titles, 2 state titles (1 vacated), 57 playoff wins Northwestern-10 regional titles, 2 state runner-up titles, 6 state titles, 54 playoff wins Carol City-11 regional titles, 2 state runner-up titles, 5 state titles, 50 playoff wins Booker T Washington-11 regional titles, 1 state runner-up title, 5 state titles, 40 playoff wins Plant-10 regional titles, 2 state runner-up titles, 4 state titles, 49 playoff wins Miami Central-7 regional titles, 1 state runner-up title, 5 state titles, 41 playoff wins Southridge-9 regional titles, 4 state runner-up titles, 2 state titles, 1 co-champion state titles, 45 playoff wins Osceola-10 regional titles, 4 state runner-up titles, 1 state title, 40 playoff wins Lincoln-8 regional titles, 2 state runner-up titles, 3 state titles, 45 playoff wins Dillard-8 regional titles, 3 state runner-up titles, 2 state titles, 40 playoff wins Southeast-7 regional titles, 3 state runner-up titles, 2 state titles, 39 playoff wins Apopka-7 regional titles, 1 state runner-up title, 3 state titles, 38 playoff wins Merritt Island-7 regional titles, 1 state runner-up title, 3 state titles, 45 playoff wins Columbus-7 regional titles, 4 state runner-up titles, 33 playoff wins Naples-9 regional titles, 1 state runner-up title, 2 state titles, 44 playoff wins St Augustine-8 regional titles, 2 state runner-up titles, 1 state title, 39 playoff wins Mainland-8 regional titles, 1 state title, 43 playoff wins Vero Beach-7 regional titles, 1 state title, 39 playoff wins Deerfield Beach-8 regional titles, 1 state runner-up title, 37 playoff wins Dwyer-6 regional titles, 1 state runner-up title, 2 state titles, 38 playoff wins Palm Bay-6 regional titles, 2 state titles, 36 playoff wins Ely-6 regional titles, 1 state runner-up title, 1 state titles, 33 playoff wins

I love these Columbia/Vero debates. Let's add Deerfield Beach in there, too. Those 3 schools are amongst the top 5 in history in at least one category....not my opinion, it's fact. so no rocks at my computer screen, please. Only a handful of teams have lost more than 10 second round FHSAA playoff games. Amongst those, below are the 5 teams with the worst winning percentages. Merritt Island 12-15 (44% winning percentage) Columbia 9-13 (41% winning percentage) Vero Beach 9-13 (41% winning percentage) Deerfield Beach 9-11 (45% winning percentage) Milton 6-11 (35% winning percentage)

The word on the street has always been that a number of well-healed Lakeland fans were upset with the FHSAA over the way the FHSAA handled a couple of transfers/investigations . . . so, they convinced State Senator Stargel to introduce the school choice bill in the Florida legislature. The key to getting the bill passed was to make it look as generic as possible (i.e., equally applicable to band members, thespians and athletes alike), but there was no doubt that the intended purpose was to squeeze (if not punish) the FHSAA in retaliation for the perceived mistreatment of the Dreadnaughts. Once the legislation passed, the FHSAA didn't have a choice -- they had to amend their rules to comply with the new state law. I'm sure that Ms. Stargel and her constituents were all patting themselves on the back a couple of months ago when Lakeland (with all of its 'school choice' transfers) won the 7A State Championship.

Columbia won't hesitate playing IMG in regular season, they just haven't been able to work out the dates when they tried to

Hope y'all pull it off again

Yeah I think him and that OSU kid probably edged him out but the system is never perfect. Like how perfect is that start recorded etc.

I have heard folks on this board talk about Madison having an unfair advantage in terms of their classification. If this is true... My comments above were generalizations. There are numerous means by which a team/coach can create an unfair advantage.

If Darlington had stayed, this game may have remained on the schedule. Hopefully Lakeland/Manatee can gain steam and become a rivalry again.....and the weather doesn't wash that game out like it did 2 years ago.

if hs football is about like-mindedness now, maybe we should have liberal and conservative leagues, too

I think during that 4 year run for Suwannee, Columbia still won 2 or 3 of them, just to give you an idea of how lopsided the rivalry has been even when Suwannee was good. (I am sure you can check CHS's record)

I'll throw one more potential variable out there...changing mindsets of parents. Years ago, there was a large subset of the parenting population who likely would have said "hell no," my kid is not moving from school to school each year because it is not good for his education(some research that backs this) and teaches the wrong life lessons. As that generation of parents gets replaced, it would not surprise me to learn that parents today fall more into the "ends justify the means" or "do whatever it takes" mindset for their kids. Unfortunately, I don't think some of this new generation of parents are looking at the big picture when making decisions concerning their kids.

A hiatus in a situation like this is not necessarily a bad thing. Its sort of like how Venice is not playing Braden River anymore, we’ve won I think 10 of the 12 times the two teams have met up and 6 over the past 3 years. I’m not surprise Suwannee didn’t take that game, they’re just tired of getting their asses kicked

If FL had gyms like in Indiana then a state title could be held there but it makes no sense with how small gyms are in FL

I don't have a problem with the statement "the better team should host." The problem is how to determine who is better during the regular season when we have a system that does not consider certain biases, ie scheduling restrictions of certain teams, ie Hillsborough County, uneven districts, teams that don't even play teams from their own classification during the regular season(so no opponent comparisons). The system is rigged (even if unintentionally) to favor certain teams.

Between 1995-2007, Columbia made the playoffs 10 times and lost on the road each time (am including their 97 final). Since then, they are 7-5 in home playoff games 4-4 on the road. So, if home field advantage is important, Columbia has had a good opportunity to advance over the past 10 years.

Nice. Cocoa definitely showed well at the combine.

I just want to say the classic 60s and 70s photos of football players doing some weird move are so much better than photos we get today of athletes. Almost every photo of a player today, is them is a tight dryfit shirt from some recruiting camp with a triple digit number. They stand next to a brick/block wall or in front of a white screen. Either way they are always the same. Sure we get game action shots today, but in football when you can barely see their faces, it could be anybody. No personality. I demand every yearbook editor/coach/principal/local newspaper editor fix this immediately.

I'm gonna guess 50 cents for the general admission

The original name of the orange bowl was burdine stadium changed in 1959

Trash last year cause of a coach that said his plays worked for 30 years and he’s gone now.. Y’all wasn’t lighting up last season like that..

while I will say that its great what the colts do, but to be perfectly honest, what in the hell is there to do in indiana during december? its cold, rainy/snowy, windy, temps in the 30s at night.... thats why 7k show up. there aint much to do..... take disney, universal, the beach away from floridians, all during december, when its somewhat 60-80 every day and nights on the low end of 60s, sometimes, and they may pack the citrus bowl, as there wouldnt be much to do. if the roof was put on, and weather of no type was concern(have been when its rainy, or foggy, or chilly cold) may see a bit of an increase of 4k in people. too many things to do on a friday or saturday night in orlando, vs indianapolis.