SPCjessica2004

Devin Singletary and DJ Davis aren't walking through those doors anymore!

Fan74,

JaxTCA is still very much the best team in their region; however, Tampa Catholic- after upsetting CCC a few weeks ago has turned a corner. If they manage to upset Jesuit in a few weeks, TC vs JaxTCA could get interesting.

My updated rankings for Class 3A heading into week 6.

1) Oxbridge Academy.
2) Jacksonville Trinity Christian
3) Chaminade-Madonna
4) Lakeland Christian
5) Orlando First Academy


Oxbridge jumps to number 1 due to a superior SoS and an offensive unit that's coming together every week. The game against AHD this week should be epic in West Palm Beach.  JaxTCA, despite 2 losses- comes in at #2. JaxTCA, to me, is still the favorite in class 3A until a class 3A team beats them, but Oxbridge is playing better as a unit right now.  IMG plays both teams in the coming weeks.

Maxpreps says Chaminade beat Pace 6-0, but then I'm also being told the game was cancelled due to weather and enough of the game wasn't played to register a true final score. Regardless, Chaminade comes in at #3 this week.    Lakeland Christian and MCC play one of the top games in all of 3A this week in Lakeland. Both LCS and MCC are undefeated at this time. If I did rankings past the top 5, MCC would be at #6. They're playing fast, physical and scoring at will.

Orlando First Academy comes in at #5 this week as they get set to play a much improved Ocala Trinity Catholic team this Friday in another very interesting Class 3A game.


 

Very curious how many of the powerhouse 2A, 3A and 4A schools move to 5A.  When you go into scheduling games for 2017, nobody is willingly going to want to play JaxTCA, Chaminade, Oxbridge, CCC, AHD, University Christian, Cambridge Christian, North Florida Christian with the teams they have coming back in 2017.

My updated rankings for Class 3A heading into week 6.

1) Oxbridge Academy.
2) Jacksonville Trinity Christian
3) Chaminade-Madonna
4) Lakeland Christian
5) Orlando First Academy


Oxbridge jumps to number 1 due to a superior SoS and an offensive unit that's coming together every week. The game against AHD this week should be epic in West Palm Beach.  JaxTCA, despite 2 losses- comes in at #2. JaxTCA, to me, is still the favorite in class 3A until a class 3A team beats them, but Oxbridge is playing better as a unit right now.  IMG plays both teams in the coming weeks.

Maxpreps says Chaminade beat Pace 6-0, but then I'm also being told the game was cancelled due to weather and enough of the game wasn't played to register a true final score. Regardless, Chaminade comes in at #3 this week.    Lakeland Christian and MCC play one of the top games in all of 3A this week in Lakeland. Both LCS and MCC are undefeated at this time. If I did rankings past the top 5, MCC would be at #6. They're playing fast, physical and scoring at will.

Orlando First Academy comes in at #5 this week as they get set to play a much improved Ocala Trinity Catholic team this Friday in another very interesting Class 3A game.


 

My updated rankings for Class 3A heading into week 6.

1) Oxbridge Academy.
2) Jacksonville Trinity Christian
3) Chaminade-Madonna
4) Lakeland Christian
5) Orlando First Academy


Oxbridge jumps to number 1 due to a superior SoS and an offensive unit that's coming together every week. The game against AHD this week should be epic in West Palm Beach.  JaxTCA, despite 2 losses- comes in at #2. JaxTCA, to me, is still the favorite in class 3A until a class 3A team beats them, but Oxbridge is playing better as a unit right now.  IMG plays both teams in the coming weeks.

Maxpreps says Chaminade beat Pace 6-0, but then I'm also being told the game was cancelled due to weather and enough of the game wasn't played to register a true final score. Regardless, Chaminade comes in at #3 this week.    Lakeland Christian and MCC play one of the top games in all of 3A this week in Lakeland. Both LCS and MCC are undefeated at this time. If I did rankings past the top 5, MCC would be at #6. They're playing fast, physical and scoring at will.

Orlando First Academy comes in at #5 this week as they get set to play a much improved Ocala Trinity Catholic team this Friday in another very interesting Class 3A game.


 

Not knocking MCC but Union Co isn't near the team they have been the last 5 years or so. Just a heads up when gauging MCC.

Stacy Sizemore has MCC playing at a very high level. Lakeland Christian has been stout in recent years- that will be a very good game.

I think many feel the same way; however, saying that team A is better than team B doesn't take into consideration the weeks each team has to go through to play each other.  If Oxbridge and TCA played on a random Friday and had all year to game-plan for each other- sure, Oxbridge might be a touch better; however, that's not the world we live in.  Let's be realistic Columbia, JaxTCA is going to walk into Orlando- nobody in 3A North is going to so much as push them. Tampa Catholic will give them a game for 1 quarter in the final 4 and then get steamrolled.

Oxbridge has a gauntlet starting in Rd 2.

Rd 1 vs Westminster Christian,
Rd 2 at Chaminade-Madonna,
Rd 3 at CCC.

I personally think CCC playing at home is the best team in the south of 3A- I'm not the only one, there's a reason they're ranked #1 in the AP Poll. But, if Oxbridge and JaxTCA are playing in Orlando (which could happen), remember that Oxbridge will be coming off 2 knock-down, drag-out wars after 2 long road trips on weary legs while JaxTCA will be coming in more or less well rested having played 3 home games.

So, the question isn't, is Oxbridge better than JaxTCA right now- because if that is the question, you'll never get an answer, just baseless SoS arguments. The question is- is Oxbridge after 2 road trips and 2 wars better than a well rested JaxTCA team who had 3 home games before the finals. I think JaxTCA wins by 2 TD's in that scenario if it were to happen.

It's the little things you have to take into consideration.



 

One of the issues that a lot of people have when discussing high school football is only looking at D-1 athletes and SoS. On this forum for instance, if you took a poll preseason of who was going to win 3A or represent the south- almost everyone said, Chaminade-Madonna. It was so overwhelming that in an overly dramatic way the feeling was "Nobody can beat them, disband your teams..heck they shouldn't have to play a game, put them against Trinity right now in August, then cancel all 3A games.". Now, 5 weeks in, they're a really good team- but nobody bothered to take into consideration chemistry, coaching changes or if the players have played in a big or rivalry game in recent history.

I love Strength of Schedule as much as anybody, but it only looks at the current year and how teams are doing on a specific week. Chaminade was SMART to drop IMG. They were going to play that game in week 11 on a Saturday at 1pm and then turn around 6 days later and play American Heritage or Oxbridge Academy. Now, American Heritage maybe down- but that is still not a team you want to play with 5 days of prep time. Now, if AHD upset Oxbridge. you're talking about hosting Oxbridge 6 days after hosting IMG and that's only round 1 of the playoffs. Very, very few teams could pull playing those 2 teams off in 6 days.

The new Chaminade coach, Damon Jones, smartly realized he's got a winner- but they're going to face a huge mountain going into 3A south with teams just as talented, better chemistry and have already won regional and southern championships. This is why, even when everyone else ranked them #2- I could only rank Chaminade #3 in the preseason.  They're coming along nicely, and will continue to get better- but some battles are better off not being fought.

It's not unlike last year, when I said AHD would win the south. All year, everyone said oxbridge was unbeatable and that they were IMG of the East...yet couldn't figure out why a bigger, faster, stronger and better coached Oxbridge team with more D-1 guys was upset by AHD. Simple, AHD had a senior loaded team that had come up short in the past and was ready to win. 

So, kudos to Chaminade. They're trying to win a state championship and I think it's the right call for that goal.

One of the issues that a lot of people have when discussing high school football is only looking at D-1 athletes and SoS. On this forum for instance, if you took a poll preseason of who was going to win 3A or represent the south- almost everyone said, Chaminade-Madonna. It was so overwhelming that in an overly dramatic way the feeling was "Nobody can beat them, disband your teams..heck they shouldn't have to play a game, put them against Trinity right now in August, then cancel all 3A games.". Now, 5 weeks in, they're a really good team- but nobody bothered to take into consideration chemistry, coaching changes or if the players have played in a big or rivalry game in recent history.

I love Strength of Schedule as much as anybody, but it only looks at the current year and how teams are doing on a specific week. Chaminade was SMART to drop IMG. They were going to play that game in week 11 on a Saturday at 1pm and then turn around 6 days later and play American Heritage or Oxbridge Academy. Now, American Heritage maybe down- but that is still not a team you want to play with 5 days of prep time. Now, if AHD upset Oxbridge. you're talking about hosting Oxbridge 6 days after hosting IMG and that's only round 1 of the playoffs. Very, very few teams could pull playing those 2 teams off in 6 days.

The new Chaminade coach, Damon Jones, smartly realized he's got a winner- but they're going to face a huge mountain going into 3A south with teams just as talented, better chemistry and have already won regional and southern championships. This is why, even when everyone else ranked them #2- I could only rank Chaminade #3 in the preseason.  They're coming along nicely, and will continue to get better- but some battles are better off not being fought.

It's not unlike last year, when I said AHD would win the south. All year, everyone said oxbridge was unbeatable and that they were IMG of the East...yet couldn't figure out why a bigger, faster, stronger and better coached Oxbridge team with more D-1 guys was upset by AHD. Simple, AHD had a senior loaded team that had come up short in the past and was ready to win. 

So, kudos to Chaminade. They're trying to win a state championship and I think it's the right call for that goal.

One of the issues that a lot of people have when discussing high school football is only looking at D-1 athletes and SoS. On this forum for instance, if you took a poll preseason of who was going to win 3A or represent the south- almost everyone said, Chaminade-Madonna. It was so overwhelming that in an overly dramatic way the feeling was "Nobody can beat them, disband your teams..heck they shouldn't have to play a game, put them against Trinity right now in August, then cancel all 3A games.". Now, 5 weeks in, they're a really good team- but nobody bothered to take into consideration chemistry, coaching changes or if the players have played in a big or rivalry game in recent history.

I love Strength of Schedule as much as anybody, but it only looks at the current year and how teams are doing on a specific week. Chaminade was SMART to drop IMG. They were going to play that game in week 11 on a Saturday at 1pm and then turn around 6 days later and play American Heritage or Oxbridge Academy. Now, American Heritage maybe down- but that is still not a team you want to play with 5 days of prep time. Now, if AHD upset Oxbridge. you're talking about hosting Oxbridge 6 days after hosting IMG and that's only round 1 of the playoffs. Very, very few teams could pull playing those 2 teams off in 6 days.

The new Chaminade coach, Damon Jones, smartly realized he's got a winner- but they're going to face a huge mountain going into 3A south with teams just as talented, better chemistry and have already won regional and southern championships. This is why, even when everyone else ranked them #2- I could only rank Chaminade #3 in the preseason.  They're coming along nicely, and will continue to get better- but some battles are better off not being fought.

It's not unlike last year, when I said AHD would win the south. All year, everyone said oxbridge was unbeatable and that they were IMG of the East...yet couldn't figure out why a bigger, faster, stronger and better coached Oxbridge team with more D-1 guys was upset by AHD. Simple, AHD had a senior loaded team that had come up short in the past and was ready to win. 

So, kudos to Chaminade. They're trying to win a state championship and I think it's the right call for that goal.

I think many feel the same way; however, saying that team A is better than team B doesn't take into consideration the weeks each team has to go through to play each other.  If Oxbridge and TCA played on a random Friday and had all year to game-plan for each other- sure, Oxbridge might be a touch better; however, that's not the world we live in.  Let's be realistic Columbia, JaxTCA is going to walk into Orlando- nobody in 3A North is going to so much as push them. Tampa Catholic will give them a game for 1 quarter in the final 4 and then get steamrolled.

Oxbridge has a gauntlet starting in Rd 2.

Rd 1 vs Westminster Christian,
Rd 2 at Chaminade-Madonna,
Rd 3 at CCC.

I personally think CCC playing at home is the best team in the south of 3A- I'm not the only one, there's a reason they're ranked #1 in the AP Poll. But, if Oxbridge and JaxTCA are playing in Orlando (which could happen), remember that Oxbridge will be coming off 2 knock-down, drag-out wars after 2 long road trips on weary legs while JaxTCA will be coming in more or less well rested having played 3 home games.

So, the question isn't, is Oxbridge better than JaxTCA right now- because if that is the question, you'll never get an answer, just baseless SoS arguments. The question is- is Oxbridge after 2 road trips and 2 wars better than a well rested JaxTCA team who had 3 home games before the finals. I think JaxTCA wins by 2 TD's in that scenario if it were to happen.

It's the little things you have to take into consideration.



 

One of the issues that a lot of people have when discussing high school football is only looking at D-1 athletes and SoS. On this forum for instance, if you took a poll preseason of who was going to win 3A or represent the south- almost everyone said, Chaminade-Madonna. It was so overwhelming that in an overly dramatic way the feeling was "Nobody can beat them, disband your teams..heck they shouldn't have to play a game, put them against Trinity right now in August, then cancel all 3A games.". Now, 5 weeks in, they're a really good team- but nobody bothered to take into consideration chemistry, coaching changes or if the players have played in a big or rivalry game in recent history.

I love Strength of Schedule as much as anybody, but it only looks at the current year and how teams are doing on a specific week. Chaminade was SMART to drop IMG. They were going to play that game in week 11 on a Saturday at 1pm and then turn around 6 days later and play American Heritage or Oxbridge Academy. Now, American Heritage maybe down- but that is still not a team you want to play with 5 days of prep time. Now, if AHD upset Oxbridge. you're talking about hosting Oxbridge 6 days after hosting IMG and that's only round 1 of the playoffs. Very, very few teams could pull playing those 2 teams off in 6 days.

The new Chaminade coach, Damon Jones, smartly realized he's got a winner- but they're going to face a huge mountain going into 3A south with teams just as talented, better chemistry and have already won regional and southern championships. This is why, even when everyone else ranked them #2- I could only rank Chaminade #3 in the preseason.  They're coming along nicely, and will continue to get better- but some battles are better off not being fought.

It's not unlike last year, when I said AHD would win the south. All year, everyone said oxbridge was unbeatable and that they were IMG of the East...yet couldn't figure out why a bigger, faster, stronger and better coached Oxbridge team with more D-1 guys was upset by AHD. Simple, AHD had a senior loaded team that had come up short in the past and was ready to win. 

So, kudos to Chaminade. They're trying to win a state championship and I think it's the right call for that goal.

MBHS69,

I think you're on point. Chaminade is the wild card. Many felt they would march right over all of 3A, I figured they'd need at least half a year to gel, when they dropped IMG it told me that the team, while talented, probably isn't where they thought they would be. Chaminade still has the toughest road to the finals of all 3 teams, with Oxbridge right behind them.

Oxbridge has really overcome the most adversity this offseason.  CCC hasn't played with their 2 best starting defensive linemen all year- they'll both be back this week vs Tampa Catholic, I was wrong in saying they came back last night against CAI in a previous post- they were out last night. CAI will be the next Oxbridge, they have unlimited resources and I can see them going 9-1 or 8-2 this year. That will be a powerhouse in a few years. The Crankfield kid is every bit as good as any running back in 3A, from Rashaad Martin to Shaun Shivers.

I'm not sleeping on TCA, nor do I think anybody is; however, let's call a spade a spade. They're held to a higher level of expectation than anyone else in 3a since they've been the flag bearer for the past few years. It's a shock to see them at 2-2 regardless of who they're playing.

I'm curious how American Heritage does against Oxbridge in a few weeks. Heritage hasn't looked great so far, but they've played the best of the best. This is a perfect time for their bye week.

 

Here are the results from last week:

1) Jacksonville Trinity Christian lost to Tallahassee Lincoln 25-22. 
2) Clearwater Central Catholic defeated Clearwater Academy 53-18
3) Oxbridge Academy defeated West Orange 49-7
4) Trinity Catholic lost to Wakulla 33-19
5) Chaminade-Madonna defeated Everglades Prep 50-6


My 3A Top 5 going into Week 5.

1) Clearwater Central Catholic
2) Oxbridge Academy
3) Jacksonville Trinity Christian
4) Chaminade-Madonna
5) Lakeland Christian School

I think Oxbridge has played the toughest schedule so far, but am giving CCC a tiny nod as they're on a 14 game regular season winning streak and their offense, to me, is the best in 3A right now. Oxbridge is right on their heels with the best defense in 3A; however, I'm concerned what happens when they lose their best player for district and playoff games. Jacksonville Trinity Christian is at #3 after losing a game they should of won against Tallahassee Lincoln.  JaxTCA should be commended for playing a tough schedule, but I can't put a 2 loss JaxTCA team above Oxbridge or CCC right now. That said, JaxTCA still has Godby, IMG and Pine Forrest on the schedule- they'll have a shot to jump back in.

Chaminade-Madonna demolished Everglades Prep and now plays a very interesting game this week against a good Pace team. 

As for the 5th spot, it's really a toss-up as there's about 5 teams that could take this spot. I gave the nod to Lakeland Christian as they're 4-0 and have a talented roster; however, I can see people giving it to Tampa Catholic. Even at 0-2, Tampa Catholic is going to be dangerous; however, after getting smacked for a 2nd straight week- the Crusaders are really in need of momentum. TC has CCC coming to town this week- the Marauders circled this game on the calendar prior to the season starting as a showcase game.

Berkeley Prep, Orlando First Academy and Trinity Catholic were the other teams that I took into consideration for the 5th spot. Another team that could get some mention soon is Melbourne Central Catholic- who is undefeated after schlacking Melbourne Holy Trinity last night 52-14. They play Union County and Lakeland Christian in the coming weeks.

I'm also not selling the boat on American Heritage Delray, but they now have 3 losses on the year and last night they were trucked by Miami Northwestern 41-0. I'm not really sure what's going on with the Stallions, but I'm pretty sure they're dealing with a plethora of injuries right now.



 

Here are the results from last week:

1) Jacksonville Trinity Christian lost to Tallahassee Lincoln 25-22. 
2) Clearwater Central Catholic defeated Clearwater Academy 53-18
3) Oxbridge Academy defeated West Orange 49-7
4) Trinity Catholic lost to Wakulla 33-19
5) Chaminade-Madonna defeated Everglades Prep 50-6


My 3A Top 5 going into Week 5.

1) Clearwater Central Catholic
2) Oxbridge Academy
3) Jacksonville Trinity Christian
4) Chaminade-Madonna
5) Lakeland Christian School

I think Oxbridge has played the toughest schedule so far, but am giving CCC a tiny nod as they're on a 14 game regular season winning streak and their offense, to me, is the best in 3A right now. Oxbridge is right on their heels with the best defense in 3A; however, I'm concerned what happens when they lose their best player for district and playoff games. Jacksonville Trinity Christian is at #3 after losing a game they should of won against Tallahassee Lincoln.  JaxTCA should be commended for playing a tough schedule, but I can't put a 2 loss JaxTCA team above Oxbridge or CCC right now. That said, JaxTCA still has Godby, IMG and Pine Forrest on the schedule- they'll have a shot to jump back in.

Chaminade-Madonna demolished Everglades Prep and now plays a very interesting game this week against a good Pace team. 

As for the 5th spot, it's really a toss-up as there's about 5 teams that could take this spot. I gave the nod to Lakeland Christian as they're 4-0 and have a talented roster; however, I can see people giving it to Tampa Catholic. Even at 0-2, Tampa Catholic is going to be dangerous; however, after getting smacked for a 2nd straight week- the Crusaders are really in need of momentum. TC has CCC coming to town this week- the Marauders circled this game on the calendar prior to the season starting as a showcase game.

Berkeley Prep, Orlando First Academy and Trinity Catholic were the other teams that I took into consideration for the 5th spot. Another team that could get some mention soon is Melbourne Central Catholic- who is undefeated after schlacking Melbourne Holy Trinity last night 52-14. They play Union County and Lakeland Christian in the coming weeks.

I'm also not selling the boat on American Heritage Delray, but they now have 3 losses on the year and last night they were trucked by Miami Northwestern 41-0. I'm not really sure what's going on with the Stallions, but I'm pretty sure they're dealing with a plethora of injuries right now.



 

Yeah, they got hammered. I was optimistic based on some conversations I've had- but, I was VERY concerned that this turned out to be Tampa Catholic's first game of the year. Bergen Catholic was always going to win, but I was hoping for a bit more of a battle. Still, credit Bergen Catholic. Tough game to watch past the 7 minute mark of the 2nd quarter.

Good afternoon! Here's my updated 3A thoughts and opinions:

1) Jacksonville Trinity Christian (2-1), despite the loss to Cocoa in week 1, I think JaxTCA's strength of schedule gives them the nod over their closest competitors. They destroyed a good Columbia team and had another game game against #1 in 2A University Christian of Jacksonville. Upcoming games against Tallahassee Lincoln, Godby, IMG and a underrated Pine Forrest game remain alongside the district schedule.

2) Clearwater Central Catholic (3-0), the Marauders have gotten better every week and last week, a 35-3 win over DeSoto County was their best effort. The Marauders should finally be 100% healthy this week as they welcome an undefeated Clearwater Academy International team lead by one of the better players you've never heard of Janiero Crankfield that has yet to give up a point this year. CCC's big game will be in 2 weeks against Tampa Catholic, they also have an interesting game coming up against Ocala Trinity in a few weeks.

3) Oxbridge Academy (3-0), there probably isn't a team playing better football in 3A than Oxbridge; however, that tough schedule means injuries are starting to take its toll. Oxbridge has a huge game against an improving American Heritage in a few weeks; however, this week against West Orange isn't a walkover for the Thunderwolves. The Warriors haven't played up to par this year, but will still present a very good Oxbridge team a challenge.

4) Ocala Trinity Catholic- Trinity Catholic jumps into the 4th spot after a strong win over Lake Weir. Trinity doesn't have the body of work the teams above them due to weather issues, but there's enough talent here that I'm willing to take a chance on them in the top 5.

5) Chaminade-Madonna- The Lions lost last week to a very good Cardinal Gibbons team and then followed that up with dropping a week 11 game against IMG Academy. A smart move by the Lions who are trying to make noise in class 3A this year. I still think player for player this is the most talented team in 3A, but it's clear that this program is going to need a few more weeks to hit prime time.

I dropped Tampa Catholic from my top 5 after being manhandled by Bergen Catholic. It came down to Tampa Catholic and Chaminade and right now, I believe that Chaminade is better than Tampa Catholic so the Lions get the nod. Tampa Catholic plays a good Fort Pierce Central team this week and then hosts CCC in 2 weeks in a huge rivalry game. In other words, the Crusaders will have a chance to jump back into the top 5. I understand that some may feel it's questionable NOT to drop Chaminade despite the loss to Gibbons, but I still believe they're a top 5 team.

Hey guys and gals, here's my preview for the Tampa Catholic vs Bergen Catholic game this upcoming Saturday at 2pm up in New Jersey. Please note that this preview is slanted toward Tampa Catholic for obvious reasons; however, I think I gathered some good information on Bergen Catholic as well. I wrote it from the perspective of a Bergen Catholic fan wanting to know more about TC than a TC fan wanting to know about Bergen Catholic.


Tampa Catholic (0-0) @ Bergen Catholic (1-0)
Where: Crusader Stadium, Oradell New Jersey
When: Saturday, 9/10 at 2pm.

It's the Crusaders vs Crusaders when Tampa Catholic travels just shy of 1,200 miles north to take on national powerhouse Bergen Catholic. Tampa Catholic went into this game expecting to have 2 games under its belt in preperation for their toughest game of the season; however, weather and adjusted practice times have wrecked havok on TC. For the 2016 season, the Crusaders only have less than 1 half of a rain soaked kick off classic game against Tampa Gaither in the books. TC did not have a week 1 game scheduled and their week 2 game against Admiral Farragut Academy was cancelled.

Bergen Catholic on the other hand traveled to fellow powerhouse Archbishop Wood out of Pennsylvania and came away with a 34-16 win. Superstar QB Johnny Langan threw for 4 touchdowns and rushing for 133 yards in the win.

About Tampa Catholic:

Tampa Catholic is a well known and well respected football program that really made a name for itself under the leadership and guidance of former head coach Bob Henriquez. TC really came to power in the mid 1990's when players such as Kenny Kelly, Darrell Jackson and Quincy Hipps stalked the halls. Tampa Catholic has played in two state championship games, 2007 and 2009 and has numerous final 4's to there credit in the past 10 seasons.  The current Crusaders coaching staff has numerous former NFL players coaching at the skill positions.

TC defensive coordinator David Lewis played for the Bucs, Rams (in LA) and San Diego.
TC WR coach Jeryis Mcintyre, played for the Kansas City Chiefs
TC Linebackers coach, Richard Wood played for the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Outside of the names listed above, Tampa Catholic also has a group of coaches who have long an accomplished resumes including former SPC (St. Pete Catholic) head coach Dan Mancuso and offensive coordinator Mike Fenton who won a state championship with the Jefferson Dragons in 2010.

About Bergen Catholic:

The Crusaders of Bergen Catholic do not need much of an introduction- their reputation preceeds them. Part of that reputation includes consistently playing teams from Florida. In 2015, the Crusaders knocked off Delray Beach American Heritage and fell shy of IMG Academy. In 2012 the Crusaders came up short against powerhouse Cocoa. In 2011 the Crusaders made a rare trip to Florida to play powerhouse Tampa Plant, coming up just short. BC is a traditional powerhouse in NJ.

The Players:

Tampa Catholic has historically been one of the most talent rich programs in the Tampa Bay area and this year is no exception. It starts at the top for Tampa Catholic with QB Austin Sessums, RB Devan Barrett and WR/CB's Darius Corbett and Bentlee Sanders. Being added to the mix is highly thought of WR Ahmaren Brown. Defensively the Crusaders have a strong linebacking group led by Raymond Benefield, Leon Bright and Ian Huggins (Who doubles as a DE). Tampa Catholic brings back most of their team from a 10 win season in 2015.

Bergen Catholic, like Tampa Catholic has a strong dual threat QB in Jr. Johnny Langan; however, only 6 players with starting experience return. One player that will be key for the Crusaders of BC is Sophomore running back Josh McKenzie. Tampa Catholic has a plethora of big bodies up front, but little depth- an area BC should be able to exploit as the game moves on.

Rankings:

According to MaxPreps. Bergen Catholic is ranked 3 in NJ and 97 in the US.  Tampa Catholic is ranked 36 in Florida and 316 in the US.  Tampa Catholic is also ranked #12 in MaxPreps Small School National rankings.   In the Florida AP Poll, Tampa Catholic is ranked #4 in Class 3A.

The storylines:

This is an important game for Tampa Catholic for a myriad of reasons; however, none bigger than the stigma that the Crusaders don’t show up for big games. Many pundits (myself included) point to TC’s biggest rivals. Against their biggest rival, Tampa Jesuit- the Crusaders are 0-17 since 1999. Against Clearwater Central Catholic, (Crusaders second biggest rival) are 5-14 against the Marauders. Tampa Catholic has run into Jacksonville Trinity Christian the past few seasons in the final 4 in 3A. In their somewhat defense, both the Tigers of Jesuit and Marauders of CCC are powerhouses themselves and JaxTCA is one of the top teams in the nation for all classifications. In other words, while the TC Crusaders have struggled- the teams they've lost to are highly ranked and thought of themselves.

For Bergen Catholic it’s a youth movement. I already alluded to the Crusaders of BC only returning 6 players with varsity experience; however, even the players they have now are young. BC is aiming to mix and match their talents between both the run and pass.

My prediction:

This is a good game for Tampa Catholic to schedule early in the year; however, I wish it were under different circumstances. Without the benefit of a full game and essentially having 2 weeks off, I expect the Crusaders to come out sloppy. Bergen Catholic may only have 1 game under their belt, but 1 is better than none plus BC is playing at home. TC has the athletes and speed to make this an interesting game.

I give a tip of the hat to Tampa Catholic on the experience factor, but big games like this typically come down to depth. A battle of attrition is a battle that TC cannot win. The only way I see Tampa Catholic winning is if they build a big lead and hold on in the end- Bergen Catholic ,despite being younger has a bigger margin for error and their coaching staff is pretty amazing as well.

I’m going:

Bergen Catholic 35, Tampa Catholic 17

I think that Devan Barrett will prove to be a tough load to bring down for Bergan Catholic, but I think BC's offense will get going early and often. I expect this to be a 21-7 type game at halftime with the Crusaders of TC cutting into the lead in the 3rd, but come the 4th quarter- I think BC will pull away.

Hey guys and gals, here's my preview for the Tampa Catholic vs Bergen Catholic game this upcoming Saturday at 2pm up in New Jersey. Please note that this preview is slanted toward Tampa Catholic for obvious reasons; however, I think I gathered some good information on Bergen Catholic as well. I wrote it from the perspective of a Bergen Catholic fan wanting to know more about TC than a TC fan wanting to know about Bergen Catholic.


Tampa Catholic (0-0) @ Bergen Catholic (1-0)
Where: Crusader Stadium, Oradell New Jersey
When: Saturday, 9/10 at 2pm.

It's the Crusaders vs Crusaders when Tampa Catholic travels just shy of 1,200 miles north to take on national powerhouse Bergen Catholic. Tampa Catholic went into this game expecting to have 2 games under its belt in preperation for their toughest game of the season; however, weather and adjusted practice times have wrecked havok on TC. For the 2016 season, the Crusaders only have less than 1 half of a rain soaked kick off classic game against Tampa Gaither in the books. TC did not have a week 1 game scheduled and their week 2 game against Admiral Farragut Academy was cancelled.

Bergen Catholic on the other hand traveled to fellow powerhouse Archbishop Wood out of Pennsylvania and came away with a 34-16 win. Superstar QB Johnny Langan threw for 4 touchdowns and rushing for 133 yards in the win.

About Tampa Catholic:

Tampa Catholic is a well known and well respected football program that really made a name for itself under the leadership and guidance of former head coach Bob Henriquez. TC really came to power in the mid 1990's when players such as Kenny Kelly, Darrell Jackson and Quincy Hipps stalked the halls. Tampa Catholic has played in two state championship games, 2007 and 2009 and has numerous final 4's to there credit in the past 10 seasons.  The current Crusaders coaching staff has numerous former NFL players coaching at the skill positions.

TC defensive coordinator David Lewis played for the Bucs, Rams (in LA) and San Diego.
TC WR coach Jeryis Mcintyre, played for the Kansas City Chiefs
TC Linebackers coach, Richard Wood played for the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Outside of the names listed above, Tampa Catholic also has a group of coaches who have long an accomplished resumes including former SPC (St. Pete Catholic) head coach Dan Mancuso and offensive coordinator Mike Fenton who won a state championship with the Jefferson Dragons in 2010.

About Bergen Catholic:

The Crusaders of Bergen Catholic do not need much of an introduction- their reputation preceeds them. Part of that reputation includes consistently playing teams from Florida. In 2015, the Crusaders knocked off Delray Beach American Heritage and fell shy of IMG Academy. In 2012 the Crusaders came up short against powerhouse Cocoa. In 2011 the Crusaders made a rare trip to Florida to play powerhouse Tampa Plant, coming up just short. BC is a traditional powerhouse in NJ.

The Players:

Tampa Catholic has historically been one of the most talent rich programs in the Tampa Bay area and this year is no exception. It starts at the top for Tampa Catholic with QB Austin Sessums, RB Devan Barrett and WR/CB's Darius Corbett and Bentlee Sanders. Being added to the mix is highly thought of WR Ahmaren Brown. Defensively the Crusaders have a strong linebacking group led by Raymond Benefield, Leon Bright and Ian Huggins (Who doubles as a DE). Tampa Catholic brings back most of their team from a 10 win season in 2015.

Bergen Catholic, like Tampa Catholic has a strong dual threat QB in Jr. Johnny Langan; however, only 6 players with starting experience return. One player that will be key for the Crusaders of BC is Sophomore running back Josh McKenzie. Tampa Catholic has a plethora of big bodies up front, but little depth- an area BC should be able to exploit as the game moves on.

Rankings:

According to MaxPreps. Bergen Catholic is ranked 3 in NJ and 97 in the US.  Tampa Catholic is ranked 36 in Florida and 316 in the US.  Tampa Catholic is also ranked #12 in MaxPreps Small School National rankings.   In the Florida AP Poll, Tampa Catholic is ranked #4 in Class 3A.

The storylines:

This is an important game for Tampa Catholic for a myriad of reasons; however, none bigger than the stigma that the Crusaders don’t show up for big games. Many pundits (myself included) point to TC’s biggest rivals. Against their biggest rival, Tampa Jesuit- the Crusaders are 0-17 since 1999. Against Clearwater Central Catholic, (Crusaders second biggest rival) are 5-14 against the Marauders. Tampa Catholic has run into Jacksonville Trinity Christian the past few seasons in the final 4 in 3A. In their somewhat defense, both the Tigers of Jesuit and Marauders of CCC are powerhouses themselves and JaxTCA is one of the top teams in the nation for all classifications. In other words, while the TC Crusaders have struggled- the teams they've lost to are highly ranked and thought of themselves.

For Bergen Catholic it’s a youth movement. I already alluded to the Crusaders of BC only returning 6 players with varsity experience; however, even the players they have now are young. BC is aiming to mix and match their talents between both the run and pass.

My prediction:

This is a good game for Tampa Catholic to schedule early in the year; however, I wish it were under different circumstances. Without the benefit of a full game and essentially having 2 weeks off, I expect the Crusaders to come out sloppy. Bergen Catholic may only have 1 game under their belt, but 1 is better than none plus BC is playing at home. TC has the athletes and speed to make this an interesting game.

I give a tip of the hat to Tampa Catholic on the experience factor, but big games like this typically come down to depth. A battle of attrition is a battle that TC cannot win. The only way I see Tampa Catholic winning is if they build a big lead and hold on in the end- Bergen Catholic ,despite being younger has a bigger margin for error and their coaching staff is pretty amazing as well.

I’m going:

Bergen Catholic 35, Tampa Catholic 17

I think that Devan Barrett will prove to be a tough load to bring down for Bergan Catholic, but I think BC's offense will get going early and often. I expect this to be a 21-7 type game at halftime with the Crusaders of TC cutting into the lead in the 3rd, but come the 4th quarter- I think BC will pull away.

Hey guys and gals, here's my preview for the Tampa Catholic vs Bergen Catholic game this upcoming Saturday at 2pm up in New Jersey. Please note that this preview is slanted toward Tampa Catholic for obvious reasons; however, I think I gathered some good information on Bergen Catholic as well. I wrote it from the perspective of a Bergen Catholic fan wanting to know more about TC than a TC fan wanting to know about Bergen Catholic.


Tampa Catholic (0-0) @ Bergen Catholic (1-0)
Where: Crusader Stadium, Oradell New Jersey
When: Saturday, 9/10 at 2pm.

It's the Crusaders vs Crusaders when Tampa Catholic travels just shy of 1,200 miles north to take on national powerhouse Bergen Catholic. Tampa Catholic went into this game expecting to have 2 games under its belt in preperation for their toughest game of the season; however, weather and adjusted practice times have wrecked havok on TC. For the 2016 season, the Crusaders only have less than 1 half of a rain soaked kick off classic game against Tampa Gaither in the books. TC did not have a week 1 game scheduled and their week 2 game against Admiral Farragut Academy was cancelled.

Bergen Catholic on the other hand traveled to fellow powerhouse Archbishop Wood out of Pennsylvania and came away with a 34-16 win. Superstar QB Johnny Langan threw for 4 touchdowns and rushing for 133 yards in the win.

About Tampa Catholic:

Tampa Catholic is a well known and well respected football program that really made a name for itself under the leadership and guidance of former head coach Bob Henriquez. TC really came to power in the mid 1990's when players such as Kenny Kelly, Darrell Jackson and Quincy Hipps stalked the halls. Tampa Catholic has played in two state championship games, 2007 and 2009 and has numerous final 4's to there credit in the past 10 seasons.  The current Crusaders coaching staff has numerous former NFL players coaching at the skill positions.

TC defensive coordinator David Lewis played for the Bucs, Rams (in LA) and San Diego.
TC WR coach Jeryis Mcintyre, played for the Kansas City Chiefs
TC Linebackers coach, Richard Wood played for the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Outside of the names listed above, Tampa Catholic also has a group of coaches who have long an accomplished resumes including former SPC (St. Pete Catholic) head coach Dan Mancuso and offensive coordinator Mike Fenton who won a state championship with the Jefferson Dragons in 2010.

About Bergen Catholic:

The Crusaders of Bergen Catholic do not need much of an introduction- their reputation preceeds them. Part of that reputation includes consistently playing teams from Florida. In 2015, the Crusaders knocked off Delray Beach American Heritage and fell shy of IMG Academy. In 2012 the Crusaders came up short against powerhouse Cocoa. In 2011 the Crusaders made a rare trip to Florida to play powerhouse Tampa Plant, coming up just short. BC is a traditional powerhouse in NJ.

The Players:

Tampa Catholic has historically been one of the most talent rich programs in the Tampa Bay area and this year is no exception. It starts at the top for Tampa Catholic with QB Austin Sessums, RB Devan Barrett and WR/CB's Darius Corbett and Bentlee Sanders. Being added to the mix is highly thought of WR Ahmaren Brown. Defensively the Crusaders have a strong linebacking group led by Raymond Benefield, Leon Bright and Ian Huggins (Who doubles as a DE). Tampa Catholic brings back most of their team from a 10 win season in 2015.

Bergen Catholic, like Tampa Catholic has a strong dual threat QB in Jr. Johnny Langan; however, only 6 players with starting experience return. One player that will be key for the Crusaders of BC is Sophomore running back Josh McKenzie. Tampa Catholic has a plethora of big bodies up front, but little depth- an area BC should be able to exploit as the game moves on.

Rankings:

According to MaxPreps. Bergen Catholic is ranked 3 in NJ and 97 in the US.  Tampa Catholic is ranked 36 in Florida and 316 in the US.  Tampa Catholic is also ranked #12 in MaxPreps Small School National rankings.   In the Florida AP Poll, Tampa Catholic is ranked #4 in Class 3A.

The storylines:

This is an important game for Tampa Catholic for a myriad of reasons; however, none bigger than the stigma that the Crusaders don’t show up for big games. Many pundits (myself included) point to TC’s biggest rivals. Against their biggest rival, Tampa Jesuit- the Crusaders are 0-17 since 1999. Against Clearwater Central Catholic, (Crusaders second biggest rival) are 5-14 against the Marauders. Tampa Catholic has run into Jacksonville Trinity Christian the past few seasons in the final 4 in 3A. In their somewhat defense, both the Tigers of Jesuit and Marauders of CCC are powerhouses themselves and JaxTCA is one of the top teams in the nation for all classifications. In other words, while the TC Crusaders have struggled- the teams they've lost to are highly ranked and thought of themselves.

For Bergen Catholic it’s a youth movement. I already alluded to the Crusaders of BC only returning 6 players with varsity experience; however, even the players they have now are young. BC is aiming to mix and match their talents between both the run and pass.

My prediction:

This is a good game for Tampa Catholic to schedule early in the year; however, I wish it were under different circumstances. Without the benefit of a full game and essentially having 2 weeks off, I expect the Crusaders to come out sloppy. Bergen Catholic may only have 1 game under their belt, but 1 is better than none plus BC is playing at home. TC has the athletes and speed to make this an interesting game.

I give a tip of the hat to Tampa Catholic on the experience factor, but big games like this typically come down to depth. A battle of attrition is a battle that TC cannot win. The only way I see Tampa Catholic winning is if they build a big lead and hold on in the end- Bergen Catholic ,despite being younger has a bigger margin for error and their coaching staff is pretty amazing as well.

I’m going:

Bergen Catholic 35, Tampa Catholic 17

I think that Devan Barrett will prove to be a tough load to bring down for Bergan Catholic, but I think BC's offense will get going early and often. I expect this to be a 21-7 type game at halftime with the Crusaders of TC cutting into the lead in the 3rd, but come the 4th quarter- I think BC will pull away.

Solid work as always! 

Hey guys and gals, here's my preview for the Tampa Catholic vs Bergen Catholic game this upcoming Saturday at 2pm up in New Jersey. Please note that this preview is slanted toward Tampa Catholic for obvious reasons; however, I think I gathered some good information on Bergen Catholic as well. I wrote it from the perspective of a Bergen Catholic fan wanting to know more about TC than a TC fan wanting to know about Bergen Catholic.


Tampa Catholic (0-0) @ Bergen Catholic (1-0)
Where: Crusader Stadium, Oradell New Jersey
When: Saturday, 9/10 at 2pm.

It's the Crusaders vs Crusaders when Tampa Catholic travels just shy of 1,200 miles north to take on national powerhouse Bergen Catholic. Tampa Catholic went into this game expecting to have 2 games under its belt in preperation for their toughest game of the season; however, weather and adjusted practice times have wrecked havok on TC. For the 2016 season, the Crusaders only have less than 1 half of a rain soaked kick off classic game against Tampa Gaither in the books. TC did not have a week 1 game scheduled and their week 2 game against Admiral Farragut Academy was cancelled.

Bergen Catholic on the other hand traveled to fellow powerhouse Archbishop Wood out of Pennsylvania and came away with a 34-16 win. Superstar QB Johnny Langan threw for 4 touchdowns and rushing for 133 yards in the win.

About Tampa Catholic:

Tampa Catholic is a well known and well respected football program that really made a name for itself under the leadership and guidance of former head coach Bob Henriquez. TC really came to power in the mid 1990's when players such as Kenny Kelly, Darrell Jackson and Quincy Hipps stalked the halls. Tampa Catholic has played in two state championship games, 2007 and 2009 and has numerous final 4's to there credit in the past 10 seasons.  The current Crusaders coaching staff has numerous former NFL players coaching at the skill positions.

TC defensive coordinator David Lewis played for the Bucs, Rams (in LA) and San Diego.
TC WR coach Jeryis Mcintyre, played for the Kansas City Chiefs
TC Linebackers coach, Richard Wood played for the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Outside of the names listed above, Tampa Catholic also has a group of coaches who have long an accomplished resumes including former SPC (St. Pete Catholic) head coach Dan Mancuso and offensive coordinator Mike Fenton who won a state championship with the Jefferson Dragons in 2010.

About Bergen Catholic:

The Crusaders of Bergen Catholic do not need much of an introduction- their reputation preceeds them. Part of that reputation includes consistently playing teams from Florida. In 2015, the Crusaders knocked off Delray Beach American Heritage and fell shy of IMG Academy. In 2012 the Crusaders came up short against powerhouse Cocoa. In 2011 the Crusaders made a rare trip to Florida to play powerhouse Tampa Plant, coming up just short. BC is a traditional powerhouse in NJ.

The Players:

Tampa Catholic has historically been one of the most talent rich programs in the Tampa Bay area and this year is no exception. It starts at the top for Tampa Catholic with QB Austin Sessums, RB Devan Barrett and WR/CB's Darius Corbett and Bentlee Sanders. Being added to the mix is highly thought of WR Ahmaren Brown. Defensively the Crusaders have a strong linebacking group led by Raymond Benefield, Leon Bright and Ian Huggins (Who doubles as a DE). Tampa Catholic brings back most of their team from a 10 win season in 2015.

Bergen Catholic, like Tampa Catholic has a strong dual threat QB in Jr. Johnny Langan; however, only 6 players with starting experience return. One player that will be key for the Crusaders of BC is Sophomore running back Josh McKenzie. Tampa Catholic has a plethora of big bodies up front, but little depth- an area BC should be able to exploit as the game moves on.

Rankings:

According to MaxPreps. Bergen Catholic is ranked 3 in NJ and 97 in the US.  Tampa Catholic is ranked 36 in Florida and 316 in the US.  Tampa Catholic is also ranked #12 in MaxPreps Small School National rankings.   In the Florida AP Poll, Tampa Catholic is ranked #4 in Class 3A.

The storylines:

This is an important game for Tampa Catholic for a myriad of reasons; however, none bigger than the stigma that the Crusaders don’t show up for big games. Many pundits (myself included) point to TC’s biggest rivals. Against their biggest rival, Tampa Jesuit- the Crusaders are 0-17 since 1999. Against Clearwater Central Catholic, (Crusaders second biggest rival) are 5-14 against the Marauders. Tampa Catholic has run into Jacksonville Trinity Christian the past few seasons in the final 4 in 3A. In their somewhat defense, both the Tigers of Jesuit and Marauders of CCC are powerhouses themselves and JaxTCA is one of the top teams in the nation for all classifications. In other words, while the TC Crusaders have struggled- the teams they've lost to are highly ranked and thought of themselves.

For Bergen Catholic it’s a youth movement. I already alluded to the Crusaders of BC only returning 6 players with varsity experience; however, even the players they have now are young. BC is aiming to mix and match their talents between both the run and pass.

My prediction:

This is a good game for Tampa Catholic to schedule early in the year; however, I wish it were under different circumstances. Without the benefit of a full game and essentially having 2 weeks off, I expect the Crusaders to come out sloppy. Bergen Catholic may only have 1 game under their belt, but 1 is better than none plus BC is playing at home. TC has the athletes and speed to make this an interesting game.

I give a tip of the hat to Tampa Catholic on the experience factor, but big games like this typically come down to depth. A battle of attrition is a battle that TC cannot win. The only way I see Tampa Catholic winning is if they build a big lead and hold on in the end- Bergen Catholic ,despite being younger has a bigger margin for error and their coaching staff is pretty amazing as well.

I’m going:

Bergen Catholic 35, Tampa Catholic 17

I think that Devan Barrett will prove to be a tough load to bring down for Bergan Catholic, but I think BC's offense will get going early and often. I expect this to be a 21-7 type game at halftime with the Crusaders of TC cutting into the lead in the 3rd, but come the 4th quarter- I think BC will pull away.

Getting 40 plus dropped on them by St John's college high should be expected, they're loaded with big time D1 talent