Hwy17

I think it will be a little closer. Lakeland 17-7

Ain't that the truth

Final Score, 20-10 Hardee! Congrats to coach Kemp on winning a district title in his first year.

Hardee has a good defense, but the offense is about inept.

Earlier this season I started a thread on these two. As expected, they're both the leaders in district 5a-11. Both teams with with new coaches this year. The skinny: Both teams are 3-0 in the district. Hardee is 5-2, Southeast 3-3. A Hardee win = a district championship. A Southeast win and they are in the driver seat for the district; would still need to beat Booker to avoid a possible 3-way tie. These two teams were in this position last year when Southeast pulled the upset and made the playoffs while Hardee had a late season meltdown, losing to rival Desoto the following week and missing the playoffs. In my opinion, these two are about as evenly matched as two teams can get.

From what I've been reading all season, Winter Haven has a great passing game and a really good QB but their defense is a little weak, especially in the secondary. They jumped out ahead of Lakeland, then blew the lead.

Likelihood of a 2nd round re-match?

Tell me what happened? I heard about these questionable calls. A friend of mine that was there said they felt the refs were biased.

This will be a close game. Winter Haven is a little suspect on defense, but 3 times they have shown that they can come back from being down and they have an offense that can score quick.

I ask this because I really don't know, but I thought there was a minimum of 9 games that was required by FHSAA for varsity football. Due to weather, there are some teams I know of that have at least 2 cancellations, so they are only playing an 8 game regular season. I know that district games have to be played, but I ask because of a conversation I had back in 2004 when the state had 4 hurricanes hits and a school official told me that schools sign a binding contract and that even though a game might be non-districts, that only one cancellation was allowed.

I never said you touted Jones's schedule, but you did tout Jones. I'm just making the argument that Avon Park is as worthy of top 10 mention as any of the others, Jones included. If you want to argue that Avon Park isn't worthy of mention because of a weak schedule, then neither is Jones worthy of mention as their schedule is just as weak. I understand it was before the game was played but what were you thinking when you included Bishop Verot?

Watched that one on a 13" black and white. Many others too. I think I still have that tv in the attic and it still works. Tonight I got to dig that tv out.

You're taking shots at Avon Park's schedule but touting Jones? Come on, man, Jones's opponents are 1-4,1-4,0-5,2-4,1-5,2-5. Apply the same standard then.

Opal in 1995 and Ivan in 2004. Both hit the panhandle and flooded Alabama.

I get it, but you put Bishop Verot on there. Strength of schedule aside, Avon Park has outscored opponents 256-10.

Why isn't Avon Park on the list?

Aside from my own I, I follow and will support all other area teams unless there is something about them I just don't like.

Sportswriters have to keep their readers and subscribers happy. And most of these sportswriters know very little outside their coverage area.

Pinkos - Here's what I've come to learn about his system. #1 While boasting that his accuracy is around 80%, when the spread is 10 points or less, the accuracy is only about 50%. To which I say Duh, the majority of high school games one team is a clear cut favorite. #2. His formula starts the season based on prior years results, as does Lazindex and Maxpreps. OK fine, but how is a computer supposed to know if a really good team graduated a bunch of players and might be down, or an average team returned a bunch of starters and probably going to make a run this year? It don't! To which the computer pollsters will argue that this will correct as the year plays out. Perhaps, but I have seen teams get overrated, have a good but not great year and still ranked too high. #3. They all tend to award teams for offense and margin of victory. Example: Team A is suppose to win over Team B by 20. Team A wins by only 14, they get penalized but if they win by 21, they get rewarded. #4. Lastly, some teams just match up well with others. The only way to know this is to have seen both first hand.

Honestly, had WH remained in 6a, I think they would have made a run last year. The new playoff format is needed for situations like theirs was. I haven't seen them play since 2014 but I hear they are pretty stacked. Having a week off didn't help, but when you can come back from being down like they were against Ridge tells me they got a team there.

It was a 1 point game last year

They are in the same district with Lakeland and Kathleen. They play Kissimmee Osceola next week.

Ridge was up 21-7 at halftime. Winter Haven scores 21 unanswered to win. Wasn't there but sounds like a heck of a game. I'm telling you, keep an eye on Winter Haven, I believe they are the sleeper in 7a. Too bad the last week's game with Lake Gibson was cancelled. http://www.theledger.com/article/20160909/SPORTS01/160909370/1008?tc=cr

Avon Park won this one 23-0. Very impressed with Avon Park, not flashy but very fundamentally sound. Hardee has a great defense but the offense has a long ways to go. Way too many turnovers and penalties. #3 and #7 are playmakers.

Josh, Do you see them making 2a and 3a as private and 1a and 4a as public? In other words, Bishop Verot, etc in 4a drop down to 3a; Moore Haven goes to 1a.