DarterBlue2

Last time Venice faced the single wing in a meaningful game, 2021, it totally shut it down. Now that was then and this is now. Then your defensive front was a strength, this year not as much. But while I am not sure whether I admire Peacock as a person, as a coach he's stellar. Now DeLand's kid that takes most of the snaps is capable of hurling the ball down field as well as running it. So, they could give Venice some trouble there. With that said, Venice should win this game and probably by double digits.

Are you telling me that in a school of about 3,000 kids there was no one that could accurately throw a ball more than 20 yards. I am going to be real with you. IF I am a Head Coach or Offensive Coordinator and my son cannot throw 20 yards, he's not playing QB. If he was born into football and does not have that much ability, he either rides the pine or he plays full back, running back, wide receiver or safety or kick or punt. For VB, the QB position is way too important for him to play that position if what you say about his arm strength is remotely true.

Thanks. Unless the school ran Wing T, single wing, triple option, or a veer offense, he would have no business playing QB.

If his son could not throw 20 yards, why was he playing QB?

Look, no disrespect to coach J. But I would like to compare him with Coach D at Deland. In two seasons he has Deland in a State semifinals. I don't think that VB's talent is in anyway inferior to what RD has a Deland. Could you be overselling coach J?

Or they are just trying to force you to subscribe to another mostly worthless service. Americans in the 21st century would likely be amazed to find out that their choices are far more limited than those of individuals in what used to be called the third world.

Do you? Hell, Edgewater beat one of their best a year ago in a game that wasn't even close.

You are evil! He said he's a Florida guy. He doesn't give two whits about Jersey football!

This may be an omen. Maybe STA's new mascot should be the Indians.

Yes, but that can work both ways, though. Now if Gaither had some secret schemes that worked to perfection that they had only practiced day after day during their workouts, and they unleased them against STA for the very first time and they worked so well they took an early three score lead, perhaps, just maybe, we could be on upset alert at the half. Yeah, I admit, I was smoking a blunt when I typed this.

What if your post comes true? Do we anoint @Nulli Secundus as the winner of the competition this year for making the most daring prediction imaginable?

The graphics at the bottom of his post. When I saw that, it confirmed he was just being sarcastic. With that said, a much worse Cooper City team, several years ago, pulled off a shocking win over STA. But I believe that was a regular season game and not the playoffs, so there's that.

After doing a quick Google search, in 2013, he was sentenced to 15 years on a conviction for second degree burglary. The reason for the long sentence is that he had been a consistent offender over the years. Truly sad, as he was the number 6 overall recruit in 2004 and the number 1 linebacker in that class. I could not determine if he's since been paroled or whether he's still incarcerated. But there is an Instagram account: WillieWilliams Fitness which looks like it could be his. If it is, I hope he's made his peace with life and has found a productive calling. He would be in his late 30s now.

I am not sure he ended up in prison, but he was let go by the Hurricanes after a season and thereafter had stints on the roster of a number of lesser teams. In each of those sojourns, drama followed him, as he just did not seem able to put his head down and play football. The irony was that the kid had good grades and good test scores. But he also had a self destructive streak that kept getting in the way. Truly a sad situation. I hope he eventually straightened his life out and that he is doing okay.

At the high school level yes. It's a shame off the field issues did his career in. What's crazy is that he was the best defensive player on the 2003 Carol City team. That team sent three defensive players into the NFL and Willie was not one of them. On Edgewater's second offensive series, Willie hit the Edgewater QB so hard he broke his collar bone and was knocked out of the game. And it was not an illegal hit. That hit ended any chance Edgewater had of winning that game. Though their defense played well and held CC to two field goals and a touchdown (13 total points). I don't think Edgewater was able to put up a 100 yards of total offense for the entire game.

Norland won in 2002, not 2003 which was the year of Willie Williams and Carol City. I remember that game well as I was there and it was the coldest game I have ever watched in the state of Florida. It was in the 30s and freezing.

Madison County vs Bozeman First Baptist vs Ocala Trinity Catholic - Difficult pick. OTC's record is deceptively bad. They have played stellar competition. They could easily beat First Baptist. But I like FB's up tempo offense. North Florida Christian vs Cardinal Mooney Clearwater Central Catholic vs Jax Trinity Christian - Another difficult pick. I think CCC has just enough to win. Bradford County vs Pensacola Catholic St Augustine vs Dunbar Mainland vs Vanguard - My most difficult pick. If Vanguard has a good run stop defense it wins. If I just went off the two teams most recent game, I would pick Vanguard. But I think Mainland has faced overall better competition. Homestead vs Jones - Jones gets revenge. Homestead has been giving up too many points recently. Jones in a shootout on the road. Buchholz vs Lakeland - Lakeland gives up too many points to good offenses. At Bryant Stadium, I would pick them. On the road, I think the Bobcats have enough to end their season. Venice vs Deland - My heart says Deland. But I think Venice is overall too good. Venice by about 10. Monarch vs Mandarin - Mandarin's playoff run on the road continues to the state title game, at least. Picks are bold underscored.

I am pretty sure Mandarin did not play Creekside the year they beat Columbus to win the state title. They lost to Creekside this year. I am clearly stating that the Carson Beck Mandarin team was significantly better than this one. Probably by about 17 points better.

They did not lose a ton of games. I believe it was two or three. And those losses were close and to quality teams. That Mandarin team was at least 17 better than this one, which is not bad, but does not measure up. That year only: Lakeland, Mandarin and Wekiva beat Apopka. And Lakeland and Mandarin beat us at home. Both Lakeland and Mandarin won state titles while Wekiva lost a very close Regional Final to Mandarin.

Makes you wonder why doesn't it? Maybe his heart's just in Florida, or maybe it's the coaching, or the weather, or the teams he's got to coach in Georgia and Alabama, or ...

I initially had 16, but switched Mandarin for Seminole at the 11th hour. I could not find video on Mandarin's wins over Winter Park or Lake Mary, and in their most current I found, they did not look that good against Bartram Trail. So, I switched. Fortunately, it didn't make a difference.

You have both St. Augustine and Mainland playing Dunbar. One plays Vanguard. So, you may want to make that correction.

I am obviously overperforming, as I am the lowest seed remaining. The goal was, and is, to win it all. I am thankful to be in the penultimate round and hope to have another stellar week.

You consistently underrate your handicapping ability. FWIW, I would follow your picks at the racetrack.

My assessment of their chance against Mandarin, for what it's worth, is based on the season Apopka had. Apopka beat all the teams in Dp's district except Windemere, the weakest team which we did not play. We lost convincingly to Seminole twice and to Lake Mary once. Mandarin cleared them both in the playoffs playing on the road. Dp put up a solid performance against Plant. This leads me to believe that Plant is probably slightly better than Dp, but not by a lot. If I am correct, then I see Mandarin being about 10 points better than Plant. Now 10 points is certainly not insurmountable, but it's a meaningful edge. Anyway, I would rather Plant win it all than either Columbus or Mandarin, so my support is behind your program.