Nulli Secundus

LOL. S. Florida has everything to lose when defeated by any school outside of the Big 3 counties, right?

I don't subscribe either, but you didn't miss anything. The meat and potatoes of the article boils down to 8 outclassed football programs making the move to go independent with Orange county's blessing. Unfortunately, the title is misleading, almost clickbait-ish.

That was a BIG gripe back in the 90's.

No. However, going to one class in 2026 will be an eye-opener and blueprint for the nation. We will get to see how many larger schools have no business playing football, and how many small schools punch above their weight.

Just like an alley cat to go off topic, lol!

Getting there is a great start. It's just a matter of time. The real question is will Pinellas get one before Lee.

Seeing is believing. They have to prove it, lol. Again @VeniceIndianFan, no Lakeland, no STA, no excuses.

7A looks terrible, lol. Venice vs Columbus for the 2024 7A title.

Going to one class would alleviate that issue. Oh well! 2026 perhaps, lol.

Hey @VeniceIndianFan, no STA, no Lakeland, no excuses, .

We're still waiting...

Public schools can now follow the private school model and snag them before high school. Kathleen (Lakeland) is a great example. They can't even beat George Jenkins, lol.

I'm going on record to say that I'm "OFFICIALLY" unimpressed. I'm about to turn into @DisabledAccount (aka ColumbiaHighFan) .

It only takes one to win!

Pinellas will snag a title this decade. I can feel it!

NEVER.

Better public schools, lmao!

Please! No more Lakeland/St. Thomas matchups.

Then S. Florida will complain that all their schools are beating each other up. Go to one and call it a day, lol.

The pendulum swings both ways. Funny how that's never brought up.

I've been looking at this all day and trying to figure out the best way to respond. Here it is! I strongly disagree with the statement that these schools weren't anything prior to 2006, with the lone exception of MC. They were known for being the rockets that couldn't lift off, and anyone with knowledge of Dade football would certainly agree. Dade has long been a county where players "follow" coaches, lol. Now it's Central's turn. American Heritage (Plantation), not to be confused American Heritage (Delray), did make one finals appearance to the tune of a 30-13 drubbing by NFC during the Eagles' run in the 90's. Chaminade may have only won 2 titles between 1963-2016, but they have been to the finals 4 times in that same span. Now I'm hardly one to defend the Raiders but in this situation, to say the Raiders were nothing prior to 2006 is laughable at best. First, I have to guess you made a slight error in saying that the Raiders only won 3 state championships from 1963-2007 as I know you keep stats on damn near everything, lol. Now if you had stopped at 2006 you would be correct but including 2007 actually gives them 4. For the sake of discussion we'll stop at 2006. One very important detail that you left out is the fact that when STA embarked on one of the best comebacks in FHSAA history in the 2006 finals, this was the Raider's 10th trip to the big dance. YES, for the people in the back in the room. 10 times! (91, 92, 96, 97, 99, 00, 01, 04, 05, 06). I would hardly call a program that goes the the finals 10 times in a 16 years nothing. To put it in perspective, from to 1963-2006, STA was 3-7 and Hillsborough County was 5-9 during that same period. Secondly, although Lakeland gets notoriety for the amount of times they not only defeated STA but done so in overwhelming fashion, I'd be remiss to not mention the "OTHER" schools that gave the Raiders lumps, bruises and heartaches: (1991 FWB (39-14), 2000 Pine Forest 34-27 (3OT), 2001 Lincoln (28-20). Beginning in 2007, the Raiders have gone 12-1 (Thank Lakeland for that lone loss) in the Finals and regardless of how reclassification goes, you can bet the Raiders will find a way to get there. STA, Chaminade and AH have matured into the inevitability of their "program building". That was going to happen with or without Lakeland as Broward (much like Duval) is revered for their private schools and the public schools are, well, anyway.... A special round of applause goes to the FHSAA for making it easier than ever to moonwalk to the show.

@Jullian approves this message!

Right! Again, I question using county population (then population density) as the determining factor for metro/suburban/rural classification opposed to the high school age population of each county. Those numbers are readily available. Maybe it was a little too much work for the "organization".

Geography based. Playoff games and seeding would be based on on proximity. For example, the first round would be district 1 vs 2, 3 vs 4, 5 vs 6, etc. From the info I posted back in January, in order for Holmes and Mandarin to meet, that would most likely be a 3rd or 4th round match-up if both teams keep winning. This approach serves two purposes: 1) limit unnecessary travel and 2) provide a true king of the state experience so no one region will have a sizeable advantage over any other in the later rounds regardless of how many schools may come from a particular city/county. Region 1 District 1 Tate (Cantonment) Escambia (Pensacola) Pine Forest (Pensacola) Washington (Pensacola) Pensacola Pensacola Catholic West Florida (Pensacola) Northview (Century) District 2 Gulf Breeze Milton Navarre Pace Niceville Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) Fort Walton Beach Jay District 3 Crestview Walton (DeFuniak Springs) South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach) Rocky Bayou Christian (Niceville) Baker Freeport Holmes County (Bonifay) Vernon District 4 Cottondale Sneads Marianna Graceville Chipley Gadsden County (Havana) Munroe (Quincy) Blountstown District 5 Mosley (Lynn Haven) Arnold (Panama City Beach) Bay (Panama City) North Bay Haven (Panama City) Rutherford (Panama City) Bozeman (Panama City) Port St. Joe Wewahitchka District 6 Wakulla (Crawfordville) Franklin County (Eastpoint) Liberty County (Bristol) Rickards (Tallahassee) Florida High (Tallahassee) Maclay (Tallahassee) FAMU (Tallahassee) St. John Paul II (Tallahassee) District 7 Chiles (Tallahassee) Godby (Tallahassee) North Florida Christian (Tallahassee) Leon (Tallahassee) Lincoln (Tallahassee) Taylor County (Perry) Aucilla Christian (Monticello) Jefferson County (Monticello) District 8 Hamilton County (Jasper) Suwannee (Live Oak) Madison County (Madison) Bell Branford Lafayette (Mayo) Dixie County (Cross City) Trenton District 9 Columbia (Lake City) Fort White Union County (Lake Butler) Gainesville Bradford (Starke) Santa Fe (Alachua) Hawthorne Newberry District 10 Buchholz (Gainesville) Eastside (Gainesville) P. K. Yonge (Gainesville) Dunnellon Trinity Catholic (Ocala) Bronson Chiefland Williston District 11 Forest (Ocala) West Port (Ocala) Vanguard (Ocala) Palatka North Marion (Citra) Crescent City Lake Weir (Ocala) District 12 Fleming Island Oakleaf (Orange Park) Middleburg Orange Park Ridgeview (Orange Park) Clay (Green Cove Springs) Baker County (Glen St. Mary) Keystone Heights District 13 North Florida Educational (Jacksonville) University Christian (Jacksonville) Baldwin Fernandina Beach West Nassau (Callahan) Yulee Hilliard District 14 Wolfson (Jacksonville) Ed White (Jacksonville) Riverside (Jacksonville) Westside (Jacksonville) Christs Church Academy (Jacksonville) Providence (Jacksonville) Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) District 15 Terry Parker (Jacksonville) Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) Raines (Jacksonville) Ribault (Jacksonville) Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) Bolles (Jacksonville) Episcopal (Jacksonville) District 16 Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) Mandarin (Jacksonville) Sandalwood (Jacksonville) Englewood (Jacksonville) First Coast (Jacksonville) Fletcher (Neptune Beach) Region 2 District 17 Bartram Trail (St. Johns) Creekside (St. Johns) Nease (Ponte Vedra) Ponte Vedra Menendez (St. Augustine) St. Augustine Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) St. Joseph (St. Augustine) District 18 Flagler Palm Coast DeLand New Smyrna Beach Spruce Creek (Port Orange) University (Orange City) Matanzas (Palm Coast) Atlantic (Port Orange) Taylor (Pierson) District 19 Lake Mary Seminole (Sanford) Deltona Mainland (Daytona Beach) Pine Ridge (Deltona) Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) Halifax Academy (Daytona Beach) District 20 East Ridge (Clermont) Lake Minneola South Lake (Groveland) Leesburg Tavares Eustis Mount Dora Umatilla District 21 Apopka Evans (Orlando) Lake Brantley Hagerty (Oviedo) Lyman (Longwood) Oviedo Winter Springs Wekiva (Apopka) District 22 Ocoee West Orange (Winter Garden) Horizon (Winter Garden) Jones (Orlando) Foundation Academy (Winter Garden) Orangewood Christian (Maitland) Trinity Preparatory (Winter Park) District 23 Colonial (Orlando) Timber Creek (Orlando) University (Orlando) Winter Park Boone (Orlando) Cypress Creek (Orlando) Freedom (Orlando) District 24 Lake Nona (Orlando) Oak Ridge (Orlando) Dr. Phillips (Orlando) Olympia (Orlando) Windermere East River (Orlando) Lake Howell (Winter Park) District 25 Edgewater (Orlando) Bishop Moore (Orlando) Lake Buena Vista (Orlando) First Academy (Orlando) Orlando Christian Prep District 26 George Jenkins (Lakeland) Kathleen (Lakeland) Bartow Fort Meade Mulberry Tenoroc (Lakeland) Lakeland Christian Victory Christian (Lakeland) District 27 Lake Gibson (Lakeland) Lakeland Haines City Winter Haven Auburndale Lake Region (Eagle Lake) Discovery (Lake Alfred) District 28 Ridge Community (Davenport) Celebration Tohopekaliga (Kissimmee) Davenport Gateway (Kissimmee) Lake Wales Frostproof District 29 Osceola (Kissimmee) St. Cloud Harmony Liberty (Kissimmee) Astronaut (Titusville) Holy Trinity (Melbourne) Melbourne Central Catholic District 30 Heritage (Palm Bay) Melbourne Viera (Melbourne) Bayside (Palm Bay) Eau Gallie (Melbourne) Merritt Island Okeechobee Cocoa District 31 Centennial (Port St. Lucie) Fort Pierce Central Vero Beach Rockledge Satellite (Satellite Beach) Palm Bay (Melbourne) Space Coast (Cocoa) Titusville District 32 Martin County (Stuart) Treasure Coast (Port St. Lucie) Belleview High Fort Pierce Westwood Jensen Beach Port St. Lucie South Fork (Stuart) John Carroll (Fort Pierce) Region 3 District 33 Springstead (Spring Hill) South Sumter (Bushnell) Villages Weeki Wachee Wildwood Citrus (Inverness) Lecanto Crystal River District 34 Hernando (Brooksville) Central (Brooksville) Nature Coast (Brooksville) Land O Lakes Wiregrass Ranch (Wesley Chapel) Fivay (Hudson) Bishop McLaughlin (Spring Hill) Hudson District 35 Sunlake (Land O'Lakes) Gulf (New Port Richey) River Ridge (New Port Richey) Cypress Creek (Wesley Chapel) Pasco (Dade City) Wesley Chapel Zephyrhills Zephyrhills Christian District 36 Anclote (Holiday) East Lake (Tarpon Springs) Palm Harbor University Calvary Christian (Clearwater) Indian Rocks Christian (Largo) Mitchell (New Port Richey) George Steinbrenner (Lutz) Sickles (Tampa) District 37 Clearwater Dunedin Countryside (Clearwater) Largo Osceola (Seminole) Seminole (Seminole) Pinellas Park (Largo) Clearwater Central Catholic District 38 Hollins (St. Petersburg) Northeast (St. Petersburg) St. Petersburg Boca Ciega (Gulfport) Gibbs (St. Petersburg) Lakewood (St. Petersburg) Northside Christian (St. Petersburg) St. Petersburg Catholic District 39 Alonso (Tampa) Plant (Tampa) Plant City Strawberry Crest (Dover) Durant (Plant City) Newsome (Lithia) Riverview (Riverview) Sumner (Riverview) District 40 Armwood (Seffner) Freedom (Tampa) Tampa Bay Tech Wharton (Tampa) Gaither (Tampa) Hillsborough (Tampa) Jesuit (Tampa) Leto (Tampa) District 41 Bloomingdale (Valrico) East Bay (Gibsonton) Lennard (Ruskin) Spoto (Riverview) Brandon Chamberlain (Tampa) King (Tampa) Middleton (Tampa) District 42 Blake (Tampa) Jefferson (Tampa) Robinson (Tampa) Tampa Catholic Berkeley Prep (Tampa) Cambridge (Tampa) Carrollwood (Tampa) Seffner Christian District 43 Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton) Manatee (Bradenton) Palmetto Braden River (Bradenton) Parrish Southeast (Bradenton) Hardee (Wauchula) Bayshore (Bradenton) District 44 Riverview (Sarasota) Sarasota Venice Charlotte (Punta Gorda) Port Charlotte Booker (Sarasota) DeSoto County (Arcadia) Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota) District 45 Immokalee Sebring Avon Park Clewiston Lake Placid Lemon Bay (Englewood) Moore Haven District 46 Ida Baker (Cape Coral) Riverdale (Fort Myers) Cape Coral Island Coast (Cape Coral) Mariner (Cape Coral) North Fort Myers District 47 Cypress Lake (Fort Myers) Dunbar (Fort Myers) Fort Myers Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) Gateway (Fort Myers) Evangelical Christian (Fort Myers) District 48 Lehigh (Lehigh Acres) East Lee County (Lehigh Acres) South Fort Myers Bonita Springs Estero Southwest Florida Christian (Fort Myers) Region 4 District 49 Gulf Coast (Naples) Palmetto Ridge (Naples) Barron Collier (Naples) Golden Gate (Naples) Lely (Naples) Naples Community School (Naples) First Baptist (Naples) St. John Neumann (Naples) District 50 Royal Palm Beach Palm Beach Central (Wellington) Wellington Seminole Ridge (Westlake) Glades Central (Belle Glade) Kings Academy (West Palm Beach) Glades Day (Belle Glade) Pahokee District 51 Jupiter Palm Beach Gardens Palm Beach Lakes (West Palm Beach) Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) Inlet Grove (Riviera Beach) Suncoast (Riviera Beach) Benjamin (Palm Beach Gardens) Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach) District 52 Forest Hill (West Palm Beach) John I. Leonard (Greenacres) Lake Worth Park Vista (Lake Worth) Atlantic (Delray Beach) American Heritage (Delray Beach) Boynton Beach Somerset Canyons (Boynton Beach) District 53 Boca Raton Santaluces (Lantana) Olympic Heights (Boca Raton) West Boca Raton St. Andrews (Boca Raton) SLAM (West Palm Beach) St. John Paul II (Boca Raton) District 54 Coral Springs Douglas (Parkland) Monarch (Coconut Creek) Coral Glades (Coral Springs) Coconut Creek Deerfield Beach Coral Springs Charter North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek) District 55 Taravella (Coral Springs) Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach) Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes) Piper (Sunrise) Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale) Northeast (Oakland Park) Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale) Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) District 56 Dillard (Fort Lauderdale) Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) Nova (Davie) Plantation South Plantation Hollywood Hills Stranahan (Fort Lauderdale) District 57 Western (Davie) Flanagan (Pembroke Pines) American Heritage (Plantation) Cypress Bay (Weston) Cooper City South Broward (Hollywood) Avant Garde (Hollywood) Pembroke Pines Charter District 58 Somerset Academy (Pembroke Pines) West Broward (Pembroke Pines) McArthur (Hollywood) Everglades (Miramar) Miramar Hallandale Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) Somerset Academy Key (Deerfield Beach) District 59 Dr. Krop (Miami) American (Hialeah) Miami Carol City Miami Norland Monsignor Pace (Miami) North Miami Beach Dade Christian (Miami) True North (Miami) District 60 Goleman (Miami) Hialeah Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens) North Miami Miami Central Miami Edison Miami Jackson Miami Northwestern District 61 Doral Academy Miami Miami Beach Miami Springs Washington (Miami) Columbus (Miami) Belen Jesuit (Miami) District 62 Coral Gables South Miami Immaculata-LaSalle (Miami) St. Brendan (Miami) Westland Hialeah Florida Christian (Miami) District 63 South Dade (Homestead) Miami Palmetto Miami Killian Westminster Christian (Miami) Southwest Miami Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest) Archbishop Carroll (Miami) District 64 Homestead Miami Southridge Somerset Charter (Silver Palms) Palm Glades Prep (Miami) Palmer Trinity (Miami) Somerset Academy Charter South Homestead Key West

I'm not shocked that the FHSAA chose the ENTIRE county populations when determining Metro/Suburban classifications. It makes absolutely no sense.