Perspective

And just for kicks, we'll call it the Premier League. 

You could say "It's great . . . to be . . . a Florida Gator."    But I doubt you'll say that.  

I understand your point, but consider this:  when Mainland got good, it was on the backs of the kids who were zoned to go there (and probably some good coaching).   Those kids had little or no choice where they went to high school.   Today, what are the chances that those same kids would end up at Mainland?  Isn't it more likely that -- even if they started out in the 9th grade at Mainland -- they would (eventually) end up at another school?   That's my point:  a school like Mainland who's experiencing the inevitable downturns that a public school experiences, might not ever have the chance to rebuild again, because the building blocks will opt to play down the road at the school that's already good. 

You could have left out the first three lines and just kept in the last part and you would have been spot on.  
And here's the thing:  with the relatively free transfer rules now in place, a kid interested in football  doesn't have to attend the school with the historically bad football program, meaning those historically bad programs are going to stay historically bad.   Gone are the days when a couple of good players who happened to live in a particular district could rise up and change a school's program for the better.  

Short answer:  Armwood's good, but not quite as good as the score indicates, and Plant's not as good as they have been, but they're not as bad as that score indicates. 
Plant got the ball first.  Second play from scrimmage, RB tries to do too much and coughs up the ball.  Armwood scoops and scores.  Next series leads to a Plant punt.  Armwood offense goes backwards, leaving the Hawks with a 3rd down and half an acre.  QB (Ransom) scrambles and heaves the ball downfield about 50-60 yards.  Plant DB actually has good position and should have intercepted the ball.  Instead, the ball bounces off him and right into the hands of Armwood's receiver who walks it in for a TD.  14-0 Hawks just that fast, and the score stays that way through the end of the first quarter.
Second quarter was even worse for the Panthers.  Armwood killed Plant with their speed and ability to get play-makers into open space, including a couple of big plays from Bloomingdale transfer, Charles Montgomery (#10).  Ransom picked up a short running TD, but Wiregrass transfer QB (Helton) got some playing time in the first half as well (but didn't impress that much).    
Armwood's defense was what it usually is . . . fast in the backfield and on the edges and stout inside, led by a couple of 300-pound DLs (Watson #21 and Pinder #99).  And these guys aren't those "listed at 300 pounds in the roster, but really more like 270;" they're every bit of 300 pounds).   Not all that fleet of foot (what 300 pounds are?), but very difficult to move out of the way. 
Offensively, it wouldn't surprise me if Armwood's negative plays exceeded their positive plays, especially if you include penalties.  But when they hit big plays, they tend to be a really big plays.    Ransom's a big dude with a strong arm, but throws up a lot of 50-50 balls that work out well for him because Armwood's receivers are so athletic.  In back-to-back weeks, Plant's defense may very well have played against the two best receivers in the state (Armwood's Agiye Hall and Venice's Wideman).  And Plant just doesn't have the DB's they've had in the past. 
So, shifting focus, this could be a tough year for Plant.  They're got a lot of work in front of them and they don't seem to have some of the athletes or depth they've had over the past decade, which is a shame, because they've got a stud QB (Gleason, GA Tech commit).  I jokingly told a couple of the Plant coaches that when they were playing in 7 on 7 tournaments over the summer, they should ask the refs to only give Plant's QB three seconds, instead of the customary four, so he'd get used to getting rid of the ball quickly.   I should have suggested two seconds. 
Plant started out with two tough games (Venice and Armwood), but it really doesn't get much easier over the next month or so.  Plant plays at a tough Gaither team this week, home against Tampa Bay Tech and Bloomingdale, an OOS road trip to D.C. to face the number 18 team in the country (Gonzaga), before returning home to play a much improved Steinbrenner team.   Plant has historically been somewhat of a slow starter, but they're always been able to improve over the course of the season and make a playoff run.  Only time will tell whether they'll be able to stay true to form this year. 
As for Armwood, I'm going to withhold judgment right now.  Their next game is at North Gwinnett, who lost to Colquitt 17-6 Friday night.  (Is there anyone on this board that knows anything about Colquitt?   ).   I'll be interested to see how Armwood does.  Their Hillsborough County-mandated schedule doesn't pose too many obstacles, which is par for the course for the Hawks, or, as some are now calling them, the East Hillsborough County All-Star Team.  Whether they'll have enough talent to upend the Polk County All-Star Team in the playoffs remains to be seen.  I know Friday was the first regular season game of the season, but Armwood lacked discipline.  Part of the problem for Armwood is that they really won't be tested much over the course of the season (again, I don't know about next week), so the lack of discipline won't keep them from winning all their games . . . but it could very well keep them from winning a big game in November or December.  
Hope this helps.    

Short answer:  Armwood's good, but not quite as good as the score indicates, and Plant's not as good as they have been, but they're not as bad as that score indicates. 
Plant got the ball first.  Second play from scrimmage, RB tries to do too much and coughs up the ball.  Armwood scoops and scores.  Next series leads to a Plant punt.  Armwood offense goes backwards, leaving the Hawks with a 3rd down and half an acre.  QB (Ransom) scrambles and heaves the ball downfield about 50-60 yards.  Plant DB actually has good position and should have intercepted the ball.  Instead, the ball bounces off him and right into the hands of Armwood's receiver who walks it in for a TD.  14-0 Hawks just that fast, and the score stays that way through the end of the first quarter.
Second quarter was even worse for the Panthers.  Armwood killed Plant with their speed and ability to get play-makers into open space, including a couple of big plays from Bloomingdale transfer, Charles Montgomery (#10).  Ransom picked up a short running TD, but Wiregrass transfer QB (Helton) got some playing time in the first half as well (but didn't impress that much).    
Armwood's defense was what it usually is . . . fast in the backfield and on the edges and stout inside, led by a couple of 300-pound DLs (Watson #21 and Pinder #99).  And these guys aren't those "listed at 300 pounds in the roster, but really more like 270;" they're every bit of 300 pounds).   Not all that fleet of foot (what 300 pounds are?), but very difficult to move out of the way. 
Offensively, it wouldn't surprise me if Armwood's negative plays exceeded their positive plays, especially if you include penalties.  But when they hit big plays, they tend to be a really big plays.    Ransom's a big dude with a strong arm, but throws up a lot of 50-50 balls that work out well for him because Armwood's receivers are so athletic.  In back-to-back weeks, Plant's defense may very well have played against the two best receivers in the state (Armwood's Agiye Hall and Venice's Wideman).  And Plant just doesn't have the DB's they've had in the past. 
So, shifting focus, this could be a tough year for Plant.  They're got a lot of work in front of them and they don't seem to have some of the athletes or depth they've had over the past decade, which is a shame, because they've got a stud QB (Gleason, GA Tech commit).  I jokingly told a couple of the Plant coaches that when they were playing in 7 on 7 tournaments over the summer, they should ask the refs to only give Plant's QB three seconds, instead of the customary four, so he'd get used to getting rid of the ball quickly.   I should have suggested two seconds. 
Plant started out with two tough games (Venice and Armwood), but it really doesn't get much easier over the next month or so.  Plant plays at a tough Gaither team this week, home against Tampa Bay Tech and Bloomingdale, an OOS road trip to D.C. to face the number 18 team in the country (Gonzaga), before returning home to play a much improved Steinbrenner team.   Plant has historically been somewhat of a slow starter, but they're always been able to improve over the course of the season and make a playoff run.  Only time will tell whether they'll be able to stay true to form this year. 
As for Armwood, I'm going to withhold judgment right now.  Their next game is at North Gwinnett, who lost to Colquitt 17-6 Friday night.  (Is there anyone on this board that knows anything about Colquitt?   ).   I'll be interested to see how Armwood does.  Their Hillsborough County-mandated schedule doesn't pose too many obstacles, which is par for the course for the Hawks, or, as some are now calling them, the East Hillsborough County All-Star Team.  Whether they'll have enough talent to upend the Polk County All-Star Team in the playoffs remains to be seen.  I know Friday was the first regular season game of the season, but Armwood lacked discipline.  Part of the problem for Armwood is that they really won't be tested much over the course of the season (again, I don't know about next week), so the lack of discipline won't keep them from winning all their games . . . but it could very well keep them from winning a big game in November or December.  
Hope this helps.    

I give IMG a lot of credit for admitting what they are; an all-star team, full of recruits, playing a national schedule, and not beating up on traditional high school football teams that are trying to make FHSAA playoffs. There are too many schools doing very much the same thing that IMG does with the exception that those teams are recruiting away other teams best players, beating up on those teams they poached, and still playing in FHSAA playoffs. Recruiting and transfers have destroyed the competitive balance in Florida high school football, and I don't think that is for the betterment of the sport or for the preservation of traditional rivalries.

As we speak, not only does Lakeland not have any points, they haven't even threatened to score. In fact, they have zero yards of offense! Dreadful!

Dang, Manatee must have a good defense this year. 

If the Lakeland QB has the ability to take the snap from the center and successfully hand the ball off to Bowman, Lakeland will win the game. 

Going to do my best to compile a list of available streams, both free and paid (NFHS), for each week of the season. There is nothing like sitting in the stands watching a high school football game. BUT, there is also nothing like a sitting on the couch, cold beer in hand, streaming 5-10 of the best games in the state NFL RedZone-style. If you know of any other streams, please let me know so that I can update the original post. Here is what I've got so far:
NFHS (Plenty more--just highlighting some of the bigger games available)
1. (Wed., 7:00 PM) Belen-Columbus
2. (Thu., 7:30 PM) Vanguard-Gainesville
3. (Fri., 7:00 PM) Godby-Lincoln
4. (Fri., 7:00 PM) Miami Pace-Heritage (Plantation)
YouTube
1. (Thu., 7:30 PM) Demarest-Windermere (https://youtu.be/XU765WcRyE4)
2. (Fri., 7:00 PM) Heritage (Delray)-Vero (https://www.youtube.com/user/VBHSFootball)
3. (Fri., 7:30 PM) Lakeland-Manatee (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmVjWtLdmHsdu4CT-8eL62w/videos)
4. (Fri., 7:30 PM) Palmetto-Pinellas Park (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLIzhof_w_SRZuVP2lFtmMA/videos)
The Identity TB
1. (Fri., 7:30 PM) Plant-Armwood (https://theidentitytb.com/)
Space Coast Daily Facebook
1. (Fri., 7:30 PM) Rockledge-Ware County (https://www.facebook.com/SpaceCoastDaily/)
2. (Fri., 7:00 PM) Viera-Cocoa (https://www.facebook.com/SpaceCoastDaily/)
ESPN
1. (Fri., 9:30 PM, ESPNU) STA-De La Salle
2. (Sat., 12:00 PM, ESPN) Miami Central-St. Frances
PAPrepLive
1. (Fri., 7:30 PM) Ridley-Cooper City (http://papreplive.com/football/event/32957/)
News4Jax (Channel 4)
1. (Sat., 1:00 PM) Bartram Trail-Lee
2. (Sat., 3:00 PM) Atlantic Coast-Mandarin
3. (Sat., 7:00 PM) Bolles-University Christian 

Apparently.  This article gives more of a bio:
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/preps/2019/08/19/new-taylor-county-football-coach-belser-quits-after-player-protest/2045996001/
Ini  2004-5, he had 7-13 record as head coach at Rickards.    Later, he was the HC at an Alabama high school (Hillcrest-Evergreen) that went 8-32.  Most recently, in 2017, he "lead" Tanner High to a 3-8 record.  It appears to be a combination of an abrasive personality, a poor performance by his teams on the field, and his habit of leaving when the going gets tough. 
 

If the Lakeland QB has the ability to take the snap from the center and successfully hand the ball off to Bowman, Lakeland will win the game. 

To everyone on here... thank you for your support over the years!
With that said... I have entered into an agreement with Fox Sports Florida this season for a brand new TV show called "UNDER THE LIGHTS: FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FINAL!"
This is going to be a huge show, that airs every Monday night at 6:00 PM
Top games, highlights, and the newest Top 25 rankings will all be a part of a show. Check out the tweets below to learn more!
 
 

Thanks all... especially to Jambun who we have had our differences although i think he gets it now I'm just a joker and like to push buttons... I mean no harm

Oh, Lordy!  
Congrats, Peezy. 

I'm guessing it's less than 3 hours from Colquitt to Lake City.  That's doable.  Leave early, perhaps stop off in Tallahassee for a pre-game meal, and then complete the journey to Lake City.  Again, I would think that's doable.  Teams do that all the time, especially for playoffs.  I'm I were an administrator, I probably wouldn't approve a stayover.  But, you've set up a good excuse if Colquitt ends up losing. 

Thankfully I'm not that old......yet..
Alot of research. Prior to the 1930's, record keeping wasn't the best. Plus, I think Lakeland lost a lot of their records when the original school burned down. Luckily, the newspapers have, for the most part, been digitized.

I hear what you are saying, but two things stick out in my mind:  first, according to the article in the link, "the SGFOA signed a contract to cover Lee Schools' football games in May."   In other words, three months ago, the SGFOA signed a contract in which they agreed to ref games for a certain price.   It appears to me that the leadership with the SGFOA saw a couple of other associations around the state threatening to hold out or go on strike and decided they'd jump on the bandwagon.  While I agree they should be paid a little more, I can't sympathize with them under these circumstances.  
Second, correct me if I'm wrong, but the FHSAA doesn't pay the refs, right?   The refs are paid by the counties or, in some cases, the individual schools (right CJM?).  The only authority the FHSAA has in this matter is to grant or revoke the authority of a particular association to referee games in a particular area.  In this case, they revoked the authority because the SGFOA breached the contract they signed three months ago.  This, in turn, allows Lee County to contract with another association to cover their games. 
My guess is that the SGFOA will back down, they'll be reinstated by the FHSAA, they'll handle the Lee County games this year under the existing contract, and that a slight pay raise will be negotiated for next year.  The only question I have is how long this process will take. 

Look folks... I made the move to get things back on track. It was my decision. There were some misunderstandings over the past 6 to 9 months that I had to correct. I am just going to leave it at that and go forward.

2005- 8-2- Lost in second round to Armwood, so 9-3 overall
2006- 10-0- 15-0 state champions
2007- 9-1. 11-2 overall, lost to Armwood in 3rd round
2008- 9-1 regular season. 14-1 state champions
2009- 8-1 regular season. 13-1 state champs
2010- 8-2 regular season. Lost in final. 12-3
2011- 10-0 regular season. 15-0 state champs
2012- 9-1 regular season. Lost in 2nd round 10-2
2013- 9-0-1. Lost in 4th round. 12-1-1.
2014- 9-1. Lost in second round. 10-2.
2015- 9-1. Lost in second round. 10-2.
2016- 9-0. Lost in final 13-1.
2017- 9-1 regular season. Lost in 4th round. 12-2.
2018- 9-1 regular season. Lost in 4th round. 12-2.

The 19 losses below...Osceola has won 5 times and Plant 4 times. 
2017     13-10 Plant
2016     38-7 Carol City
2016     14-7 Kathleen
2016     25-21 Plant
2015     44-34 Carol City
2015      26-25 Bartow
2015     24-14 Viera
2014     35-28 (OT) Osceola
2013     24-3 Kathleen
2013     33-21 Osceola
2012     7-0 Ridge
2012     16-2 Osceola 
2011     First Coast 24-14
2010     Venice-forfeit
2010     Plant 48-6
2009     Plant 20-0
2008     St Thomas Aquinas 56-7
2007    Osceola 25-21
2007    Osceola 22-7 

To their credit, the national private schools are showing a greater tendency to play each other.   And when this happens, only one of the two teams can win.   When you're ranking 10,000 plus high schools, the pollsters tend to prefer undefeated teams in the top 25 or so. 
I, too, was surprised to see STA ranked #1, especially with the questions mark at the QB spot.  Personally, I've got Lakeland beating STA in a rematch of last year's 7A championship game. 

To their credit, the national private schools are showing a greater tendency to play each other.   And when this happens, only one of the two teams can win.   When you're ranking 10,000 plus high schools, the pollsters tend to prefer undefeated teams in the top 25 or so. 
I, too, was surprised to see STA ranked #1, especially with the questions mark at the QB spot.  Personally, I've got Lakeland beating STA in a rematch of last year's 7A championship game. 

Unless the Clemson O-Line is suiting up for Gonzaga this year, I think you may have copied/pasted the wrong link.