Class 3A Spring Preview

[SPCjessica2004]

Hello everyone! Here's my Spring 2018 thoughts as we get ready to start playing the Spring games next week. Please note that due to family constraints I haven't had a chance to individually look at each team in 3A, but I feel about 90% confident in my top 10 teams or so. 

Here's my Pre-Spring 2018 top 5 teams. 

1) Chaminade-Madonna:  The Lions broke through in 2017 to win the class 3A state championship; however, the Lions also had a huge graduating class. The 2017 class will be remembered as the team that turned the program back around from punching bag to  powerhouse in 3 short years. So, how does the the 2018 team look? In my opinion- even better than the 2017 version. The Lions already had a strong core of returning Seniors such as Keontra Smith, TeCorey Couch, Marlin, Mayo, Jimmy Nixon and a host other promising younger athletes. I haven't even touched on superstar QB Dalean Menard and the additions of Willie Davis from Miami Central and John Dunmore from American Heritage Delray.  The Lions also have consistency in the coaching ranks which is good since the schedule is once again going to be a bear. 

The takeaway: Chaminade-Madonna may not have the star power at WR as they did in 2017, but they're better at every other position on the field than last year.

The Outlook and Future:  Chaminade is deeper on both lines, but linebacker depth is an issue. Still, this is the best team in 3A by the length of 2 football fields. I don't see Chaminade hanging around 3A after 2018 unless the FHSAA goes to 6 divisions, so we'll see where they end up. For now, consider it an upset of epic proportions if they don't win 2 in a row. The program also put the finishing touches on lighting at the stadium thus CMHS should finally be allowed to play night games a boon for Lion fans.

2) Clearwater Central Catholic: CCC has won 5 of the past 6 regional championships in highly competitive Class 3A-Region 3 and has also compiled a 29-1 regular season record in the past 3 years. The 2018 version of the Marauders should be special as there is no lack of star power leading the way. Lead by brothers Jerjuan and Jerzhan Newton CCC also returns Brett Seither, Kennedy Roberts and Richie illaraza (Wr/CB). As with any team that has John Davis as a coach- the QB position is solid as the Marauders return highly talented QB Rory Hicks from last years campaign. CCC has also beefed up both the offensive and defensive lines thanks to some key transfers from local teams- highlighted by Zack Elam from Indian Rocks Christian.

The Outlook and Future: CCC has a huge game at Tampa Catholic in early September. CCC has been overwhelmingly successful against better coached, more talented and flat out better Tampa Catholic teams- but, those games have all come in the friendly confines of Marauder stadium where CCC has only lost 1 regular season home game since 2011 (IMG in 2014). TC presents a clear and present danger to the Marauders reign atop region 3.

 Looking longer term- One of the major talking points this offseason has been the money than the Marauders have come into. Not only is building a 2 million dollar football facility- according to the website, they're also knocking down buildings and re landscaping the grounds this summer. That's not cheap. Still, it shows a commitment to academics and athletics, thus I anticipate these guys aren't going away anytime soon.

3) Oxbridge Academy: There are a lot of questions about Oxbridge Academy, few of which will be answered in Spring. The Thunderwolves are coming off a state finals run in a game they could have stolen from Chaminade. They bring back one of the top 1-2 punches in the state with QB Gio Richardson and Rb James Meeks. The Thunderwolves defense is also stout with LB Dorian Jones and Antavious Lane. Expect WR Jeremiah Dezard to have a strong season if teams try to limit Meeks running ability.  The lines are stout with 260/270 lbs linemen. As is typical for the program- Oxbridge will be playing up for most of the season. 

Looking longer term-  Oxbridge may not have the depth of years past, but they are further along than people think. By all accounts, this is still the best team in Palm Beach county and even though getting in athletes has become tougher, it's not impossible. There is enough here to get Oxbridge back to Orlando, especially since the north of 3A is expected to be down this year. I always felt that Oxbridge was going to be a good team in 2018, but after the current seniors graduate- it's anybody's guess where they go. This is part of the reason I can't, currently, put Oxbridge at #2. There's a lot of star power in the senior class, but it thins out- quickly- once you roll down into the underclass. 

4) Tampa Catholic:  Every year in 3A it seems like there is an elite or traditionally strong private school that gets hammered with defections. This year it's Tampa Catholic's turn. After losing their top 2 WR's, QB, and top returning linemen the Crusaders have had to depend on a youth movement. So, where does that leave the Crusaders? Actually- in a great position. Tampa Catholic has one of the top upcoming QB's perhaps in all of America with Kenny Kelly's son Kilal Kelly. The rising Sophomore is extremely athletic and has star RB Jalen Bussey and WR Chris Murray to help adjust as the signal caller for TC. Expect LB/FB Quincy Hipps Jr. to spearhead the TC attack. Another name to keep an eye out for is DJ Taylor who has the tools to be a major D-1 prospect. The Crusaders will continue to be stout in the trenches and the coaching feature numerous 300+ lbs guys including 6'4 305 Tyrus Gibson and 6'6 310 Jordan Sandlin. 

Looking longer term and the outlook: TC is well positioned for years to come to be competitive as long as Kilal Kelly continues his rapid maturation. TC's season may come down to a 3 game stretch that features CCC, Crestview, Berekley Prep in consecutive weeks. If TC goes 3-0 in this stretch, they should find themselves in a position to host until the final 4. 

5) Florida High:  The Seminoles were the 2017 feel good story of class 3A. A team that managed to upset Ft. White and Taylor County brings back a healthy amount of star power. Region 1 in 3A is often overlooked for the private powers in the south, but there is quality football played in the Panhandle.  With Willie Taggart taking over the reigns at FSU, it's expected his son will get the nod at Florida High, this will be a huge boon for the Seminoles as it gives them a true duel threat QB. In addition, Raymond Woodie II will help the Seminoles by providing a play maker on both sides of the ball. The Seminoles have good size and depth in the trenches and enough athletes to get back to the final 4 in 2018.

Looking longer term and the outlook:  FSU School will not sneak up on anybody this year- the schedule is competitive, but the talent is here to make a statement, especially since a bulk of the roster from last years team returns. With Willie Taggart transferring into the program it gives the Seminoles the cornerstone piece going forward. Stability in the coaching staff and administration support should keep FSU school in the running.


Other teams I'm looking at, specifically in Spring:

Berkeley Prep -Qb Joshua Youngblood has 21 college football offers. Well coached team with Jaylen Harrell at LB/FB.
American Heritage Delray- Very talented, but still young team. Will make noise- tough schedule.
Cardinal Newman- Expect rapid improvement.
Lakeland Christian- Program has a knack for landing a few solid Polk county transfers.
Melbourne Central Catholic- Never underestimate a Stacey Sizemore lead program. Will be young this year, but have the pieces to make noise.

Teams I'm not sure what they have, but would like more info:

Ocala Trinity- Program has fallen off, but new coach could shake things up.
Orlando First Academy- Undefeated in 2017, ran into MCC. Most of the team returns in 2018.
Ft. White- Talented team that was upset early last year.

Final thoughts:

To me, Chaminade-Madonna is the clear #1. CCC and Oxbridge will fight for #2 throughout the season. Tampa Catholic is a wildcard. FSU school has the most room for growth as I think they could be very strong this year. 

This is class 3A football in Florida- the teams that show up for their Spring game will probably be drastically different than the teams that show up in Fall. It's a full-time job looking for transfers into and out of programs. 


 

[“PANTHER NATION(CODE BLUE)]

Couldn’t have said it better myself only sad thing about it is that none of those schools are PUBLIC  I get it 3a is not a huge class like 5 6 and 7a and etc but most times I just sit here and think to myself what makes public and private so different is it we don’t have the same recourses or access to more successful playbooks lol idk

[Mashburns]

2 hours ago, SPCjessica2004 said:

Hello everyone! Here's my Spring 2018 thoughts as we get ready to start playing the Spring games next week. Please note that due to family constraints I haven't had a chance to individually look at each team in 3A, but I feel about 90% confident in my top 10 teams or so. 

Here's my Pre-Spring 2018 top 5 teams. 

1) Chaminade-Madonna:  The Lions broke through in 2017 to win the class 3A state championship; however, the Lions also had a huge graduating class. The 2017 class will be remembered as the team that turned the program back around from punching bag to  powerhouse in 3 short years. So, how does the the 2018 team look? In my opinion- even better than the 2017 version. The Lions already had a strong core of returning Seniors such as Keontra Smith, TeCorey Couch, Marlin, Mayo, Jimmy Nixon and a host other promising younger athletes. I haven't even touched on superstar QB Dalean Menard and the additions of Willie Davis from Miami Central and John Dunmore from American Heritage Delray.  The Lions also have consistency in the coaching ranks which is good since the schedule is once again going to be a bear. 

The takeaway: Chaminade-Madonna may not have the star power at WR as they did in 2017, but they're better at every other position on the field than last year.

The Outlook and Future:  Chaminade is deeper on both lines, but linebacker depth is an issue. Still, this is the best team in 3A by the length of 2 football fields. I don't see Chaminade hanging around 3A after 2018 unless the FHSAA goes to 6 divisions, so we'll see where they end up. For now, consider it an upset of epic proportions if they don't win 2 in a row. The program also put the finishing touches on lighting at the stadium thus CMHS should finally be allowed to play night games a boon for Lion fans.

2) Clearwater Central Catholic: CCC has won 5 of the past 6 regional championships in highly competitive Class 3A-Region 3 and has also compiled a 29-1 regular season record in the past 3 years. The 2018 version of the Marauders should be special as there is no lack of star power leading the way. Lead by brothers Jerjuan and Jerzhan Newton CCC also returns Brett Seither, Kennedy Roberts and Richie illaraza (Wr/CB). As with any team that has John Davis as a coach- the QB position is solid as the Marauders return highly talented QB Rory Hicks from last years campaign. CCC has also beefed up both the offensive and defensive lines thanks to some key transfers from local teams- highlighted by Zack Elam from Indian Rocks Christian.

The Outlook and Future: CCC has a huge game at Tampa Catholic in early September. CCC has been overwhelmingly successful against better coached, more talented and flat out better Tampa Catholic teams- but, those games have all come in the friendly confines of Marauder stadium where CCC has only lost 1 regular season home game since 2011 (IMG in 2014). TC presents a clear and present danger to the Marauders reign atop region 3.

 Looking longer term- One of the major talking points this offseason has been the money than the Marauders have come into. Not only is building a 2 million dollar football facility- according to the website, they're also knocking down buildings and re landscaping the grounds this summer. That's not cheap. Still, it shows a commitment to academics and athletics, thus I anticipate these guys aren't going away anytime soon.

3) Oxbridge Academy: There are a lot of questions about Oxbridge Academy, few of which will be answered in Spring. The Thunderwolves are coming off a state finals run in a game they could have stolen from Chaminade. They bring back one of the top 1-2 punches in the state with QB Gio Richardson and Rb James Meeks. The Thunderwolves defense is also stout with LB Dorian Jones and Antavious Lane. Expect WR Jeremiah Dezard to have a strong season if teams try to limit Meeks running ability.  The lines are stout with 260/270 lbs linemen. As is typical for the program- Oxbridge will be playing up for most of the season. 

Looking longer term-  Oxbridge may not have the depth of years past, but they are further along than people think. By all accounts, this is still the best team in Palm Beach county and even though getting in athletes has become tougher, it's not impossible. There is enough here to get Oxbridge back to Orlando, especially since the north of 3A is expected to be down this year. I always felt that Oxbridge was going to be a good team in 2018, but after the current seniors graduate- it's anybody's guess where they go. This is part of the reason I can't, currently, put Oxbridge at #2. There's a lot of star power in the senior class, but it thins out- quickly- once you roll down into the underclass. 

4) Tampa Catholic:  Every year in 3A it seems like there is an elite or traditionally strong private school that gets hammered with defections. This year it's Tampa Catholic's turn. After losing their top 2 WR's, QB, and top returning linemen the Crusaders have had to depend on a youth movement. So, where does that leave the Crusaders? Actually- in a great position. Tampa Catholic has one of the top upcoming QB's perhaps in all of America with Kenny Kelly's son Kilal Kelly. The rising Sophomore is extremely athletic and has star RB Jalen Bussey and WR Chris Murray to help adjust as the signal caller for TC. Expect LB/FB Quincy Hipps Jr. to spearhead the TC attack. Another name to keep an eye out for is DJ Taylor who has the tools to be a major D-1 prospect. The Crusaders will continue to be stout in the trenches and the coaching feature numerous 300+ lbs guys including 6'4 305 Tyrus Gibson and 6'6 310 Jordan Sandlin. 

Looking longer term and the outlook: TC is well positioned for years to come to be competitive as long as Kilal Kelly continues his rapid maturation. TC's season may come down to a 3 game stretch that features CCC, Crestview, Berekley Prep in consecutive weeks. If TC goes 3-0 in this stretch, they should find themselves in a position to host until the final 4. 

5) Florida High:  The Seminoles were the 2017 feel good story of class 3A. A team that managed to upset Ft. White and Taylor County brings back a healthy amount of star power. Region 1 in 3A is often overlooked for the private powers in the south, but there is quality football played in the Panhandle.  With Willie Taggart taking over the reigns at FSU, it's expected his son will get the nod at Florida High, this will be a huge boon for the Seminoles as it gives them a true duel threat QB. In addition, Raymond Woodie II will help the Seminoles by providing a play maker on both sides of the ball. The Seminoles have good size and depth in the trenches and enough athletes to get back to the final 4 in 2018.

Looking longer term and the outlook:  FSU School will not sneak up on anybody this year- the schedule is competitive, but the talent is here to make a statement, especially since a bulk of the roster from last years team returns. With Willie Taggart transferring into the program it gives the Seminoles the cornerstone piece going forward. Stability in the coaching staff and administration support should keep FSU school in the running.


Other teams I'm looking at, specifically in Spring:

Berkeley Prep -Qb Joshua Youngblood has 21 college football offers. Well coached team with Jaylen Harrell at LB/FB.
American Heritage Delray- Very talented, but still young team. Will make noise- tough schedule.
Cardinal Newman- Expect rapid improvement.
Lakeland Christian- Program has a knack for landing a few solid Polk county transfers.
Melbourne Central Catholic- Never underestimate a Stacey Sizemore lead program. Will be young this year, but have the pieces to make noise.

Teams I'm not sure what they have, but would like more info:

Ocala Trinity- Program has fallen off, but new coach could shake things up.
Orlando First Academy- Undefeated in 2017, ran into MCC. Most of the team returns in 2018.
Ft. White- Talented team that was upset early last year.

Final thoughts:

To me, Chaminade-Madonna is the clear #1. CCC and Oxbridge will fight for #2 throughout the season. Tampa Catholic is a wildcard. FSU school has the most room for growth as I think they could be very strong this year. 

This is class 3A football in Florida- the teams that show up for their Spring game will probably be drastically different than the teams that show up in Fall. It's a full-time job looking for transfers into and out of programs. 


 

Great points and top 10 for as 3a I will have to disagree with Oxbridge being the best team in Palm Beach this season. Oxbridge is definitely one of the top teams but I wouldn't put them a clear number 1 over teams like Dwyer, Atlantic, Palm Beach Central, Pahokee and even Glades Central this season but some questions will be answered over the next few weeks like you stated   

[SFL SPY]

On ‎5‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 11:51 AM, SPCjessica2004 said:

Hello everyone! Here's my Spring 2018 thoughts as we get ready to start playing the Spring games next week. Please note that due to family constraints I haven't had a chance to individually look at each team in 3A, but I feel about 90% confident in my top 10 teams or so. 

Here's my Pre-Spring 2018 top 5 teams. 

1) Chaminade-Madonna:  The Lions broke through in 2017 to win the class 3A state championship; however, the Lions also had a huge graduating class. The 2017 class will be remembered as the team that turned the program back around from punching bag to  powerhouse in 3 short years. So, how does the the 2018 team look? In my opinion- even better than the 2017 version. The Lions already had a strong core of returning Seniors such as Keontra Smith, TeCorey Couch, Marlin, Mayo, Jimmy Nixon and a host other promising younger athletes. I haven't even touched on superstar QB Dalean Menard and the additions of Willie Davis from Miami Central and John Dunmore from American Heritage Delray.  The Lions also have consistency in the coaching ranks which is good since the schedule is once again going to be a bear. 

The takeaway: Chaminade-Madonna may not have the star power at WR as they did in 2017, but they're better at every other position on the field than last year.

The Outlook and Future:  Chaminade is deeper on both lines, but linebacker depth is an issue. Still, this is the best team in 3A by the length of 2 football fields. I don't see Chaminade hanging around 3A after 2018 unless the FHSAA goes to 6 divisions, so we'll see where they end up. For now, consider it an upset of epic proportions if they don't win 2 in a row. The program also put the finishing touches on lighting at the stadium thus CMHS should finally be allowed to play night games a boon for Lion fans.

2) Clearwater Central Catholic: CCC has won 5 of the past 6 regional championships in highly competitive Class 3A-Region 3 and has also compiled a 29-1 regular season record in the past 3 years. The 2018 version of the Marauders should be special as there is no lack of star power leading the way. Lead by brothers Jerjuan and Jerzhan Newton CCC also returns Brett Seither, Kennedy Roberts and Richie illaraza (Wr/CB). As with any team that has John Davis as a coach- the QB position is solid as the Marauders return highly talented QB Rory Hicks from last years campaign. CCC has also beefed up both the offensive and defensive lines thanks to some key transfers from local teams- highlighted by Zack Elam from Indian Rocks Christian.

The Outlook and Future: CCC has a huge game at Tampa Catholic in early September. CCC has been overwhelmingly successful against better coached, more talented and flat out better Tampa Catholic teams- but, those games have all come in the friendly confines of Marauder stadium where CCC has only lost 1 regular season home game since 2011 (IMG in 2014). TC presents a clear and present danger to the Marauders reign atop region 3.

 Looking longer term- One of the major talking points this offseason has been the money than the Marauders have come into. Not only is building a 2 million dollar football facility- according to the website, they're also knocking down buildings and re landscaping the grounds this summer. That's not cheap. Still, it shows a commitment to academics and athletics, thus I anticipate these guys aren't going away anytime soon.

3) Oxbridge Academy: There are a lot of questions about Oxbridge Academy, few of which will be answered in Spring. The Thunderwolves are coming off a state finals run in a game they could have stolen from Chaminade. They bring back one of the top 1-2 punches in the state with QB Gio Richardson and Rb James Meeks. The Thunderwolves defense is also stout with LB Dorian Jones and Antavious Lane. Expect WR Jeremiah Dezard to have a strong season if teams try to limit Meeks running ability.  The lines are stout with 260/270 lbs linemen. As is typical for the program- Oxbridge will be playing up for most of the season. 

Looking longer term-  Oxbridge may not have the depth of years past, but they are further along than people think. By all accounts, this is still the best team in Palm Beach county and even though getting in athletes has become tougher, it's not impossible. There is enough here to get Oxbridge back to Orlando, especially since the north of 3A is expected to be down this year. I always felt that Oxbridge was going to be a good team in 2018, but after the current seniors graduate- it's anybody's guess where they go. This is part of the reason I can't, currently, put Oxbridge at #2. There's a lot of star power in the senior class, but it thins out- quickly- once you roll down into the underclass. 

4) Tampa Catholic:  Every year in 3A it seems like there is an elite or traditionally strong private school that gets hammered with defections. This year it's Tampa Catholic's turn. After losing their top 2 WR's, QB, and top returning linemen the Crusaders have had to depend on a youth movement. So, where does that leave the Crusaders? Actually- in a great position. Tampa Catholic has one of the top upcoming QB's perhaps in all of America with Kenny Kelly's son Kilal Kelly. The rising Sophomore is extremely athletic and has star RB Jalen Bussey and WR Chris Murray to help adjust as the signal caller for TC. Expect LB/FB Quincy Hipps Jr. to spearhead the TC attack. Another name to keep an eye out for is DJ Taylor who has the tools to be a major D-1 prospect. The Crusaders will continue to be stout in the trenches and the coaching feature numerous 300+ lbs guys including 6'4 305 Tyrus Gibson and 6'6 310 Jordan Sandlin. 

Looking longer term and the outlook: TC is well positioned for years to come to be competitive as long as Kilal Kelly continues his rapid maturation. TC's season may come down to a 3 game stretch that features CCC, Crestview, Berekley Prep in consecutive weeks. If TC goes 3-0 in this stretch, they should find themselves in a position to host until the final 4. 

5) Florida High:  The Seminoles were the 2017 feel good story of class 3A. A team that managed to upset Ft. White and Taylor County brings back a healthy amount of star power. Region 1 in 3A is often overlooked for the private powers in the south, but there is quality football played in the Panhandle.  With Willie Taggart taking over the reigns at FSU, it's expected his son will get the nod at Florida High, this will be a huge boon for the Seminoles as it gives them a true duel threat QB. In addition, Raymond Woodie II will help the Seminoles by providing a play maker on both sides of the ball. The Seminoles have good size and depth in the trenches and enough athletes to get back to the final 4 in 2018.

Looking longer term and the outlook:  FSU School will not sneak up on anybody this year- the schedule is competitive, but the talent is here to make a statement, especially since a bulk of the roster from last years team returns. With Willie Taggart transferring into the program it gives the Seminoles the cornerstone piece going forward. Stability in the coaching staff and administration support should keep FSU school in the running.


Other teams I'm looking at, specifically in Spring:

Berkeley Prep -Qb Joshua Youngblood has 21 college football offers. Well coached team with Jaylen Harrell at LB/FB.
American Heritage Delray- Very talented, but still young team. Will make noise- tough schedule.
Cardinal Newman- Expect rapid improvement.
Lakeland Christian- Program has a knack for landing a few solid Polk county transfers.
Melbourne Central Catholic- Never underestimate a Stacey Sizemore lead program. Will be young this year, but have the pieces to make noise.

Teams I'm not sure what they have, but would like more info:

Ocala Trinity- Program has fallen off, but new coach could shake things up.
Orlando First Academy- Undefeated in 2017, ran into MCC. Most of the team returns in 2018.
Ft. White- Talented team that was upset early last year.

Final thoughts:

To me, Chaminade-Madonna is the clear #1. CCC and Oxbridge will fight for #2 throughout the season. Tampa Catholic is a wildcard. FSU school has the most room for growth as I think they could be very strong this year. 

This is class 3A football in Florida- the teams that show up for their Spring game will probably be drastically different than the teams that show up in Fall. It's a full-time job looking for transfers into and out of programs. 


 

I was told by a very reliable source that Oxbridge has roughly 20 players participating in spring practice. 

[Mashburns]

7 hours ago, SFL SPY said:

I was told by a very reliable source that Oxbridge has roughly 20 players participating in spring practice. 

They usually reload in the summer time but I will have to wait and see what they bring in but right now Oxbridge will be in my top 10 local schools but no where near the top

[SPCjessica2004]

Good conversation about Oxbridge.  I've been in contact with the PB Post, according to a few E-mails I have, they are dressing 27 for Spring but there are rumors of 5-6 transfers after the public school year ends.  I'll see if I can have my hubby making some calls and ask around to get some information.

[SPCjessica2004]

Okay, so SFL SPY is pretty on point (almost always is!). It sounds like Oxbridge is only dressing between 21-25 kids depending on the day, but the day that PB Post went to cover them they dressed 27.  They are anticipated to roll with a Varsity roster of 32-37 come Fall, which is what most teams in 3A go with. 

I, for one, take Spring game results with a grain of salt as some of the top teams in the state don't play in Spring or have transfers not eligible or players not available due to testing. But, Oxbridge's numbers are going to be one of the things I will follow-up on throughout the off season.

[SPCjessica2004]

POST SPRING OBSERVATIONS

I generally do not change rankings regardless of how a team does in Spring with the exception of there being a glaring and obvious change. I didn't really see that in Spring with any team.

1) Chaminade-Madonna: There really isn't much to say here. They didn't play a Spring game, instead they had a scrimmage. Regardless, the Lions were always going to be #1 by virtue of being the defending champions and thus...they are here.

2) Clearwater Central Catholic (defeated 6A Clearwater 38-21):  QB Rory Hicks was very impressive throwing for 5td's, 314 yards and rushing for 40. Brett Seither caught 3 of the TD's and also racked up an invite to the US national team for his efforts. Brothers Jerjuan and Jerzhan Newton had relaxed games offensively, but were aggressive on defense as both accounted for an interception apiece. Sophomore WR Richie Illiraza is an explosive young player that had multiple highlight-reel catches. 

3) Oxbridge Academy (defeated Royal Palm Beach 41-0): Oxbridge has a really good core of players with Gio Richardson, James Meeks, Antavious Lane and Dorian Jones. All 4 players should be major, power 5 players down the road. If Oxbridge can hold onto their players and maybe add a few pieces, they should coast to the state championship game. If they start losing pieces, it becomes a wide open race. 

4) Tampa Catholic (lost to Wiregrass Ranch 36-17):  The hype started early for Kiael Kelly with Big County Preps calling him one of the top players in Tampa Bay and Chip Bennett calling him a national recruit.  So- how did Kelly and the Crusaders do? Well- he's clearly going to be great- but right now he's a young QB going through growth pains.  TC has some pieces to be really good, DJ Taylor, Chris Murray and Quincy Hipps are as good as advertised. Both lines are filled with 285+ lbs linemen, but Wiregrass Ranch had no issue getting pressure on Kelly. To be fair to TC, superstar RB Jaylen Bussey didn't play, but in this game it probably wouldn't have made a difference.

5) Florida High:  I haven't been able to find any results regarding their Spring game- nor is there any word of a scrimmage.


Other impressions:

Calvary Christian (Clearwater): Boy was I wrong about these guys! They have a loaded roster full of talent.  If you don't know the name Makkah Jordan, you will hear it for the next 3 years. He's a CB/WR with tremendous speed and agility in the open field.  Calvary also has a solid QB/RB combination with Harold Cook who threw for 5TD's and RB Jordan Niles. Calvary also has a solid WR in Jayden Celste who made timely big plays all evening.  They also home to Kendrick Maynor a major D-1 recruit that can play multiple positions.   I can't move them into the top 5 yet, but they are clearly a team to watch.

I'm waiting for the American Heritage Del-Ray vs Lake Wales game on 5/22.

I'll update the thread as information comes in regarding made-up spring games. I'm waiting to see if OTC vs NFC occurs or not.

[Mashburns]

2 hours ago, SPCjessica2004 said:

POST SPRING OBSERVATIONS

I generally do not change rankings regardless of how a team does in Spring with the exception of there being a glaring and obvious change. I didn't really see that in Spring with any team.

1) Chaminade-Madonna: There really isn't much to say here. They didn't play a Spring game, instead they had a scrimmage. Regardless, the Lions were always going to be #1 by virtue of being the defending champions and thus...they are here.

2) Clearwater Central Catholic (defeated 6A Clearwater 38-21):  QB Rory Hicks was very impressive throwing for 5td's, 314 yards and rushing for 40. Brett Seither caught 3 of the TD's and also racked up an invite to the US national team for his efforts. Brothers Jerjuan and Jerzhan Newton had relaxed games offensively, but were aggressive on defense as both accounted for an interception apiece. Sophomore WR Richie Illiraza is an explosive young player that had multiple highlight-reel catches. 

3) Oxbridge Academy (defeated Royal Palm Beach 41-0): Oxbridge has a really good core of players with Gio Richardson, James Meeks, Antavious Lane and Dorian Jones. All 4 players should be major, power 5 players down the road. If Oxbridge can hold onto their players and maybe add a few pieces, they should coast to the state championship game. If they start losing pieces, it becomes a wide open race. 

4) Tampa Catholic (lost to Wiregrass Ranch 36-17):  The hype started early for Kiael Kelly with Big County Preps calling him one of the top players in Tampa Bay and Chip Bennett calling him a national recruit.  So- how did Kelly and the Crusaders do? Well- he's clearly going to be great- but right now he's a young QB going through growth pains.  TC has some pieces to be really good, DJ Taylor, Chris Murray and Quincy Hipps are as good as advertised. Both lines are filled with 285+ lbs linemen, but Wiregrass Ranch had no issue getting pressure on Kelly. To be fair to TC, superstar RB Jaylen Bussey didn't play, but in this game it probably wouldn't have made a difference.

5) Florida High:  I haven't been able to find any results regarding their Spring game- nor is there any word of a scrimmage.


Other impressions:

Calvary Christian (Clearwater): Boy was I wrong about these guys! They have a loaded roster full of talent.  If you don't know the name Makkah Jordan, you will hear it for the next 3 years. He's a CB/WR with tremendous speed and agility in the open field.  Calvary also has a solid QB/RB combination with Harold Cook who threw for 5TD's and RB Jordan Niles. Calvary also has a solid WR in Jayden Celste who made timely big plays all evening.  They also home to Kendrick Maynor a major D-1 recruit that can play multiple positions.   I can't move them into the top 5 yet, but they are clearly a team to watch.

I'm waiting for the American Heritage Del-Ray vs Lake Wales game on 5/22.

I'll update the thread as information comes in regarding made-up spring games. I'm waiting to see if OTC vs NFC occurs or not.

Oxbridge did a great job vs Royal Palm but it's hard to say how good they will be because of the level of talent they played against, yes you can say those four you mentioned is very good and I will add in #71 and #11 but they issue will be depth with only like 22 players dressing out with all of their top talent playing every snap of the game I don't know if that will work throughout the season, but if they can schedule pretty good not playing tough opponents for the most part on the level of a Royal Palm it can benefit them to probably make a playoff run back to states

[FORTWHITEFAN76]

Suwanee 10 Florida High 7 for there game.

 

[DisabledAccount]

5 minutes ago, FORTWHITEFAN76 said:

Suwanee 10 Florida High 7 for there game.

 

Does Florida high lose a bit? 

 

Suwannee been struggling past few years 

[FORTWHITEFAN76]

From the article from there newspaper said Suwanee ran a no huddle all night on offense with 2 QBs rotating to WR the pair. Defense held Florida High in check till Willie Taggart  came in  and marched them down to score for Florida High.

[SPCjessica2004]

Final:
Lake Wales 21
American Heritage (Delray)  14

AHD's secondary apparently played a great game and QB Blake Moreland threw for 330 yards. Lake Wales is usually a very solid team, so this was a good showing for the Stallions. There's some star power here. They're young- but with a much more bearable schedule  this year than years past.  I noticed they have a game scheduled @ Pensacola Catholic- I hope they're flying and not driving. That's a 10 hour drive one way!

[FORTWHITEFAN76]

Few more 3a teams out the north scores for spring I found.

Taylor Co 40 Trenton 6

Providence 50 Hilliard 6

[badbird]

and Trenton has fallen off fast

[BrowardHandicapper]

2 hours ago, badbird said:

and Trenton has fallen off fast

Still May but ...Wow.

[FORTWHITEFAN76]

Pensacola Catholic 0 

Pensacola High 14

[Proseteye]

23 hours ago, badbird said:

and Trenton has fallen off fast

My feeling is that I don't believe one can predict anything from the outcome of a Spring game. With very little time for preparation and the game being played primarily for coaches to begin evaluating all of their players and the different formations, a team most probably will not be the same team 3 months later. My thoughts are that Spring games should be done away with as they are pretty much meaningless and it's a good way to expose your players to early injuries due to so little time allocated for preparation. Intersquad scrimmages, like the ones IMG does, are much more productive IMO.