Central Florida Rankings

[badbird]

1. Wekiva  dominated Lake Brantley in the KOC.  Host a good Jones team week 1

2. Apopka anytime you beat Mainland that's a good win.  Look to be better on defense early on this season.  Should be an easy game week 1 vs Ocoee before schedule gets tough. 

3. Osceola beat DP 21-3 but game was a lot closer than score.  Host Lake Gibson week 1

4. Dr. Phillips struggled on offense and will once again rely on defense to carry them.  Travels to Lee County week 1.  They will have to play much better on offense to have a shot.

5. Edgewater dominated Winter Park.  If this team stays healthy they have a shot at making a run.  They host a solid Bishop Moore team week 1. 

6. Seminole dominated a well coached Spruce Creek team.  Another team with the pieces to make a run. They get an easy one week 1 vs Lake Howell.

7. West Orange beat up on little brother Windermere.  They travel to Olympia week 1.  This loss kept them out of playoffs last year.  A must win for West Orange.

8. Mainland lost to Apopka in the KOC.  They better be ready week 1 as they travel to a much improved Deland team.

9. Jones defeated Largo in the KOC.  Maybe Jones hasn't fallen off much.  We will find out week 1 when they travel to Wekiva.  Jaden Robinson is a promising 10th grade WR

10. Boone has decided to schedule Osceola county schools.  They beat St Cloud in the KOC and host a Gateway team that lost a lot of players to the new school week 1.

11. Bishop Moore defeated Bolles in KOC but varsity actually lost a close one in 3 quarters.  They will play Edgewater tough but not sure they have enough skill.

12. Winter Park got dismantled by Edgewater.  Not sure how investigation is going or if Patrick will play.  They host Lake Nona week 1 in a pivotal game for them.

13. Lake Mary stomped Hagerty in the KOC.  Host a good Palm Bay Heritage week 1.  Lake Mary will start a freshman QB in Gunnar Smith.

14. Lake Nona struggled early vs Olympia but they have offensive weapons to score in bunches.  Shoud be a good one vs Winter Park.

15. Deland looked good vs OC University but they are down.  We will find out early if this Deland team is a contender or just hype. They host Mainland week 1

16. Oviedo easily defeated East River.  Not much coming out of Oviedo camp but they have a D1 QB and RB.  They open up hosting Timber Creek.

Others to watch  Spruce Creek, Lake Minneola, Harmony and Lake Brantley

 

[Pipe Dreams]

DP-Osceola score not close to accurate. DP was rotating the whole game but the defensive starters were out completely when it was 7-3. Both teams are major contenders with their defenses.

DP has Lee County this Saturday, as you noted... 

I think your top 12 is correct (order of 2-5, 6-8 are somewhat changeable), and DeLand could be a spoiler from the outside.

[Pipe Dreams]

Badbird, would you say you see 6-8 top 25 teams on this list? I think our top 16’s match in terms of teams listed.

I see a very good year for East Central Florida teams.

There is a clear tier of about 8 teams with very high ceilings, each in their own right. 10-12 could also make runs. 

Interesting that Lake Mary is starting a freshman QB.

[DarterBlue2]

2 hours ago, badbird said:

13. Lake Mary stomped Hagerty in the KOC.  Host a good Palm Bay Heritage week 1.  Lake Mary will start a freshman QB in Gunnar Smith

Gunnar Smith looks very good on film for a freshman QB. I see he played his Pop Warner in the Lake Brantley system. Kid has a shot at being very good. 

[badbird]

56 minutes ago, Pipe Dreams said:

Badbird, would you say you see 6-8 top 25 teams on this list? I think our top 16’s match in terms of teams listed.

I see a very good year for East Central Florida teams.

There is a clear tier of about 8 teams with very high ceilings, each in their own right. 10-12 could also make runs. 

Interesting that Lake Mary is starting a freshman QB.

I think the top 6 could be ranked top 25.  I actually have the top 5 ranked in the top 25

[badbird]

This might be the most depth ever in central Florida 

[Tumai Lu]

So, you're saying the Potato Bowl will be a big one this year?

[OldSchoolLion]

11 hours ago, badbird said:

This might be the most depth ever in central Florida 

Orlando-area football has come so far it's amazing.  25 years ago, Apopka and Evans were the only teams ranked in the top 10 of their class.  15 years ago it was Mainland and Edgewater. 

Now Orlando has multiple teams who could give a good game to, if not beat, just about anyone in the state.  And I think the progress will continue.      

 

[Pipe Dreams]

The Orlando Metro has become a pipeline for elite QB’s as well.

Over the last 10 years there has been a big jump overall. The decade-long consistency of Apopka, Mainland, DP and Osceola has given the area a big boost.

I’d say the big difference from previous decades is the volume of good teams. This is likely a function of population growth to a degree.

[OldSchoolLion]

8 minutes ago, Pipe Dreams said:

The Orlando Metro has become a pipeline for elite QB’s as well.

Over the last 10 years there has been a big jump overall. The decade-long consistency of Apopka, Mainland, DP and Osceola has given the area a big boost.

I’d say the big difference from previous decades is the volume of good teams. This is likely a function of population growth to a degree.

Agree with everything you say.  Orlando is perfect storm....land to grow, job growth and lots of newer schools in suburbia...very attractive.  And who wants to live in south FL anymore where kids have to worry about getting shot at a hs football game...sad.    

[badbird]

8 hours ago, Tumai Lu said:

So, you're saying the Potato Bowl will be a big one this year?

could be a big french fry

[OldSchoolLion]

On 8/19/2018 at 7:58 PM, badbird said:

1. Wekiva  dominated Lake Brantley in the KOC.  Host a good Jones team week 1

2. Apopka anytime you beat Mainland that's a good win.  Look to be better on defense early on this season.  Should be an easy game week 1 vs Ocoee before schedule gets tough. 

3. Osceola beat DP 21-3 but game was a lot closer than score.  Host Lake Gibson week 1

4. Dr. Phillips struggled on offense and will once again rely on defense to carry them.  Travels to Lee County week 1.  They will have to play much better on offense to have a shot.

5. Edgewater dominated Winter Park.  If this team stays healthy they have a shot at making a run.  They host a solid Bishop Moore team week 1. 

6. Seminole dominated a well coached Spruce Creek team.  Another team with the pieces to make a run. They get an easy one week 1 vs Lake Howell.

7. West Orange beat up on little brother Windermere.  They travel to Olympia week 1.  This loss kept them out of playoffs last year.  A must win for West Orange.

8. Mainland lost to Apopka in the KOC.  They better be ready week 1 as they travel to a much improved Deland team.

9. Jones defeated Largo in the KOC.  Maybe Jones hasn't fallen off much.  We will find out week 1 when they travel to Wekiva.  Jaden Robinson is a promising 10th grade WR

10. Boone has decided to schedule Osceola county schools.  They beat St Cloud in the KOC and host a Gateway team that lost a lot of players to the new school week 1.

11. Bishop Moore defeated Bolles in KOC but varsity actually lost a close one in 3 quarters.  They will play Edgewater tough but not sure they have enough skill.

12. Winter Park got dismantled by Edgewater.  Not sure how investigation is going or if Patrick will play.  They host Lake Nona week 1 in a pivotal game for them.

13. Lake Mary stomped Hagerty in the KOC.  Host a good Palm Bay Heritage week 1.  Lake Mary will start a freshman QB in Gunnar Smith.

14. Lake Nona struggled early vs Olympia but they have offensive weapons to score in bunches.  Shoud be a good one vs Winter Park.

15. Deland looked good vs OC University but they are down.  We will find out early if this Deland team is a contender or just hype. They host Mainland week 1

16. Oviedo easily defeated East River.  Not much coming out of Oviedo camp but they have a D1 QB and RB.  They open up hosting Timber Creek.

Others to watch  Spruce Creek, Lake Minneola, Harmony and Lake Brantley

 

Just curious, last season, Winter Park and Wekiva did not even get a single point in the 8A preseason AP poll.  I also found some preseason rankings on this forum and it seemed as if nobody had either on their radar screen, despite them having reasonably good seasons in 2016.  What factors were not evident that caused folks to miss these two teams?  ....maybe the worst "misses" in the upper class polls.    

[badbird]

in my opinion 8A was weak at the top.  lots of really good teams but no great teams.  I don't think anyone thought much of Wekiva until they beat DP mid season.  Both Winter Park and Wekiva had really good defenses but marginal offenses..  Their defenses were good enough to carry them.  Same can almost be said about DP last year.  Usually teams that get the rankings or the hype are teams with exciting playmakers on offense.  nether of those teams really had that.

 

but if you remember I had Winter Park and Wekiva ranked early in my central Florida rankings and caught major crap for it by a certain pollster but i didn't think either team would end up being as good as they were.

[DisabledAccount]

2 minutes ago, badbird said:

in my opinion 8A was weak at the top.  lots of really good teams but no great teams.  I don't think anyone thought much of Wekiva until they beat DP mid season.  Both Winter Park and Wekiva had really good defenses but marginal offenses..  Their defenses were good enough to carry them.  Same can almost be said about DP last year.  Usually teams that get the rankings or the hype are teams with exciting playmakers on offense.  nether of those teams really had that.

8a appears to lack elite teams but they also probably are deeper with the second tier or "solid" teams

 

By comparison i would say 6a usually has 4-5 "elite" teams and maybe 3-5 solid teams and rest are average 

 

8a may only have 1 elite team but usually have 5-6 "good" teams" and at least 10-15 "solid" teams

[Pipe Dreams]

DP having major problems on offense.

I’d put them in the 7-10 range at this point.

The defense can’t do it alone.

[DarterBlue2]

36 minutes ago, Pipe Dreams said:

DP having major problems on offense.

I’d put them in the 7-10 range at this point.

The defense can’t do it alone.

Sorry for the loss. I was pulling for DP.  And Lee is nowhere near as good as North Gwinnett or Colquit. Florida may end up getting stomped by Georgia. 

[Pipe Dreams]

Timber Creek struggled so we have an opportunity to regroup week 2.

[badbird]

8A is wide open again with no elite teams in my opinion at the moment.  Might be some at the end of the year.  

[OldSchoolLion]

 

2 hours ago, Pipe Dreams said:

DP having major problems on offense.

I’d put them in the 7-10 range at this point.

The defense can’t do it alone.

How did Lee County's offense look?  Were they that good?  Speed?

[DisabledAccount]

1 minute ago, OldSchoolLion said:

 

How did Lee County's offense look?  Were they that good?  Speed?

Based on observations I'm hearing what helped Lee County the most was Dr Phillips struggling on offense eventually caused their defense to wear down

[Pipe Dreams]

Every drive started from the 50 for Lee. DP went nowherr

[OldSchoolLion]

On 8/25/2018 at 2:10 PM, DarterBlue2 said:

Sorry for the loss. I was pulling for DP.  And Lee is nowhere near as good as North Gwinnett or Colquit. Florida may end up getting stomped by Georgia. 

I think Florida's biggest problem right now is on the offensive side of the ball.  The state is loaded with quality DE's and DB's.  

But we lack good qb's, offensive lineman, and power backs, relatively speaking.  If one looks at scores of OOS games against national powers over the past couple of decades, Florida's better teams have not routinely lit up the scoreboard.

The offensive style Florida has evolved to is limiting.   It's good enough to beat 95% of teams around the country, but when we run into a team that can match our speed, has a deadly pro-style qb, and/or can play a power game, our teams can get in trouble.

This DP game is only one data point, so cannot read into it too much.  But it does suggest a couple things.  First, there are some teams outside Florida who can keep up with our speed.  Some in Florida seem to think we have cornered the market.  Second, those who think Florida is light years ahead of surrounding Southern states may be in for a surprise as we play more OOS games.  Historically, Lee County cannot touch the schools of North Atlanta.  If DP had played Grayson, it likely would have been a running clock.  This is a wake-up call that Florida teams are not going to waltz into a state like Georgia or Louisiana and just walk over those folks.   

It is well-known that Miami kids are very tough.  If anyone has been to the inner city Atlanta, you know those kids can be just as tough and nasty.

 

[ohs vargas]

Highlights of the Lee vs DP game. It was a very good game up until the second half Lee ran away with it. Some costly but weird penalties in the 1st half cost DP some points which would have put them in a better position to win. Excessive celebration on a fumble recovery early took out of scoring range and a questionable hold on there touchdown. But even with those two scores who knows if they would of mustard up enough offense to win the game.

 

[Cat_Scratch]

On 8/24/2018 at 12:12 AM, OldSchoolLion said:

Just curious, last season, Winter Park and Wekiva did not even get a single point in the 8A preseason AP poll.  I also found some preseason rankings on this forum and it seemed as if nobody had either on their radar screen, despite them having reasonably good seasons in 2016.  What factors were not evident that caused folks to miss these two teams?  ....maybe the worst "misses" in the upper class polls.    

I've always been an advocate for Winter Park, not so for Wekiva. Well, back around 2005 thru 2010 Winter Park was always on my list of teams to watch. Wekiva only just became a Central Florida team in the last few years. They got some spunk though and just needed a little wind  under their wings to take them to higher elevations. I still keep an eye on teams like Kathleen and Gibson etc... I'm surprised Oveido isn't ranked higher in Central Florida. They develop some decent QB's and O-line guys.

justsayin...