The Greatest FL HS Playoff Team Ever?

[OldSchoolLion]

Only 13 teams have won 50 or more FHSAA playoff games.  They are listed further below.  Of those 12 teams, only one of them can claim the following concerning its performance in the playoffs.   Who is it?

• Has lost less than 25 playoff games.
• Has been defeated by 10 or more points only 8 times.  
• Has been defeated by 14 or more points only 3 times.
• Has never been beaten by more than 28 points in a playoff game. 
• Has allowed an average of 13 points in all of its playoff games.
• Has a history of title game appearances over the decades.
• Disclaimer...I realize there are different ways to judge this, ie # of state titles, # of playoff wins, etc.  Here is how I chose to define...this is the team that has proven to be the toughest out, was almost always in the game, even when they lost, routinely shut other teams down via dominating defensive play, and whose success extends over a very long period of time...legacy stuff.  Quite simply, of all the teams listed below, this is the one that I would not have bet against in the playoffs over the years. 

13 Florida High Schools with 50 or More Playoff Wins

• St Thomas Aquinas
• Bolles 
• Glades Central
• Glades Day
• Lakeland
• North Florida Christian 
• Manatee 
• Pahokee 
• Trinity Christian 
• Armwood 
• Northwestern 
• Madison County 
• Carol City 

[DisabledAccount]

39 minutes ago, OldSchoolLion said:

Only 12 teams have won 50 or more FHSAA playoff games.  They are listed further below.  Of those 12 teams, only one of them can claim the following concerning its performance in the playoffs.   Who is it?

• Has lost less than 25 playoff games.
• Has been defeated by 10 or more points only 8 times.  
• Has been defeated by 14 or more points only 3 times.
• Has never been beaten by more than 28 points in a playoff game. 
• Has allowed an average of 13 points in all of its playoff games.
• Has a history of title game appearances over the decades.
• Disclaimer...I realize there are different ways to judge this, ie # of state titles, # of playoff wins, etc.  Here is how I chose to define...this is the team that has proven to be the toughest out, was almost always in the game, even when they lost, routinely shut other teams down via dominating defensive play, and whose success extends over a very long period of time...legacy stuff.  Quite simply, of all the teams listed below, this is the one that I would not have bet against in the playoffs over the years. 

12 Florida High Schools with 50 or More Playoff Wins

• St Thomas Aquinas 
• Bolles 
• Glades Central 
• Glades Day 
• Lakeland 
• North Florida Christian 
• Manatee 
• Pahokee 
• Trinity Christian 
• Armwood 
• Northwestern 
• Madison County 
• Carol City 

Gonna go with Lakeland

[DarterBlue2]

5 hours ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

Gonna go with Lakeland

It's not Lakeland. In 2009, I believe, St Thomas destroyed them in the State Title game. Scored over 50 while I believe Lakeland scored 7. It was the most totally dominating beat down of an undefeated team I ever saw.

[OldSchoolLion]

 

7 hours ago, ColumbiaHighFan2017class said:

Gonna go with Lakeland

 

2 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

It's not Lakeland. In 2009, I believe, St Thomas destroyed them in the State Title game. Scored over 50 while I believe Lakeland scored 7. It was the most totally dominating beat down of an undefeated team I ever saw.

Great catch, Darter.  Yes, St Thomas hung 59 on Lakeland in the 2008 title game, Lakeland's worst ever playoff defeat.  And their second worst.... in 2010, Plant came to Lakeland and beat them 48-6 in a state semi.  Back in the 90's,  Sarasota Riverview beat Lakeland 55-21.

Lakeland, on average, has allowed 17 points per game in the playoffs over the years.

 

[OldSchoolLion]

It's not Madison County.  Over the past 20 years, MC has been one of the most successful small schools in the playoffs.  But prior to that, they really weren't in the picture.  Except for a handful of games, they have kept their playoff losses relatively close.    

• 55-19 in the playoffs
• 12 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 23 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: Osceola 32-0 back in the 90's

[DisabledAccount]

52 minutes ago, OldSchoolLion said:

It's not Madison County.  Over the past 20 years, MC has been one of the most successful small schools in the playoffs.  But prior to that, they really weren't in the picture.  Except for a handful of games, they have kept their playoff losses relatively close.    

• 55-19 in the playoffs
• 12 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 23 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: Osceola 32-0 back in the 90's

There goes my second guess

[DisabledAccount]

3 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

It's not Lakeland. In 2009, I believe, St Thomas destroyed them in the State Title game. Scored over 50 while I believe Lakeland scored 7. It was the most totally dominating beat down of an undefeated team I ever saw.

They also destroyed STA ( I think it was 04 or 05)

 

So we now know it isn't Lakeland, STA or Madison County

[DarterBlue2]

I believe the answer is either Glades Central or North Florida Christian. But those are guesses. I have not done the research.

[181pl]

Plant is 49-18 in the FHSAA playoffs.

[DarterBlue2]

16 minutes ago, 181pl said:

Plant is 49-18 in the FHSAA playoffs.

Good record and almost there!

[OldSchoolLion]

It's not St Thomas Aquinas.  Although quite good prior to 1990, they were nowhere near the powerhouse of today.  And the playoff routes were very different then, necessitating region matchups versus some very strong teams.  Their record below is incredible, although there is always that lingering question...what if STA had to go through Miami-Dade in the playoffs over the past 30 years? 

Go ahead and shoot me STA fans, but if STA had to face off with Southridge, Carol City, Northwestern or Central during those years, I am convinced their record of titles would look much different today.  Ask anyone who saw the Dade state title teams and compare them versus STA those years.  That's not to take away from STA's accomplishments...just sayin' 

• 104-27 in the playoffs
• 23 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 14 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: Lakeland 40-6 back in the 90's (and Lakeland is second worst, with 39-10 loss in 2005)

[OldSchoolLion]

1 hour ago, DarterBlue2 said:

I believe the answer is either Glades Central or North Florida Christian. But those are guesses. I have not done the research.

It's not Glades Central.   Talk about a legacy program.  The Raiders have been competing for state titles as long as anyone...50 years ago.  Unfortunately, the program has experienced some challenges and taken some big losses of late.

• 70-30 in the playoffs
• 11 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 16 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: University School 45-14 this year; BTW smoked Glades by 28 a few years ago and MIlton took out the Raiders by 29 about 40 years ago

[badbird]

 CC

[Miamidade92]

Northwestern

 

[OldSchoolLion]

It's not Armwood.  Like Madison County, Armwood really did not come onto the playoff scene until 20 years ago.  Nobody is tougher to beat at home during the playoffs.  Ask anyone who has tried.  Unfortunately for the Hawks, state titles have proven to be elusive.        

• 59-18 in the playoffs
• 8 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 19 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: Miami Central 52-7 in 2013.  Over the past 10 years, Gainesville beat the Hawks by 32 and Dwyer beat them by 26.  

[OldSchoolLion]

38 minutes ago, Miamidade92 said:

Northwestern

 

It's not Northwestern.  The Bulls started making noise on the playoff scene about 25 years ago.  No other team can say they have pitched 3 shutouts in a state final.  Historically, the Bulls have been one of the toughest playoff outs in the state.  But it has been feast or famine for the Bulls this decade, dominating opponents or getting blown out by 27 points by Hallandale and Central.          

• 54-21 in the playoffs
• 9 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 16 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: Back in 1999, eventual state finalist and powerhouse of the 90's Southridge beat the Bulls 36-6. 

[OldSchoolLion]

19 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

I believe the answer is either Glades Central or North Florida Christian. But those are guesses. I have not done the research.

It's not North Florida Chrsitian.  They rose to prominence in the mid 90's.   Although a dominating team, they, themselves, have sustained some dominating defeats at the hands of other private, small school powers over the years, ie Glades Day, Trinity Christian.. 

• 64-22 in the playoffs
• 10 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 17 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: Back in 1989 lost to University Christian 47-6.  .

[OldSchoolLion]

It's not Pahokee.  The Blue Devils are truly a legacy program, competing for state titles as far back as the 1970's.  Have allowed only 15 points per game, on average, but have experienced some crushing defeats in the playoffs.   

• 58-23 in the playoffs
• 14 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 15 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: Eventual state finalist Wildwood put a 60-0 beatdown on the Blue Devils back in 1985, and Dunnellon beat the Blue Devils by 41 in the 70's.  Chaminade-Madonna blew out the Blue Devils 35-0 in 2009. 

[OldSchoolLion]

It's not Glades Day.  They are truly a legacy program, competing for state titles as far back as the 1970's.  But GC has had its share of big playoff losses over the years.

• 68-29 in the playoffs
• 16 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 16 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: 48-7 loss to Baker in 1984.  Baker put a 33 point loss on them a year latter.

 

[OldSchoolLion]

It's not Trinity Chrsitian.  Did not rise to prominence until the 90's.  

• 59-17 in the playoffs
• 2 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 17 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: 42-0 loss to Madison County in 2011.  NFC beat them 41-8 back in the 90's.

[OldSchoolLion]

Only 2 teams left and it is not Bolles.  Of the teams listed above,  Bolles ties St Thomas Aquinas for the second least points allowed per playoff game, on average.  But Bolles has been victim of a number of big playoff losses.

• 88-27 in the playoffs
• 17 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 14 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: Wakulla 38-0 back in the 80's

[OldSchoolLion]

On 1/11/2019 at 1:46 PM, badbird said:

 CC

Badbird is CORRECT.  Columbiafan once said that badbird is always right. LOL

It is Carol City!  Of the teams listed above, the Chiefs are the only one that has allowed, on average, less than 14 points per playoff game.  Of their 22 playoff losses, 12 of them were by a TD or less.  CC does not always make the playoffs, but when they do, they have historically been the toughest out of any team in the playoffs.  They have almost always been in the game, even when losing.  And the Chiefs have produced some of the toughest defenses the state has ever seen.  In 72 playoff games, only twice has a team scored more than 28 points on a Chiefs defense, and only once has a team scored 35.  How many teams that have played 50+ playoff games can say that?

• 50-22 in the playoffs
• 11 shutouts
• Allowed an average of 12.9 points per playoff game
• Worst playoff defeat: Miami Central 36-8 in 2015

By the way, in my mind it was between St Thomas Aquinas and Carol City for this honor.  It is tough to bet against either in a playoff game.

[badbird]

6 hours ago, OldSchoolLion said:

Badbird is CORRECT.  Columbiafan once said that badbird is always right. LOL

 

In my first year playing I did win pickem this year breaking Columbiafan’s 2 year run.  

[OldSchoolLion]

47 minutes ago, badbird said:

In my first year playing I did win pickem this year breaking Columbiafan’s 2 year run.  

Wasn't there a protest of some sort

[badbird]

1 hour ago, OldSchoolLion said:

Wasn't there a protest of some sort

well in true Floridahsfootball fashion someone didn't run it every week and then stopped all together.