We will dive into determining the best districts in the state going into the 2024 season based on the final classification and district assignments that were released last week by the FHSAA.

In this article, we will look at Class 5A and we ranked the districts from 1 through 16 using winning percentages of the last two years (2023 and 2024) to come up with our ranking.

1. District 5A-14

Teams: Atlantic (Delray Beach), Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach), Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach

2 Year Combined Win %: .626

Skinny: Despite the struggles the last two seasons by Deerfield Beach, the strong efforts by Atlantic, Blanche Ely and Coconut Creek make this district one of the strongest in the state. This will be a fun district to watch in 2024 and 2025.

2. District 5A-4

Teams: Belleview, Mainland (Daytona Beach), Matanzas (Palm Coast)

2 Year Combined Win %: .600

Skinny: It is a three-team district and if you look closely, most of that winning percentage lies with an impressive 25-5 two-year record by Mainland with a state championship victory in the middle of all that. Matanzas adds in a little bit of reinforcement to make this one of the strongest districts in Class 5A.

3. District 5A-6

Teams: Kathleen (Lakeland), Lake Gibson (Lakeland), Lakeland, Sebring

2 Year Combined Win %: .591

Skinny: Take Kathleen out of the equation and really the rest of the district is going to be strong and going to fight each other to the very end. Lakeland, with two state championships in a row, only helped bolster the strength of the district despite Kathleen’s struggles as of late.

4. District 5A-9

Teams: Braden River (Bradenton), Manatee (Bradenton), Pinellas Park (Largo)

2 Year Combined Win %: .578

Skinny: If you look at the common denominator in this three team district, is these teams loke to win games and this will be surely a competitive district as all three will be seeking playoff berths in 2024.

5. District 5A-8

Teams: East Bay (Gibsonton), Leto (Tampa), Spoto (Riverview), Tampa Bay Tech

2 Year Combined Win %: .557

Skinny: Highlighted among between a one of the strongest programs, a middle tier type program and then a couple of programs that have struggled, some would be surprised to see this district ranked as high as it is, but Tampa Bay Tech’s playoff runs and winning ways along with East Bay’s improvements bolster the winning percentage.

6. District 5A-15

Teams: Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes), Hollywood Hills, McArthur (Hollywood), St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale)

2 Year Combined Win %: .556

Skinny: The overall winning percentage for district would be much lower if St. Thomas Aquinas was not by far the most strongest of the teams in the district and is the reason why it has nearly a 56% combined winning percentage with their record being 28-1 over the last two seasons along with two state championships.

7. District 5A-5

Teams: Edgewater (Orlando), Lyman (Longwood), Winter Springs

2 Year Combined Win %: .554

Skinny: Pull Winter Springs out of this and combine the two-year winning percentage between Edgewater and Lyman is 80%. However, now factoring Winter Springs in with their 0-20 record over the last two seasons, makes this district a bit weaker than it could have been had their been a decent fourth team in the mix.

8. District 5A-13

Teams: Fort Pierce Westwood, Heritage (Palm Bay), Martin County (Stuart), South Fork (Stuart)

2 Year Combined Win %: .549

Skinny: The strong season by Heritage last season and the fact Fort Pierce Westwood has made improvements helped the district come out stronger in the rankings. Martin County, which has been decent in recent years also added to the ranking being strong.

9. District 5A-16

Teams: Everglades (Miramar), Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens), Miramar, North Miami, Pembroke Pines Charter

2 Year Combined Win %: .519

Skinny: A middle of the road type of district, the strongest team is Miramar which has gone deep into the playoffs the last couple of years. Improvements by Pembroke Pines Charter and Everglades also help pushed the winning percentage above 50%.

10. District 5A-1

Teams: Gulf Breeze, Milton, Mosley (Lynn Haven), Niceville

2 Year Combined Win %: .512

Skinny: Given the fact of what we saw this past season with Panhandle teams especially withy Mosley upsetting Niceville to take a district championship, this district will be one to watch even if it is not on top of being one of the strongest districts to watch in Class 5A.

11. District 5A-2

Teams: Chiles (Tallahassee), Leon (Tallahassee), Lincoln (Tallahassee)

2 Year Combined Win %: .508

Skinny: The traditional three-team Tallahassee district returns with the three of the five largest public high school now residing in the same district again. Lincoln has been arguably the strongest of the three teams, but Chiles appears to be on the way to improvement while Leon did show some improvement this past season as well.

12. District 5A-3

Teams: Beachside (St. Johns), Fleming Island, Middleburg, Orange Park, Ponte Vedra

2 Year Combined Win %: .505

Skinny: This district is propped up by Beachside’s incredible start out of the gate as a program with a 15-5 combined record over the first two seasons. Middleburg and Ponte Vedra have been playoff teams the past two seasons and they also strength the district some. If Fleming Island and Orange Park show improvement, this district could be much stronger by the end of 2024.

13. District 5A-7

Teams: Cypress Creek (Wesley Chapel), Gaither (Tampa), Springstead (Spring Hill), Wesley Chapel

2 Year Combined Win %: .460

Skinny: At first you look at the combined winning percentage and you scratch your head, but you look at Wesley Chapel and you see they drag the percentage down in strength here. However, Cypress Creek, Gaither and Springstead were all playoff teams over the last two seasons and Gaither’s run to the state semifinals last season after a slow start makes us believe this district will be one to watch even being in the bottom of this ranking.

14. District 5A-12

Teams: Golden Gate (Naples), Gulf Coast (Naples), Immokalee, Palmetto Ridge (Naples)

2 Year Combined Win %: .488

Skinny: Golden Gate saw its best season last year and that helps boost up the win percentage along with the improvements that are being seen by Immokalee over the last two seasons. What probably hurts this district the most is the struggles with Palmetto Ridge over the last two seasons who have won three games total.

15. District 5A-11

Teams: East Lee County (Lehigh Acres), Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Riverdale (Fort Myers)

2 Year Combined Win %: .455

Skinny: You could pick Fort Myers out of this group and say they are the strongest of the four teams in this district and you would be right. East Lee County showed some improvement last year, but it did not do much for the win combined win percentage.

16. District 5A-10

Teams: Cape Coral, Charlotte (Punta Gorda), Ida Baker (Cape Coral), Mariner (Cape Coral)

2 Year Combined Win %: .387

Skinny: What you see is what you get sometimes and here what you get is a district that has seen all four teams struggle for the most part of the last two years. The only exception in the past year is Mariner but they were one-and-done in the playoffs while Charlotte was a district champion last season, but again through the roots of a very weak district.

The post FOOTBALL: Ranking the districts from the strongest to the weakest in the new Class 5A appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

Head Coach: Rodelin Anthony

District: Class 5A-District 12

Home Stadium: Gary Bates Stadium

2018 SCHEDULE

All game times 7 p.m. Eastern unless noted. (B) indicates 3 bonus points for playing a playoff team from 2015 or 2016.

* – District Contest

Aug 24 – @ Golden Gate

Aug 31 – @ University School (B)

Sep 7 – Barron Collier (B)

Sep 14 – @ Dunbar* (B)

Sep 21 – @ Naples, 7:30 (B)

Sep 28 – Cypress Lake*

Oct 5 – Palmetto Ridge (B)

Oct 12 – @ Clewiston* (B)

Oct 19 – @ Lely*

Oct 26 – Mariner*

Nov 2 – OPEN

Bonus Points: 18

The post Immokalee Indians 2018 Football Schedule appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Watch the first team reveal for all eight classifications including the award winners for Coach of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Overall Player of the Year, this Wednesday night on the FloridaHSFootball.com Gridiron Report on Varsity Sports Network, starting at 8:00 p.m. EST / 7:00 p.m. CST by clicking here.

Without further ado, here at the candidates for 2017 Class 5A Coach of the Year:

• Patrick Surtain, Plantation American Heritage (13-0) – Led the Patriots to their fourth state championship in five years, and the second straight season as an undefeated team, having gone 27-0 as head coach.

• Jamie Rodgers, Glen St. Mary Baker County (13-2) – Guided alma mater to its best season in school history and first appearance in a state championship game in the school’s 70-plus year history.

• Rhett Summerford, Pensacola West Florida Tech (12-2) – In his first season as the head coach for the Jaguars, Summerford led his team to their best season in school history, reaching the state semifinals for the first time after knocking out four-time defending state champion Jacksonville Trinity Christian in the regional finals.

• Rodelin Anthony, Immokalee (12-1) – Led his alma mater to their best season since 2012 when the Indians competed in the Class 5A state championship, leading them to the state semifinals playing toe-to-toe against defending Class 5A champions, Plantation American Heritage.

• Matt DuBuc, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (11-2) – DuBuc lead his alma mater to their deepest playoff run since the 1994 season with arguably its most talented squad since that very same season.

The post 2017 FLORIDA ALL-STATE: Class 5A Coach of the Year Candidates appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

WATCH: Watch the video above for our discussion on the Class 5A preseason rankings.

2017 CLASS 5A PRESEASON RANKINGS

1. AMERICAN HERITAGE (PLANTATION)
2016 RECORD: 14-0
QUICK HIT: American Heritage looks to make it back-to-back state championships this season and with a loaded squad ready to compete. However, the road to Orlando won’t be as easy with some other top teams standing in the way of the path.

2. TRINITY CHRISTIAN (JACKSONVILLE)
2016 RECORD: 11-3
QUICK HIT: The proverbial five-peat has been elusive in this state to teams like Suwannee, North Florida Christian, Miami Central, and Booker T. Washington. So now the Conquerors have the chance to become the first program to win five straight. However, the last four titles come in Class 3A and the move to Class 5A will certainly be a challenge for Verlon Dorminey’s squad.

3. JONES
2016 RECORD: 10-2
QUICK HIT: With a lot of talent coming back home or being to get a seat with the new school choice laws, Jones is locked and loaded for the season. Elijah Williams success at Oak Ridge and now Jones has caught the eye of many folks, including us. We are not ignoring the Tigers’ potential to possibly play for a state title just a few thousand feet away from campus this season.

4. CLAY
2016 RECORD: 10-4
QUICK HIT: Can you find Green Cove Springs on the map? If so, then you will find one of most competitive teams in the Jacksonville-area sitting in this city. The Blue Devils, although, losing a few key players from last year’s state semifinalist team, will be in the mix to make another deep run in the playoffs again under the coaching of Josh Hoekstra.

5. CARDINAL GIBBONS
2016 RECORD: 9-3
QUICK HIT: A lot of hype is surrounding the Chiefs this season and they think it is potentially their best chance to knock off district rival and No. 1 team in American Heritage (Plantation).  If things go the way the Chiefs want them to, a deep playoff run would not be out of the question for Matt DuBuc’s squad.

6. BOLLES
2016 RECORD: 12-1
QUICK HIT: With the legend in Corky Rogers in retirement, things turn to the succcessor Corky grommed for years in Wayne Belger. There is some doubts being casted by the team itself thinking they won’t be good this season. We expect a slight drop off, but not much. We are not going to discount the Bulldogs being in the mix of top teams in which ever classification they are in.

7. RICKARDS
2016 RECORD: 10-2
QUICK HIT: The Raiders will have a few holes to fill, but there are still plenty of pieces still around for the Raiders to potentially repeat the success they had last year as they had a school-best in reaching the Regional Finals. However, with juggernauts Trinity Christian and Bolles in the same region, things got a whole lot tougher.

8. BISHOP MOORE
2016 RECORD: 11-2
QUICK HIT: The Hornets are going to be contending with Jones for the possible District 5A-13 championship this season, but there is no reason not to think that the Hornets shouldn’t be a Top 10 team in Class 5A. Looking at the history under Matt Hedrick, the Hornets reload, not rebuild.

9. PONTE VEDRA
2016 RECORD: 13-1
QUICK HIT: If Nick Tronti was back, the Sharks would be ranked higher. That is how much drop there is here, but there is still enough talent is around that Ponte Vedra should still be in the mix for a playoff spot despite the fact their district now includes the No. 1 and No. 6 teams in Class 5A.

10. DUNBAR
2016 RECORD: 9-3
QUICK HIT: The Tigers have a lot of talent returning this season and after a disappointing exit in the Regional Semifinals last year, Dunbar looks to go very deep in the Class 5A playoffs this season.

SIX ON THE BUBBLE

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jesuit was accidentally left our list and should b0 for our rankings and will be adjusted after Week 1. For now, we will include them On The Bubble. Our apologies.

2016 record shown
Jesuit, 12-1
Palm Bay, 10-1
Nature Coast, 10-1
Baker County, 9-2
River Ridge, 9-2
West Florida, 9-3

REGIONAL RANKINGS

2016 record shown

REGION 1
1. Trinity Chri-stian (Jacksonville), 11-3
2. Bolles, 12-1
3. Rickards, 10-2
4. Ponte Vedra, 13-1
5. West Florida, 9-3

REGION 2
1. Clay, 10-4
2. Nature Coast, 10-1
3. Baker County, 9-2
4. River Ridge, 9-2
5. Belleview, 6-3

REGION 3
1. Dunbar, 9-3
2. Jesuit, 12-1
3. Jefferson, 7-4
4. Hardee, 8-3
5. Immokale, 8-5

REGION 4
1. American Heritage (Plantation), 14-0
2. Jones, 10-2
3. Cardinal Gibbons, 9-2
4. Bishop Moore, 11-2
5. Palm Bay, 10-1

The post Florida HS Football’s 2017 Class 5A Preseason Rankings appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

Here are the 2017 football schedules for District 5A-12, Presented by Varsity Sports Network. All kickoff times are 7:30 p.m. Eastern unless noted.

* — District Contest

CLEWISTON TIGERS
• Week 1 — Fri. Aug. 25 — @ Fort Myers
• Week 2 — Fri. Sep. 1 — Monsignor Pace
• Week 3 — Fri. Sep. 8 — @ LaBelle
• Week 4 — Fri. Sep. 15 — @ Lely,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 5 — Fri. Sep. 22 — @ Glades Central, 7:00 p.m.
• Week 6 — Fri. Sep. 29 — Mariner*
• Week 7 — Fri. Oct. 6 — BYE WEEK
• Week 8 — Fri. Oct. 13 — @ Immokalee,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 9 — Fri. Oct. 20 — Cypress Lake*
• Week 10 — Fri. Oct. 27 — Dunbar*
• Week 11 — Fri. Nov. 3 — Okeechobee

CYPRESS LAKE PANTHERS
• Week 1 — Fri. Aug. 25 — Island Coast
• Week 2 — Fri. Sep. 1 — @ East Lee County
• Week 3 — Fri. Sep. 8 — Fort Myers
• Week 4 — Fri. Sep. 15 — @ Mariner*
• Week 5 — Fri. Sep. 22 — BYE WEEK
• Week 6 — Thu. Sep. 28 — Immokalee*
• Week 7 — Fri. Oct. 6 — Bishop Verot
• Week 8 — Fri. Oct. 13 — @ Dunbar*
• Week 9 — Fri. Oct. 20 — @ Clewiston*
• Week 10 — Fri. Oct. 27 — Lely*
• Week 11 — Fri. Nov. 3 — @ Estero

DUNBAR TIGERS
• Week 1 — Fri. Aug. 25 — Charlotte
• Week 2 — Fri. Sep. 1 — Lehigh
• Week 3 — Fri. Sep. 8 — Riverdale
• Week 4 — Fri. Sep. 15 — @ Immokalee,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 5 — Fri. Sep. 22 — BYE WEEK
• Week 6 — Thu. Sep. 28 — Lely*
• Week 7 — Fri. Oct. 6 — North Fort Myers
• Week 8 — Fri. Oct. 13 — Cypress Lake*
• Week 9 — Fri. Oct. 20 — Mariner*
• Week 10 — Fri. Oct. 27 — @ Clewiston*
• Week 11 — Fri. Nov. 3 — @ Fort Myers

IMMOKALEE INDIANS
• Week 1 — Fri. Aug. 25 — Golden Gate
• Week 2 — Fri. Sep. 1 — Lely,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 3 — Fri. Sep. 8 — @ Barron Collier, 7:00 p.m.
• Week 4 — Fri. Sep. 15 — Dunbar,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 5 — Fri. Sep. 22 — Naples, 7:00 p.m.
• Week 6 — Thu. Sep. 28 — @ Cypress Lake*
• Week 7 — Fri. Oct. 6 — @ Palmetto Ridge, 7:00 p.m.
• Week 8 — Fri. Oct. 13 — Clewiston,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 9 — Fri. Oct. 20 — BYE WEEK
• Week 10 — Fri. Oct. 27 — @ Mariner*
• Week 11 — Fri. Nov. 3 — South Fort Myers, 7:00 p.m.

LELY TROJANS
• Week 1 — Fri. Aug. 25 — Gulf Coast, 7:00 p.m.
• Week 2 — Fri. Sep. 1 — @ Immokalee,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 3 — Fri. Sep. 8 — @ Golden Gate, 7:00 p.m.
• Week 4 — Fri. Sep. 15 — Clewiston,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 5 — Fri. Sep. 22 — Sebring, 7:00 p.m.
• Week 6 — Thu. Sep. 28 — @ Dunbar*
• Week 7 — Fri. Oct. 6 — @ Naples
• Week 8 — Fri. Oct. 13 — Mariner,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 9 — Fri. Oct. 20 — BYE WEEK
• Week 10 — Fri. Oct. 27 — @ Cypress Lake*
• Week 11 — Fri. Nov. 3 — Palmetto Ridge, 7:00 p.m.

MARINER TRITONS
• Week 1 — Fri. Aug. 25 — @ Estero
• Week 2 — Fri. Sep. 1 — @ Island Coast
• Week 3 — Fri. Sep. 8 — BYE WEEK
• Week 4 — Fri. Sep. 15 — Cypress Lake*
• Week 5 — Fri. Sep. 22 — @ North Fort Myers
• Week 6 — Fri. Sep. 29 — @ Clewiston*
• Week 7 — Fri. Oct. 6 — Ida Baker
• Week 8 — Fri. Oct. 13 — @ Lely,* 7:00 p.m.
• Week 9 — Fri. Oct. 20 — @ Dunbar*
• Week 10 — Fri. Oct. 27 — Immokalee*
• Week 11 — Fri. Nov. 3 — Cape Coral

The post 2017 District 5A-12 Football Schedules appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

IMMOKALEE INDIANS

The post Immokalee Indians 2016 Football Schedule appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

Travel Time

Several teams in the region will be taking on at least one Out-of-State opponent this season, which has become a way for teams to measure themselves against other top programs from around the country.

This year Manatee, Venice, Marco Island Academy and IMG Academy have all dialed up bus tickets or plane tickets to travel across the country.

Manatee will open the season against Hoover, Alabama, in what will be a tough test for the Hurricanes against a nationally known powerhouse.

Venice will also open the season on the road against Stephenville, Texas. The Indians hope to use this game as a launch point for a highly successful 2015 season as they move back up to Class 7A.

Marco Island Academy will join Venice in traveling to Texas for the season open as they will take on Edgewood as part of a three-day series of games involving teams from Texas and around the country.

For IMG Academy, they will be playing multiple teams from out-of-state as a majority of teams in Florida have rejected advances to play the Ascenders, thus forcing the program to settle on teams from outside Florida.

Coaching Changes

Of over 100-plus coaching changes around the state this offseason, 13 coaching changes took place in Southwest Florida, according to our 2015 Coaches Moving Van.

• Barron Collier: Dan Pallente, Mark Jackson
• Cardinal Mooney: Josh Smithers, Drew Lascari
• Estero: Mark Jackson, Jeff Hanlon
• IMG Academy: Chris Weinke, Kevin Wright
• Immokalee: Rich Dombrowski, Dale Moore
• Island Coast: Wayne Blair, John Schowchow
• Lehigh: Nate Sund, James Chaney
• Moore Haven: Alphonso Smith, Richard Roudybush
• North Port: Larry Detweiler, Brian Hatler
• Out-of-Door: Brett Timmons, Ken Sommers
• Palmetto Ridge: Ryan Mitchell, Chris Toukonen
• St. John Neumann: Alfredo Molina, Simon Codrington III
• South Fort Myers: Grant Redhead, Anthony Dixon

Manatee Getting A Jumbotron

The Manatee Hurricanes announced a couple of weeks ago that they will be adding a Jumbotron scoreboard at Hawkins Stadium located on the school’s campus.

The Jumbotron which will measure 15 feet by 28 feet and will feature a Bose surround sound system.

However, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the Jumbotron has yet to be approved by the School District of Manatee County and was not on the agenda for the end of July meeting as it appears that finalized details are still being worked upon according to Manatee athletic director, Jason Montgomery.

The report also indicated the Jumbotron’s $200,000 cost will be paid for by sponsors and will not be using any taxpayers dollars.

The Jumbotron plans to be installed sometime in October.

Southwest Florida Christian Goes Under The Lights

No one likes playing a football game at 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon.

For Southwest Florida Christian, they have done just that for the last six seasons, however, that is changing starting this season.

According to the Fort Myers News-Press, the Fort Myers-based Christian school was able to install lights thanks to a substantial donation that allowed the Kings to play their first game under the lights this past spring. Now, the Kings will be able to play a full home game schedule this season under the lights.

As for the spring game, Southwest Florida Christian defeated LaBelle 22-14 to proclaim the first victory for the Kings, under the lights, according to the report.

Southwest Florida Christian will be rejoining district play this year as team in District 2A-7.

The post 2015 Preview Guide: Southwest Florida Region Notebook appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

The Maxwell Football Club released its preseason watch list for the 2015 Bednarik Award, which is awarded to the best college defensive player of the year.

The Bednarik Award is named after Chuck Bednarik, who was a three-time All-American at the University of Pennsylvania.

The winner will be announced live on December 10 at The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.

Florida HS Football Alumni on the 2015 Bednairk Award preseason watch list:

The post Nine Florida HS Football alumni land on the 2015 Bednarik Award watch list appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

Cape Coral (8-2) at DeSoto County (8-2)
The Skinny: To fairly even teams in this first round matchup means this game could be another close one as well. DeSoto County has been here many times and experience will be a huge factor in the game. If things go as planned, DeSoto County will host district rival Booker in round two.
Prediction: DeSoto County

Sarasota Booker (6-3) at Island Coast (8-2)
The Skinny: To be a fairly new school, Island Coast has built quite a program making the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six years. For years Booker was a consistent playoff program but fell on hard times two years ago. The Tornadoes rebounded with a second round playoff appearance last season.
Prediction: Island Coast

Miami Jackson (6-4) at Lely (7-3)
The Skinny: Anything less than a Jackson-American Heritage matchup in the second round would be considered an upset. Generals have been battle tested with losses coming to Booker T. Washington, Central and American Heritage. Lely has made the playoffs for the second straight year and their ninth time in the last 20 years. The odds of advancing to the next round are against them though as the Trojans haven’t won a playoff game since 1987.
Prediction: Miami Jackson

Immokalee (4-6) at Plantation American Heritage (7-3)
The Skinny: Most years this would likely be the Game of the Week across the state but not this year, this one won’t be close. Immokalee will have their hands full with Patriots quarterback Tarvaras McFadden who is just as lethal on the ground as he is passing. The Patriots have played a brutal schedule that featured games with Mainland, St. Thomas Aquinas, Miramar, Bolles, Apopka, Kathleen and Delray American Heritage.
Prediction: American Heritage

The post PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Class 5A – Region IV – Regional Quarterfinals appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

Schedule | All Times Eastern Unless Noted
* – denotes district game

The post Immokalee Indians 2014 Schedule appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

District 5A-13

1. Southeast
2. Hardee
3. DeSoto County
4. Booker
5. Bayshore

District 5A-14

1. Dunbar
2. Island Coast
3. Lemon Bay
4. Cape Coral
5. North Fort Myers
6. Mariner
7. Cypress Lake

District 5A-15

1. Immokalee
2. Golden Gate
3. Lely

District 5A-16

1. Miami Jackson
2. American Heritage (Plantation)
3. Cardinal Gibbons
4. Key West

The post DISTRICT PROJECTIONS: Class 5A – Region IV appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

Class 5A has long been home to some of the state’s top teams and we are looking again of having some outstanding teams to watch in the 2013 season. While there are more than 10 teams to watch in each of the highest four classifications, we feel the teams we select have importance in some form or fashion.

BISHOP KENNY CRUSADERS | District 5A-3

John Wolford is back for his final year at the helm at center for Crusaders and has been a consistent leader for the team that has seen quite a bit of talent come through the stadium in recent years. Coming off the best season in school history, where the Crusaders made a regional final appearance in the playoffs. However, they will need to fill in some considerable holes this year including replacing talented wide receiver Ahmad Fulwood, plus their district now expands out to eight teams meaning more challenges lay ahead.

DUNBAR TIGERS | District 5A-14

Dunbar make the jump up to Class 5A and could be an immediate contender in their district to make the playoffs. With some talented playmakers on the roster already they should not have trouble navigating their district, but will they be ready for a bigger challenge if they do make the playoffs this season considering other teams in the region that could provide a challenge in the playoffs?

GODBY COUGARS | District 5A-2

Godby is coming off a state championship season for the first time since 1987. One of the biggest challenges that the Cougars will face with is filling in some open holes due to graduation. However, the regional setup for Godby will play a favorable part that could allow the Cougars to make another run again. Are they up for the challenge again?

IMMOKALEE INDIANS | District 5A-15

Immokalee is coming off its second ever appearance in a state championship game with a lot of different factors going on. First a few talented playmakers have been lost due to graduation, but they do have talent coming back that should balance things out. However, the second thing is a new head coach is in town to keep the pace up in Immoaklee in the name of Rich Dombroski. Will the Indians continue the path of being in the state title talk again this season?

JESUIT TIGERS | District 5A-9

The Jesuit Tigers are shifting down one district this season, but that is not the only change the Tigers have made. New head coach Matt Thompson comes over from Armwood to take the reins of a program that looked promising to make a run in 2011 only to slip behind in 2012. Thompson will no doubt  inherit a team that has talent, but returning to the playoffs should not be an issue this year as Jesuit is just one of three teams to make up their district.

MERRITT ISLAND MUSTANGS | District 5A-12

Merritt Island has been a pretty consistent playoff team over the years, but now they have been facing some challenges heading into the season as they have faced some big losses due to graduation and played a spring game against Palm Bay Heritage in which they were trounced heavily. Can the Mustangs make up the ground needed to stay competitive not only in Brevard County, but keep their dot on the map this season?

MIAMI JACKSON GENERALS | District 5A-16

The Generals made some big noise last year as they went all the way to the state semifinals before finally being knocked out by Class 5A runner-up Immokalee. With talent usually never being an issue for a lot of schools in the Miami area, including Miami Jackson, the Generals could find themselves still playing late into November. Will they be able to and be at the top in a district that now includes competitive teams, Cardinal Gibbons and American Heritage (Plantation) in the district?

PASCO PIRATES | District 5A-6

Pasco has always been one team to keep an eye out for, especially when it comes to talks about possible state title contenders year-in and year-out. While Pasco was fairly young last year, they appear to have the makings of a team that will be stronger and year older this season. However, they will not have a walk in the park when it comes to their district as South Sumter moves up a classification to join the district.

WAKULLA WAR EAGLES | District 5A-2

Wakulla is looking to pick up where they left off after finishing with a perfect regular season, but bailing out of the playoffs after getting beaten by eventual 5A state champion Godby. the biggest question will be how to replace the void left due to a huge graduation loss. However, even Wakulla slips downward this season, they still could find themselves in the playoffs again due to the size of the district, which is only three teams.

YULEE HORNETS | District 5A-3

The Yulee Hornets are making the jump up to Class 5A after playing the last two seasons in Class 4A. However, the big thing is Yulee will make the jump as they move into the post-Derrick Henry era, who broke the national rushing record last season. While the Hornets will have talent, they will face a challenge in their new district that includes teams like Bishop Kenny and Ribault. Will Yulee continue to stay strong without Henry in the backfield?

The post Ten teams to watch in Class 5A for 2013 appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

IMMOKALEE INDIANS
Head Coach: Rich Dombroski
School Address: 701 Immokalee Dr., Immokalee, FL 34142
Phone: (239) 377-1819
School Colors: Red & White
District: 5A-15

Schedule | All Times Eastern Unless Noted
* – denotes district game

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THREE IMMOKALEE TEAMMATES HEADED TO NEW MEXICO
Three Immokalee teammates will be heading off to New Mexico where they will play for New Mexico Highlands, a Division II program in the NCAA. Adam Fisher at the Naples Daily News reported that wide receiver Jummy Victorin, lineman, Kerby Henry and wide receiver Joslin Alberique will play for the Cowboys. They are part of second wave of players who signed after the first round of players that had signed on National Signing Day.

HYMAN-MUHAMMAD HEADED TO JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY
The Tampa Bay Times has reported that Admiral Farragut receiver Brad Hyman-Muhammad will be heading to Jacksonville University, choosing the Division I FCS program in Northeastern Florida over out-of-state program Charleston Southern. Hyman-Muhammad was a 2012 Class 2A 2nd Team wide receiver selection by Florida HS Football.

ROBINSON SENDING MORE PLAYERS OFF TO COLLEGE
The Tampa Bay Times has reported that two more players from one of the best Robinson squads in years are heading to college. This time around it is to Elisworth Community College in Iowa for Carlos Duclos, a two-way star, while Ted Kelly, a right guard, is heading to Division III program Maine Maritime Academy in Maine. Both players had major impacts on the team during the season that also got them local recognition for their efforts.

The post Recruiting Notebook: Monday February 25, 2013 appeared first on FloridaHSFootball.com.

On that fateful day on September 11, 2001, not only did we lose thousands of lives, we changed as a society. Feelings of complacency at public outings were replaced with feelings of “with-it-ness.” I do admit that in more recent times I see others, including myself revert to those times where we may take our safety for granted and merely focus on enjoying a game. We often assume that most people will act reasonable, and that police, security and school administrators can remedy whatever problem arises at a local high school football game.

This is why I was greatly troubled when I learned about an alleged incident that occurred during a high school game in Naples. According to the article, players and coaches went into the stands to confront fans after the game. I don’t know if the coaches only left the bench to retrieve their players or take other action. Nonetheless, this should be a huge concern for all of us. Do we need to now have metal detectors at these games? Barbwire Fences? Do we need airport level security at high school football games?

I am not comparing this incident or any incident to what occurred on the worst day in American History. That was not the point of this article. However, as a society, I hope that we do all we can to ensure that the reported experience that occurred in Naples is an isolated incident so we do not find another example of lost innocence.

You can follow Adam Kosnitzky at @akosnitzky

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