By Rod Gipson
MaxPreps.com
Last week’s frantic Friday playoff push stretched into manic Monday.
Seven Tampa Bay area teams squared off on Monday for four remaining playoff spots.
In Class 6A, District 6, Plant City Durant defeated Riverview 10-0 to secure a postseason spot.
Class 5A, District 9 was a bit more convoluted with three squads vying for two spots. Palm Harbor University lost 17-10 in two overtimes to Clearwater Countryside in the first matchup. That sent Clearwater into a winner-take-the-crown match-up against Dunedin.
In overtime, Dunedin topped Countryside 12-9 to win the district tiebreaker. The district champ, Dunedin will host a playoff game. Countryside will travel to open the playoffs.
Meanwhile, St. Petersburg Lakewood grabbed the Class 4A, District 9 runner-up slot to advance. Lakewood topped St. Petersburg Northeast 7-6.
Advancing to the postseason for the first time since 2003, Durant got a 1-yard run from quarterback Je’Twan Smith and a 37-yard field goal from Connor Bass to win the one quarter tie-breaker.
Durant (5-4) will face Orlando Dr. Phillips Nov. 21 in the opening round of the state playoffs.
Dunedin tailback Adarius Bellamy provided the winning margin for the Falcons, scoring on a 6-yard run in overtime to top Countryside.
The win sets up a St. Petersburg at Dunedin (7-2) matchup in two weeks to start the Class 5A postseason. Countryside (6-3) will travel to Largo.
Lakewood settled for second place but is headed to the posteason after its win against Northeast. Lakewood (7-2) missed out on a spot for the title by falling to Bradenton Southeast 7-3 in the first one-quarter tiebreaker.
Lakewood (7-2) will start the 4A postseason at Tampa Plant.
TAMPA BAY AREA PLAYOFF PAIRINGS
(State playoffs begin Nov. 21)
CLASS 6A
Plant City Durant at Orlando Dr. Phillips
CLASS 5A
Tampa Alonso at Tampa Wharton
Tampa Gaither at Tampa Chamberlain
Kissimmee Osceola at Lithia Newsome
Valrico Bloomingdale at Lakeland
St. Petersburg at Dunedin
Clearwater Countryside at Largo
CLASS 4A
Tarpon Springs at Merritt Island
Seabreeze at Land O’ Lakes
Tampa Jefferson at Bradenton Southeast
St. Petersburg Lakewood at Tampa Plant
Winter Haven at Seffner Armwood
Tampa Bay Tech at Auburndale
CLASS 3A
New Port Richey Gulf at Kissimmee St. Cloud
Orlando Bishop Moore at Dade City Pasco
Riverview Spoto at Arcadia DeSoto County
CLASS 2A
Riviera Beach Inlet Grove at Tampa Catholic
CLASS A
Indian Rocks Christian at Belle Glade Glades Day
CLASS B
Orlando Pine Castle Christian at St. Petersburg Keswick Christian