Florida: Looking Ahead to the Postseason

Armwood rattles off another unbeaten regular season.

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By Rod Gipson

MaxPreps.com

 

The top of the Max Preps Tampa Bay Top 10 has had little change in the top three spots since mid-September. And that's with good reason - any of the top three teams could contend for a state championship.

 

Could, but won't.

 

Top-ranked Seffner Armwood, a fixture at the very top of the poll this season, plays in Class 4A, same as defending state champions No. 2 Tampa Plant, whose only loss this season, ironically, was to Armwood on opening night back in August.

 

No. 3 Largo, which has dominated its Pinellas County opponents all season, may find the going tough in the postseason, especially if it finds itself eventually matched up against powerhouse Lakeland, just east of the Tampa Bay area.

 

Armwood and Plant's first round opponents will be determined with another week of regular season games but Largo will face East Lake Nov. 16. The Packers opened the season with a 20-0 win against East Lake.

 

Other interesting opening round matchups already set involving top 10 teams include No. 5 Brandon hosting still-potent defending Class 5A state champs Lakeland and No. 10 St. Petersburg Boca Ciega will host Tampa Jefferson, a preseason favorite that struggled this year but still made the postseason.

 

Also, neighborhood rivals square off when No. 9 Tampa Gaither hosts Tampa Sickles, making its first ever trip to postseason in the program's 11-year history. The playoffs kick off Nov. 16.

 

Here's this week Top 10 poll:

 

  1. SEFFNER ARMWOOD (10-0) - Another undefeated regular season for the Hawks. Still to be determined playoff opponent will visit Nov. 16.
  2. TAMPA PLANT (8-1) - The Panthers rolled Tampa Jefferson 54-21 behind quarterback Aaron Murray's five touchdown passes. Plant faces neighborhood rival Tampa Robinson to end regular season Nov. 9.
  3. LARGO (9-0) - Class 5A, District 10 champion Packers have given up an average of nine points a game this season. Will host St. Petersburg Northeast in pursuit of a perfect season.
  4. TAMPA HILLSBOROUGH (8-2) - Terriers smash Tampa Bay Tech 35-6 to reach postseason for ninth straight year. Hillsborough will hit the road for first round of playoffs.
  5. BRANDON (7-2) - The Eagles have won six in a row to win the Class 5A, District 7 title and make some noise on the MaxPreps poll. Brandon ends the regular season this week at home against Riverview.
  6. TAMPA CHAMBERLAIN (7-3) - Already having secured its district title, Chamberlain still went out and demolished Tampa King 42-3 in preparation for the playoffs.
  7. LAND O'LAKES (8-1) - The Gators won the battle of Pasco County, slipping past No. 8 New Port Richey Ridgewood 20-17. The win earns LOL the Class 4A-8 title and a home playoff game.
  8. NEW PORT RICHEY RIDGEWOOD (8-1) - Despite the area's top rusher in Byronell Arline (1,827 yards and 30 touchdowns), the Rams will start the playoffs on the road after the loss to no. 7 Land O'Lakes.
  9. TAMPA GAITHER (7-3) - Gaither completed its comeback from an 0-2 start by topping Tampa Wharton 16-14 to win the Class 5A, District 5 championship. The Cowboys first-round playoff opponent will be a familiar one - neighborhood rival Tampa Sickles.
  10. ST. PETERSBURG BOCA CIEGA (7-2) - The Pirates put a punctuation on its 4A-9 title with a 42-0 thrashing of Bradenton Bayshore. Boca Ciega ends the regular season against 5A-playoff bound St. Petersburg Gibbs.

Honorable Mention: Plant City, St. Petersburg Gibbs, Tampa Catholic, Tampa Middleton, Dunedin, Hudson, Dade City Pasco, Tampa Sickles.

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