The high school football season in Florida came to a close on Saturday. Venice was among the victors with an emphatic 35-7 win over Apopka at DVR PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale for the Class 8A championship.
The Indians not only finished 14-1 and outscored opponents 664-115 but they were No. 1 in the final Florida MaxPreps Top 25 computer rankings.
In the state title game,
Ryan Browne was brilliant, completing 18-of-21 passes for 250 yards and four touchdowns, including a 60-yarder to
Omari Hayes (eight catches, 78 yards). The Indians piled up 414 yards to just 115 for Apopka en route to their third state title and second since 2017. They also won a championship in 2000 by scoring the most points (77) in a state championship game.
Brown entered the title game with 2,381 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, to go along with 519 rushing yards and eight scores.
Damarion Escort also entered with 1,508 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. Other top players were receiver
Jayshon Platt (55 catches, 962 yards, 11 touchdowns), defensive end
Damon Wilson (14 sacks) and linebacker
Martin Ramos (109 tackles).
In the final
MaxPreps Top 100 compiled by national football editor Zack Poff, Venice was No. 7 in Florida behind in order: Jesuit (Tampa), St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), IMG Academy (Bradenton), Central (Miami), Chaminade-Madonna and Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale).

Venice quarterback Ryan Brown accounted for more than 3,000 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2021.
File photo by Todd Sellitto
Read on for a complete look at the final Florida MaxPreps Top 25.
2021 FLORIDA STATE CHAMPIONS
FHSAA
SSAC 11-man
SSAC 8-man
FINAL FHSAA MAXPREPS TOP 25