This week we’re taking a look at the district football races for teams in the Prep Zone’s coverage area (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties).
We revised our schedule for the smaller classifications. Here are the release dates:
Sunday, October 4 – Class 8A
Monday, October 5 – Class 7A
Tuesday, October 6 – Class 6A
Wednesday, October 7 – Class 5A
Monday, October 12 – Class 4A
Tuesday, October 13 – Class 3A
Wednesday, October 14 – Class 2A
Thursday, October 15 – Class 1A
5A-District 13
Bishop Moore (Orlando) (5-0, 2-0)
Eustis (2-4, 2-0)
South Lake (Groveland) (0-5, 0-1)
Tavares (0-6, 0-1)
Poinciana (0-6, 0-3)
Week #6 scores
Eustis (2-4, 2-0) 61, Poinciana (0-6, 0-3) 0
Bishop Moore (Orlando) (5-0, 2-0) 34, South Lake (Groveland) (0-5, 0-1) 7
South Sumter (Bushnell) 35, Tavares (0-6) 13
Thursday, October 8
Space Coast (Cocoa) at Poinciana
South Sumter (Bushnell) at Bishop Moore (Orlando)
Friday, October 9
Eustis at Umatilla
The Villages at Tavares
South Lake (Groveland) – OFF
Playoff outlook:
The bottom half of this district (South Lake, Tavares and Poinciana) are a combined 0-17 on the year. Everyone is chasing Bishop Moore (Orlando), which is ranked 3rd in the state in Class 5A. The Hornets (6-0, 3-0) have beaten two of the bottom feeders (Poinciana & South Lake) and will try and wrap up the district title at Eustis on Friday, October 30.
The Panthers (2-4, 2-0) control their own destiny but they will have to be road warriors. Eustis plays at South Lake on Friday, October 23, and at Bishop Moore (Orlando) on Friday, October 30. They can clinch a playoff spot with a win at South Lake.
5A-District 7
Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) (5-0, 2-0)
Lecanto (4-1, 2-0)
Weeki Wachee (3-2, 2-0)
Crystal River (4-2, 2-1)
Hernando (Brooksville) (1-5, 1-2)
Central (Brooksville) (2-4, 0-3)
Citrus (Inverness) (0-6, 0-3)
Week #6 scores
Lecanto (4-1, 2-0) 39, Central (Brooksville) (2-4, 0-3) 28
Crystal River (4-2, 2-1) 21, Hernando (Brooksville) (1-5, 1-2) 7
Weeki Wachee (3-2, 2-0) 34, Citrus (Inverness) (0-6, 0-3) 7
Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville) – OFF
Friday, October 9
Weeki Wachee at Nature Coast Tech (Brooksville)
Crystal River at Lecanto
Central (Brooksville) at Citrus (Inverness)
Forest (Ocala) at Hernando (Brooksville)
Playoff outlook:
This is a competitive district as the top four teams in this 7-team league are competing for two spots. Crystal River plays at Lecanto this week and Weeki Wachee is at Nature Coast. So the top four teams are going head-to-head.
Nature Coast (5-0, 2-0) is the team to beat. The Sharks close with Citrus and Hernando on the road but those two teams are a combined 1-11 on the season. This week’s game against Weeki Wachee and next week’s game vs. Lecanto could decide the district title. Lecanto has a must-win game at home this week, because the Panthers (2-0 in league play) play two of their final three district games on the road. Weeki Wachee (2-0) has the toughest road ahead with three of their remaining four district games away from home.
5A-District 6
North Marion (Citra) (6-0, 1-0)
Belleview (0-5, 0-0)
Eastside (Gainesville) (0-5, 0-1)
Week #6 scores
North Marion (Citra) (6-0, 1-0) 42, Eastside (Gainesville) (0-5, 0-1) 0
Lake Weir (Ocala) (4-1) 34, Belleview (0-5) 19
Friday, October 9
Lake Worth at North Marion (Citra)
Belleview at Keystone Heights
Eastside (Gainesville) at Lake Weir (Ocala)
Playoff outlook:
This 3-team district is cut and dry. Eastside (0-1 in league play) faces a must-win game next Friday, October 16, at home against Belleview. The winner of that game is going to the playoffs. The loser is eliminated. Both teams are currently winless, but in this district, only one win gets you in the dance.
North Marion (6-0, 1-0) is off to its best start in school history, but the Colts have long been one of the best teams in Marion County as it seeks its 16th consecutive playoff appearance. The chances of an upset loss at Belleview on Friday, October 23, is highly unlikely, meaning the winner of the Belleview-Eastside game is going to the state playoffs.
5A-District 5
Clay (Green Cove Springs) (3-3, 2-0)
Orange Park (4-2, 1-1)
Menendez (St. Augustine) (3-3, 1-1)
Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (2-3, 1-1)
Palatka (2-3, 1-1)
Ridgeview (Orange Park) (1-5, 0-2)
Week #6 scores
Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (2-3, 1-1) 17, Palatka (2-3, 1-1) 7
Clay (Green Cove Springs) (3-3, 2-0) 53, Menendez (St. Augustine) (3-3, 1-1) 35
Orange Park (4-2, 1-1) 25, Ridgeview (Orange Park) (1-5, 0-2) 20
Friday, October 9
Middleburg (0-6) at Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (2-3)
Flagler Palm Coast (1-4) at Palatka (2-3)
Orange Park, Clay (Green Cove Springs), Menendez (St. Augustine), Ridgeview (Orange Park) – OFF
Playoff outlook:
Clay is back in control of this district after wins over Orange Park and Menendez last week. Blue Devils running back Bilal Ally rushed for 396 yards in a shootout win over Menendez last week. Clay still has big district games with Baker County and Palatka, but both are in Green Cove Springs. The race for the runner-up position will be interesting with four teams currently at 1-1.
Baker County’s schedule is the toughest with road games at Orange Park and Clay, and Menendez, who has already beaten Baker County and lost to Clay, still has to travel to Orange Park and Palatka as well. Ridgeview is almost out of the playoff hunt with two district losses.
5A-District 4
Ponte Vedra (5-1, 2-0)
Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) (3-2, 1-0)
Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (2-3, 1-0)
Westside (Jacksonville) (1-5, 0-2)
Wolfson (Jacksonville) (0-6, 0-2)
Week #6 scores
Terry Parker (Jacksonville) (2-3, 1-0) 34, Wolfson (Jacksonville) (0-6, 0-2) 12
Ponte Vedra (5-1, 2-0) 48, Westside (Jacksonville) (1-5, 0-2) 25
Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) – OFF
Friday, October 9
Yulee at Bishop Kenny
Bartram Trail (St. Johns) at Ponte Vedra
Paxon (Jacksonville) at Terry Parker
Mandarin (Jacksonville) at Wolfson
Playoff outlook:
Ponte Vedra rolled through its first four games before a loss at Menendez on Sept. 25. The Sharks (5-1, 2-0) have rolled up 118 points in two district wins over Wolfson and Westside so far. Terry Parker defeated Wolfson last week in its district opener and could still play a part as a runner-up in this district, but still has games at Bishop Kenny and at home against Ponte Vedra.
Westside (0-2 in league play) was expected to play a part in the district race, but has already been blown out by Bishop Kenny (1-0) and Ponte Vedra and is almost eliminated from postseason play. Bishop Kenny rolled through its district opener at Westside, and still has district home games against Terry Parker (1-0) and Wolfson (0-2). It looks like this district title will come down to Bishop Kenny at Ponte Vedra on October 16.
5A-District 3
Suwannee (Live Oak) (3-1, 2-0)
Ribault (Jacksonville) (3-3, 2-0)
Yulee (2-3, 0-1)
Stanton (Jacksonville (0-5, 0-1)
Paxon (Jacksonville (1-5, 0-2)
Week #6 scores
Suwannee (Live Oak) (3-1, 2-0) 40, Paxon (Jacksonville) (1-5, 0-2) 12
Ribault (Jacksonville) (3-3, 2-0) 47, Stanton (Jacksonville) (0-5, 0-1) 0
Yulee – OFF
Friday, October 9
Yulee at Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville)
Jackson (Jacksonville) at Ribault (Jacksonville)
Stanton (Jacksonville) at Baldwin
Paxon at Terry Parker (Jacksonville)
Santa Fe (Alachua) at Suwannee (Live Oak)
Playoff outlook:
It’s been a weird season for Suwannee, as they’ve already had two games cancelled due to weather. The Bulldogs have won their first two district games easily against Yulee and Paxon and they are currently tied for first with Ribault. The Trojans (3-3, 2-0) dropped their first three games, but have come back with three straight wins including two district victories over Stanton and Paxon. The district title should come down to Suwannee hosting Ribault on Friday, October 16.
Yulee (0-1 in the district) still could win the district or finish as runner-up, but still has to host Ribault (2-0) on October 30. Stanton (0-5, 0-1) hasn’t won a game all season, and hasn’t been competitive, and Paxon (1-5, 0-2) is almost eliminated with two district losses.
