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).
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
6A-District 13
Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6-0, 2-0)
Matanzas (Palm Coast) (6-0, 2-0)
Deltona (2-3, 1-1)
Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) (1-5, 1-1)
New Smyrna Beach (3-3, 0-2)
Pine Ridge (Deltona) (2-4, 0-2)
Week #6 scores
Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6-0, 2-0) 42, Deltona (2-3, 1-1) 14
Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) (1-5, 1-1) 7, Pine Ridge (Deltona) (2-4, 0-2) 6
Matanzas (Palm Coast) (6-0, 2-0) 14, New Smyrna Beach (3-3, 0-2) 7
Thursday, October 8
Halifax Academy (Daytona) at Deltona
Friday, October 9
Mainland (Daytona Beach) at St. Edward (Lakewood, OH)
New Smyrna Beach, Seabreeze (Daytona Beach), Pine Ridge (Deltona), Matanzas (Palm Coast) – OFF
Playoff outlook:
There are no district games in 6A-District 13 this week but there’s a huge game with playoff implications the following week. In fact, all of the teams in the district are off this week except the top-ranked team in Class 6A. Mainland, which is also ranked 13th nationally in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, gets unbeaten Matanzas at home on Friday, October 16.
The Bucs have a game at nationally-ranked St. Edward (Lakewood, OH) this Friday prior to its game against the Pirates (6-0, 2-0), who have an open date to get ready for the Bucs (6-0, 2-0). Assuming Mainland wins the district, which it has done the past two years in a row, then the Matanzas at Deltona game on Friday, October 30, could be for the district runner-up spot.
6A-District 6
Sunlake (Land O’ Lakes) (6-0, 2-0)
Mitchell (New Port Richey) (4-1, 2-0)
Land O’Lakes (2-3, 0-1)
Pasco (Dade City) (3-3, 0-1)
Springstead (Spring Hill) (1-4, 0-2)
Week #6 scores
Sunlake (Land O’ Lakes) (6-0, 2-0) 38, Springstead (Spring Hill) (1-4, 0-2) 20
Mitchell (New Port Richey) (4-1, 2-0) 42, Pasco (Dade City) (3-3. 0-1) 27
Lakeland Christian 27, Land O’Lakes (2-3, 0-1) 14
Friday, October 9
Land O’Lakes at Tampa Catholic
Mitchell (New Port Richey) at Dunedin
Sunlake (Land O’ Lakes), Springstead (Spring Hill), Pasco (Dade City) – OFF
Playoff outlook:
The only Prep Zone area team in this district is Springstead (Spring Hill), which is behind the eight ball in this district after last week’s loss to Sunlake (Land O’ Lakes), which put themselves in prime position for a playoff spot in this district with the win over their rival Springstead last week.
Mitchell is tied with Sunlake at 2-0 in the district after the win over Pasco (Dade City). Springstead (1-4, 0-2) is almost out with two district losses, with Land O’ Lakes (0-1 in the district) and Pasco (0-1) still alive after playing only one district game. After a bye this week, Sunlake hosts Pasco on October 16. It appears the district title will be decided on October 23 when Sunlake travels to Mitchell in New Port Richey.
6A-District 5
Gainesville (4-2, 2-0)
Vanguard (Ocala) (4-2, 1-0)
Forest (Ocala) (4-2, 1-1)
Lake Weir (Ocala) (4-1, 0-1)
Leesburg (2-4, 0-2)
Week #6 scores
Gainesville (4-2, 2-0) 35, Forest (Ocala) (4-2) (1-1) 21
Vanguard (Ocala) (4-2, 1-0) 39, Leesburg (2-4, 0-2) 33
Lake Weir (Ocala) (4-1) 34, Belleview (0-5) 19
Friday, October 9
Buchholz (Gainesville) at Gainesville
Forest (Ocala) at Hernando (Brooksville)
Eastside (Gainesville) at Lake Weir (Ocala)
Lake Gibson (Lakeland) at Leesburg
Vanguard (Ocala) – OFF
Playoff outlook:
Gainesville took a big step in winning its fourth straight league title with the win at Forest (Ocala) last Friday. The Purple Hurricanes scored 28 unanswered points on the road to stay unbeaten in league play (2-0). Vanguard (Ocala) is the only other unbeaten team. The Knights (4-2, 1-0), who are off this week, travel to Gainesville next Thursday, October 15, in what could be for the district title. Last year, Gainesville defeated Vanguard, 36-29, as both teams advanced to the state playoffs.
But don’t count out Forest or Lake Weir just yet. They play each other next week at Lake Weir. Despite the home loss to GHS last Friday, the Wildcats (1-1) get Vanguard at home on Friday, October 30. The Hurricanes of Lake Weir (4-1, 0-1), whose only loss was at Gainesville, travel to Vanguard the following week (Oct. 23) so a win at home next Friday will keep their postseason hopes alive.
6A-District 4
St. Augustine (6-0, 2-0)
Nease (Ponte Vedra (3-2, 1-0)
Englewood (Jacksonville) (4-2, 1-1)
Ed White (Jacksonville) (2-4, 1-1)
Middleburg (0-6, 0-2)
Week #6 scores
Ed White (Jacksonville) (2-4, 1-1) 35, Middleburg (0-6, 0-2) 14
St. Augustine (6-0, 2-0) 45, Englewood (Jacksonville) (4-2, 1-1) 6
Nease (Ponte Vedra) – OFF
Friday, October 9
Middleburg at Baker County (Glen St. Mary)
West Nassau (Callahan) at Nease (Ponte Vedra)
St. Augustine, Ed White (Jacksonville), Englewood (Jacksonville) – OFF
Playoff outlook:
St. Augustine continues to be the heavy favorite here, opening district play with their 49th consecutive district win over an improved Englewood team last week. Nease (3-2, 1-0) has only played one district game, with a trip to Middleburg (0-6, 0-2) coming up on October 16, followed by a game that may be for the district title at home against St. Augustine on Friday, October 23.
Englewood (1-1 in the district) and Ed White (1-1) are still very much alive for the runner-up spot or even district champion, but Englewood has already lost to St. Augustine and White hosts the Yellow Jackets next Friday, October 16. Middleburg is struggling and is almost already out of the playoff picture.
