Here are the initial opening week rankings for the 2018 Florida high school football season from FloridaHSFootball.com. Rankings are compiled by FloridaHSFootball.com publisher Joshua Wilson each week with emphasis using the most recent results, the strength of schedule, historical expectations (preseason only), as well as potential expectation in future games.
The rankings process starts off with an internal ranking of the team by their FHSAA region in each classification and then compiling of the full classification rankings themselves which are then used to compile the Sunshine State Top 25 rankings each week.
Starting this season, we are proud to introduce a Top 5 ranking each and every week for the Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC). Although SSAC teams will be ineligible for the Sunshine State Top 25 rankings, we recognize that the conference has grown strong the last few years and we believe the timing is right to introduce a ranking for the teams that are part of the conference.
Teams in The Prep Zone’s coverage area are in bold.
SUNSHINE STATE TOP 25
Rank, Team (City), Classification, 2017 record
1. Miami Carol City, 6A, 8-4
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), 7A, 11-3
3. Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale), 5A, 11-2
4. American Heritage (Plantation), 5A, 14-0
5. Miami Central, 6A, 9-3
6. Miami Northwestern, 6A, 12-2
7. Columbia (Lake City), 7A, 7-4
8. Dr. Phillips (Orlando), 8A, 13-2
9. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood), 3A, 12-2
10. Raines (Jacksonville), 4A, 13-1
11. Columbus (Miami), 8A, 10-2
12. Wekiva (Apopka), 8A, 12-2
13. Armwood (Seffner), 6A, 14-1
14. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), 5A, 9-4
15. Immokalee, 5A, 12-1
16. Venice, 7A, 14-1
17. Lakeland, 7A, 10-1
18. Cocoa, 4A, 11-2
19. Plant (Tampa), 7A, 12-2
20. Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens), 7A, 11-2
21. South Dade (Homestead), 8A, 10-2
22. Vanguard (Ocala), 6A, 11-1
23. Vero Beach, 8A, 11-1
24. Clay (Green Cove Springs), 5A, 9-4
25. Godby (Tallahassee), 5A, 10-2
CLASS 8A
Rank, Team (City), 2017 record
1. Dr. Phillips (Orlando), 13-2
2. Columbus (Miami), 10-2
3. Wekiva (Apopka), 12-2
4. South Dade (Homestead), 10-2
5. Vero Beach, 11-1
6. Deerfield Beach, 8-3
7. Apopka, 8-4
8. Atlantic (Delray), 11-2
9. Osceola (Kissimmee), 10-1
10. Riverview (Sarasota), 11-2
Honorable Mention: Seminole (Sanford), Flagler Palm Coast, Palm Beach Central (Wellington), Manatee (Bradenton), Miami Southridge
CLASS 7A
Rank, Team (City), 2017 record
1. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), 11-3
2. Columbia (Lake City), 7-4
3. Venice, 14-1
4. Lakeland, 10-1
5. Plant (Tampa), 12-2
6. Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens), 11-2
7. Braden River (Bradenton), 9-2
8. Robert E. Lee (Jacksonville), 9-2
9. Bartram Trail (St. Johns), 11-4
10. Viera (Melbourne), 8-2
Honorable Mention: Fleming Island (Orange Park), Tampa Bay Tech, Nova (Davie), Wiregrass Ranch (Wesley Chapel), Edgewater (Orlando)
CLASS 6A
Rank, Team (City), 2017 record
1. Miami Carol City, 8-4
2. Miami Central, 9-3
3. Miami Northwestern, 12-2
4. Armwood (Seffner), 14-1
5. Vanguard (Ocala), 11-1
6. St. Augustine, 12-1
7. Navarre, 9-2
8. Naples, 10-2
9. Crestview, 10-1
10. Mainland (Daytona Beach), 8-4
Honorable Mention: Mitchell (New Port Richey), Niceville, Fort Myers, Tate (Cantonment), Largo
CLASS 5A
Rank, Team (City), 2017 record
1. Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale), 11-2
2. American Heritage (Plantation), 14-0
3. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), 9-4
4. Immokalee, 12-1
5. Clay (Green Cove Springs), 9-4
6. Godby (Tallahassee), 10-2
7. West Florida (Pensacola), 12-2
8. Rockledge, 7-4
9. Bolles (Jacksonville), 8-3
10. Baker County (Glen St. Mary), 13-2
Honorable Mention: Menendez (St. Augustine), Jefferson (Tampa), Bishop Moore (Orlando), Palm Bay (Melbourne), Ribault (Jacksonville)
CLASS 4A
Rank, Team (City), 2017 record
1. Raines (Jacksonville), 13-1
2. Cocoa, 11-2
3. Booker T. Washington (Miami), 4-5
4. University School (Fort Lauderdale), 10-2
5. Glades Central (Belle Glade), 7-4
Honorable Mention: Bradford (Starke), Dunnellon, Avon Park
CLASS 3A
Rank, Team (City), 2017 record
1. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood), 12-2
2. Clearwater Central Catholic, 11-1
3. Florida High (Tallahassee), 7-6
4. American Heritage (Delray), 5-5
5. King’s Academy (West Palm Beach), 7-2
Honorable Mention: Taylor County (Perry), Melbourne Central Catholic, Tampa Catholic
CLASS 2A
Rank, Team (City), 2017 record
1. University Christian (Jacksonville), 10-3
2. Champagnat (Hialeah), 9-2
3. North Florida Christian (Tallahassee), 8-3
4. Victory Christian (Lakeland), 10-2
5. Cambridge Christian (Tampa), 9-3
Honorable Mention: Foundation Academy (Winter Garden), Moore Haven, First Baptist (Naples)
CLASS 1A
Rank, Team (City), 2017 record
1. Madison County (Madison), 14-0
2. Pahokee, 9-3
3. Blountstown, 11-2
4. Port St. Joe, 8-4
5. Baker, 12-1
Honorable Mention: Dixie County (Cross City), Vernon, Williston
SUNSHINE STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Rank, Team (City), 2017 record
1. Saint Stephen’s Episcopal (Bradenton), 10-0
2. Orlando Christian Prep, 6-4
3. Windermere Prep, 10-1
4. Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville), 6-3
5. Jupiter Christian, 8-3
