WEST PALM BEACH – Our area had a total of 16 high school football programs in playoff contention up until Week 11 of the regular season.
After all the dust settled, only 12 of those 16 teams qualified for this year’s FHSAA playoffs. The Class 1A-2A-3A-4A-5A-6A-7A-8A selections were announced yesterday morning (Sunday, Nov. 4) on a slew of social media platforms via WFTV Newschannel 9, a television station based in the Orlando area.
The “Drive to December” Playoff Bracket Reveal Show was hosted by WFTV-9, with significant support from the FHSAA and the Florida High School Football media outlet (floridahsfoofball.com).
Below is a listing of the 12 Palm Beach County teams that made the FHSAA playoffs.
1A: Pahokee (5-5)
2A: Glades Day (6-4)
3A: King’s Academy (9-1), Cardinal Newman (8-2), Benjamin (9-1), American Heritage (7-3)
4A: Glades Central (7-3)
7A: Dwyer (9-1), Palm Beach Lakes (7-3)
8A: Atlantic (10-0), Palm Beach Central (9-1), Wellington (6-4)
Of the aforementioned 12 teams, only Pahokee has a .500 winning percentage. Though it may look disappointing, the Blue Devils had arguably the second toughest regular season schedule this season in Palm Beach County – six games against fellow playoff participants such as 4A powerhouse Cocoa, 8A powerhouse Vero Beach, 8A powerhouse Atlantic, 4A Glades Central, 7A Palm Beach Lakes, and 3A Cardinal Newman.
Which team had perhaps the most brutal regular season schedule?
That honor goes to Glades Central, a team that’s not afraid to play anybody, anywhere, and anytime. The Muck’s best team this season had seven playoff teams on its regular season schedule, including the likes of 4A powerhouse University School, 7A Oakleaf, 7A powerhouse Dwyer, 4A powerhouse Cocoa, 3A Delray Beach American Heritage, and 3A Cardinal Newman.
Both Glades Central and Pahokee had up-and-down regular seasons, but they are definitely battled tested and have true aspirations to reach their respective state title games in four weeks.
Which team tied with Glades Central for most games played against FHSAA playoff teams in the regular season?
That distinctive honor goes to American Heritage (Delray Beach), a team that also competed against seven playoff teams. The long list includes the likes of 8A Belen Jesuit (Miami), 3A Holy Trinity, 4A Monsignor Pace (Miami), 3A Pensacola Catholic, 4A powerhouse University School, 4A Bishop Verot (Fort Myers), and 4A Glades Central (Belle Glade).
Which team was probably the most improved and intriguing down the stretch?
This honor goes to Palm Beach Lakes, a team that benefited greatly by having a strong regular season schedule. Making a playoff appearance for the second time in three years, Lakes faced off against a few playoff participants this regular season such as 1A powerhouse Pahokee, 5A powerhouse Trinity Christian, and 7A powerhouse Dwyer.
A slow start resulted in an early 1-3 record for Palm Beach Lakes, which played its three toughest opponents (Pahokee in Week 1; Dwyer in Week 4; Trinity Christian in Week 5) during that tough stretch. It ultimately built them Ram tough later on, as they reeled off an impressive six-game winning streak to end the regular season on a very high note.
Which team made the gutsiest scheduling call this season and was rewarded greatly for it in the end?
This honor goes to Cardinal Newman – and it doesn’t come close. For a team that quite easily could have soften their schedule and go 10-0 in the regular season under first-year head coach Joe Molina, the Crusaders played against all three Muck teams in the regular season (Pahokee in Week 4, Glades Day in Week 9, and Glades Central in Week 10).
It’s an impressive feat, regardless of the fact that Cardinal Newman went 1-2 against the Muck (Week 4 loss to Pahokee; Week 9 win over Glades Day; Week 10 loss to Glades Central). In all honesty, had Newman not done that, this team may not have truly earned the FHSAA’s respect due to a weak schedule.
Cardinal Newman’s regular season schedule against all three Muck teams is the first time this has happened for any team in recent memory. We can’t be impressed enough.
Which team shut up every single naysayer in one felled swoop?
This one is easy.
Atlantic was picked by many to start of with a 2-2 record at best and 0-4 record at worst. Palm Beach County’s best and only undefeated team turned that doubt into a 10-0 record.
Keep that same energy, says Atlantic to every doubter out there about its chances to win its first state championship in school history. Don’t laugh; it can actually happen due to Class 8A being completely wide open as far as state title potential goes.
With all that said, we have some end-of-regular-season superlative awards to hand out now. Read below to see what they are.
BEST GAME: King’s Academy-Benjamin showdown in Week 10
The end result was an epic 22-21 comeback win, 9-1 record, No. 1 private school ranking and No. 1 playoff seed in Class 3A for King’s Academy. The home team stormed back from 21 points down late in the third quarter to stun previously undefeated and former No. 1 Benjamin at the final buzzer of regulation.
This was an instant classic. Nobody can tell us otherwise.
GUTSIEST SCHEDULE: Cardinal Newman
As mentioned before, Newman played all three teams from the Muck (Pahokee, Glades Day, and Glades Central) in the regular season. Enough said.
MOST IMPROVED TEAM: Palm Beach Lakes
This team was on the bubble for a 7A playoff spot these past few weeks. After potentially slipping out of the playoffs last week, Palm Beach Lakes took care of business against Suncoast in a 46-6 win. It also got the help it needed by two other South Florida teams ahead of them losing in Week 11.
It’s always good to have a six-winning streak with a couple of breaks that goes a team’s way. We couldn’t be happier with all the success that Palm Beach Lakes has had this year.
BEST TEAM: Atlantic
Only one undefeated Palm Beach County team remains. Only one team beat Palm Beach Central, Dwyer, and Pahokee in its first three games.
Only one team deserves to be No. 1.
The top-ranked Eagles played against four playoff teams in the regular season (Palm Beach Central in Week 1, Dwyer in Week 2, Pahokee in Week 3, and Wellington in Week 10). Impressively, all four games were in non-district play, something the FHSAA definitely looked highly upon.
PLAYOFF SCHEDULES
Note: All first round games are schedule for Friday, November 9 with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff time
1A – Region 4: No. 2 Pahokee – BYE
2A – Region 4: No. 3 Glades Day hosts No. 6 Naples First Baptist (3-5)
3A – Region 2: No. 1 King’s Academy – BYE; No. 4 Cardinal Newman hosts No. 5 (5-4)
3A – Region 4: No. 2 Benjamin – BYE; No. 3 Delray Beach American Heritage hosts Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy (5-5)
4A – Region 4: No. 3 Glades Central hosts No. 6 Coral Springs Charter (7-1)
7A – Region 4: No. 2 Dwyer hosts No. 7 West Broward (7-3); No. 6 Palm Beach Lakes will go on the road to play against No. 3 McArthur (9–1)
8A – Region 4: No. 2 Atlantic hosts No. 7 Western (8-2); No. 3 Palm Beach Central (9–1) hosts No. 6 Wellington (6-4)
In all, we will have seven (!) FHSAA playoff games in Palm Beach County on Friday night.
We’ll have much more FHSAA playoff coverage and stories for you throughout this week and beyond. Stay tuned.
