PALM BEACH COUNTY – There will be new faces in new places as the FHSAA has reclassified all of the football districts and classes, effective today (Dec. 14).
Below is a listing of where all of our Palm Beach County high school football teams will be placed for the next two upcoming seasons ahead (2019-2020; 2020-2021).
NOTE: Our area schools are capitalized so readers can clearly see where the teams are classified at.
NEW REGION 1A-4
Hawthorne
Bronson
Trenton
Fort Meade
Chiefland
Wildwood
PAHOKEE
Williston
Crescent City
Newberry
NEW REGION 2A-4
GLADES DAY
Champagnat
Miami Christian
First Baptist
Evangelical Christian
St. John Neumann
Westminster Academy
Southwest Florida Christian
Moore Haven
Community School
Marathon
NEW REGION 3A-3
John Carroll
BENJAMIN
CARDINAL NEWMAN
Cardinal Mooney
KING’S ACADEMY
Clearwater Central Catholic
Calvary Christian (Clearwater)
Berkeley Prep
Bonita Springs
Oasis
Bishop Verot
NEW REGION 3A-4
Palm Glades Prep
ST. JOHN PAUL II (BOCA RATON)
Palmer Trinity
Pinecrest Prep
Westminster Christian
Chaminade-Madonna
Everglades Prep
Somerset Silver Palms
ST. ANDREWS
Calvary Christian (Ft. Lauderdale)
Edison
NEW REGION 4A-3
Tampa Catholic
SOMERSET CANYONS
Lake Placid
Clewiston
North River
Lakewood
GLADES CENTRAL
Avon Park
Lemon Bay
Tenoroc
NEW REGION 4A-4
NSU University School
Pine Crest
Immaculata-LaSalle
Monsignor Pace
AMERICAN HERITAGE (DELRAY BEACH)
Coral Springs Charter
Washington (Miami)
Gulliver Prep
Carol City
North Broward Prep
Somerset Pembroke Pines
Cardinal Gibbons
NEW DISTRICT 5A-14
Jensen Beach
Coconut Creek
BOYNTON BEACH
SUNCOAST
NEW DISTRICT 7A-12
Martin County
SEMINOLE RIDGE
ROYAL PALM BEACH
DWYER
PALM BEACH LAKES
NEW DISTRICT 7A-13
Blanche Ely
OLYMPIC HEIGHTS
WEST BOCA RATON
ATLANTIC (DELRAY BEACH)
NEW DISTRICT 8A-10
FOREST HILL
WELLINGTON
PALM BEACH CENTRAL
PALM BEACH GARDENS
JUPITER
NEW DISTRICT 8A-11
LAKE WORTH
SANTALUCES
PARK VISTA
JOHN I. LEONARD
NEW DISTRICT 8A-12
Deerfield Beach
Monarch
SPANISH RIVER
BOCA RATON
Boca Raton
WHAT THIS ALL MEANS
In both the 1A and 2A classes, Pahokee (495 students) and Glades Day (91 students) will stay in their respective places for the next two years. This was a great decision made by the FHSAA to provide a level of continuity for two of our three Muck area teams.
As for the 3A class, a host of changes were made.
Let’s start with King’s Academy.
This past season’s Region 2 No. 1 seed and 3A state runner-up will move to Region 3 for the next two seasons, which can be seen as a questionable move for the Lions.
There won’t be a 3A state title game rematch next year between King’s Academy and reigning state champ Chaminade-Madonna. At best, the two Lions teams will square up in the state semifinals in 2019 and/or 2020.
Translation: A second state title game appearance for King’s Academy will almost certainly have to go through Chaminade. No easy feat whatsoever.
Also in Region 3 are new King’s Academy rivals Benjamin (Region 4 in 2017 and 2018) and Cardinal Newman (Region 2 in 2017 and 2018).
St. Andrews and St. John Paul II will remain in Region 4.
Guess who’s out of Class 3A?
It’s American Heritage (Delray Beach), the newly minted Class 4A team. The Stallions are now in 4A-Region 4 with the likes of University School and Booker T. Washington, which makes it one of the state’s toughest regions in all of FHSAA football.
Moving from Class 4A-Region 4 is Glades Central, which will be joining crosstown rival Clewiston in the new 4A-Region 3. Also in 4A-4 is Somerset Canyons, which will be playing in a FHSAA classification for the first time.
For the 5A class, Suncoast and Boynton Beach are district opponents again. These two schools were in 5A and 6A for the past four years, respectively.
Moving down a classification from 8A to 7A are Seminole Ridge (for the first time) and Atlantic (back to 7A-13 for the first time since 2014). Olympic Heights and West Boca Raton remain in 7A-13, while Dwyer, Palm Beach Lakes, Royal Palm Beach move to 7A-12 for the next two years.
Guess who moved up to 8A?
It’s Forest Hill, up a classification from 7A these past several seasons. The Falcons are now in a competitive 8A-10 with Palm Beach Central, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington and Jupiter.
In 8A-11, it will be Park Vista, Lake Worth, Santaluces, and John I. Leonard. All four schools are within 20 minutes of each other, which will ensure highly competitive district games for the next two seasons.
Finally, 8A-12 features Boca Raton and Spanish River. Both teams will have to get through 8A powerhouse Deerfield Beach if they want to qualify for the FHSAA playoffs in 2019 and 2020.
Source: FHSAA
