PALM BEACH COUNTY – Week 10 ended with several district titles wrapped up and our area’s Upset of the Year.
The action that took place in our area will explain how we were able to come up with this week’s Top 10.
With that said, let us waste no time by putting the latest Top 10 out right now.
HONEST IMPRESSION: DISTRICT CHAMPIONS
We have officially crowned seven district champions in Palm Beach County.
All of our district title winners – save for then-No. 4/now-No. 3 Pahokee (7-2; Class 1R-Region 4; no FHSAA district) – are in the top eight spots of this week’s Top 10.
Here is a list of our teams that have officially punched in their FHSAA postseason tickets:
•No. 1 Cardinal Newman: District 5-1M champion
•No. 2 Palm Beach Central: District 10-4M champion
•No. 4 Atlantic (Delray Beach): District 9-3M champion
•No. 5 Palm Beach Gardens: District 9-4M champion
•No. 6 Santaluces: District 11-4M champion
•No. 7 King’s Academy: District 9-2M champion
•No. 8 Boynton Beach: District 10-2M champion
Let us all celebrate our seven district winners as they look to have deep postseason runs this month and hopefully in December as well.
GRAND UPSET IN WEEK 10
Our Upset of the Year happened this past Friday night (Oct. 28), when heavily favored and then-No. 3 Santaluces was at home for its senior night against Park Vista (2-7).
This game ended in shocking fashion, as the home team suffered a 21-18 loss in the process.
As this resulted in the first loss this season for Santaluces, a three-spot drop in our latest Top 10 was warranted at the very least.
Not everyone on our team agreed with this decision, however.
Some thought Santaluces should have dropped even further, given the fact it was a home loss to Park Vista on its senior night. Others felt the three-spot drop was just right.
The majority wins here.
FINAL CALL OUT: WEEK 10
Inlet Grove was in prime position to win the District 9-2M title outright this past Friday night (Oct. 28).
Playing at home against King’s Academy, the stage was set for a special breakthrough moment.
But it was not meant to be, as the Lions found a way to pull out a 21-7 win on the road over the Hurricanes.
As a result of the loss, Inlet Grove has dropped four spots this week from No. 5 to No. 9 in our Top 10 rankings.
Meanwhile, Dwyer remains at No. 10 due to its 20-17 comeback win on the road over Seminole Ridge.
WEEK 11 ACTION: INLET GROVE AND DWYER
Both No. 9 Inlet Grove and No. 10 Dwyer will need to win their Week 11 games in order to boost their playoff chances at the very least.
Inlet Grove will be hosting Palm Beach Christian Prep (6-1) in its regular season finale on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Dwyer will be on the road at Palm Beach Lakes (0-9) in its regular season finale on Friday, Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m.
WEEK 11 ACTION: OTHER TOP 10 TEAMS
Our Game of Week 11 features our only ranked vs. ranked matchup of the regular season finale:
No. 6 Santaluces vs. No. 4 Atlantic (Delray Beach) – Friday, Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m.
Santaluces will face its biggest test of the season to date. For the first time this fall, it will go into this game as an underdog.
Can head coach Hector Clavijo and the Chiefs silence all of their doubters once and for all by taking down a suddenly powerful Eagles squad?
If so, this will go a long way in enhancing the home team’s hopes of making a deep run in the Class 4M playoffs later this month.
Meanwhile, here are the other Week 11 games featuring our Top 10 teams:
THURSDAY
•No. 1 Cardinal Newman at Gulliver Prep (Miami) (5-3) – 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Tropical Park in Miami
•No. 2 Palm Beach Central vs. Carol City (5-4) – 6:30 p.m. kickoff
•No. 8 Boynton Beach vs. Lake Worth (3-6) – 6:30 p.m. kickoff
FRIDAY
•MUCK BOWL: No. 3 Pahokee at Glades Central (2-7) – 6:30 p.m. kickoff
•No. 5 Palm Beach Gardens vs. Park Vista (2-7) – 6:30 p.m. kickoff
•No. 7 King’s Academy vs. Benjamin (4-4) – 7 p.m. kickoff
NEXT TOP 10 RELEASE: Monday, Nov. 7 or Tuesday, Nov. 8
PHOTO CREDITS: Future Draft Style and Christian Proscia
