PALM BEACH COUNTY – Week 8 ended with no surprises this time.
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: BOYNTON BEACH
We have a district champion for the first time.
Boynton Beach (6-2) made the most of its Top 10 return and served up a great offensive performance against previously ranked St. Andrew’s (5-2) this past Thursday night (Oct. 13) in a 40-35 road win.
The Smith Family dominated this game for Boynton Beach as they scored all six touchdowns on the ground for their team in Week 8.
En route to the District 10-2M title, Boynton Beach senior running back Bobby Smith Jr. led the way with four touchdowns. Fellow senior and quarterback Tyrone Smith added another rushing score on a quarterback sneak, while junior Bobby T. Smith (No. 6-ranked player in the 2024 class) got one score in on the ground to cap it all out.
This is perhaps the highest point in school history for Boynton Beach, which is on a five-game winning streak now.
After dropping games to Santaluces (22-7 loss in Week 2) and Boca Raton (27-21 overtime loss in Week 3), Boynton Beach has handled the likes of Park Vista (48-7 win in Week 4), West Boca Raton (42-7 win in Week 5), Somerset Academy Canyons (55-14 win in Week 6), Seminole Ridge (10-7 win in Week 7), and St. Andrew’s.
The question now for Boynton Beach is this: Now that it has won a district title for the first time in school history, will we have a consistent district winner?
We will not know the answer until next season.
But for now, let us celebrate the fact that Boynton Beach is a district champion for the first time ever.
And other thing: Smith Jr. will likely keep his title as the No. 1-ranked running back in Palm Beach County for the 2023 class.
Boynton Beach (then-No. 10/now-No. 9 ranked team in Palm Beach County) is destined for greatness, and we are all here for it.
QUICK CALL OUT: ALL OTHER TOP 10 TEAMS
The Boynton Beach-St. Andrew’s tilt was our Game of Week 8. It was between the then-No. 10 and then-No. 9 ranked teams in Palm Beach County.
Now that St. Andrew’s is no longer in our Top 10, we had to include another team.
We went with Atlantic (4-3) due to its impressive 28-0 homecoming win over Seminole Ridge (4-3) in Week 8.
Atlantic returns to our Top 10 after a one-week absence. Coming back at the No. 10 spot, this team has a chance to clinch the District 9-3M this week against No. 5 Dwyer (5-2), which had a bye in Week 8.
Other than Atlantic’s return and Boynton Beach’s rise, no other team made any Top 10 moves this week.
Cardinal Newman, Palm Beach Central, Palm Beach Gardens, Santaluces, Dwyer, Pahokee, Inlet Grove, and King’s Academy either won their Week 8 games or had a Week 8 bye:
WEEK 9 ACTION: SPOTLIGHT ON TWO GAMES
We have two ranked vs. ranked showdowns on Friday (Oct. 21). One of the them is our Game of Week 9.
•No. 2 Palm Beach Central (6–1) vs. No. 3 Palm Beach Gardens (5-2): Friday (Oct. 21) at 6:30 p.m. – Game of Week 9
This game is for bragging rights.
We have two of the top three Class of 2023 quarterbacks in Palm Beach County for this epic matchup: Ahmad Haston (Palm Beach Central; No. 1-ranked quarterback for the 2023 class) and Brand Campbell (No. 3-ranked quarterback for the 2023 class).
Both quarterbacks are respected leaders in their own respective rights and ways. Both of them have the will to win and overcome adversity at every turn.
Both quarterbacks want to come out on top here.
But only one of them will be the winner.
We will find out for sure on Friday night.
•No. 5 Dwyer (5-2) vs. No. 10 Atlantic (Delray Beach): Friday (Oct. 21) at 6:30 p.m.
As stated before, Atlantic will clinch the District 9-3M title with a win on the road over Dwyer in Week 9.
As for Dwyer, it will need two straight win to earn the 9-3M title.
Dwyer and Atlantic are in a three-team district with Seminole Ridge, which means that each win here is critical.
Atlantic is now 1-0 in 9-3M play, while Seminole Ridge is now 0-1 in 9-3M.
We will look to have preview stories for each of our two ranked vs. ranked games tomorrow (Oct. 20) or Friday (Oct. 21).
NEXT TOP 10 RANKINGS UPDATE: Wednesday, Oct. 26
PHOTO CREDITS: Future Draft Style
