Team of Week 8: Palm Beach Lakes

WEST PALM BEACH – Three-time weekly winner Palm Beach Lakes (No. 1; 6-0; 2-0 in District 12-7A) continues its impressive season in more ways than one.

While Week 8 was the first real challenge the Rams had in some time – their 23-3 road win over then-No. 10 Seminole Ridge was actually closer than the final score indicated – they learned how to win in a different way.

Slowed by inclement weather in Loxahatchee, the Rams leaned on Week 8 MVP candidate and junior running back Antonio Outler, who scored two rushing touchdowns in the second half of their eventual 20-point win over the Hawks (4-2; 1-1 in 12-7A).

It’s the primary reason why Palm Beach Lakes sailed past it’s competition as our Team of Week 8. The Rams also took home our Team of Week 3 and Team of Week 5 honors.

Not every game will be exciting. Not every game will be a blowout.

But great teams always find a way to come out on top. And that’s what Palm Beach Lakes (No. 25; latest all-classification statewide team rankings) is becoming, a good-to-great program with state title potential.

It looks as if Palm Beach Lakes will easily win the District 12-7A title, with victories already over Royal Palm Beach (34-7 in Week 4) and Seminole Ridge (23-3 in Week 8). The next two games are projected to be easy ones for Lakes, with Week 9 coming against former powerhouse Dwyer (2-4; 1-2 in 12-7A) and Week 10 against Martin County (2-5; 1-1 in 12-7A).

Wins over Dwyer and Martin County will seal the 12-7A title for Palm Beach Lakes, which is currently projected to be the No. 1 seed in the Class 7A-Region 3 playoffs. More impressively, Palm Beach Lakes has moved up from No. 13 to No. 10 overall in the latest FHSAA RPI team rankings.

DISTRICT 12-7A STANDINGS

1. Palm Beach Lakes (2-0; 6-0 overall)
2. Seminole Ridge (1-1; 4-2 overall)
3. Martin County (1-1; 2-5 overall)
4. Dwyer (1-1; 2-4 overall)
5. Royal Palm Beach (0-3; 3-3 overall)

Palm Beach Lakes has earned the right to be seen as a state title contender in Class 7A. We’ll see how far this team goes in the next several weeks ahead.