...Thanksgiving is coming and it's Poster of the Year stretch season - Big finish. Be creative, if you can't make a decent point with words, drop in a song. Preferably Steely Dan, they cover about every situation in life.

Login to view embedded media

Last week the index went 114 - 17 .870 not including the Trinity Christian forfeit win. This week looks to be much tougher.
Here are the numbers:

Thursday night attended the Wiregrass Ranch at Mitchell for the 6A District 2 title. Both teams were undefeated. Neither team had played a tough schedule so these 2 teams were on a collision course to determine the top team in Pasco County. A county that still lags behind other counties in producing top teams while the population continues to grow.

Wiregrass Ranch is the most talented team with 4 players in the Florida top 200. CB/WR Graceson Littleton is #11 who hasn’t chosen a college year, CB/WR Bryce Randolph is committed to Liberty University. RB Nathan McNeil is committed to Iowa. OL/DL Gavin Blanchard is committed to Clemson. Mitchell has no one on this list.

Who won? Mitchell 31-14. How did this happen. Mitchell’s players give 100% on every play. Their offense is imaginative enough to keep defenses on their toes. How did Wiregrass lose? Approximately 200 yards penalties plus multiple mistakes.

Friday night attended a SSAA 2nd round playoff game. Christ’s Church Academy from Jacksonville at The Master’s Academy in Oviedo. TMA has something in common with Boise State. It is blue turf. Master's won 40-29. The game went back and forth until CC wilted in the 4th due to a small roster. Both teams had talent at the skill positions. Both QB's throw accurate derp balls. Both teams have productive RB's and WR's. CC's RB Harry Wilson rush for around 200 yards. The game was a lot of fun to watch.

Even though I don't go to football games anymore, went twice this year, left at halftime at each game, it was a sad day for Hardee fans.

Decided to look at the score at halftime and seen it was Booker 50 Hardee 0 at halftime...not the 4th qrt but HALFTIME. This has to be historical for Hardee football and sad at the same time.

To be honest, Hardee had zero offense this whole year from the 2 games I watched, zilch, nothing, and this reflects going up in ranks or those who controls things.

Is there any reason why St. Thomas Aquinas/Chaminade has never played IMG in football. I think the entire state of Florida would like to see that matchup. I don't feel like winning or losing will help or hurt recruiting at all for any of the schools involved. Those teams will get the players they need regardless. It would just be a great game to see.

Cedar Creek Christian vs Legacy Charter for the SSAA Class 1A title. Game was Friday night. I swear this state is still in the Stone Age when it comes to covering High School Athletics. We have these so called tools:
Max Preps, ScoreStream and each and every week I still need help finding numerous scores. Mr. Cannon can attest. Without his assistance I would have pulled the plug after week 4.
This is the only reason I stopped doing Florida high school football three years ago and it still has not gotten any better. It’s a disgrace. We are big now. Big enough to get excellent coverage of high school sports. Hell, we even have 40 electoral votes. Thats 12 more than the state of New York!

This bracket seems like a CCC vs Chaminade Madonna final. I see CCC staying with Chaminade for maybe a half, but in the end its Chaminade's 1A title to loose.

I will add more later, but just to put something to build from later this weekend, I believe this classification has at least one team from each region that could win the state title and would not be surprised at all to see all 4 #1 seeds in the semis. Will add more this weekend.

Hardee, Desoto County, and Bayshore really need to join the SSAA (Sunshine State Athletic Associate). Their football teams cannot compete with majority of the schools they play. I think they would fare much better against similar competition. I'm not sure how it works with other sports, but football is a must. These schools normally play with players from their community, little to no transfers so they are at a big disadvantage.

Watched this online Saturday, and while Palmetto generally was in control of this one, the score remained relatively close.

With a number of big ways along the way, Largo was able to take the lead. Palmetto had the ball down to the Largo 25 yard line, clinging to a 16-14 lead. A Largo freshman defender however forced a fumble, and Largo subsequently recovered with just over 7 minutes left in the game. That same Largo defender then took a hand-off from the RB position on the very next play between the tackles and went 80 yards for the TD to put Largo out front 21-16.

Largo squibs the Kickoff and Palmetto muffs it, and Largo recovers. It's looking really bad for Palmetto at this point. Palmetto defense forces Largo to punt and Palmetto now has the ball at its own 10 yatd line with 4:50 left in the game. On a double pass play, Palmetto scores a TD and then gets the 2 point conversion to take a 24-21 lead with 4:38 left in the game.

Palmetto kicks off and Largo's got the ball with 4:31 left in the game. Largo turns the ball over on downs to Palmetto at the Largo 28 with a little over 3 minutes left in the game.....(Palmetto just needs to run the clock out). With less than a minute left it appears Palmetto gets a 1st down, but a penalty negates that and Palmetto turns the ball over to Largo on down at the Largo 25 with 52 seconds left in the game. Largo completes a long pass and run for another long TD play to take the lead with 19 seconds left in the game
.....and we have ourself a 1st round upset.

Before I get into breaking down the 4 regions, I thought it would be interesting to see where everyone stands from a ranking standpoint:

LAZINDEX .................................................CALPREPS ..........................................................FHSAA
1.) Lincoln HS - Region 1...............................1.) Lakeland HS - Region 2 ..................................1.) Lakeland HS - Region 2
2.) Lakeland HS - Region 2........................2.) STA - Region 4 ..................................................2.) Manatee HS - Region 3
3.) Niceville HS - Region 1..........................3.) Manatee HS - Region 3...................................3.) Niceville HS - Region 1
4.) Mosley HS - Region 1.............................4.) Tampa Bay Tech - Region 2............................4.) Lincoln HS - Region 1
5.) Manatee HS - Region 3........................5.) Lincoln HS - Region 1........................................5.) Atlantic HS - Region 4
6.) Tampa Bay Tech - Region 2................6.) Edgewater HS - Region 2.................................6.) Mosley HS - Region 1
7.) STA - Region 4..........................................7.) Atlantic HS - Region 4........................................7.) Ponta Vedra HS - Region 1
8.) Edgewater HS - Region 2....................8.) Niceville HS - Region 1.......................................8.) Edgewater HS - Region 2
9.) Atlantic HS - Region 4..........................9.) Mosley HS - Region 1..........................................9.) Tampa Bay Tech - Region 2
10.) Ponta Vedra HS - Region 1................10.) Ponta Vedra - Region 1....................................10.) STA - Region 4
11.) Gaither HS - Region 2..........................11.) Gaither HS - Region 2.......................................11.) Ely HS - Region 4
12.) Fleming HS - Region 1.........................12.) Ely HS - Region 4...............................................12.) Beachside HS - Region 1
13.) Ely HS - Region 4.................................13.) Fleming HS - Region 1......................................13.) Fleming HS - Region 1
14.) Beachside HS - Region 1...................14.) Beachside HS - Region 1..................................14.) Fort Myers HS - Region 3
15.) Fort Myers HS - Region 3.................15.) Mailland HS - Region 1......................................15.) Riverdale HS - Region 3

Few thing that really sticks out about these polls is 1.) - the number of team from Region 1, that make the top 15 2.) How low STA is ranked in two of the three polls with its 3 regular season losses, despite 2 of those losses coming from nationally ranked top 25 teams, and the 3rd coming to a #62 nationally ranked team. 3.) How weak region 3 is, in as far as over-all repersentation in the top 15.

Who ever comes out of Region 1, will have been battled tested at least twice...possibly 3 times just to take the Region crown. I see Lakeland only being tested once, that being the game for the Region 2 Championship where it will in all probability face the winner of the Tampa Bay Tech/Edgewater game. I stated earlier I dont see anyone, that should challenge Manatee for the Region 3 Championship. Region 4 I see STA tightening the chin straps, and coming out on top for the Region 4 Championship. From there call it just a gut feeling, but I see Lakeland being upset either in its region 2 championship game or in the Semis by the Region 1 Champion. In the Southern Bracket, I want to say Manatee has a defense that could carry it past STA, if it were to play a solid game from start to finish. This defense however has shown a propensity to give up the big play on a number of different ocassions, I dont feel they stay fundamentally sound and tend lean on its normally superior talent. That's not going to work against a team like STA. Going to go out on a limb and predict a Edgewater/STA final with Edgewater pulling the upset, taking the 5A state title!

I am going to keep this short and sweet. I've looked over this bracket and it is by far the weakest bracket top to bottom. This bracket is for Miami Northwestwen to lose. That's a shame as I just dont see a single 3A team capable of playing Northwestern on equal terms.

All over social media fans of the Astronaut High War Eagles in Titusville have been expressing their angst about being left out of the playoffs. Astronaut beat The Villages Charter High Thursday night 21-20 to win the 2A District 6 title. Astronaut finished with a record of 6-4 while The Villages Charter finished at 5-4 as runner up in the district. Fans of the War Eagles found out Friday evening they had been left out while the team they just defeated made it. The Villages Charter finished with a higher FHSAA point ranking than Astronaut. The following is an article with other schools are feeling snubbed.


For the record the Laz Index had The Villages Charter ranked higher than Astronaut. Better start scheduling tougher opponents.

Region 1: St Augustine HS and Choctaw seem to be the clear 2 best teams in this otherwise average region, as only 5 teams of the total 14 teams from this region, won more games than they lost. St Augustine only losing in OT to Neese HS and Choctaw losing to Pine Forrest and Niceville. I like the resume St Augustine has built much better than Choctaw's and I am picking them to be the Reegion champ.

Region 2: I see #1 seed Jones HS being the clear favorite, with Vanguard getting the #2nd seed. I watched Vanguard play this spring against Manatee, and to me they physically dominated Manatee, as well as exposed what the Manatee defense would be if not for all of its transfers at the LB position. I see a potential darkhouse in Lake Wales HS, but when all is said and done this is a Region that has to have Jones HS as its favorite.....Im taking Jones HS to be Region Champ

Region 3: Port Charlotte HS is the #1 seed, Naples HS as the #2 seed, Dunbar as the #3 seed, and Clearwater and Tampa Jesuit as 4 and 5 seeds. Port Charlotte has been good all season, but I see it a a team that has begun to peek with the end of the regular season. Naples HS appears to be a team that you could characterize as "As Shaw Simeon goes, so goes Naples HS football" in both of Naples loses this season Simeon failed to average 5 yards per carry or break the 100 yard barrier, in every other game Simeon average over 10 yards per carry and almost 200 yards per game. Naples HS looks to have a 2nd round rematch with Dunbar, that Naples won in OT during the regular season 21-20, that last 3 years (including this year) the Dunbar/Naples contests, have been games that kept every fan on the edge of their respective seat until the very last play of the game. This is a second round contest if you in a position to get to, I'd encourage you to go see! Darkhorse team in my mind is Tampa Jesuit, as I see Jesuit and Port Charlotte facing each other in the second round. I believe Jesuit could pull the upset here, but Im going to say Port Charlotte ultimately pulls out the win to setup a Port Charlotte versus Naples region final. I see Port Charlotte claiming the region title, primarily due to the home field advantage. This Region Championship is another final, that would be totally worth the price of admission!

Region 4: Norland HS and American Heritage HS are probably the best 2 - 4A teams in the state, that have the misfotune of also being in the same region. Their strenght of schedules of both schools rank 2nd and 3rd in the state of Florida. This is a region final that in my mind, when played is for the state championship! They played each other during the regular season with Norland taking that game 32-27, but later had to forfeit the win. Im going to to take American Heritage in the region final rematch.

State Final Im going to go with American Heirtage taking it all!

Find out what colleges are recruiting Gabriel Cline, Antoine Sharp, Chadwicke Cannon Jr., Tommy Barcinas Jr., and Louisdens Paul now!

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

Find out what some of the top players in the state are saying about football and sports now!

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

How has everything with the football season been going so far?

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

How has everything with the football season been going so far?

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

How has everything with the football season been going so far?

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

How has everything with the football season been going so far?

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

How has everything with the football season been going so far?

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

-----
Note to Readers:

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

Manatee will host Pinellas Park this Friday in the first round of the 5A playoffs. Manatee has earned the #2 overall seed in 5A, meaning they will be at home throughout the playoffs as long as they win.
Also, this year for the first time the teams will play each other according to seedings in the semifinals. North and south regions won’t play each other in the semifinals for a trip to the finals. Good news for Canes fans is Manatee want see St Thomas Aquinas until the finals if they both make it that far. Let it all begin this Friday. Go Canes!

7A
Seen Venice play now a couple of times, and though they lost the game against IMG. I found it revealing that for this game, Peacock abandoned his no huddle (fast paced) offense and the Venice much maligned defense up to that point was suddenly capable of keeping teams off the scoreboard. I'll admit I havent seen Venice play since the IMG game, but its defense starting with the Lehigh game has allowed oppossing teams to only score at a 10 points per game rate. My thought's were that Peacock realized his offense scoring at a rate of 5 to 7 plays per drive, was in turn keeping his defense on the field way too much. So he slowed things down offensively, to in turn drammatically lower the total number of offensive plays oppossing teams were getting per game. Subsequently keeping the defense off the field and thus gettting a over-all better production from it.

I see Venice probably only getting 1 game on its quest to a Championship game, that being Lake Mary. I see Venice finding its self in that Championship game, playing Miami Columbus, with Venice and Peacock letting it all hang out at that point and winning the 7A state title running away!

6A
I find the 6A Bracket as being a very competitive! There will any number of games in this bracket that will be worth seeing, if your in a position to see them from a location standpoint.

Region 1 - looks to me a Region that is destine to see a Neese vs Bucholz rematch, that saw Neese win in overtime. Darkhorse team that could shake thing up in this Region is Pace HS
Region 2 - Looks like its Armwood's to lose. Its defense had 5 shuts during the regular season, but I also noted Armwood was only challanged once all year,that being Tampa Bay Tech in a game they won 31-27
Region 3 - West Boca I see is the team everyone seems to be pencilling as the favorite. This Region though in my mind has a few teams that could potentially challenge. Mitchell knocked of Wireglass during the regular season but still found itself as lower seed to Wireglass (due to a strenght of schedule measurement emloyed by the FHSAA), I wouldnt under estimate Mitchell, but it has a 1st round game against Parrish Community, that could be an opponet that could sneak up them, if they're already looking at a potential 2nd round matchup against West Boca. Another team in this bracket I believe might being over looked is Palmetto HS. Nothing about Palmetto just cries out to you as a dominate team, but all Palmetto did during the regular season was go 9-1 losing only to Manatee 35-7 in a game played after a Hurricane layoff that saw them commit a number of mistakes at the beginning of the game. I could see a circumstance where a number of team could win this region including Palmetto. Right now Im going to go out on a limb and predict Mitchell to pull the upset, just because of the number of times they've come close to doing this only to lose at the end. Its a program thats been quietly playing quality football for a number of years, I believe this year is the year they break through to win this region.
Region 4 - This region in my mind is for Miami Southridge to lose.

I see the Region 1 winner as being the favorite to win the state title, but regardless they'll be a number of games in this Bracket that would fun for the true HS football fan to see if your in a position to see a game!