Florida Youth and High School Sports News Blog

Florida Football: Week 8 4A Rankings

In case you didn’t see the earlier posts, we’re now going with separate posts for each class in an effort to shorten things a bit. Again, it’s also worth noting that some teams are now highlighted. Clicking them sends you to the individual Team Card page. For example, here’s Naples High.

Of course, there are still several teams that don’t have a Team Card page. As athletes, coaches, fans, etc., it’s your five-minute investment that creates the Team Card for your particular team. In most cases, there’s already a spot ready. You just have to register and go on your merry way uploading those pics of your son making the game-saving tackle, or maybe missing the game-winning field goal. But you still love him, right?

Click here to get started creating your Team Card. Also don’t forget that there’s also a Star Card option where you can focus on you, everybody’s favorite person, especially if you’re Rickey Henderson, who liked to talk about himself in the third person. If you don’t get it, ask your English teacher and start studying for that big test. Or, if you’d rather spend your time here, just realize that the answer is most likely C, no matter what the question might be. Of course, that’s only the case about 35 percent of the time. It’s the most common answer, but 35 percent isn’t what you want to see at the top of your test. For that one, just ask your math teacher, fool.

Anyway, create your card today and share the link with teammates, other parents, coaches, the high school newspaper staff or anyone else who might wish to contribute. It’s one team, but anyone who registers can upload under that Team Card.

We’re happy to report that Local Replay is rapidly going mainstream just three months since launching, and 2008 promises to be a big year. If you haven’t joined the party, you’re missing out. We’re adding photographers and writers every month, and we’re tweaking the site to add more features. My push is for a message board with sections for each sport and subsections by class.

Don’t forget that this isn’t just a football site. We purport to cover all prep sports, including AAU and other youth programs. This fall, we’re a little overwhelmed to delve too far into volleyball, swimming and golf. But there are sporadic posts on those sports, and we’ll have full coverage of the state swim meet in early November. We’re also set to roll into the football playoffs and then carry the momentum over to basketball and soccer seasons.

Coaches, we’d also like to have your rosters and team stats, which can be sent directly to me by e-mail at: rwhite3135@cfl.rr.com or to the regular Local Replay e-mail. There’s also a spot for a team photo. Drop the yearbook staff a line, and tell them to throw you a photo.

The photos, video footage and stats will be there for years to come, as the site doesn’t have any plans to remove anything. Local Replay’s computer gurus (me included) wouldn’t know a mike back if he hit ‘em in the groin, but we start to salivate if you talk about server space and bandwidth. Anyway, on to this week’s rankings and on toward a fateful stop in Orlando.

Well, the ranks of the undefeated was reduced by two this week, as St. Pete Northeast lost 17-7 to East Lake and Tampa Hillsborough (6-1) lost 35-16 to Plant. Booker T. moves up to No. 2 based upon Armwood’s narrow victory against Plant City.

Seabreeze’s 42-3 victory against Titusville is all that kept Booker T. from climbing back to the top after it defeated Edison 41-0 for its third shutout in a 4-0 start. Booker T. had a close call against Carol City a few weeks ago, but a closer look shows that Carol City really isn’t as bad is its 0-6 record might indicate. Carol City, a 6A team, has lost five of its six by fewer than two touchdowns, and those losses include several to top teams.

The top five is becoming much clearer now. Nease’s 17-15 victory against St. Augustine secures it a spot, and Lincoln keeps the No. 5 with Pace (6-0) and Ridgewood (6-0) hot on its tail. Hillsborough and Northeast might not make it back to the Top 5 before playoff time, but the rankings hardly matter once the games reach one-and-done stage. On its big win against Hillsborogh, Plant rises three spots this week. Plant has a shot at returning to the top echelon, and remember that this team is breaking in a new quarterback this season. He seems to figured it out at this point, and that could make Plant a team that goes deep in the playoffs.

4A
1. (Daytona Beach) Seabreeze (6-0)
2. (Miami) Booker T. Washington (4-0)
3. (Seffner) Armwood (7-0)
4. (Ponte Vedra Beach) Nease (6-1)
5. (Tallahassee) Lincoln (6-1)
6. Winter Haven (6-1)
7. Pace (6-0)
8. Ridgewood (6-0)
9. St. Petersburg) Northeast (5-1)
10. (Tampa) Hillsborough (6-1)
11. Titusville (6-1)
12. Rockledge (5-1)
13. (Lake City) Columbia (6-1)
14. (Tampa) Plant (5-1)
15. (Gainesville) Eastside (5-1)
16. Land O’Lakes (5-1)
17. (Gulfport) Boca Ciega (4-2)
18. Chiles (3-2)
19. Fort Walton Beach (4-1)
20. Okeechobee (4-2)