By: Ross Van De Griek
The 2019 FHSAA Football postseason gets underway this week, with 30 matchups across the Tampa Bay area on Friday night. It is win or go home, as the Drive to Daytona or Tallahassee (depending on your classification) starts right now. Here are some of my predictions for this week's opening round slate of games.
Port Charlotte (9-1) at Hillsborough (8-2), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Port Charlotte: QB Logan Rogers (1153 passing yards, 11 TD's, 4 interceptions)
Players to watch for Hillsborough: QB Caleb Pierce (811 passing yards, 11 TD's, 4 interceptions)
Prediction: Port Charlotte 24, Hillsborough 17
Lake Nona (7-3) at Riverview (Sarasota) (8-2), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Lake Nona: QB Conner Johnson (3056 passing yards, 31 TD's, 10 interceptions)
Players to watch for Riverview (Sarasota): RB Trayvon Hall (1224 rushing yards, 16 TD's)
Prediction: Riverview (Sarasota) 31, Lake Nona 28
Atlantic (7-3) at River Ridge (8-2), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Atlantic: N/A
Players to watch for River Ridge: RB Anthony Roussos (1111 rushing yards, 15 TD's), DE Dylan Nichols (77 total tackles this season)
Prediction: River Ridge 35, Atlantic 17
Wiregrass Ranch (7-3) at Lakeland (10-0), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Wiregrass Ranch: RB Nate Miller (514 rushing yards, 6 TD's), QB Rocco Becht (1877 passing yards, 20 TD's, 7 interceptions)
Players to watch for Lakeland: DeMarkcus Bowman (1192 rushing yards, 17 TD's)
Prediction: Lakeland 42, Wiregrass Ranch 7
Pinellas Park (6-4) at Manatee (6-4), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Pinellas Park: Lawrance Toafili (1429 rushing yards, 18 TD's), QB Brandon Brearley (615 passing yards, 4 TD's, 4 interceptions)
Players to watch for Manatee: RB Tyson Phelps (67.7 rushing yards/game), QB Jayce Berzowski (127.5 passing yards/game)
Prediction: Pinellas Park 24, Manatee 21
Sebring (6-4) at Lake Wales (10-0), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Sebring: RB EJ Lockett (668 rushing yards, 6 TD's), LB J'darien Barrett (85 total tackles this season)
Players to watch for Lake Wales: RB Johnny Richardson (2040 rushing yards, 29 TD's), LB Joel Hadley (121 total tackles this season)
Prediction: Lake Wales 34, Sebring 13
Auburndale (8-2) at Lake Gibson (10-0), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Auburndale: RB Tre'veon Raggs (1041 rushing yards, 14 TD's), QB Sabata Bridges (1420 passing yards, 5 TD's, 4 interceptions)
Players to watch for Lake Gibson: RB Jaylon Glover (1276 rushing yards, 14 TD's), QB Logan Hackett (1404 passing yards, 21 TD's, 6 interceptions)
Prediction: Lake Gibson 28, Auburndale 17
Countryside (6-4) at Largo (7-3), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Countryside: Kamrhen Simpkins (1847 passing yards, 16 TD's, 10 interceptions)
Players to watch for Largo: QB Brandon Coppola (801 passing yards, 6 TD's, 5 interceptions), LB Jayion McCluster (136 total tackles this season)
Prediction: Largo 24, Countryside 14
Zephyrhills Christian (6-4) at Seffner Christian (7-3), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Zephyrhills Christian: RB Tyler Davis (1244 rushing yards, 11 TD's)
Players to watch for Seffner Christian: QB Isaiah Knowles (1378 passing yards, 16 TD's, 1 interception), RB Justin Stubbs (1003 rushing yards, 16 TD's)
Prediction: Seffner Christian 35, Zephyrhills Christian 12
Tampa Bay Tech (7-3) at Viera (6-3), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Tampa Bay Tech: QB David Wright (1825 passing yards, 20 TD's, 5 interceptions)
Players to watch for Viera: QB Bryce Norton (1327 passing yards, 9 TD's, 5 interceptions), DE Cooper Davis (93 total tackles this season)
Prediction: Tampa Bay Tech 21, Viera 20
Keswick Christian (7-3) at Admiral Farragut (6-3), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Keswick Christian: WR Tylon Thompson (1023 rushing yards, 15 TD's & 141 receiving yards, 3 TD's), QB Silas Schoel (1189 passing yards, 12 TD's, 8 interceptions)
Players to watch for Admiral Farragut: N/A
Prediction: Admiral Farragut 21, Keswick Christian 14
Clearwater (8-2) at Dixie Hollins (8-2), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Clearwater: QB Rent Montie (2081 passing yards, 23 TD's, 8 interceptions), WR Keedrik Murray (936 receiving yards, 13 TD's)
Players to watch for Dixie Hollins: RB River Wood (903 rushing yards, 9 TD's), QB Fernando Monroe (1241 passing yards, 14 TD's, 11 interceptions)
Prediction: Clearwater 35, Dixie Hollins 27
Melbourne (7-3) at Armwood (9-1), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Melbourne: RB Antonio Wright (1175 rushing yards, 18 TD's), QB Justin Popovich (837 passing yards, 10 TD's, 10 interceptions)
Players to watch for Armwood: QB Cam'ron Ransom (1045 passing yards, 12 TD's, 7 interceptions)
Prediction: Armwood 35, Melbourne 7
Seminole Ridge (6-3) at Mitchell (9-1), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Seminole Ridge: N/A
Players to watch for Mitchell: RB Tyler Williams (1156 rushing yards, 19 TD's), QB Ezra Brennan (1875 passing yards, 26 TD's, 5 interceptions)
Prediction: Mitchell 38, Seminole Ridge 10
Lemon Bay (3-7) at Tampa Catholic (5-5), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Lemon Bay: N/A
Players to watch for Tampa Catholic: QB Dylan McCain (1357 passing yards, 12 TD's, 5 interceptions), LB Mikey Gonzalez (86 total tackles this season)
Prediction: Tampa Catholic 34, Lemon Bay 0
Clearwater Central Catholic (7-3) at Calvary Christian (8-2), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Clearwater Central Catholic: RB Jordan Niles (1414 rushing yards, 20 TD's), DE Jerzhan Newton (73 total tackles this season)
Players to watch for Calvary Christian: QB Harold Cook (1965 passing yards, 23 TD's, 5 interceptions), RB Kai Martin (1093 rushing yards, 13 TD's)
Prediction: Calvary Christian 28, Clearwater Central Catholic 20
Bloomingdale (8-2) at Winter Haven (7-3), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Bloomingdale: QB Lance Alderson (1059 passing yards, 12 TD's, 4 interceptions), LB Gabriel Jones (21 total tackles this season)
Players to watch for Winter Haven: FB Tyrece Anglin (881 rushing yards, 11 TD's)
Prediction: Bloomingdale 27, Winter Haven 20
Lennard (7-3) at Dr. Phillips (8-2), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Lennard: RB Tino Hunt (1592 rushing yards, 15 TD's)
Players to watch for Dr. Phillips: N/A
Prediction: Dr. Phillips 35, Lennard 21
Chamberlain (6-4) at Rockledge (8-1), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Chamberlain: QB Bruce Jackson (1358 passing yards, 21 TD's, 6 interceptions)
Players to watch for Rockledge: RB LaDarius Tennison (661 rushing yards, 9 TD's) & has 98 total tackles this season
Prediction: Rockledge 31, Chamberlain 10
Citrus (9-1) at Nature Coast Tech (5-5), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Citrus: QB Connor Bishop (891 passing yards, 9 TD's, 2 interceptions), RB Zaire Wilcox (855 rushing yards, 16 TD's)
Players to watch for Nature Coast Tech: QB Fabian Burnett (818 passing yards, 6 TD's, 3 interceptions) & also has 544 rushing yards, with 8 TD's
Prediction: Nature Coast Tech 23, Citrus 21
Eau Gallie (9-1) at Jesuit (8-2), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Eau Gallie: QB Cade Ross (1933 passing yards, 21 TD's, 10 interceptions), FS Jordan Blackmon (83 total tackles this season)
Players to watch for Jesuit: RB Ricky Parks (763 rushing yards, 11 TD's), QB Kiael Kelly (1259 passing yards, 17 TD's, 2 interceptions)
Prediction: Jesuit 28, Eau Gallie 17
Springstead (9-1) at Lake Minneola (7-3), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Springstead: RB Anthony Alexis (1171 rushing yards, 14 TD's), LB Adrian Cabrera (92 total tackles this season)
Players to watch for Lake Minneola: RB Kyeandre Magloire (2038 rushing yards, 29 TD's)
Prediction: Lake Minneola 35, Springstead 14
Boca Ciega (6-4) at Gaither (9-1), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Boca Ciega: RB Chris Phillips (1517 rushing yards, 22 TD's), QB Taffrey Peterman (1444 passing yards, 14 TD's, 4 interceptions)
Players to watch for Gaither: QB Tony Bartalo (2055 passing yards, 32 TD's, 6 interceptions)
Prediction: Gaither 38, Boca Ciega 13
Newsome (8-2) at Steinbrenner (9-1), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Newsome: Jason Albritton (1243 rushing yards, 13 TD's), DB Lamar Frederick
Players to watch for Steinbrenner: QB Haden Carlson (1549 passing yards, 26 TD's, 3 interceptions), LB Austin Brannen (86 total tackles)
Prediction: Steinbrenner 34, Newsome 24
East Lake (6-4) at Palm Beach Lakes (9-0), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for East Lake: QB Matt Trotto (1985 passing yards, 23 TD's, 5 interceptions), LB Dylan Rosiek (104 total tackles)
Players to watch for Palm Beach Lakes: Antonio Outler (923 rushing yards, 8 TD's), QB Tre'von Taylor (1005 passing yards, 13 TD's, 1 interception)
Prediction: Palm Beach Lakes 35, East Lake 6
Riverview (8-2) at Osceola (Kissimmee) (8-1), Fri @ 7:30pm
Players to watch for Riverview: Stazion Gage (1286 passing yards, 10 TD's, 6 interceptions), 674 rushing yards & 10 TD's
Players to watch for Osceola (Kissimmee): RB Dwayne McGee (700 rushing yards, 14 TD's)
Prediction: Kissimmee Osceola 31, Riverview 24