What was the best game of the season so far, will IMG Academy win a national championship and who will play for the state titles in 2025?
The Florida high school football season has passed its halfway point.
Some things have gone exactly as predicted.
IMG has been outstanding under first-year coach Greg Studrawa. Defendning state champions West Boca, St. Thomas Aquinas, Miami Northwestern and Chaminade-Madonna all rebounded nicely from an early-season loss to nationally ranked programs and are ranked in the top 10 of the USA TODAY Florida Network Super 25.
There are also have been some twists and turns.
Armwood was No. 9 in Class 6A on the preaseason poll but currently is the unanimous No. 1 after wins against Gaither, Tampa Bay Tech and Plant. The No. 1 spot in Class 4A has rotated between Jones, American Heritage and St. Augistine six times this season.
So what will the second half have in store?
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With that in mind, here are 10 questions to consider at the midway point.
What was the best game of the first half of the season?
Ok, by definition this is subjective. But we're going to put more weight on games that involve two quality opponents in an exciting game. There are several candidates, including Vero Beach beating Buchholz 28-24 in Week 2, St. Augustine beating Bolles 40-35 and Spruce Creek beating Mainland 20-16 in Week 3, Edgewater beating Jones 20-17 in Week 4. But we'll go with Chaminade-Madonna's 28-24 come-from-behind win at American Heritage. Two in-state nationally ranked teams, huge games from major recruits and a thrilling fourth quarter. This one checked all the boxes.
What was the best single game performance from first half of the season?
This is a no-brainer. Bolles sophomore running back Xander Edwards' game against Baldwin in Week 6 is one of the greatest single game performances in state history. Edwards had 39 carries for 522 yards and eight touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 73-49 win. None of those numbers are typos. Edwards, the son of former NFL fullback Marc Edwards, already was having an outstanding season but he certainly set the bar with his record-setting outing.
What was the biggest disappointment from the first half of the season?
American Heritage quarterback Dia Bell needing a season-ending medical procedure. It's selfish, but we don't get that many chances to have a five-star quarterback in our backyard. In Bell's last high school game, he completed 25 of 35 passes (71.4 percent completion percentage) for 325 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 56 rushing yards against nationally ranked Chaminade-Madonna. Wish we could have seen more of Bell before he signs with Texas, but it does lead to the next question.
Which undefeated team impressed most in the first half of the season?
Several candidates, but let's go with St. Augustine. The Yellow Jackets are 6-0 and ranked No. 2 in Class 4A. St. Augustine has wins against Bolles (No. 2 Class 2A), Nease (No. 8 Class 6A) and Columbia (No. 9 Class 4A). Despite graduating quarterback Locklan Hewlett (USF), wide receivers Carl Jenkins Jr. (UCF) and Trenton Jones (Mercer) and eight of its top 11 tacklers from its 2024 state semifinal squad, coach Brian Braddock's team looks just as formidable in 2025. St. Augustine has positioned itself to be the top seed in both its region and state which could be very important in potential games against Choctawhatchee. Columbia or Ed White.
Which team has benefitted most from the midseason quarterback transfers?
One of the biggest stories of the first half of the season has been the midseason quarterback transfers. The list includes Darryon Jones (Venice from Chaminade-Madonna), Joaquin Kavouklis (Gaither from Lakeland) and Leon Strawder (American Heritage from Miami Northwestern). Of those three schools, American Heritage is the biggest winner. The Patriots managed to replace Bell with a quarterback who threw for 2,677 yards and 41 touchdowns for a state championship team in 2024.
Will the FHSAA power rankings start to make sense?
Really hope so, and they probably will somewhat. The current power rankings don't make sense. Yes, Armwood, Vero Beach and Buchholz are all really good teams with big wins and impressive resumes. But so do St. Thomas Aquinas, Chaminade-Madonna, Northwestern, Central, West Boca and Venice. Those five currently are ranked outside the top 50 in the state and none would home-field advantage in the regional final much less the state semifinals. Venice and West Boca both are defending state champions who currently would be traveling in the first round of the playoffs. There's a month to go, but right now the power rankings do not truly reflect what's happening on the field.
What's the biggest game of the second half of the regular season?
The rivalry game between Miami Northwestern and Miami Central in Week 7 deserves could be the answer almost every year. But this year has a lot more than just a rivalry. Northwestern is No. 1 in Class 3A, Central is No. 2. This almost certainly would have been a Class 3A regional championship game in 2024 but Central to forfeit all its games. Instead, Northwestern romped to a state championship. Central won't forget that. The one small thing working against this game is the winner doesn't gain home field advantage in the playoffs as both teams play at Traz Powell. If you want a game with district and real playoff seeding implications, check out DeLand and Spruce Creek finishing their game in Week 12. DeLand had a quick 14-0 lead in the Week 6 showdown before it was postponed because of lightning.
What's the best region to watch during the second half of the season?
There's some good ones, but arguably the deepest at the top is Region 2-5A. That region includes Edgewater (currently No. 2 in Class 5A), Lakeland (No. 3), Gaither (No. 6) and Tampa Bay Tech (No. 7). The power rankings currently have it Gaither, Lakeland, Tampa Bay Tech, Edgewater. Home field advantage could play a big role in determining who wins the region, so how the rankings play out over the next month is certainly worth watching. Lakeland beat Gaither and Tampa Bay Tech — both at home — on its way to a regional title in 2024.
Can IMG win the national championship?
The undefeated Ascenders are Florida's only remaining hope for a national title. They started the season with five consecutive road wins, including a dominant Week 6 win against nationally ranked Central (Alabama). IMG has big games remaining, but none is bigger than the season finale against St. Frances (Maryland) on Nov. 7. IMG currently is ranked No. 2 on the USA Today national poll, one spot ahead of St. Frances. A win there would be a big statement, but IMG will also probably some help, such as the top California teams beating each other down the stretch.
Who will play in the state championship games?
Prediction time. Here's a best guess.
Class 7A: Venice vs. DeLand
Class 6A: Armwood vs. Miami Southridge
Class 5A: St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Edgewater
Class 4A: American Heritage vs. Jones
Class 3A: Miami Northwestern vs. Raines
Class 2A: Cardinal Mooney vs. Bolles
Class 1A: Chaminade-Madonna vs. Clearwater Central Catholic
Rural: Hawthorne vs. Madison County
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Florida high school football 10 questions at midway point of season
Category: General Sports
