Winker’s South Florida High School Football Update- State Finals

The Florida High School Athletic Association decided this spring to move the state championship games from Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, where they had been held since 2007.

The games will now be split between Gene Cox Stadium, a high school stadium in Tallahassee where the Class 1-3 games will take place on December 5-7, and Daytona Stadium, where the Class 4-8 games will be played on December 11-14.

South Florida programs comprise 5 of the 10 teams going to Daytona, and 2 of the 6 teams going to Tallahassee.

The State Championship games present plenty of compelling stories:

Historic three-peats

Both Northwestern and Chaminade-Madonna are seeking their first three-peats in school history. If successful, Chaminade-Madonna would be only the second team in Broward County history to do so (St. Thomas Aquinas did it in 2014, 2015 and 2016).

Redemption

St. Thomas Aquinas seeking to avenge last year’s finals loss to the Lakeland Dreadnaughts 33-22.

Columbus seeking its first state championship after a heartbreaking loss to Jacksonville Mandarin 37-35 in last years final.

Champagnat

There may be no more compelling story than HC Hector Clavijo’s Champagnat Catholic Lions, who are making their fourth straight trip to the state 2A finals and will play Lakeland’s Victory Christian Academy Storm. Victory Christian defeated Jacksonville's University Christian Christian's 20-7. It is noteworthy that University Christian defeated 4A finalist Bolles in their season opener.

The Lions have been dominant in the playoffs, defeating Miami Christian 35-7, crushing Moore Haven 42-0 in the region final, and grinding out a win over Tampa’s Seffner Christian 30-21.

Champagnat will be looking for its third state title.

Champagnat plays Thursday, December 5 7pm at Gene Cox Stadium.

8A- Apopka Blue Darters (12-1) vs Columbus Explorers (10-4) Friday Dec. 13 7pm at Daytona Stadium

This is Columbus’ second consecutive trip to the state championship (and fifth overall). Last year the Explorers lost a heartbreaker to the Jacksonville's Mandarin Mustangs.

Columbus’ quest for its first state title will have to go through a very good Apopka team, which beat them in the 2014 8A final 30-23.

Both teams are coming in hot. HC Dave Dunn navigated the Explorers through a mid-season slump and losses to South Dade, Booker T. Washington, Dillard and University and has his team peaking at just the right time.

Apopka’s only loss is to the Jones Fightin' Tigers, which are in the 5A final.

This game will come down to how Apopka handles a steady diet of Henry Parish Jr. and, at least on paper, Apopka has the big dogs to do that.

The only local team to face Apopka this year was the Coral Gables Cavaliers, who were beaten by the Blue Darters 27-12. Columbus handily beat Gables 42-26 in the regular season and 50-14 in the first round of the playoffs.

7A- Orlando Edgewater (13-1) vs St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (13-0) Saturday, Dec. 14 7pm

The Raiders have been the second ranked team in the USA Today poll behind California’s Mater Dei, but Mater Dei’s loss to St. John Bosco last week may lift St. Thomas Aquinas to the number one spot in the country.

HC Roger Harriot’s Raiders earned their 12th trip to the final in the last 16 years after demolishing the Venice Indians 42-0 at Brian Piccolo Stadium.

This was the fourth straight year the Raiders have beaten Venice in the 7A semifinals and they did it in convincing fashion, forcing a running clock early in the second half.

With a win, the Raiders could match Jacksonville Bolles’ state record 11 titles.

This may be the first real test for the Raiders. Edgewater is seeking its first state championship in their fourth attempt after defeating Seffner’s Armwood, which was ranked 20th in the country by USA Today.

6A- Pensacola Escambia Gators (14-0) vs Central Rockets (11-3) Thursday Dec. 12 at 7pm

Central has been an enigma all year, but their three losses were to high quality opponents- Northwestern, Chaminade-Madonna and Baltimore’s St. Frances Academy.

The Rockets rallied to beat the Palmetto Tigers 34-30 on the road to return to the state finals after a four year absence as it seeks its 6th state title.

Escambia comes in undefeated after beating Tampa Gaither 45-21.

This is the first time that both Central and Northwestern are going to the state finals together, as they were in the same 6A “Class of Death” of Carol City, Northwestern and Central which combined for the last seven Class 6A state titles.

5A- Orlando Jones Fightin' Tigers (13-1) vs Northwestern Bulls (12-2) Saturday Dec. 14 noon at Daytona Stadium.

Back to back 6A champs Northwestern Bulls are aiming for their first three-peat after reclassification to 5A.

HC Max Edwards’ Bulls prevailed in the game of the year against the American Heritage Patriots at Heritage Field and then outclassed Tampa Jesuit for a 42-21 victory at Traz Powell Stadium.

Jones is heading to a state final for the first time in program history with a 21-20 victory over Crawfordville’s Wakulla.

4A- Jacksonville Bolles Bulldogs (11-1) vs Booker T. Washington Tornadoes (12-2) Wednesday Dec. 11 7pm

Booker T. Washington is looking for its 6th state title under first year coach Ben Hanks.

The Tornadoes won a dogfight in St. Petersburg against the previously unbeaten Lakewood Spartans 9-7, after dispatching Carol City, Gulliver and Cardinal Gibbons in the playoffs.

Bolles, which has won more state titles than any team in Florida, forced four turnovers in beating Cocoa 20-14.

3A- Florida High Seminoles (12-1) vs Chaminade-Madonna Lions (11-2) Dec. 6 at Gene Cox Stadium, 7 p.m.

Chaminade-Madonna is looking for its first three-peat after beating Clearwater Central Catholic (28-7) in the state semifinals for the third consecutive year. Chaminade-Madonna has won 4 state titles, and this is their fourth straight trip to the state finals.

The Lions will face Tallahassee’s Florida High Seminoles, who are playing in their first state championship game after travelling to Lakeland to beat Lakeland Christian 42-10.

Florida High is led by by QB Willie Taggart Jr., whose father was fired by Florida State in November. The younger Taggart has played at three schools in his high school career- as a 9th grader in Tampa when his father was coaching at USF, then his sophomore year in Eugene when his dad was head coach of the Oregon Ducks.

Florida High has won eight consecutive games since its only loss to Madison County 37-8. Madison County (11-2) is looking for its own three-peat in 1A title against the undefeated Blountstown Tigers Saturday, December 7, 7pm at Gene Cox Stadium.