Eight Pinellas County teams open the state playoffs Friday, Nov. 13. Only three play at home.
No Pinellas team has ever won a state football title. The road to Miami starts here.
Games kick off at 7:30 p.m. unless noted.
Class 4A, Region 3
No. 4 Dunbar (8-2) at No. 5 Clearwater (9-1), 7:30
Clearwater went 9-0, then ran into Clearwater Central Catholic. The Marauders won 44-0 on Oct. 30 for their fourth straight city title. The Tornadoes managed three first downs and 24 yards, went 1 for 13 on third and fourth down and never crossed midfield.
That night was out of character. Clearwater had allowed 56 points in its first nine games, with wins over Countryside (26-0), St. Petersburg (38-3), Largo (24-14) and Northeast (41-0).
Now the Tornadoes, champions of District 4A-10, host. They did it after replacing all five starting offensive linemen. Sophomore quarterback Jaysean Glenn had 1,749 yards of total offense and 25 touchdowns going into the CCC game. He threw four touchdown passes against Northeast, three to senior receiver J.J. Archer.
Archer is the deep threat. He had 264 receiving yards against East Lake, 205 against St. Petersburg and 1,003 for the regular season, and he ranked sixth in the state in receiving yards at midseason. Thor Jozwiak is in his seventh season as coach.
Dunbar of Fort Myers has won six straight and can score in bunches. The Tigers scored at least 48 points in four straight games in October, including 60 at Mariner, and opened the season with a 70-0 win over Cypress Lake. One of their losses was 26-20 to Cape Coral. Their last win came at Gibbs in the finale.
Next: The winner meets the Gulf Coast-Port Charlotte winner Nov. 20.
Class 3A, Region 3
No. 5 Tarpon Springs (8-2) at No. 4 Robinson (8-2), 7:30
Two district champions. Two 8-2 records. Two five-game winning streaks. One season ends Friday.
Tarpon Springs went 3-7 last year. Now the Spongers have the District 3A-11 title in Jeremy Frioud’s fifth season. Defense drove the turnaround. Since a 46-12 loss to Largo on Sept. 4, Tarpon Springs has held seven of eight opponents to 13 points or fewer. That includes a 7-3 win over Countryside, a 24-8 win at Dunedin and a 44-0 rout of Anclote.
The quarterback job was open in August, and the Spongers have found answers by committee. Sophomore K’Dyn Harris ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in a 36-13 win over Gulf to close the regular season. Erick Fitzpatrick leads the ground game and had 712 rushing yards by midseason. Aden Walker is a two-way threat at receiver and safety.
Robinson of Tampa leans on quarterback Kreg Brown. He threw for 939 yards in his last four games, including 282 yards and four touchdowns at King, when Desean Adams caught passes for 104 yards and two scores. In the finale, a 35-14 win at Brandon, Brown threw three touchdown passes on 12 attempts. Trey’Vion Austin caught two of them, and Omar Anchico III ran for 187 yards. Anchico ran for 197 yards on 14 carries against Chamberlain the week before.
The Knights scored at least 34 points in every game of their winning streak.
Next: The winner meets the Dunedin-Cardinal Mooney winner Nov. 20.
No. 7 Gibbs (4-6) at No. 2 Nature Coast Tech (9-1), 7:30
Nature Coast Tech of Brooksville has won seven straight, and the defense is the reason. The Sharks allowed 57 points in 10 games and posted three shutouts. Their only loss was 7-0 to Tampa Catholic on Sept. 4. They beat South Sumter 16-13, Central 50-6 and Hernando 42-6 to win District 3A-9, then had seven sacks in a 37-0 win at Wesley Chapel.
Senior quarterback Christian Garrett arrived in January and went 20 of 28 for 231 yards in a 40-6 win at Citrus on Nov. 3. Junior running back R.J. Jones ran for 1,384 yards last season and has battled injuries this fall. Sophomore Nion Speights ran for 145 yards at Citrus with Jones resting. Senior defensive end Joey Lizor is drawing Division II interest.
Coach Chris Hawley’s first team went 10-3 and lost in the region final to Sarasota Booker, which dropped varsity football this year.
Gibbs relies on running back Steven Alexis and quarterback Jordan Calvin, who each went over 1,100 yards last season. Calvin had 1,214 passing yards by midseason. The Gladiators opened with a 41-26 loss to St. Petersburg Catholic, lost three straight early, then went 3-2 the rest of the way, including a 9-6 win over Dunedin on Oct. 23. Herbans Paul is in his second season.
Next: The winner meets the Jefferson-Braden River winner Nov. 20.
No. 8 Dunedin (4-6) at No. 1 Cardinal Mooney (9-1), 7 p.m.
Dunedin has the toughest draw in the county. No. 1 Cardinal Mooney of Sarasota won the Class 2A state title last season and moved up to 3A. The Cougars have won eight straight and scored 540 points. Their only loss was by one point to Cardinal Newman, and they beat CCC 47-35 on Oct. 2.
Running back Connail Jackson is the reason. He ran for 2,066 yards and 30 touchdowns in his first nine games, averaging 13.8 yards per carry, according to MaxPreps and the Observer. He scored four touchdowns in last season’s state title game against Bolles. Senior quarterback Davin Davidson is the other half of the backfield. Jared Clark coaches the Cougars.
Dunedin got hot in midseason, beating Largo, Seminole and Anclote in a row by a combined 117-31. Then it lost its last two under first-year coach L.C. Coleman: 9-6 at Gibbs and 23-12 at Palm Harbor University.
The Falcons can move the ball. They outgained Tarpon Springs by 90 yards in a 24-8 loss. Quarterback Ben Tifer, back from a broken collarbone that ended his junior year early, threw for 303 yards against Palm Harbor University, and Evan Bell caught passes for 157 yards. Wade Robertson leads the pass rush.
Next: The winner meets the Tarpon Springs-Robinson winner Nov. 20.
Class 2A, Region 2
No. 7 Lakewood (4-6) at No. 2 Clearwater Central Catholic (8-2), 7:30
It’s a rematch. CCC beat Lakewood 42-6 on Oct. 23 and led 28-6 at halftime.
The No. 2 Marauders have outscored their last three opponents 117-6. They just missed the new Open Division, but they’re the highest seed of any Pinellas team. Their losses include a 47-35 game at Cardinal Mooney. Their wins include Palmetto, 28-24, Tampa Catholic, 14-10, and St. Petersburg Catholic, 35-11.
Senior quarterback Khayse Barrett makes it go. He ran for 140 yards against St. Petersburg Catholic despite spraining an ankle. In the opener against Palmetto, he threw for 109 yards and ran for 125. The running game runs deep: CCC used 10 ball carriers and ran for 322 yards against Clearwater. The defense had 17 sacks in its first four games. Sophomore lineman Na’im Jefferson had 2½ sacks against Clearwater.
Chris Harvey is in his 11th season. CCC played in three straight state title games before last year.
Lakewood went 11-2 last season under Dante Fowler Sr., and its only loss came to Cardinal Mooney. This fall the Spartans had a new starting quarterback and lost top receiver Shrodderick Pritchett Jr. to St. Petersburg Catholic. They beat St. Petersburg 43-0 and Northeast 34-8. Then they lost three straight before beating Pinellas Park 23-20 in the finale.
Linebacker Nathaniel Jackson made 14 tackles against Calvary Christian and returned an interception for a touchdown against Tampa Catholic. Armarrion Hooker and Ky’Ree Williams combined for three sacks against Calvary.
Next: The winner meets the Berkeley Prep-Bradford winner Nov. 20.
No. 8 Calvary Christian (6-4) at No. 1 The First Academy (7-3), 7:30
Calvary Christian started 6-1. The Warriors beat King 44-0, Northside Christian 39-0 and Lakewood 21-14, and they edged Boca Ciega 23-21 in district play. The only blemish was a 42-7 loss to CCC.
Then the Warriors lost three straight: 44-13 to Berkeley Prep, 20-17 at Tampa Catholic and 42-7 to University Christian.
Coach Wes Safford has split time at quarterback between junior Jaden Quenga and freshman Gabriel Vetter. Quenga adds a running threat. Linebacker Gavin Holloway leads the defense.
The First Academy of Orlando was 7-1 and ranked No. 8 in the state by High School On SI in late October, after a 42-20 win over Ambassador Christian of Huntersville, North Carolina.
Calvary’s season ended last year with a one-point overtime loss to Cocoa in the second round. A win Friday could set up a rematch with Cocoa, which plays Tampa Catholic.
Next: The winner meets the Cocoa-Tampa Catholic winner Nov. 20.
Class 1A, Region 3
No. 5 Community School of Naples (4-5) at No. 4 St. Petersburg Catholic (6-4), 7:30
St. Petersburg Catholic started the season as a favorite to win Pinellas’ first state title. It hasn’t been smooth. County public schools were told not to schedule the Barons. They lost three of their first five, including a 48-39 shootout at Tampa Catholic, and they lost 50-3 at Carrollwood Day on Oct. 23.
The Barons have still won four of their last five, including a 41-36 win at Zephyrhills Christian and a 49-0 rout of Northside Christian, when Tylan Huff had two of the Barons’ five interceptions and returned one for a touchdown.
Quarterback Chase Burrill set a county record with 53 touchdown passes last season, when the Barons went 12-1 and reached the region final. He threw for 367 yards in the opener, five touchdown passes against Tampa Catholic and four against Alonso, three of those to Davion Jackson.
In the 32-12 win at North Florida Educational Institute, Larry Christian III ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and Lakewood transfer Shrodderick Pritchett Jr. caught passes for 117 yards. Four-star junior left tackle Quinston Howard, who has a Florida State offer, anchors the line. Jesse Chinchar is in his second season as coach.
Community School of Naples has won two straight. Jaden Phillips ran for 264 yards and three touchdowns, including a 77-yard run, in a 40-28 win over First Baptist Academy. The Seahawks then won 35-13 at Lakewood Ranch. Coach Jonah Dubinski’s team went 8-3 last season, but this fall it lost 56-0 to Neumann and 63-6 to Carrollwood Day.
Next: The winner meets the First Baptist-Carrollwood Day winner Nov. 20.