Two Orlando-area district championships are on the line Friday night, as the high school football season reaches Week 9 of the calendar. There will also be some key cross-classification battles that could have significant impact on the overall FHSAA power rankings.
Bishop Moore (7-0, 2-0 in Class 3A, District 6), which has won district titles in 12 of the past 13 seasons, seeks its fifth straight district championship on the road to face a tough Tavares (5-2, 2-0) team.
In 1A District 6, Orlando Christian Prep (5-2) and Melbourne Central Catholic, two teams that know each other well, battle for the automatic playoff berth.
Dr. Phillips senior running back Zion Matthews has scored 10 touchdowns in the past two games for the 6-1 Panthers, who face No. 1 Edgewater on the road Friday. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Elsewhere, Edgewater (8-0), the district champion in 5A-5 and the No. 1-ranked team in the Sentinel’s Super 16 Coaches Poll, will host No. 4 Dr. Phillips (6-1), which captured the district crown in 7A-9. Edgewater is No. 4 in Class 5A FHSAA power rankings. Dr. Phillips is No. 12 in Class 7A.
Week 9 Super 16 Coaches Poll: Edgewater continues residency at No. 1
In the other cross-classification showdown, No. 8 Evans (6-1) travels to No. 10 Lake Mary (5-2). A victory by either team could gain significant power-ranking points given. Evans is ranked No. 11 in 6A. Lake Mary is No. 5 in 7A.
In another ranked-on-ranked clash, area No. 15 Winter Park (3-4) travels to No. 12 Ocoee (5-2) for a non-district 7A matchup. Ocoee is No. ranked No. 17 in the class by the FHSAA. Winter Park is No. 21.
Tavares is a physical team with a lot of skill-position talent. Junior running back Tamauri Collins is closing in on 1,000 yards rushing, while receivers senior Camare Williams and junior Ashtyn Gunn are the main targets for senior quarterback Khairi Coleman. The issues for Tavares, however, has been inconsistent passing.
Defensively, the Bulldogs get after opponents led by junior linebackers and twin brothers Ari and Jelani Bentley. Ari leads the team in tackles with 66. Ari is right behind at 58.
Bishop Moore has been lighting up the scoreboard. The undefeated Hornets are averaging 47 points per game, led by the passing of sophomore quarterback Blake McCullough, the third-leading passer in the Orlando area with 1,889 yards and 17 touchdowns, completing nearly 70 percent of his passes (109-of-157).
McCullough has an arsenal of targets in senior Illinois commit Kenyon Alston, senior Jaxson Anderson, and junior Magnus Talma. Another key receiver is junior Matthew Sullivan, who has missed several games with a hamstring injury. He will be back Friday. Bishop Moore keeps opponents guessing with the running of senior Amare’ Johnson, who has rushed for just over 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Defensively, the Bishop Moore front line has been impressive. Junior defensive linemen Noah Prince, Mateo Rivera and Brady Raub have 26 sacks between them. Junior linebacker Blaze Allen is the leading tackler with 57.
OCP and MCC are the only two remaining teams in their district, with TFA being banned from the playoffs this season and Melbourne Holy Trinity opting out of the FHSAA to play in the Sunshine State Athletic Association.
The Warriors and Hustlers split games last season. MCC won a wild regular-season game 55-42. OCP returned the favor, winning an equally-wild, first-round playoff rematch 35-34. Dynamic senior playmaker Zeke Gunn, a Marshall commit, leads the way on both sides of the ball for OCP. He has 5 interceptions.
OCP’s 14th-year head coach Guerschom Demosthenes, who achieved career victory No. 100 two weeks ago, has led the Warriors to nine district titles.
Week 9 Football Schedule
(All games are set for 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted.)
Wednesday game
West Oaks Academy at Geneva School, 6:30
Friday’s Super 16 Games
No. 4 Dr. Phillips (6-1) at No. 1 Edgewater (8-0)
No. 2 Jones (5-2) at Wekiva (1-6)
No. 3 Bishop Moore (7-0) at Tavares (5-2)
No. 5 Boone (7-0) at Colonial (2-5)
Springfield (Va.) St. James Performance Academy (6-0) at No. 6 The First Academy (4-3)
No. 8 Evans (6-1) at No. 10 Lake Mary (5-2)
Apopka (1-5) at No. 9 Osceola (5-2)
No. 11 West Orange (6-1) at Olympia (2-5)
No. 15 Winter Park (3-4) at No. 12 Ocoee (5-2)
Spruce Creek (6-0) at No. 13 Seminole (3-4)
No. 14 Oviedo (5-2) at Orange City University (1-6)
East Ridge (6-1) at No. 16 South Lake (6-1), 7:30
Elsewhere Friday
Hagerty (4-3) at Mount Dora (1-6)
Lake Brantley (5-2) at Orlando University (1-6)
Timber Creek (3-4) at Lake Nona (4-3)
Orlando Christian Prep (5-2) at Melbourne Central Catholic (1-6)
Tohopekaliga (4-2) at St. Cloud (5-2)
Celebration (1-6) at Harmony (3-4)
Deltona (3-4) at New Smyrna Beach (5-2)
Rockledge (2-5) at Pine Ridge (2-6)
Poinciana (2-5) at Gateway (3-5)
Lake Minneola (1-6) at Horizon (2-5)
Leesburg (4-3) at Lyman (0-7)
Westwood (3-4) at Kissimmee Liberty (0-7)
Windermere (6-0) at Lake Wales McLaughlin (2-5)
Lake Buena Vista (3-4) at Innovation (7-0)
East River (1-6) at Cypress Creek (0-7)
Freedom (1-6) at Oak Ridge (3-3)
Boca Raton Christian (4-3) at CFCA (7-0)
Christ’s Church Academy (5-3) at Cornerstone Charter (5-3)
Faith Christian (1-7) at Cambridge Christian (4-4)
Cocoa Beach (2-6) at Foundation Academy (6-2)
Lake Highland Prep (4-2) at Pine Crest (3-3), 6
Master’s Academy (4-4) at Seffner Christian (6-2), 7:30
Bishop McLaughlin (3-5) at Orangewood Christian (3-4)
Trinity Prep (4-4) at Cedar Creek Christian (0-7)
Umatilla (8-0) at Pierson Taylor (2-4)
Bronson (0-8) at Windermere Prep (4-2), 6 p.m.
Open date: DeLand, Eustis, Lake Howell, Kissimmee Liberty, Mount Dora Christian, Winter Springs.
Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.
