CLASS 4A - No. 3 Plantation American Heritage (8-5) vs. No. 1 Orlando Jones (12-2). Ever since Malachi Toney and the Patriots walked out of Pitbull Stadium with a 41-31 decision last year in the title game, this was the rematch that many pointed to.
While head coach Mike Smith and his team took on the challenge of having one of the toughest schedules in the state, they never figured that several of their top players would go down with injury. But still, even with five losses, they are ready to defend as they roll in on a four-game winning streak, including a 620-mile road win in the state semifinals against Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee.
As for the Tigers and head coach Elijah Williams, that setback last December was a rallying point all off-season and into 2025.
They head to Miami on a 10-game winning streak and are focused to take home a title and finish off the business that they left on the field last year.
This is a team loaded with talent on both sides of the ball – and will provide a stern test for a program who have played two teams (St. Thomas Aquinas & Chaminade-Madonna) that are in the state finals this season.
AMERICAN HERITAGE PATRIOTS
Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep, Pennsylvania, W 31-28
Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, L 28-24
New Orleans Edna Karr, Louisiana, L 24-17 (OT)
Miami Central, L 31-21
Plantation, W 28-13
Pembroke Pines Flanagan, W 31-0
Miami Norland, W 41-21
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, L 13-10
Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, L 19-12
Fort Pierce John Carroll, W 50-20
Plantation, W 48-7
Archbishop McCarthy, W 25-20
Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee, W 31-14
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
2026 – Dylan Bennett, LB/RB
2026 – Jamar Denson, WR
2026 – Terrance Johnson, DB
2028 – Micah Price, DE
2026 – Rodarion Tellez, DE
JONES TIGERS
Winter Park, W 35-0
Orlando Timber Creek, W 36-0
Orlando Evans, L 28-25
Orlando Edgewater, L 20-17
Kissimmee Osceola, W 28-14
Auburndale, W 37-3
Lake Wales, W 48-22
Apopka Wekiva, W 56-0
Eagle Lake – Lake Region, W 49-0
Ocoee, W 28-0
Deltona, W 35-13
Ocala Vanguard, W 29-18
Lake Wales, W 24-10
Port Charlotte, W 35-23
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
2027 – Frederic Ards, DE
2026 – Dereon Coleman, QB
2026 – Larry Miles, WR
2026 – Xavier Payne, OL
2026 – Daunte Wallace, RB
CLASS 7A - No. 2 Lake Mary (11-3) vs. No. 1 Vero Beach (14-0). While these two programs were among the best in their class, neither may have been on your bingo card when the season began.
For head coach Scott Perry and the Rams, the way the 2024 season came to an end against Venice and several key losses, it was an uphill climb to get back to the state title game.
The one thing that saved this team was a schedule that included two state finalists (Jacksonville Raines – 3A and Lakeland – 5A), which got this team ready for the big stage once again, and they come south on a roll, winning six straight and scoring over 30 points per game.
Speaking about scoring points, the unbeaten Indians of Vero Beach head into the state title game having scored 40 points or more in nine straight games.
Under the direction of longtime head coach Len Jankowski, this team has been waiting for this moment since 1981 – and while they have come close through the years – they broke through with a thrilling double overtime win against Miami Palmetto to get to south Florida.
LAKE MARY RAMS
Miami Norland, W 30-29
Kissimmee Osceola, W 17-12
Lakeland, L 32-13
Jacksonville Raines, L 51-3
Oviedo Hagerty, W 55-17
North Miami Beach, W 45-13
Sanford Seminole, W 24-21
Orlando Evans, W 40-14
Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley, W 51-17
Orlando Bishop Moore, W 42-22
Oviedo Hagerty, W 42-14
Port Orange Spruce Creek, W 50-20
DeLand, W 40-31
Venice, W 31-26
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
2026 – Noah Grubbs, QB
2026 – Barrett Schulz, WR
2027 – Eli Chivington, DE
2026 – Patrick Ryan, LB
2027 – Slade Wittstock, OL
VERO BEACH INDIANS
Melbourne Eau Gallie, W 41-31
Gainesville Buchholz, W 28-24
Cocoa, W 38-3
Port St. Lucie West Centennial, W 37-0
Fort Pierce Central, W 21-13
Miami Booker T. Washington, W 42-13
Rockledge, W 42-7
Pahokee, W 53-14
Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast, W 49-0
Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, W 43-0
Clermont East Ridge, W 57-10
Orlando Lake Nona, W 56-14
Orlando Dr. Phillips, W 49-23
Miami Palmetto, W 45-44 (2 OT)
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
2026 – Marqarie Phillip, LB
2026 – Micah “Champ” Smith, OL
2026 – Xavier Stinson, WR/DB
2026 – Efrem White, Athlete
2028 – Latravious Woods, WR/DB
1A FINAL SCORE
No. 2 West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (11-3) 17, No. 1 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (11-2) 14
2A FINAL SCORE
No. 1 Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (14-1) 52, No. 2 Jacksonville Bolles (13-2) 28
3A FINAL SCORE
No. 2 Jacksonville Raines (14-0) 23, No. 1 Miami Northwestern (13-1) 22.
5A FINAL SCORE
No. 1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (14-1) 29, No. 3 Lakeland (12-3) 0
6A FINAL SCORE
No. 3 West Boca Raton (13-2) 31, No. 4 Pembroke Pines West Broward (12-3) 0
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