North Central Florida Teams Power Through in Football Playoffs
After a wild week ranging from tight high school football games to domination, there are seven area teams from North Central Florida remaining in the FHSAA playoffs.
Two of those teams still fighting are in Gainesville: Buchholz and Eastside. Buchholz (10-1) is the No. 1 seed in its region and thought it had a first-round cakewalk against No. 8 seed Oviedo. However, the game was a classic, with the Bobcats squeaking out a 49-41 win.
Four-star Florida commit Justin Williams came up huge. He had more than 200 yards and three touchdowns, two in the fourth quarter. Buchholz now gets a familiar face in the Class 6A-Region 1 semifinals, district-rival St. Augustine Nease (9-2) at Citizens Field on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Buchholz beat the Panthers earlier in the season, 27-7.
Eastside’s first-round game was the opposite. Instead of a back-and-forth showdown like the last meeting against Bushnell South Sumter, it turned into a beat down. Eastside dominated the Raiders 42-15. Its run game was on point, as sophomore Javaris Gardner had 165 yards and two touchdowns.
The four seed Rams (9-2) now get a chance at revenge against the No. 1 seed in Class 3A-Region 2, Orlando Bishop Moore (10-1). In the first round of the playoffs last year, the Rams lost 35-6 to the Hornets in Orlando. This time around in the semifinal, they’re looking to win on the road, which would advance them past the second round for the first time in 20 years. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Bradford (10-1) comes off a rout of Avon Park 55-6, which was expected from the No. 1 seed in Class 2A-Region 2. It looked interesting for the Tornadoes with two division rivals in Santa Fe and Newberry in the bracket. However, both the Panthers and Raiders lost in the first round last week. The Tornadoes’ defense has been lights out, allowing only 63 points through their 11 games. They’re looking to coast past five seed Tampa Berkeley Prep (5-4) in the region semifinal in Starke on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Five seed Ocala Vanguard is coming off a 21-14 Class 4A win against Auburndale. Its defense has guided it this season and it showed out against the Bloodhounds. It will have a tough task now, going on the road to play top seed Orlando Jones (9-2). Some Gators fans might know this school, as it is freshman receiver Vernell Brown III’s alma mater. The region semifinal is on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
The rural class of the playoffs are intriguing. Three North Central Florida teams remain — all on the same side of the bracket. Second seed Hawthorne (8-1) and seven seed Williston (10-1) will play each other in the rural finals at the Hornets nest at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Both are coming off dominant wins: Williston beat Lafayette 42-14, while Hawthorne shut out Branford 42-0.
The winner could play three seed Chiefland (10-1) in next week’s state semifinals. Chiefland dominated Sneads 44-6 last week. The Indians had more than 300 yards with 188 of them on the ground. They now take on undefeated sixth seed Baker (11-0) in the other region final at home at 7 p.m. Friday.
Sunshine State Athletic Association Playoffs
Oak Hall (8-4), winner of three playoff games, advanced to the 3A state championship game against Tampa Cambridge Christian (9-4) at 1 p.m. Saturday at The Villages Charter School.
Category: Football, High School Sports
