District championships mean automatic playoff berths and a lot is on the line with a slew of Orlando area district games tonight.
Unbeaten teams going into the night are Bishop Moore, Boone, Central Florida Christian Academy, DeLand, East Ridge, Edgewater, Innovation, Lake Brantley, Umatilla, and Windermere.
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We’ll be posting live updates right here once games kick off. Check back often.
CHECK HERE FOR SCOREBOARD UPDATES ON ALL GAMES
Go to the Sentinel Varsity home page for news on all high school sports.
Games listed are scheduled for 7 p.m. kickoffs unless noted otherwise. Rankings in bold are from this week’s Sentinel Super 16 coaches poll.
Auburndale (3-1) at No. 2 Jones (3-2)
Coverage by Philip Rossman-Reich
TOUCHDOWN Jones running back Daunte Wallace fumbles up the middle and carries a trio of Auburndale defenders into the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown run. Jones leads 21-0 with 7:26 left in the second. Wallace has 99 yards on 11 carries for the Tigers.
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A holding penalty on the kickoff return backed up Auburndale at its own 10. The Bloodhounds have yet to gain a first down and will face third down to open the second quarter. Jones leads 14-0.
TOUCHDOWN Dereon Coleman scrambles out and throws into coverage. Auburndale’s Kris Williams pops it into the air and Jones’ Larry Miles comes down with the for a 16-yard Tigers score. Jones leads 14-0 with 14 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
TOUCHDOWN Jones’ QB Dereon Coleman finds DJ Hicks wide open down the sideline for a 24-yard touchdown throw. Tigers on the board first and lead 7-0 with 4:45 left in the first quarter.
Jones and Auburndale exchange punts on their opening drives. Jones is finding some room on the ground on their second drive. Daunte Wallace has 50 rush yards as the Tigers are inside the Bloodhounds’ 25 at the first quarter water break.
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PRE-GAME NOTES
Jones routed Bloodhounds 49-7 last year on its way to district (4A-7) and region titles and a state runner-up finish. But Auburndale is ranked above the Tigers in the initial FHSAA 4A rankings. Could that be legit?
No. 8 DeLand (5-0) at Spruce Creek (5-0)
Coverage by Chris Hays
TOUCHDOWN: Marceles Carey intercepts a Spruce Creek pass and goes 65 yards for a DeLand touchdown. The Bulldogs lead 14–0 with 8:07 to go in first quarter. Immediately after the touchdown a rainstorm hit and the game is now being delayed by lightning for 30 minutes
TOUCHDOWN: Set up by a 58-yard pass from Gardner Nordman to Taihj Moore, Marceles Carey scores from the 5-yard line. DeLand leads at Spruce Creek 7–0, 9:55 left in the first quarter
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PRE-GAME NOTES:
DeLand is 25-5 against the Hawks since 1989 but Spruce Creek won 48-13 last year and claimed the 7A District 2 title.
No. 10 Lake Brantley (4-0) at Seminole (2-3)
Coverage by Chris Martucci
Stoppage: we are now under delay due to inclement weather. Seminole leads 14-7 with 8:21 left in the second quarter.
TOUCHDOWN: J’len Chaplin scores his second rushing touchdown of the night as he takes it in for the 1-yard score. Extra point good. 14-7 Seminole. 9:01 2Q.
We are knotted up at 7 here at Seminole at the end of the first quarter.
Seminole’s J’len Chaplin fumbled the snap but still managed to carry the ball 19 yards into the Lake Brantley red zone. First down Seminole at the Patriot 13.
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TOUCHDOWN: J’len Chaplin rumbles it into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown run to cap off a Seminole drive that stayed entirely on the ground. Extra point good. 7-7. 4:35 1Q.
TOUCHDOWN: Lake Brantley quarterback Jackson Stecher finds Davon Washington for a 28-yard touchdown throw one play after the Seminole fumble. Extra point good. 7-0 Lake Brantley. 8:00 1Q.
Seminole’s Anthony Gay fumbles the ball and Lake Brantley recovers. Patriots offense back on the field.
After a promising start to the drive for Lake Brantley, Seminole’s defense holds in the red zone to force a turnover on downs. Seminole ball at their 15.
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Seminole wins the toss but defers. Lake Brantley will receive to start the game.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
Seminole is 10-0 against the Patriots since 2016 and recent games haven’t been close. But Brantley is much-improved with new head coach Garrick Kruczek and an influx of transfers — including stellar sophomore quarterback Jackson Stecher. This is a key 7A District 3 game.
Lake Howell (4-1) at No. No. 7 Evans (4-1)
Coverage by Jean Racine
TOUCHDOWN: Evans WR Carl Jean-Bart takes a lateral pass 10 yards for a touchdown. Evans converts on a 2-point run. Trojans lead 14-7 with 11 minutes remaining in the second quarter.
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After a bad punt by Lake Howell, Evans takes over on the .Silverhawks’ 16-yard line
End of first quarter, Lake Howell leads Evans 7-6.
End of first quarter Lake Howell leads Evans 7-6
After a bad punt by Lake Howell, Evans takes on the Silverhawks’ 16-yard line
Evans fumbles at Lake Howell’s 9-yard line. Silverhawks take over.
TOUCHDOWN: Lake Howell fullback Isaiah Gomez punches the ball in for a 2-yard touchdown. Extra point is good. Silverhawks leads Trojans 7-6 with 4:24 remaining in the first quarter.
TOUCHDOWN: Evans RB Omyry Hickson takes a short pass from QB Derone Rogers 33 yards for a TD. Evans misses extra point. Trojans lead 6-0 with 8:25 remaining in the first quarter
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Evans starts the first drive of the game on its 36-yard line
Game time was pushed back because Lake Howell arrived late. Evans won the toss and chose to receive the opening kickoff.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
Evans ran for 322 yards and won 34-10 at home in this 6A-4 matchup last year.
Lake Nona (3-2) at St. Cloud (3-2)
Coverage by Ken Jackson
TOUCHDOWN: After a 4-yard catch by St. Cloud’s Stacy Taylor, Lake Nona’s Christian Cuffy stripped the ball, scooped and scored from 40 yards out to put the Lions up 7-0 with 17 seconds left in the first quarter.
Lake Nona’s Luke Ramsey plays the tip drill perfectly and gets an interception, putting the Lions in business at the St. Cloud 36.
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Each team gets a possession, each team punts. Lake Nona and St. Cloud are scoreless six minutes in.
Lake Nona wins the coin toss and will defer. St. Cloud will open the game on offense.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
Lake Nona won 23-10 a year ago on its way to the 7A-10 crown. Lions leads the series 7-1.
Sophomore QB Jeremiah Lattier has taken the reigns of St. Cloud’s offense and has thrown for 1,136 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Other Super 16 games
Lyman (0-5) at No. 1 Edgewater (5-0)
Lyman scored on TD pass midway through the second quarter. Edgewater leads 42-6.
Edgewater opened up a 35-0 lead after another TD pass by Carter Emmanuel and a pick-6 by Saphir Miller.
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Edgewater led on three TD passes from Carter Emmanuel to Malik Johnson (52 yards) and Damian Moore (5 yards, 6 yards).
5A-5 favorites Edgewater is No. 4 in 5A FHSAA power rankings.
Tampa Catholic (1-4) at No. 2 Bishop Moore (5-0)
Bishop Moore is ranked No. 1 in 3A.
Gadsden County (0-3) at No. 4 The First Academy (3-2) 7:30
Gadsden was the 2A state runner-up in 2024 but has lost coach and players after FHSAA findings of rules violations.
Olympia (1-4) at No. 5 Dr. Phillips (4-1)
Dr. Phillips is now up 21-6 on Olympia after the second rushing TD for Zion Matthews midway through the second quarter.
After recovering a fumble, Olympia drove down for a TD. Titans missed the extra point. DP 7, Olympia 6 in the first quarter.
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Torrey Scott caught a TD pass for Dr. Phillips to take a 7-0 lead.
DP snapped an 0-3 streak against Titans on the way to 7A-9 title last year.
No. 6 Boone (5-0) at Timber Creek (2-3)
Boone scores first, leads 7-0 in the first quarter.
Boone has won four in a vs. Wolves to lead series 12-9. It’s a 7A District 4 game.
No. 11 West Orange (4-1) at Apopka (1-4)
West Orange has won district titles in three of the past four years — a school first.
Hagerty (4-1) at No. 12 Lake Mary (2-2)
Lake Mary leads 14-7 in the opening quarter.
The winner joins the winner of the Lake Brantley-Seminole game atop the 7A District 3 standings.
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Lake Mary won 52-3 last year on its way to the 7A state final.
No. 13 Ocoee (3-2) at West Port (1-4)
Ocoee leads 14-0 in the first quarter.
The Knights travel to Ocala for a district opener after coming off tight losses against Dr. Phillips and Boone. Ocoee and West Orange are the favorites in 7A-5.
No. 14 Oviedo (2-2) at Wekiva (1-4)
Oviedo leads 14-0 in the first quarter.
Oviedo went 3-0 in 6A District 4 last season for its third consecutive title.
Freedom (1-4) at No. 15 Winter Park (2-2)
Winter Park has also won three consecutive district titles.
No. 16 East Ridge (5-0) at Celebration (0-4)
East Ridge opens 7A-9 play with its home district date with Dr. Phillips two weeks away.
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Other key games
Tohopealiga defeated Harmony, 28-16 (Thursday)
The Tigers (3-2, 1-0) stamped themselves as a contender in the wide open 7A District 10 title race with the road win. Senior QB Sabby Measick threw four touchdown passes in the win, two to Xea’vez Brown. Measick has 20 TD passes this year, 121 for his career.
Harmony dropped to 3-3, 0-1.
Windermere (5-0) at Lake Buena Vista (3-2)
Windermere has won by an average of 52.4 points. Can the Vipers keep it close?
Innovation (5-0) at East River (1-4)
Innovation was spanked by Falcons 38-7 last year. This time the Bulls are the favorite.
South Lake (4-1) at Ocala Forest (3-1)
South Lake takes a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter on a 30-yard field goal by Chris McKenna.
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South Lake beat Wildcats 38-27 last year en route to 6A District 10 title.
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
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