- April 29, 2024
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Editor’s note: Records referenced in this article are district records unless otherwise noted.
There are just three weeks remaining in the 2014 regular season, with the final games for most high-school football programs scheduled for the evening of Nov. 7.
While area programs are at varying stages of progression through their respective district schedules, the Oct. 17 contests provided clarity in nearly every district race.
The West Orange Warriors defeated the Olympia Titans and, in doing so, secured the district championship by way of a tiebreaker over Apopka.
The Warriors are 2-0, the Blue Darters and Titans are 1-1 and the Evans Trojans are 0-2.
Only Evans is ruled out of contention for the playoffs, with Olympia’s Oct. 31 matchup with Apopka essentially becoming a play-in game for this year’s state playoffs.
At 5-3, overall, the Blue Darters already have compiled more losses this season than they did in either 2013 or 2012 — but all three have come against state-ranked programs, and Apopka will still be a heavy favorite over the Titans, especially as the game will be played on campus in Apopka.
You have to go back a ways to find a district game that Dr. Phillips lost that wasn’t by way of a forfeit. That district dominance of recent years has certainly carried over into 2014.
Dr. Phillips stands alone at 3-0 atop the district, while Boone, Colonial and Freedom are all 1-1. Cypress Creek is the only team that is eliminated from the postseason at 0-3 in district play.
The Panthers hold tiebreakers over Boone, Colonial and Cypress Creek, whom they’ve defeated head-to-head, meaning Freedom — if they win out, including a win over D.P. — is the only team that can win the district besides them.
Boone seems the most likely choice for runner-up, though. It won its head-to-head with Freedom and has winnable games against Colonial and Cypress Creek remaining.
This district picture should become clearer by the end of the week, with Boone taking on Cypress Creek and Colonial doing battle with Freedom.
Should the Grenadiers knock off the Patriots, Dr. Phillips would clinch the district — and home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs — before it even takes the field on Oct. 31 against Freedom.
This sprawling district saw its championship locked up by Oak Ridge (5-0) this past week, which holds tiebreakers over both Wekiva and Winter Springs (both 3-1) — the two teams that now find themselves in a battle for second place and the playoff spot that comes with it.
East River (2-3), Lake Howell and Ocoee (both 1-3) can each win no more than three games in district play — all seven teams in Class 7A District 4 play six district games — meaning that the Oct. 31 matchup between Wekiva and Winter Springs will decide the runner-up slot.
East Ridge, in the midst of a down year, is 0-4 in district play.
The stakes are high, and the math, with just three teams in this district, is easy.
Victory Christian locked up the district championship by posting easy wins over both Agape Christian and Foundation Academy to finish 2-0.
Now, Agape and Foundation — both 0-1 — will meet at Walker Field in Winter Garden for a win-and-you’re-in showdown for the runner-up slot.
Comparing performances against common opponents, high school football’s own version of the transitive property, is flawed, and, in this case, it also wouldn’t tell you much. Victory cruised past Agape, 41-0, and, after withstanding a spirited effort by the Lions early, it also beat Foundation with relative ease, 37-7.
Last season saw the Lions fall to Agape, 22-14.
