Inside Florida's new high school football playoffs

Well, it is high school football playoff season, and there are a lot of changes coming into the organization of these playoffs. We're bringing in a special guest. You know him, you love him. It's Tim Walters, the sports editor at Florida Times Union and Florida Today Tim, thanks so much for coming on to talk about this. I know a lot of our viewers love high school sports, so we're glad to have you here. Yeah, it's incredible Hayden, you look at it and kids walk into school in August, bleary eyed. They start football the following week. And now here we are two weeks before Thanksgiving and we're starting the playoffs. You blink and you miss it. What a busy time the fall is, but I love that we're here though. I'm so glad you're here too. And I know it does feel like it has gone by so fast. I mean, even with college football, the fact that we're already talking bowl season, I'm like, where did the time go? Yeah, I mean, it certainly flies by and just like with college football, whose playoffs are ever changing, the high school playoffs are ever changing. So this year, we've got a lot of different things happening in the state, changes from just last year. So it keeps it interesting. It keeps it interesting indeed. Now, Tim, we were talking just before we came back on the show about the changes coming Coming to the playoff format. You've explained it to me a little bit, but do you mind explaining to our viewers who might be confused about this open division that's happening here? Yeah, so the FHSAA this year has gone back to, they have eight total divisions, an independent one through 6A, and then they have the open division. And what is the open division? That's like playing for the ultimate championship. It doesn't matter your class, it's based on rankings from MaxPreps and the FHSAA, and they come up with these eight teams. And here's how it works. Starting tonight. Tonight, we get two pools. They break them down to four and four. And then those teams are going to play each other tonight in eight teams, four games. But these eight teams will play again next Friday. They're going to jumble them up a little bit. And we have all the schedules. And then the following week, the same eight teams are going to play again in a different set of schedules. And then finally, after all that shakes out, they're going to have a state semifinal five Followed by a state final. So there's a lot going on there. But one of the toughest things is this week, next week, the results matter so much. Because in that third week, if you've lost both games, you're probably eliminated. But you still have to play that game. You still have to travel on the road. So there's a lot at stake here for all of these programs. And at the end is a prize we've never had. The Open Division Championship, the ultimate champion. Oh, wow. That sounds like it's a pretty big honor, Tim. Yeah, absolutely, and some of the teams involved. So let me go over this with you, the games we're going to see tonight. St. Thomas Aquinas, they've run the board number one in the state for the entire year. They're 10-0. They've been steamrolling people, or they're playing a Lakeland team that's really playing well right now. But this is going to be the third year in a row that Lakeland and St. Thomas Aquinas are going to be meeting in the playoffs because the last two years they've played in the 5A state title game against each other, and Aquinas has won. Both of those. And, you know, Aquinas, they're such a big offense. They average almost 40 points a game. And they only allow about 10 points a game. So Lakeland has its work cut out for them. And so that's the first big matchup that we're going to see. And that is in Pool A. And the other Pool A game is Venice, which is number eight against number four, Chaminade Madonna. And, again, Chaminade Madonna is always one of those schools that's loaded with all sorts of great players that are, you know, going to be going on to play college football. And there's only one team that's held Chaminade Madonna under 20 points this year. And so, again, big offense. Four opponents have scored 25-plus against Venice. So, you know, things are looking probably pretty good for Chaminade Madonna in this, but never count Venice out. Then we move over to Pool B. You have Miami Central playing number two Columbus. And Columbus, again, they've got some of the best players in the state, including one that's going to be playing at Miami next year. in Amir Sears, so we'll keep an eye, or I'm sorry, two years from now. He's still a young guy, which is incredible. So Columbus, they met once before, Columbus and Miami Central this year, and Columbus, they won 28-3 in a weather-shortened game, and Central has lost its quarterback for the season with an injury, so they're really up against it with Columbus. And then Jacksonville Reigns, which is a school I'm familiar with, being the Times Union sports editor, Reigns is just so good They're the other 10 and 0. team in here, but they're playing West Boca. They've won state titles several years in a row, and they're on a 25-game winning streak. West Boca, they've won 10 consecutive playoff games to go into those state titles. So this one's just a clash of juggernauts. This one's going to be a lot of fun. So those are our eight teams, our four matchups. And then again, All these teams are going to be jumbled up. They're going to play again the 20th and then again the 27th. And you can find all of that in our reporting all around the state, whether it be at floridatoday.com, jacksonville.com, and palmbeachpost.com, amongst others. But we've got a lot of places in the state where you can read all our great high school football coverage. I was going to say, Tim, those all sound like some pretty contentious and potentially exciting games, like really good matchups here. Now, Art, is there a particular team that you're watching pretty closely to nab that championship? Do you have any contenders that you think are going to win it all? Yeah. I mean, out of those eight teams, good luck to anybody trying to beat St. Thomas Aquinas. I mean, look, they're just, they're that good. They're the real deal. You know, they've got probably out of all those teams, the biggest commit. They've got a young man named Wyatt Smith, who's going to play edge rusher at Ohio State University. So anytime Ohio State's looking at you, you are, you know, you're among the best of the best of the absolute best in this team. Again, they've been just steamrolling teams to the average of 40 to 10, roughly in all of their their scores. their offense has kind of struggled to get moving. So, you know, I, I think that Aquinas will take that one. And, uh, ultimately the other team that I would look at is, is Reigns in Jacksonville. I mean, this team is really good. If they can get by West Boca, if they can solve West Boca, then, then that's Reigns statement to say, you know, maybe we should be the number two or number three team. So I can't wait for that game. We're going to be all over that. Clayton Freeman is just a wonderful reporter at the Florida Times-Union, and he'll have, All the information on that game. It's always exciting watching high school players that you just know we're gonna have a great career in college. So I feel like this is like a microcosm of so many good players and good teams. It sounds really exciting, Tim. You've got me kind of interested in watching some of these. Yeah, and you know, I don't want the other classifications to get left behind, too, because 1A through 6A, you still have some amazing games that are going to be taking place here across the state. And I just want to mention one bonus game, because I've mentioned the four big games. But there's a game tonight where it's Teneriffe is coming into Merritt Island High School, which is near and dear to my heart. It's my alma mater over here on the Space Coast. Merritt Island went 10-0 this year for the first time in more than a decade. And they're doing some really good things there, and they have a quarterback who everyone in the state should pay attention to him. His name is Kevin VerPale, and he will be at USF next year. So it's a great family. I actually went to school with his uncle, I won't say how many years ago, but it was quite some time ago. But you can't help but root for the son of people you know, and 10-0 Merritt Island. So go Mustangs. That's going to be fun in 3A there. Well, Tim, best of luck to your alma mater. And thanks so much for joining us to kind of break down this slightly confusing change to Florida high school football, but an exciting change nonetheless. Yeah, and ultimately it's going to be worth it because it's going to be cool when one team can say we are the best of the best of the best.