Dr. Phillips and undefeated Edgewater have already clinched football district titles. But that doesn’t mean their Friday clash doesn’t matter.
Both want to pump their FHSAA power ranking number as high as possible because those ratings determine who and where teams will play in state playoff games. Both want as many home games as possible.
They’re not alone in hunting power points in the final three weeks of the regular season. And there are two district championship games tonight.
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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.
No. 4 Dr. Phillips (6-1) at No. 1 Edgewater (8-0)
Coverage by Philip Rossman-Reich
PRE-GAME NOTES:
Two district champs square off. DP won the 7A District 9 title. Edgewater is the 5A-5 winner.
Edgewater drummed DP 45-17 last year in their first meeting since 2012, when the Panthers prevailed 21-14.
Dr. Phillips senior running back Zion Matthews has scored 10 touchdowns in the past two games.
No. 3 Bishop Moore (7-0) at Tavares (5-2)
Coverage by Chris Hays
PRE-GAME NOTES:
This is the Class 3A District 6 championship game. Bishop Moore has won district titles in 12 of the past 13 seasons, including four in a row.
No. 8 Evans (6-1) at No. 10 Lake Mary (5-2)
Coverage by Chris Martucci
PRE-GAME NOTES:
Non-district game with major playoff implications. Evans, now No. 6 in 6A Region 1, can make a big jump if it tops the Rams and then wins the District 4 title in a road trip to Oviedo (5-2) next week.
The Rams, 7A District 2 champions, have pretty much locked up a first round playoff home game but could climb higher in the rankings and snag another home game or two.
No. 15 Winter Park (3-4) at No. 12 Ocoee (5-2)
Coverage by Jean Racine
PRE-GAME NOTES:
Ocoee, 2-0 in 7A District 5, will play for that title at home against West Orange (6-1, 2-0) next week. But losses tonight and next week could derail the Knights playoff ambitions.
It’s also a big game for Winter Park, which is seventh in the 7A Region 1 ratings. Eight teams make the playoffs.
The Wildcats won the past two matchups after losing to Ocoee in 2022 and leads the series 8-2.
Other Sentinel Super 16 games
No. 2 Jones (5-2) at Wekiva (1-6)
Tigers are 79-13 in regular season play under coach Elijah Williams.
No. 5 Boone (7-0) at Colonial (2-5)
Boone rolled to 58-0 win last year in first meeting of longtime rivals since 2018.
St. James Performance Academy (6-0) at No. 6 The First Academy (4-3)
St. James, a Virginia-based sports academy similar to Florida’s IMG Academy, is flying high in its first season of football. The Strivers have averaged 56.8 points per game.
Apopka (1-5) at No. 9 Osceola (5-2)
Osceola won a 14-6 defensive slugfest last year.
No. 11 West Orange (6-1) at Olympia (2-5)
West Orange has won five of the past six meetings and, with another victory, can even the Backyard Bowl series 11-11.
Spruce Creek (6-0) at No. 13 Seminole (3-4)
Seminole needs wins in its bid to reach the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
No. 14 Oviedo (5-2) at Orange City University (1-6)
Lions are looking to solidify their 6A playoff position.
East Ridge (6-1) at No. 16 South Lake (6-1), 7:30
East Ridge leads the rivalry 10-6 but the Eagles lead 4-3 since 2017, including a 24-3 win last year.
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
Week 9 Football Preview: Bishop Moore, OCP eye titles; No. 1 Edgewater faces stern test vs. DP
