- November 28, 2024
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Mainland will host a first-round game; and, Seabreeze, Father Lopez are on the road to begin the playoffs.
BY ANDREW O'BRIEN | SPORTS EDITOR
Mainland, Seabreeze and Father Lopez begin their road toward a state title this week in the high school football state playoffs.
Mainland (9-1, 4-0 District 9-6A) will host Lake Minneola (4-6, 2-1 Districr 10-6A) 7:30 p.m. Friday, at the Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach. Lake Minneola finished second in District 10-6A behind Leesburg.
Mainland knocked off Fort Pierce Central, 31-28, in its regular season finale, scoring 10 points in the final minute to defeat the Cobras (Class 8A), who came into last Thursday’s game undefeated.
Mainland’s only blemish this season was a 6-0 loss to American Heritage, a 10-1 team from Class 5A.
Seabreeze (7-2, 3-1 District 9-6A) finished second to Mainland and will travel to Leesburg (7-3, 2-1 District 10-6A) 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Seabreeze closed out its regular season with a 37-7 win over Nease last Friday.
That win came the same day standout-senior Charles Nelson picked up an offer from the University of Florida. The Florida offer, which came just a few weeks after the University of Southern California sent one, adds to Nelson’s growing list of suitors. Interest in Nelson has picked up over the past few weeks, and he’s likely to get more offers in the coming weeks.
Two weeks ago, Mainland topped Seabreeze, 17-0, to win the district. But people may not have to wait until next November to see two of the area’s best teams square off again.
If Mainland and Seabreeze both win, they will advance to the regional semifinals. If that happens, Mainland and Seabreeze would play Nov. 22, for a chance to advance to the final eight.
Father Lopez, the other area team headed to the state playoffs, will begin on the road in the regional quarterfinals after losing to Trinity Catholic in the district championship-deciding game two weeks ago.
The Green Wave (5-5, 2-1 District 2-3A) is headed to the state playoffs for the first time since 2005 and will play Trinity Christian (8-1, 2-0 District 1-3A) 7:30 p.m. Friday, in Jacksonville.
Father Lopez won its regular season finale over Taylor, 56-3.
