A lot on the line in Week 10
The final week of the district schedule plays out tonight and Friday as teams scuffle for vacant playoff spots. Here’s your Fast Five of what to look for in Week 10.
Win and in
1. No matter how previous weeks played out for teams like West Orange (2-5) and Oak Ridge (3-5), they are four quarters away from extending their seasons.
Both enter tonight as underdogs as they host crucial games to decide the runner-up in their respective districts behind Apopka and Dr. Phillips.
West Orange faces Wekiva (5-3), ranked No. 9 in the Sentinel Super 16, in Class 8A, District 4. Oak Ridge takes on Olympia (5-2) for second in 8A-5. Winners will travel in the opening round of the playoffs.
On Friday, No. 11 Jones (7-1) is at Lake Highland Prep (6-2) for second place in 4A-5. No. 16 Deltona (6-2) needs a win over Palm Coast Matanzas (5-2) to finish second in 6A-13.
Up in the air
2. The district drama could extend into tie-breakers for area teams Monday.
East River (5-2, 4-0 in 7A-5) needs a Friday win at St. Cloud (5-2, 3-1) to claim its first district title.
Should St. Cloud prevail and Lake Nona (5-2, 3-1) defeat Celebration (3-5, 1-3), three teams would tie for first and gather at Lake Nona to decide two playoff spots.
Port Orange Spruce Creek (5-3) went 3-1 in 8A-1 but must await the results of games involving Jacksonville Mandarin (5-1, 2-1) and Jacksonville Sandalwood (5-1, 2-1) to see where it stands. Wins for Mandarin over Flagler Palm Coast (2-5) and Sandalwood over DeLand (2-6) means the three frontrunners would meet in Jacksonville to break the tie.
Small-school playoffs
3. The independent Sunshine State Athletic Conference kick off its postseason Friday with six area teams in the 16-team field.
Fourth-seeded Mount Dora Christian (5-3) hosts No. 5 Zephyrhills Christian (5-1) in a Coral League matchup Friday.
In the Coastal League, top-seeded Windermere Prep (8-0) hosts Boca Raton Christian (3-3) in a 4:30 game and No. 2 Orlando Christian Prep (5-2) hosts No. 7 Orangewood Christian (2-6).
No. 5 Legacy Charter (5-3) is at No. 4 Faith Christian (7-1).
Windermere Prep ranks No. 3 among SSAC teams in the Max Preps Power Rankings behind Bradenton Saint Stephen’s (7-1) and Lecanto Seven Rivers Christian (6-2).
Closer to home
4. No. 7 Winter Park and No. 15 Orange City University have played their entire 2016 schedules on the road.
That changes Friday as the Wildcats return to the refurbished Showalter Field against Spruce Creek and the Titans close their season with a "home" game at Pine Ridge High School in Deltona against Tallahassee Lincoln.
While Winter Park (6-2) has long played its home games at Showalter, just a mile off campus, University has never had a stadium to call home since opening in 2010. Pine Ridge is located nearly 13 miles from University’s campus.
The Titans (7-2, 4-2 in 8A-2) can make the playoffs only if No. 14 Lake Brantley (5-3, 3-2) is upset by Winter Springs or both Brantley and Lake Mary (3-5, 3-2) win on Friday. The Rams face undefeated No. 3 Seminole.
Turning it around
5. Perhaps the most exciting part of any high school football season is seeing the turnaround for programs that struggled the previous year.
Port Orange Atlantic is now 4-2 after going 0-10 in 2015.
East River (5-2), Lake Howell (5-3) and Cypress Creek (3-4) have improved on 1-9 seasons with chances to add to their win totals.
Eustis (5-3) is playing for a district title against No. 6 Bishop Moore on Friday a year after finishing 2-8.