Season’s 1st full slate of games means full slate of predictions
A full slate of high school football games is on schedule Friday, for the first time this fall, after area programs began a staggered start to the regular season over the past three weeks.
Osceola High, ranked No. 7 in the Sentinel Super 16, and No. 11 Lake Minneola both play season openers this week in Kissimmee. The Kowboys face off with neighboring Liberty. Lake Minneola takes on up-and-coming Tohopekaliga.
DeLand, Olympia, Windermere High and West Orange also take the field this week for the first time in 2020.
DeLand, ranked No 6, halted preseason workouts and canceled their first game against Seminole when a Bulldogs assistant coach tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
Olympia’s game at Windermere last week was called off when the Titans’ campus was closed and all extracurricular activities were canceled, due to positive COVID-19 tests within the student body.
West Orange plays its first game of the season after nearly being sidelined for the second straight week. The Warriors were cleared by Orange County Public Schools on Tuesday to play at No. 15 Boone despite their campus being closed because of COVID-19.
The West Orange football team had tested negative for COVID last week and has been isolated from the rest of the student body in recent weeks during online and oncampus instruction.
No. 3 Jones (1-0) was forced into an unexpected week off after its game against Evans was canceled because of positive COVID tests within the Trojans’ program. That resulted in last week’s Evans opener against West Orange also being canceled.
Orlando Christian Prep, originally scheduled to play at unbeaten Foundation Academy, will now travel to Mount Dora High in a rare private vs. public school matchup for the Warriors. Foundation halted all athletic activities this week as a precautionary measure because of COVID contact-tracing concerns.
Top-ranked Apopka hosts Dr. Phillips and Winter Park hosts Edgewater in Orange County matchups involving Top 10 teams.
Below is a glimpse of what to watch for and the predicted winners for games involving area programs. Teams are listed with current records and area Super 16 rankings. Games kick off at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Check for score updates at @OSVarsity on Twitter and our full coverage at SentinelVarsity.com.
No. 5 Dr. Phillips (1-0) at No. 1 Apopka (1-0)
Defense has played a big role in recent years as Apopka held DP to no more than 14 points in each of the past four meetings. The Blue Darters have won 14 of 16 games against DP since 2001. That includes six in a row since DP’s regular season wins in 2011 and 2012. Pick: Apopka
No. 2 Edgewater (1-0) at No. 10 Winter Park (1-0)
Eagles prevailed 52-28 last year in first regular season clash since Winter Park won 26-13 in 2012. Winter Park’s Dakota Mitchell (S) and Edgewater’s Christian Leary (ATH), Tommi Hill (WR/DB) and Deshawn Troutman (LB) rank among top area players in Class of 2021. Pick: Edgewater
Daytona Beach Mainland (1-0) at No. 4 Seminole (1-0)
Seminole beat the Buccaneers 22-20 in 2019 for its fourth win in five meetings since 2009. Mainland QB T.J. Lockley, a wide receiver last fall, is an East Carolina commit. Mainland DE Laron Davis tallied a sack and four tackles-forloss last week against Port Orange Spruce Creek. Pick: Seminole
Ocoee (0-1) at No. 9 Wekiva (1-0)
Wekiva hung on for a 14-13 win in 2019 to improve to 7-4 in the series since 2007. Ocoee jumped out to a 13-0 lead against Apopka last week before falling 15-13. Knights entered the season with nine returning starters, led by big defensive lineman Jordan Phillips. Pick: Wekiva
J.C. last week: 19 correct, 3 fumbles (1.000). Season: 28 correct, 3 fumbles (.903).
Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.