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Three high school football teams host semifinals.

Broward County will be the state’s high school football hub on Friday night.

With eight state semifinals on tap, Broward — alone among 67 counties in Florida — gets to host three of them.

It may at first seem like a rare feat, but one doesn’t have to go back very far to find the last time this happened: two years ago — and in very similar fashion.

Then: American Heritage beat Orlando Bishop Moore at home, St. Thomas Aquinas beat up on Tarpon Springs East Lake at Brian Piccolo Stadium and Flanagan hosted Miami Columbus in defeat.

Now: Heritage gets Tampa Jesuit in Class 5A, Aquinas receives a visit from Venice in 7A and Deerfield Beach plays host to Miami Southridge in 8A.

As state finalists in Class 4A-1A are on bye with semifinals already settled last week, the trio of Broward’s elite look to join Chaminade-Madonna (3A) and Pahokee (1A) as area schools participating at states Dec. 8-10.

While the nine-time state champion Raiders are looking

to become the first Broward County school to win three in a row and the Patriots hope to make it three titles in four years, the Bucks are vying for their first state title.

Deerfield vs. another fierce D

Deerfield Beach will face a Southridge team that, before last Friday’s regional final victory over Coral Gables, had not given up points since Sept. 23 — a run of seven consecutive shutouts.

The Spartans’ streak was snapped by a first-quarter field goal, but Southridge still had plenty to hold on for a 28-10 victory.

In certain packages, the Southridge defense can line up with 11 players that all hold Division-I scholarship offers.

The Bucks also have a strong defense, though, and already have had to win against a comparable defense at Flanagan in a 10-7 regional semifinal. The only DB touchdown in that one came by way of a Jerry Jeudy pick-six as the star receiver and Alabama commit has been playing both sides of the ball throughout the playoff run.

The Deerfield D gets a huge boost with tackle Lamonte McDougle, injured since the regular season finale against Cardinal Gibbons, returning to the lineup to help stop a tough Spartans running game.

Aquinas vs. explosive Venice

Amidst its stellar 12-0 season, Venice’s offense has put up some pretty gaudy numbers. Playing in an uptempo, no-huddle attack, the Indians are averaging 49.8 points per game this season, with the team topping the 60-point threshhold three times. Much like St. Thomas, Venice has mowed down the competition, with 11 of its 12 wins coming by at least 22 points.

At the center, is electric RB Matthew “Speedy” Laroche, who’s rushed for 2,665 yards and 37 TDs. Dual-threat QB Bryce Carpenter has been lethal as well, throwing for 1,367 yards and 16 TDs, while adding 778 yards and 15 TDs on the ground.

So on Friday night, the battle in the trenches will likely decide this contest. St. Thomas has a ferocious front seven with playmakers like Notre Dame LB commit Drew White, DE LaShawn Paulino (Michigan State), LB Tyler Dunning (Mississippi State) and four-star LB Rocky Shelton.

Heritage vs. flu, Jesuit on tap

While the Raiders look to corral Laroche, the Patriots will have their hands full stopping Tampa Jesuit running back Malik Davis, a UF commit who has run for 2,130 yards and 31 touchdowns this season.

Jesuit has averaged just over 50 points in its first three playoff victories, but faces a Heritage defense that has surrendered only seven points in its last two contests — a 10-7 win over Cardinal Gibbons and a 20-7 win over defending state champ Bishop Moore.

Following that regional final win in Orlando, “about five or six” Patriots returned home with the flu, coach Patrick Surtain said.

Sick players were given time off as needed so the illness doesn’t spread to teammates. QB Jason Brown was out Wednesday, although he got full reps on Tuesday.

The flu shouldn’t affect any player’s status for the state semifinal.

“If they’re any kind of football players,” Surtain said, “they’ll be ready to play on Friday.”