By Andy Villamarzo
Hernando Sun sports writer
Week 11 of the regular season for prep football in the state of Florida began last week and we here at the Hernando Sun want to give you the Hernando County reader all the insight you can get during the 2018 campaign. We now take a look at the final Hernando Sun Top 5 Prep Football ranking heading into the postseason.
No. 1 Nature Coast (9-1, 6-0): Win the Class 5A, District 7 championship? Check. Defeat IMG Academy? Check. Take the No. 1 in Class 5A, Region 2? Check. The Sharks’ checklist heading into the playoffs has all been marked and now Nature Coast starts a new season and faces Gainesville Eastside at home this Friday. Win and the Sharks continue to own homefield advantage.
No. 2 Hernando (7-3, 3-3): Through the new points system implemented by the FHSAA last season, the Leopards were able to sneak into the postseason. The consolation prize to that berth, however, is they must take the trip up to Baker County this time around and it will not be an easy task pulling off the upset on the road. Nature Coast made the same trip last year.
No. 3 Springstead (7-3, 4-1): Springstead’s season ended two weeks ago and didn’t play a game on Friday. The Eagles retain their spot in the rankings as the No. 3 ranked club. Springstead didn’t qualify for the Class 6A playoffs through the points system.
No. 4 Weeki Wachee (4-6, 2-4): Four wins is the most by Jacob Gray in his brief tenure so far at Weeki Wachee. Though the Hornets missed out on the playoffs, the building blocks are there for a successful 2019 season. Quarterback Vaughn Sykora threw for over 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns, setting a Hernando County record. A 50-14 win over New Port Richey Gulf helped cap the 2018 season.
No. 5 Central (0-10, 0-6): The Bears’ season ended a couple of weeks ago, as they did not have a game this past Friday night. Central went winless during the 2018 campaign and now shift their focus towards the off-season and how to turn things around under John Warren.
Andy Villamarzo can be reached at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @avillamarzo.
