#1 St. Thomas Aquinas Loses in Florida Semis

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The 2009 high school football season has been like the refrain from the Queen song Another One Bites the Dust.

Friday night, defending national champ St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale) became the latest team to come-up short of the goal of a state championship. Manatee beat the Raiders 28-20 in Florida's Class 5A semifinals, which snapped STA's 37-game win streak.

The Miami Herald reports that Manatee moves on to face Tampa Plant in the 5A championship game, because it did everything right Friday night. Plant advanced to the championship game by beating Lakeland, which entered the game ranked #16 by USA Today.

St. Thomas Aquinas and Lakeland weren't the only teams in the USA Today Super 25 to bite the dust. #3 Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA) lost to Junipero Serra 42-41 in the California Southern Section final. #22 Marcos de Niza (Tempe, AZ) lost 34-21 to Chaparral in the Arizona 5A-II title game.

In addition to Arizona, California and Florida...Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas are still playing this weekend. For the latest scores, click on the links below.

Georgia Scores Updated 12/12/09 2:33 p.m. CST
Louisiana Scores Updated 12/12/09 4:23 p.m. CST
Pennsylvania Scores Updated 12/12/09 3:45 p.m. CST

Florida High School Football Scoreboard - Championships

Florida High School Football Scores
Saturday, December 20, 2008

USA Today Super 25
#11 Plant 34 Lincoln 14

Championships

Class 6A
Seminole 28 Northwestern 21

Class 4A
Tampa Plant 34 Tallahassee Lincoln 14

St. Thomas Aquinas Proves It's Why It's #1

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

If there was any doubt if St. Thomas Aquinas was worthy of it's #1 ranking in most national high school football polls, they were all erased Friday night. STA pounded #6 Lakeland 56-7 to capture Florida's 5A state title. It was the Raiders fifth state title and the first time that Lakeland lost in a state final in seven tries. Click here for game story.

Cocoa Captures Florida 3A Title In OT

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Cocoa beat Godby 7-6 in overtime Friday to win Florida's 3A title. The difference...Cocoa blocked Godby's extra-point try after it scored first in OT. Click here for game story.

Florida High School Football Scoreboard - Championships

Florida High School Football Scores
Friday, December 19, 2008

USA Today Super 25
#1 St. Thomas Aquinas 56 #6 Lakeland 7

Championships

Class 5A
St. Thomas Aquinas 56 Lakeland 7

Class 3A
Cocoa 7 Godby 6 (OT)

Florida High School Football Scoreboard - Championships and Semifinals

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The Florida 5A showdown between national football powers St. Thomas Aquinas and Lakeland is set. The two will meet next week in Orlando for the state's 5A state championship. STA, ranked #1 by USA Today, advanced to the championship game with a 35-14 win over Largo Friday night, while Lakeland, ranked #6 by USA Today, moved into the finals with a hard fought 22-21 win over Pine Forest. Click here to read the Lakeland/Pine Forest game recap.

Florida High School Football Scores
Friday, December 12, 2008

Championships

1A
North Florida Christian 17 Fort Meade 7

1B
Jupiter Christian 49 Warner Christian 14

Semifinals

6A
Seminole 21 Boone 17
Miami Northwestern 42 Miramar 23

5A
Lakeland 22 Pine Forest 21
St. Thomas Aquinas 35 Largo 14

4A
Lincoln 30 Seabreeze 12
Plant 33 Dwyer 21

3A
Godby 28 Pasco 12
Cocoa 20 Monsignor Pace 17

Jupiter Christian Defends Its Florida 1B Title

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Jupiter Christian beat Warner Christian Friday at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando to claim the school's second straight Florida Class 1B title. It's the first time since the classification was created four years ago that a school has won back-to-back titles. Click here for game recap.

Florida High School Football Scoreboard - Playoffs 2nd Round

Florida High School Football Scores
Friday, November 28, 2008

Second Round

6A
Seminole 30 Spruce Creek 13
Apopka 41 East Ridge 34
Boone 17 Dr. Phillips 7
Royal Palm Beach 28 Vero Beach 13
Deerfield Beach 55 Boyd Anderson 22
Miramar 34 Cypress Bay 29
Miami Killian 27 Miami Palmetto

5A
Pine Forest 21 Niceville 18
Orange Park 21 Mainland 0
Chamberlain 42 Wharton 21
Lakeland 20 Osceola 16
Largo 30 St. Petersburg 0
Charlotte 25 Venice 14
South Fork 35 Atlantic 28
St. Thomas Aquinas 49 Dillard 8

4A
Fort Walton Beach 14 Pace 13
Lincoln 27 Leon 20
Ridgeview 24 Nease 15
Seabreeze 16 Merritt Island 0
Plant 13 Southeast 7
Armwood 50 Tampa Bay Tech 20
Dwyer 31 Fort Pierce Westwood 6
Booker T. Washington 35 Hallandale 19

3A
Godby 48 Arnold 6
St. Augustine 27 Andrew Jackson 14
North Marion 49 Williston 7
Pasco 50 Gulf 0
Cocoa 17 Ridge Community 0
DeSoto County 14 Braden River 7
Naples 17 Dunbar 14
Monsignor Pace 13 Glades Central 6

2A Quarterfinals
Madison County 35 Pensacola Catholic 7
Bolles 57 South Sumter 7
Tampa Catholic 10 Mulberry 0
Gulliver Prep 47 Archbishop Carroll 30

2B Quarterfinals
Florida High 48 South Walton 7
Trinity Catholic 27 Newberry 17
Frostproof 27 Wildwood 7
Pahokee 45 University School 6

1A Quarterfinals
Port St. Joe 22 West Gadsden 19
North Florida Christian 33 First Academy 7
Fort Meade 21 Glades Day 7
American Heritage 42 Dade Christian 12

1A Quarterfinals
FAMU 54 Eagle's View 20
Warner Christian 27 Orangewood Christian 21
Victory Christian 10 Pine Castle 7
Jupiter Christian 55 Upperroom Christian 14

#1 Northwestern Proves Its Ranking in Florida 6A Title Game

21,235 fans found out why Miami Northwestern is considered the #1 high school football team in the nation. The Bulls beat Boone 41-0 Saturday to win back-to-back Florida 6A titles.

Senior quarterback Jacory Harris closed-out a great high school career completing 17-of-32 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns. Harris finished the season with 49 TD passes, which is good enough for second on Florida's single season list. Tampa Plant junior Aaron Murray set a new record earlier this year with 51.

For a complete game wrap, please click here.

Osceola Running Back Ties Record But Falls Short of Title Goal

Osceola running back Kwamaine "Bubba" Brown scored two touchdowns to tie the state's single-season touchdown record of 44, but it wasn't enough as St. Thomas Aquinas beat the Kowboys 35-20 for Florida's 5A high school football championship.

Brown, who did set a new state scoring record with 278-points, finished the game with 172-yards. Osceola played the title game without its senior quarterback T'Sharvan Bell, who sat out with a knee injury. Earlier in the week, Bell verbally committed to Auburn.

St. Thomas Aquinas had finished runner-up to Lakeland in the last three 5A title games.

Click here to read a complete game wrap.

Osceola Trying To Bring Central Florida Pride 5A Title Game against St. Thomas Aquinas

In 2004 Osceola finished with a 3-6 record. In 2005, the Kowboys dropped to a dismal 2-8 mark. Friday night in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Osceola will try to bring a state title to a central Florida school for the first time since 2001 when Apopka beat Northwestern for the big schools' title.

Osceola will have its handles full with powerful St. Thomas Aquinas, which has had back-to-back runner-up finishes in '05 and '06.

To read a preview, click here.

Naples Wins Florida's 3A Championship

Naples capped a perfect 15-0 season Friday with a 17-10 win over St. Augustine to win Florida 3A high school football championship.

The game came down to the fourth quarter and was decided on the play of both team's special teams. First, St. Augustine misfired on a punt in its own territory that resulted in a Naples safety and cut St. Augustine's lead to 10-9 with 9:03 to play in the game. Then, thanks to a 58-yard return by Antwain Harvey off St. Augustine's free kick, Naples was able to score the winning touchdown on a 34-yard run by junior running back Greg Pratt.

The title was the first for Naples since 2001.

To read a complete game recap, please click here.

Trip to State Final...Not So Far For Two Orlando Area Teams

Boone and Osceola won't have very far to travel for their Florida high school football championship games this weekend in Orlando. That's because both schools are from the Orlando area.

Boone will play Miami Northwestern, the nation's #1 team according to USA Today, for the 6A title, while Kissimmee Osceola plays St. Thomas Aquinas from Fort Lauderdale for the 5A championship.

St. Thomas Aquinas will be playing in its 11th state title game since 1991. The Raiders won state titles in 1992, 1997 and 1999 and have finished runner-up in the last three 5A title games to Lakeland.

Osceola running back Kwamaine "Bubba" Brown will have a chance to make state history. Brown needs three TDs Friday to break the state's single-season touchdown record of 42, which is currently held by Antone Smith (Pahokee) and Sean Taylor (Miami Gulliver Prep), the NFL safety who died from a gunshot wound November 26th during a robbery attempt at his home.

To read how the two Orlando school are approaching their practice week, click here.

#6 Pahokee Wins Another Florida Title

Nationally-ranked Pahokee won its fourth Florida high school football championship in five years with a 53-14 win over Newberry in the 2B title game Saturday.

Quarterback Anthony Sheppard was nearly perfect. Sheppard completed 16 of his 21 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns, that tied a state championship game record.

To read more about Pahokee's 28th straight win, click here.

Florida High School Football Scoreboard - Championships & Semfinals

Florida High School Football Scores
Friday, December 7, 2007

USA Today Super 25
#1 Northwestern 19 Deerfield Beach 14
#8 Booker T. Washington 34 #18 Armwood 14

Championships

1A
American Heritage 31 North Florida Christian 28

1B
Jupiter Christian 27 FAMU 14

Semifinals

6A
Boone 21 Apopka 18
Northwestern 19 Deerfield Beach 14

5A
Osceola 27 Bartram Trail 21 (OT)
St. Thomas Aquinas 35 Largo 13

4A
Nease 49 Pace 48 (4OT)
Booker T. Washington 34 Armwood 14

3A
St. Augustine 35 North Marion 0
Naples 28 Cocoa 21

Florida High School Football Scoreboard - Quarterfinals

Florida High School Football Scores
Friday, November 30, 2007

Quarterfinals

USA Today Super 25
#1 Northwestern 55 South Dade 14
#7 Pahokee 41 Frostproof 13
#10 Booker T. Washington 7 Dwyer 6
#22 Armwood 36 Plant 7

6A
Apopka 43 Spruce Creek 0
Boone 13 Park Vista 6
Deerfield Beach 21 North Miami Beach 20

5A
Bartram Trail 28 Fleming Island 17
Osceola 14 Chamberlain 8
Largo 28 Cape Coral 13
St. Thomas Aquinas 59 Palm Bay 14

4A
Pace 22 First Coast 19
Nease 23 Seabreeze 13
Armwood 36 Plant 7
Washington 7 Dwyer 6

3A
St. Augustine 44 Godby 14
North Marion 21 Harmony 3
Cocoa 24 Booker 21
Naples 27 Glades Central 24

2A Semifinals
Madison County 47 South Sumter 20
Tampa Catholic 28 Archbishop Carroll 21

2B Semifinals
Newberry 28 Florida High 18
Pahokee 41 Frostproof 13

1A Semifinals
North Florida Christian 21 Lafayette 6
American Heritage 28 Glades Day 7

1B Semifinals
FAMU 38 Trinity Christian 6
Jupiter Christian 25 Bradenton Prep 12

Florida High School Football Scoreboard - Playoffs 2nd Round

Florida High School Football Scores
Friday, November 23, 2007

Playoffs - 2nd Round

USA Today Super 25
#1 Northwestern 40 Columbus 14
#7 Pahokee 39 King's Academy 10
#10 Booker T. Washington 41 Hallandale 0
#23 Armwood 35 Hillsborough 0

6A
Spruce Creek 17 Flagler Palm Coast 6
Apopka 36 Edgewater 7
Boone 17 Dr. Phillips 10
Deerfield Beach 49 Douglas 21
North Miami Beach 32 Cypress Bay 20
Northwestern 40 Columbus 14
South Dade 9 Homestead 6

5A
Bartram Trail 35 Niceville 12
Fleming Island 24 Mainland 17
Chamberlain 24 Gaither 8
Osceola 22 Lakeland 7
Largo 31 Dunedin 0
Cape Coral 31 Manatee 28
Palm Bay 28 Melbourne 9
St. Thomas Aquinas 41 Dillard 12

4A
Pace 27 Milton 3
First Coast 42 Lincoln 15
Nease 21 Columbia 0
Seabreeze 27 Rockledge 10
Plant 40 Jefferson 14
Armwood 35 Hillsborough 0
Dwyer 38 West Boca Raton 17
Washington 41 Hallandale 0

3A
Godby 41 Amold 0
St. Augustine 30 Baker County 6
North Marion 45 Crystal Lake 6
Harmony 37 Eustis 0
Cocoa 28 Lake Wales 14
Booker 42 Palmetto 9
Naples 17 Immokalee 5
Glades Central 8 Monsignor Pace 6

2A - Quarterfinals
Madison County 41 Fort White 0
South Sumter 19 Bolles 10
Tampa Catholic 33 Clewiston 0
Archbishop Carroll 35 American Heritage 9

2B - Quarterfinals
Florida High 41 Bountstown 0
Newberry 14 Trinity Catholic 7
Frostproof 32 Clearwater Central Catholic 10
Pahokee 39 King's Academy 10

1A - Quarterfinals
Lafayette 16 Port St. Joe 7
North Florida Christian 40 First Academy 20
Glades Day 23 Fort Meade 21
American Heritage 42 Dade Christian 21

1B - Quarterfinals
FAMU 45 Graceville 24
Trinity Christian 19 Warner Christian 13
Bradenton Prep 14 Keswick Christian 10
Jupiter Christian 47 Hollywood Christian 13

Florida High School Football Scoreboard - Playoffs 1st Round

Florida High School Football Scores
Friday, November 16, 2007

Playoffs - Regional Quarterfinals

USA Today Super 25
#1 Northwestern 53 Coral Gables 10
#7 Pahokee 62 University 0
#11 Booker T. Washington 49 Gulf Coast 0
#25 Armwood 27 Lake Region 6

6A
Flagler Palm Coast 31 Oviedo 0
Spruce Creek 23 Lake Brantley 22
Edgewater 21 East Ridge 7
Apopka 30 Timber Creek 22
Boone 28 Sarasota 10
Dr. Phillips 28 Riverview 14
Vero Beach 24 Lake Worth 21
Park Vista 12 Palm Beach Gardens 10
Cypress Bay 21 Miami Norland 0
North Miami Beach 30 Miramar 13
Columbus 21 Miami Central 15
South Dade 33 Braddock 8
Homestead 34 Miami Sunset 17

5A
Niceville 30 Fletcher 13
Bartram Trail 20 Pine Forest 13
Fleming Island 57 Lake Howell 25
Mainland 31 Buchholz 0
Gaither 37 Sickles 3
Chamberlain 26 Wharton 25
Lakeland 31 Brandon 17
Osceola 34 Plant City 17
Dunedin 31 Gibbs 17
Largo 19 East Lake 7
Cape Coral 27 Venice 10
Manatee 31 Fort Myers 28
Melbourne 28 Atlantic 21 (2 OTs)
Palm Bay 31 South Fork 8
St. Thomas Aquinas 13 Blanche Ely 12

4A
Pace 55 Navarre 13
Milton 37 Fort Walton Beach 12
Lincoln 59 Forrest 26
First Coast 49 Leon 25
Nease 29 Eastside 7
Columbia 21 Leesburg 0
Seabreeze 43 Ridgewood 3
Rockledge 31 Land O'Lakes 7
Jefferson 34 Boca Ciega 16
Plant 49 Northeast 12
Armwood 27 Lake Region 6
Hillsborough 42 Auburndale 7
West Boca Raton 27 Fort Pierce 7
Dwyer 30 Okeechobee 17
Hallandale 41 Barron Collier 34
Washington 49 Gulf Coast 0

3A
Godby 28 Pensacola 21
Arnold 13 Wakulla 8
Baker County 44 Clay 14
St. Augustine 21 Raines 0
North Marion 34 Nature Coast 13
Crystal River 53 Williston 49
Harmony 28 Hudson 6
Eustis 32 Pasco 16
Lake Wales 35 Astronaut 14
Cocoa 28 Kathleen 27
Booker 14 Hardee 3
Palmetto 38 DeSota County 14
Immokalee 21 South Fort Myers 10
Naples 58 LaBelle 13
Glades Central 41 Belen Jesuit 7
Monsignor Pace 12 Cardinal Gibbons 0

2A
Fort White 36 Pensacola Catholic 34
Madison County 41 Marianna 6
Bolles 62 Mount Dora 14
South Sumter 63 Fernadina Beach 0
Tampa Catholic 35 Inlet Grove 7
Clewiston 26 Bishop Verot 13
American Heritage 20 Gulliver Prep 12
Archbishop Carroll 42 Charminade-Madonna 14

2B
Blountstown 35 Vernon 19
Florida High 33 Northview 0
Trinity Catholic 17 Episcopal 7
Newberry 46 Trinity Christian 28
Clearwater Central Catholic 23 Crescent City 0
Frostproof 31 Wildwood 6
Pahokee 62 University 0
King's Academy 40 Marathon 0

1A
Port St. Joe 35 Trenton 6
Lafayette 14 Jay 13
North Florida Christian 28 Florida Air 6
First Academy 28 University Christian 21
Fort Meade 39 St. John Neumann 25
Glades Day 47 Indian Rocks Christian 7
American Heritage 42 Archbishop Curley 6
Dade Christian 30 Benjamin 12

1B
FAMU 35 Arlington Country Day 6
Graceville 58 Eagle's View 34
Trinity Christian 55 Master's 14
Warner Christian 35 Orangewood Christian 14
Bradenton 21 Pine Castle Christian 20
Keswick Christian 48 Victory Christian 27
Jupiter Christian 59 Sheridan Hills Christian 6
Hollywood Christian 37 Zion Lutheran 20