Playoff time brings small changes to Florida Top 25

Lake Gibson’s 24-20 defeat of former No. 20 Lakeland brings small changes at the bottom of the latest High School Football America Florida Top 25, powered by NFL Play Football. The win moves Lake Gibson into the second round of the 7A playoffs where the Braves will meet No. 11 Edgewater.

That Top 25 head-to-head is one of three games involving ranked teams looking to advance to regional finals. In 8A, No. 19 Bartram Trail takes No. 20 Apopka. In 5A, No. 4 Miami Central plays No. 13 American Heritage (Plantation).

Merritt Island makes its first appearance in the statewide rankings at No. 25. The Mustangs will play Rockledge in the second round of the 5A playoffs.

While the playoffs are on centerstage, top-ranked IMG Academy will try to lock-up the No. 1 ranking. The Ascenders will host St. Frances Academy (Maryland) in a battle of national powers. IMG, which won last year’s national championship, enters the game ranked No. 4 in the High School Football America 100 national rankings. SFA is No. 19 in the nation.

High School Football America Florida Top 25

Ranking/Team	Record	Last Week
No. 1 IMG Academy	(9-0)	1
No. 2 Jesuit	(11-0)	2
No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas	(10-1)	3
No. 4 Miami Central	(8-2)	4
No. 5 Chaminade-Madonna	(7-1)	5
No. 6 Venice	(10-1)	6
No. 7 Seminole (Sanford)	(10-1)	7
No. 8 Cocoa	(8-1)	8
No. 9 Cardinal Gibbons	(7-2)	9
No. 10 Treasure Coast	(8-1)	10
No. 11 Edgewater	(10-1)	11
No. 12 Northwestern (Miami)	(8-3)	12
No. 13 American Heritage (Plantation)	(6-3)	13
No. 14 Jones (Orlando)	(9-2)	14
No. 15 Buchholz	(10-1)	16
No. 16 Niceville	(10-1)	15
No. 17 Bolles School	(6-2)	17
No. 18 Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville)	(6-4)	18
No. 19 Bartram Trail	(9-2)	19
No. 20 Apopka	(9-2)	21
No. 21 Killian	(11-0)	22
No. 22 Dillard	(10-1)	23
No. 23 Columbus (Miami)	(7-3)	24
No. 24 Palmetto (Miami)	(8-2)	25
No. 25 Merritt Island	(10-1)	NR