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Dennis Maffezzoli's picks for must-see area high school football games this season

dennis maffezzoli, sarasota herald-tribune
·5 min read
Booker High and Cardinal Mooney Catholic High will play in the FHSAA Fall Kickoff Classic on Friday, Aug. 18 at Tornado Alley.
Booker High and Cardinal Mooney Catholic High will play in the FHSAA Fall Kickoff Classic on Friday, Aug. 18 at Tornado Alley.

The high school football season is nearly upon us.

Hopes are high in plenty of camps and a number of teams are poised and hopeful for a long postseason run.

But first they have to get through a grueling regular season of 10 games in 11 weeks, not including the Florida High School Athletic Association Fall Classic the week of Aug. 14.

Week-by-week: 2023 weekly high school football schedules for Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties

Coaches with tenure: Who are the longest-tenured high school football coaches in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte?

Best of the decade: Which high school football team has the best record during the past 10 years?

Many teams play the classic like it is a regular season game to get their players prepared for what is to come during the next three to four months.

Here is Dennis Maffezzoli’s look at the top games of the week along with others to be considered:

Week 0 (Aug. 18 classic)

Booker High and Cardinal Mooney Catholic High played on Week 1 of the regular season a year ago at John Heath Field at Austin Smithers Stadium.
Booker High and Cardinal Mooney Catholic High played on Week 1 of the regular season a year ago at John Heath Field at Austin Smithers Stadium.

Cardinal Mooney at Booker ― Teams played during the first game of the regular season with the Cougars taking a 10-9 victory.

Also: Tampa Bay Tech at Venice, Hillsborough at Riverview, Sarasota at Tampa Catholic

Week 1 (Aug. 25)

Lakewood Ranch at Lemon Bay ― In last year’s game, played on opening week on a Thursday, the teams played 9 minutes, 28 seconds before the game was canceled because of inclement weather. The Mustangs led 7-0 at the time. The game was not continued and Lakewood Ranch received the victory. This year’s meeting marks the first regular season game for new Mustangs coach Scott Paravicini, a former Lakewood Ranch player and assistant coach.

Also: Southeast at Riverview, Clearwater at Sarasota, Armwood at Venice

Week 2 (Sept. 1)

Braden River High prevailed over Palmetto High, 27-20, in overtime a year ago in Bradenton. This year the Pirates and Tigers will play at Palmetto's Harllee Stadium, which has a new turf field.
Braden River High prevailed over Palmetto High, 27-20, in overtime a year ago in Bradenton. This year the Pirates and Tigers will play at Palmetto's Harllee Stadium, which has a new turf field.

Braden River at Palmetto ― It has to be a special matchup to top the annual Battle of the Peace River between Port Charlotte and Charlotte and former Manatee assistant coach Josh Phillips returning to Joe Kinnan Field at Hawkins Stadium as the head coach of Sarasota High. Last year, Braden River scored on the first play of overtime and then held Palmetto on four downs from the 5-yard line to take a 27-20 overtime victory at the Pirates field.

Also: Booker at Southeast, Port Charlotte at Charlotte, Sarasota at Manatee

Week 3 (Sept. 8)

Booker at Sarasota ― Last year, the Sailors opened a 21-7 halftime lead and held off the Tornadoes, 28-21. It was Sarasota’s second straight victory over Booker and its fifth win in the past six meetings. Both teams went on to make the playoffs.

Also: Bayshore at Parrish Community, Lakewood Ranch at Braden River, Saint Stephen’s at Out-of-Door, Palmetto at Riverview, Venice at Miami Northwestern (Saturday)

Week 4 (Sept. 14)

Last year, Jared Clark's Cardinal Mooney Catholic High Cougars defeated Riverview High, 14-7, at the Ram Bowl in the first meeting between the teams.
Last year, Jared Clark's Cardinal Mooney Catholic High Cougars defeated Riverview High, 14-7, at the Ram Bowl in the first meeting between the teams.

Riverview at Cardinal Mooney ― Last year on Week 10, the Cougars went into the Ram Bowl and came away with a 14-7 victory in the first meeting between the two teams. Both teams went on to the playoffs a year ago with the Rams making a run to the regional final.

Also: Braden River at Manatee, Sarasota at Palmetto, The Classical Academy of Sarasota at Sarasota Christian

Week 5 (Sept. 22)

Manatee at Port Charlotte ― Two of the biggest, more physical teams in the area meet at the Pirates Cove. The Hurricanes won the first four meetings between the teams before the Pirates went to Joe Kinnan Field at Hawkins Stadium and came away with a 29-6 victory.

Also: Braden River at Booker, Fort Myers at Charlotte

Week 6 (Sept. 29)

Venice High defeated Riverview High during the regular season and in the regional final, both at Powell-Davis Stadium in Venice.
Venice High defeated Riverview High during the regular season and in the regional final, both at Powell-Davis Stadium in Venice.

Riverview at Venice ― In the past 18 years, Venice has 17 victories over the Rams, including six the past three seasons. In the past 15 years, Venice has defeated Riverview 17 times. But who can remember the 2019 meeting when the Rams’ Dorian Hall kicked a game-winning field goal in the final 78 seconds to take a 24-21 decision at Powell-Davis Stadium.

Also: Bayshore at Booker, Braden River at Port Charlotte, Sarasota at Cardinal Mooney

Week 7 (Oct. 6)

Venice High has not played Manatee High in football since Oct. 10, 2021, when Venice posted a 41-8 victory.
Venice High has not played Manatee High in football since Oct. 10, 2021, when Venice posted a 41-8 victory.

Manatee at Venice ― Since 2004, the Hurricanes are the only area team that has a winning record against Venice. Manatee is 13-9 against Venice. The teams have split the past four meetings with Venice taking a 41-8 decision in the most recent meeting in 2021. The Hurricanes had an eight-game winning streak against Venice, including two wins in the 2010, 2011, and 2012 seasons.

Also: Palmetto at Southeast, Bayshore at North Port

Week 8 (Oct. 13)

John Carroll at Cardinal Mooney ― It is not often an out-of-area school can crack the list of games to watch. But when those teams are in a two-team district, it is an automatic playoff matchup. Last year, the Cougars were across the state twice, losing a regular-season meeting (26-3) and a regional semifinal (38-7) to the Rams.

Also: DeSoto County at Booker, Palmetto at Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota at Venice, Southeast at Port Charlotte

Week 9 (Oct. 29)

Palmetto at Venice ― Venice has won all eight meetings since 2012, including 42-10 in the most recent matchup in 2021. It is the only area school the Tigers have not beaten. Can new Palmetto coach Rashad West change that?

Also: Braden River at Charlotte, Bradenton Christian at Out-of-Door Academy, Riverview at Manatee, Sarasota at Southeast

Week 10 (Oct. 27)

Booker High defeated Lemon Bay High, 33-22, using a huge second-half comeback last year at Tornado Alley.
Booker High defeated Lemon Bay High, 33-22, using a huge second-half comeback last year at Tornado Alley.

Booker at Lemon Bay ― Even though the Tornadoes have dominated the series (7-2 since 2004), the teams have split the past two meetings the past two seasons. This could be for the district title.

Also: Southeast at Braden River, Manatee at Palmetto, Sarasota at Riverview

Week 11 (Nov. 3)

Southeast at Manatee ― With the exception of the Seminoles’ 25-24 victory over the Hurricanes in 2020, Manatee has dominated the series lately winning the other 11 meetings.

Also: Lakewood Ranch at Booker, Charlotte at Riverview, Lemon Bay at North Port

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top high school football games to watch in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte