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FHSAA football playoff brackets: Bishop Verot, First Baptist, Golden Gate secure top seeds

alex martin, fort myers news-press
·4 min read

The FHSAA released their football playoff brackets Sunday morning, and a grand total of 13 Southwest Florida teams are in the big dance.

Just like last year, there are three local No. 1 seeds in the new Suburban classification, with real shots of making the Final Four. Some teams barely got into the postseason by a few spots.

Teams in bold are district champions. Teams in italics are local teams.

Week 11 Football: Barron Collier, Lely, North, South, Dunbar, CSN, Estero among winners

Class 4S-Region 4

Immokalee beat Gulf Coast in the district championship game at Gulf Coast High on Friday night, October 27, 2023. Photo by Darron R. Silva
Immokalee beat Gulf Coast in the district championship game at Gulf Coast High on Friday night, October 27, 2023. Photo by Darron R. Silva

(8) Lakewood Ranch at (1) Venice

(7) Charlotte at (2) Manatee

(6) Palmetto at (3) Riverview

(4) Gulf Coast at (5) Immokalee

FHSAA Football: Class 4S regional playoff preview

Analysis: Right out of the gate, we're getting a rematch of the 4S-District 16 title game between Immokalee and Gulf Coast, as the Indians will look to beat the Sharks for the second time in three weeks. Whoever comes out of that is looking at a road trip to Venice, where the Indians have been on a roll, winning their last eight after starting the season 0-2. Gulf Coast and Immokalee are both coming off tough losses, making Friday's game at Gary Bates Stadium even more intriguing. Gulf Coast has yet to win a playoff game, while Immokalee has returned to the playoffs in James Delgado's second season leading the team.

Regional Champion: Venice

Class 3S-Region 4

The Golden Gate Titans compete against the Lely Trojans in a district game at Golden Gate High School in Naples on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.
The Golden Gate Titans compete against the Lely Trojans in a district game at Golden Gate High School in Naples on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.

(8) Mariner at (1) Golden Gate

(7) Parrish at (2) Naples

(3) Barron Collier at (6) Port Charlotte

(5) Fort Myers at (4) Dunbar

FHSAA Football: Class 3S regional playoff preview

Analysis: Take your pick here on who can win the region, as there are five teams that have a legitimate shot at being crowned the champion in Class 3S-Region 4. Golden Gate locked down the No. 1 seed in the region, eking that out over No. 2 Naples. The Golden Eagles and Titans have favorable first-round matchups against Parrish and Mariner, respectively. In the other two contests, we've gotten a rematch between Dunbar and Fort Myers after the two teams went to double overtime earlier this season, with the Tigers winning 40-39 on a two-point conversion. Barron Collier has the toughest task of all, traveling to No. 6 Port Charlotte despite earning a No. 3 seed in the region. The Pirates are under-seeded and have been considered a top squad in the Lee, Collier, and Charlotte region all season long.

Regional Champion: Golden Gate

Class 2S-Region 4

Charles "Tookie" Watts of the Bishop Verot High School football team catches a touchdown during a game against Estero High School at Bishop Verot on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. Bishop Verot won 52-0.
Charles "Tookie" Watts of the Bishop Verot High School football team catches a touchdown during a game against Estero High School at Bishop Verot on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. Bishop Verot won 52-0.

(8) Mulberry at (1) Bishop Verot

(7) Booker at (2) Fort Meade

(6) Frostproof at (3) Lemon Bay

(4) Estero at (5) Hardee

Analysis: This region is heavily lopsided in Verot's favor, as the Vikings have been dominant all season, winning each of their eight games on the field via running clock. Bishop Verot gets a first-round rematch against Mulberry, a team the Vikings blanked 42-0 in the first round last year. Estero will have to hit the road despite being the higher seed for the second year in a row, as the Wildcats will look to travel to Hardee for the right to a rematch with Richie Rode's group. Estero had to travel as a No. 3 seed to DeSoto County last year, a game the Wildcats were unable to win. Unless something unforeseen happens, the Vikings deserve to be three- to four-score favorites at a minimum in each regional playoff game.

Regional Champion: Bishop Verot

FHSAA Football: Class 2S regional playoff preview

Class 1S-Region 4

The Golden Gate Titans compete against the First Baptist Academy Lions in a game at Golden Gate High School in Naples on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. The Lions won 48-46.
The Golden Gate Titans compete against the First Baptist Academy Lions in a game at Golden Gate High School in Naples on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. The Lions won 48-46.

(4) Evangelical Christian at (1) First Baptist

(3) Moore Haven at (2) Community School

FHSAA Football: Class 1S regional playoff preview

Analysis: This region is First Baptist's to lose, as the Lions were 40 points better than the No. 2 seed in Community School. The Lions have scored 40 or more points in each of their last five games, including three quality wins over Golden Gate, Wekiva, and Community School. First Baptist also secured the No. 1 overall seed, which is huge considering it's conceivable we could see a rematch of last year's 1S title game in the state semifinals if Trinity Catholic gets out of Region 2 as a No. 3 seed. Despite the 3-7 record, the Celtics are ranked as the No. 2 team in 1S with a strength of schedule that no one was able to match during the regular season, per MaxPreps.

Regional Champion: First Baptist

Follow Southwest Florida Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: SWFL high school football: See where your team is seeded in 2023 playoffs