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Florida high school football: What you need to know about Friday's state championships

jon santucci, tallahassee democrat
·2 min read

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida High School Athletic Association's state championship football games are this week at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee.

Here's a look at what to watch during Friday's games.

Schedule

10 a.m.: Class 1S

Cardinal Mooney (11-2) vs. Trinity Catholic (6-7)

3 p.m. Class 4M

Columbus (12-2) vs. Mandarin (11-3)

8 p.m.: Class 2S

Cocoa (13-1) vs. Bradford (14-0)

Game of the Day

Mandarin's quarteback Tramell Jones (1) hands off to Tiant Wyche (20) during the first quarter of a regular season high school football matchup Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 at Riverside High School in Jacksonville, Fla. The Mandarin Mustangs defeated the Riverside Generals 50-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Mandarin's quarteback Tramell Jones (1) hands off to Tiant Wyche (20) during the first quarter of a regular season high school football matchup Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 at Riverside High School in Jacksonville, Fla. The Mandarin Mustangs defeated the Riverside Generals 50-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

Columbus vs. Mandarin: The 4M title game is a rematch of the thrilling 2018 Class 8A championship game, which Mandarin won 37-35. These are two of the most talented teams in the state with several college recruits on both rosters -- that includes quarterbacks Tramell Jones (Mandarin, Florida State commit) and Alberto Mendoza (Columbus, James Madison commit). Mandarin arguably has one of the best secondaries in Florida while Columbus boasts an outstanding front seven.

Florida high school football: Class 4M state championship game preview

Florida high school football: Class 1S state championship game preview

Florida high school football: What are the top matchups to watch in the 2023 state finals?

Rematch

Bradford High School team members celebrate after Bradford beat Pensacola Catholic during a play off game in the 2023 FHSAA Football State Championship at Bradford High School in Starke, FL on Friday, December 1, 2023. Bradford won 22-21 in overtime after making the two point conversion. They will play for the state championship in Tallahassee. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]

Cocoa and Bradford met in a state semifinal in 2022, a game Cocoa won 31-21 on its way to the Class 2S championship. Tigers wide receiver Jayvan Boggs had an outstanding game, catching nine passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Cocoa is the only team in the past two years to score more than 21 points against the Tornadoes outstanding defense.

Florida high school football: Class 2S state championship game preview

Six recruits to watch

Cardinal Mooney's Teddy Foster runs around Lakewood Ranch defenders on Sept. 1, 2023.
Cardinal Mooney's Teddy Foster runs around Lakewood Ranch defenders on Sept. 1, 2023.

Mandarin WR Jaime Ffrench: The five-star junior has 1,139 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Ffrench is committed to Alabama.

Cocoa EDGE Javion Hilson: The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Hilson is one of the nation's premier edge rushers in the class of 2025, with offers from Florida, Miami, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee and others.

Mandarin S Drake Stubbs: Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Michigan are among the schools to offer the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder. Stubbs had three takeaways and scored a touchdown in the state semifinal.

Columbus S Bryce Fitzgerald: The 6-foot-1, 180-pound junior has 20 tackles, five interceptions and fumble recovery this season. His offers include Auburn, Miami, Michigan and USC.

Cocoa WR Jayvan Boggs: The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Boggs has caught 86 passes for 1,445 yards and 23 touchdowns this season. The junior is committed to Ohio State.

Cardinal Mooney CB Teddy Foster: Foster, a Florida commit, has 328 receiving yards and four touchdowns to go along with six pass breakups and an interception.

Number to remember

The First Baptist Academy Lions compete against the Trinity Catholic Celtics in the Class 1S state semifinal at First Baptist Academy in Naples on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. The Celtics topped the Lions to advance to the state championship game.
The First Baptist Academy Lions compete against the Trinity Catholic Celtics in the Class 1S state semifinal at First Baptist Academy in Naples on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. The Celtics topped the Lions to advance to the state championship game.

32: That's the average margin of victory for Trinity Catholic in its four games against Class 1S opponents this season. The Celtics have won all four games by at least 15 points, including a 51-36 win at First Baptist Academy in the state semifinals.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida high school football: What to know about Friday's state finals