Football: Six Pensacola-area teams are playoff bound after FHSAA releases brackets
The 2023 high school football season began in August with 13 Pensacola-area teams dreaming of a postseason berth and potential run to state-championship glory.
Following 11 weeks of football played through the late summer of and fall, the number of teams with their title hopes still alive has whittle down to six.
The Florida High School Athletic Association released brackets for the 2023 state postseason on Sunday, with Escambia, Jay, Navarre, Northview, Pensacola Catholic, and Pine Forest each earning a spot.
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In the suburban and metro classes, teams that win a district title automatically advance while the rest of the field — four per region per class — is selected through RPI. Additional district champions automatically receive a home quarterfinal game unless matched-up against higher-seeded district champion.
The Raiders, the District 1-4S winners, are the only local district champion this season. They received the right to host despite being a lower seed. No. 6 Navarre will take on No. 3 Bartram Trail, the District 3-4S runner-up, on Friday from Bennett C. Russell Stadium.
In the rural class, RPI solely decides the state participants since there are no districts. Six teams are selected per region per class.
In two different regions, the 4-5 matchup has paired two local teams against one another.
In Region 1-3S, No. 4 Pine Forest is host to No. 5 Escambia after the two teams dueled in a low-scoring battle on Oct. 20. The Eagles collected a 14-7 victory that night thanks to two touchdowns from Miequle Brock and three sacks from Jonathan Daniels. The rematch is slated for Friday at Lon R. Wise Stadium.
Meanwhile in Region 1-1R, No. 4 Jay will host its first playoff game since 2018 when it take on No. 5 Northview. When the two teams meet on Oct. 13, the Chiefs put up six touchdowns on the ground in a 41-19 home victory. The Royals will look for revenge on Friday from Merle V. North Stadium.
"I'm just excited to be in the playoffs again," said Northview head coach Wes Summerford, who has led the Chiefs to the postseason in each of his four years at the helm. "Everybody is set back to 0-0 and you got to go out there and execute every week, and you're fighting for your chance not to be on the couch the following week."
Lastly, Pensacola Catholic hosts a regional quarterfinal for the second year in a row. Seeded fourth in Region 1-2S, the Crusaders plays No. 5 Suwannee on Friday from Gorecki-LeBeau Stadium.
Despite an 8-2 record in the regular season and the second-best ranking among all local teams, Pace is not one of the squads who made the big dance.
The Patriots were on the outside looking in after being ranked sixth in Region 1-4S with 10.294 rating. However, they were fifth among teams in the running for an at-large bid.
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"First of all, I'm very disappointed for our kids," Pace head coach Kent Smith said. "I don't think it's fair for them not getting to end it on the field. ... I really don't understand how an 8-2 team doesn't get in the playoffs."
Pace finished ahead of three district champions - including Navarre. Even with two less wins, Creekside (10.597) earned the final at-large berth.
West Florida also just missed out on another postseason appearance. The Jaguars (1.275) placed ninth in Region 1-2S, two spots behind Gadsden County (3.975), who claimed the final at-large bid.
Final FHSAA Rankings
District 1-4S
Pace (10.294) - sixth in Region 1-4S, 15th in Class 4S, 73rd overall
Navarre (9.666) - seventh in Region 1-4S, 17th in Class 4S, 82nd overall
Tate (0.489) - 17th in Region 1-4S, 45th in Class 4S, 258th overall
Gulf Breeze (-3.123) - 18th in Region 1-4S, 53rd in Class 4S, 318th overall
Milton (-3.279) - 19th in Region 1-4S, 54th in Class 4S, 321st overall
District 1-3S
Pine Forest (7.025) - fourth in Region 1-3S, 20th in Class 3S, 124th overall
Escambia (5.915) - fifth in Region 1-3S, 21st in Class 3S, 149th overall
Booker T. Washington (-9.300) - 16th in Region 1-3S, 63rd in Class 3S, 424th overall
District 1-2S
Pensacola Catholic (11.019) - fourth in Region 1-2S, 10th in Class 2S, 62nd overall
West Florida (1.275) - ninth in Region 1-2S, 30th in Class 2S, 239th overall
Pensacola (-10.428) - 15th in Region 1-2S, 57th in Class 2S, 440th overall
Rural Division
Jay (1.805) - fourth in Region 1-1R, 13th in Class 1R, 232nd overall
Northview (-2.671) - fifth in Region 1-1R, 21st in Class 1R, 314th overall
Friday's Regional Quarterfinal Matchups
Region 1-4S: No. 3 Bartram Trail at No. 6 Navarre
Region 1-3S: No. 5 Escambia at No. 4 Pine Forest
Region 1-2S: No. 5 Suwannee at No. 4 Pensacola Catholic
Region 1-1R: No. 5 Northview at No. 4 Jay
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (772) 985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: High School Football: Six Pensacola-area teams earn FHSAA playoff berth
