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USA Today Florida High School Football Week 8 poll: Lake Mary is the new No. 1 in Class 4M

jon santucci, naples daily news
·4 min read

For the first time this season, there's a new No. 1 in Class 4M.

Undefeated Lake Mary ascended to the top spot in the latest USA Today Florida Network High School Football poll. The Rams received six of 10 possible first-place votes to edge Columbus, the defending Class 4M state champion.

Lake Mary is coming off a dominant 49-10 win over North Miami Beach while Columbus fell to Homestead 32-16.

First Baptist Academy reclaimed the top spot in Class 1S after an impressive 42-35 win against Wekiva. The Lions got eight first-place votes with Cardinal Mooney picking up the other two.

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St. Thomas Aquinas (Class 3M), Chaminade-Madonna (1M), Mainland (3S), Cocoa (2S) and Hawthorne (1R) were unanimous first-place selections.

Plantation-American Heritage (2M) picked up a first-place vote for the first time this year, while Venice (Class 4S) received a first-place vote for the first time since Week 1.

Class 4M

Lake Mary rising sophomore quarterback Noah Grubbs throws a pass in practice Wednesday.
Lake Mary rising sophomore quarterback Noah Grubbs throws a pass in practice Wednesday.

1. Lake Mary 6-0 (6 first-place votes)

2. Columbus (Miami) 6-1 (4 first-place votes)

3. Seminole (Sanford) 5-2

4. Palmetto (Miami) 5-1

5. Palm Beach Central (Wellington) 6-0

6. Winter Park 6-0

7. Monarch (Coconut Creek) 6-1

8. Mandarin (Jacksonville) 5-2

9. Apopka 4-2

10. Western (Davie) 3-3

ARV: Sumner (Riverview), South Dade (Homestead), Dr. Phillips (Orlando), Santaluces (Lantana), Evans (Orlando)

Class 3M

Fort Myers hosts St. Thomas Aquinas in high school football on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Fort Myers. The two teams also played each other 30 years ago in 1992.
Fort Myers hosts St. Thomas Aquinas in high school football on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Fort Myers. The two teams also played each other 30 years ago in 1992.

1. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) 6-1 (10 first-place votes)

2. Edgewater (Orlando) 7-0

3. Homestead 4-1

4. Tampa Bay Tech 7-0

5. Coconut Creek 5-2

6. Armwood (Seffner) 5-2

7. Jones (Orlando) 3-3

8. Atlantic (Delray Beach) 5-1

9. Jesuit (Tampa) 4-2

10. Southridge (Miami) 6-1

ARV: Largo, Plantation, Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach), Wharton (Tampa), Ovideo

Class 2M

Raines' Mark Miller (3) is celebrated after his touchdown score by Antonio Allen (59) during the second quarter of a high school football matchup Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 at Raines High School in Jacksonville, Fla. The Raines Vikings edged the First Coast Buccaneers 27-26. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Raines' Mark Miller (3) is celebrated after his touchdown score by Antonio Allen (59) during the second quarter of a high school football matchup Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 at Raines High School in Jacksonville, Fla. The Raines Vikings edged the First Coast Buccaneers 27-26. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

1. Central (Miami) 3-2 (7 first-place votes)

2. Norland (Miami) 6-0 (2 first-place votes)

3. American Heritage (Plantation) 4-1 (1 first-place vote)

4. Booker T. Washington (Miami) 3-2

5. Raines (Jacksonville) 5-1

6. Berkeley Prep (Tampa) 4-2

7. Calvary Christian (Clearwater) 4-2

8. Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) 4-2

9. Riverside (Jacksonville) 5-2

10. Bolles (Jacksonville) 3-4

ARV: Northwestern (Miami), Bishop Moore (Orlando), Clearwater, Edison (Miami), King’s Academy (West Palm Beach)

Class 1M

Cardinal Newman defeated Massachusetts state champion Catholic Memorial, 35-2, in Week 4 to hand the Knights their first loss since 2019.
Cardinal Newman defeated Massachusetts state champion Catholic Memorial, 35-2, in Week 4 to hand the Knights their first loss since 2019.

1. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) 7-0 (10 first-place votes)

2. Clearwater Central Catholic 7-0

3. Carrollwood Day (Tampa) 4-1

4. Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach) 5-1

5. Benjamin (Palm Beach Gardens) 5-1

ARV: Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), True North Classical (Miami), Orlando Christian Prep, Providence (Jacksonville), Archbishop Carroll (Miami)

Class 4S

Niceville QB Kane Lafortune carries the ball for a first down during the Choctaw-Niceville football game played at Niceville.
Niceville QB Kane Lafortune carries the ball for a first down during the Choctaw-Niceville football game played at Niceville.

1. Buchholz (Gainesville) 6-0 (7 first-place votes)

2. Lakeland 5-2 (2 first-place votes)

3. Venice 4-2 (1 first-place vote)

4. Niceville 6-1

5. Vero Beach 5-1

6. Treasure Coast (Port St. Lucie) 4-2

7. DeLand 5-1

8. Ponte Vedra 5-1

9. Pace 5-1

10. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) 3-3

ARV: Manatee (Bradenton), University (Orange City), Creekside (St. Johns), Heritage (Palm Beach), Bartow

Class 3S

Lake Wales senior running back runs for a 65-yard touchdown in a game vs. Lake Gibson on Oct. 6, 2023 at Lake Gibson High School. He scored two touchdowns in the game.
Lake Wales senior running back runs for a 65-yard touchdown in a game vs. Lake Gibson on Oct. 6, 2023 at Lake Gibson High School. He scored two touchdowns in the game.

1. Mainland (Daytona Beach) 6-0 (10 first-place votes)

2. St. Augustine 6-0

3. Lake Wales 6-0

4. Escambia (Pensacola) 5-1

5. Lincoln (Tallahassee) 5-1

6. Vanguard (Ocala) 6-1

7. Eau Gallie (Melbourne) 6-1

8. Naples 6-1

9. Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) 4-2

10. Rockledge 3-3

ARV: Sebring, Golden Gate (Naples), Port Charlotte, Leesburg, Dunbar (Fort Myers)

Class 2S

Wakulla defeats Rickards 35-22 at Gene Cox Stadium on Sep. 29, 2023
Wakulla defeats Rickards 35-22 at Gene Cox Stadium on Sep. 29, 2023

1. Cocoa 5-1 (10 first-place votes)

2. Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) 5-1

3. Bradford (Starke) 6-0

4. Wakulla (Crawfordville) 7-0

5. Pensacola Catholic 5-1

6. Florida High (Tallahassee) 4-2

7. Suwannee (Live Oak) 6-0

8. South Sumter (Bushnell) 6-1

9. Walton (DeFuniak Springs) 6-0

10. Titusville 7-0

ARV: Fort Meade, Hudson, Dunnellon, Lemon Bay (Englewood), Yulee

Class 1S

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.

1. First Baptist (Naples) 4-2 (8 first-place votes)

2. Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota) 5-1 (2 first-place votes)

3. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 1-5

4. Lakeland Christian 5-1

5. North Florida Christian (Tallahassee) 5-2

ARV: Community School (Naples), Zephyrhills Christian, Victory Christian, Holy Trinity (Melbourne), Moore Haven

Class 1R

1. Hawthorne 6-0 (10 first-place votes)

2. Williston 6-0

3. Madison County 3-1

4. Newberry 4-2

5. Union County (Lake Butler) 32

ARV: Pahokee, Fort White, Holmes County (Bonifay) Lafayette (Mayo), Bozeman (Panama City)

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: USA Today Florida High School Football Week 8 poll: Lake Mary is No. 1