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USA Today Florida Network High School Football Week 9 poll: Norland No. 1 in Class 2M

jon santucci, palm beach post
·4 min read

To the winner go the spoils.

Norland rallied from a 20-point halftime deficit to beat Central 29-26 in overtime on Friday and now stand alone atop the Class 2M rankings on the USA Today Florida Network High School Football poll.

Norland started the year at No. 2 and was tied with Central at No. 1 for one week before dropping back to No. 2. The Vikings received 10 of 11 possible first-place votes with American Heritage (Plantation) receiving the other vote. Central falls to No. 3 in the poll.

Lake Mary increased its hold on the top spot in Class 4M after its 36-6 win against Evans. The Rams, which narrowly edged Columbus for No. 1 last week, picked up nine first-place votes.

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

Class 4M

Palm Beach Central's Mario Vitola celebrates their 27-24 win over Benjamin during their game in Wellington, Florida on October 6, 2023.
Palm Beach Central's Mario Vitola celebrates their 27-24 win over Benjamin during their game in Wellington, Florida on October 6, 2023.

1. Lake Mary 7-0 (8 first-place votes)

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

3. Seminole (Sanford) 6-2

4. Palmetto (Miami) 6-1

5. Palm Beach Central (Wellington) 7-0

6. Winter Park 6-0

7. Monarch (Coconut Creek) 6-1

8. Mandarin (Jacksonville) 6-2

9. Apopka 5-2

10. Western (Davie) 4-3

ARV: Sumner (Riverview), Olympia (Orlando), South Dade (Homestead), West Orange (Winter Garden), Plant (Tampa

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) 7-1 (11 first-place votes)

2. Edgewater (Orlando) 8-0

3. Homestead 5-1

4. Coconut Creek 6-2

5.  Tampa Bay Tech 8-0

6. Armwood (Seffner) 6-1

7. Jones (Orlando) 4-3

8. Atlantic (Delray Beach) 6-1

9. Jesuit (Tampa) 5-2

10. Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach) 6-1

ARV: Largo, Ovideo, Southridge (Miami), Dillard (Fort Lauderdale), Wharton (Tampa)

Class 2M

Miami Norland football celebrates a victory over Miami Central on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023.
Miami Norland football celebrates a victory over Miami Central on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023.

1. Norland (Miami) 7-0 (10 first-place votes)

2.  American Heritage (Plantation) 5-1 (1 first-place vote)

3. Central (Miami) 3-3

4. Booker T. Washington (Miami) 5-2

5. Raines (Jacksonville) 6-1

6. Berkeley Prep (Tampa) 5-2

7. Calvary Christian (Clearwater) 5-2

8. Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) 5-2

9. Riverside (Jacksonville) 6-2

10. Bolles (Jacksonville) 4-4

ARV: Bishop Moore (Orlando), Northwestern (Miami), Edison (Miami), King’s Academy (West Palm Beach), Saint Andrew’s (Boca Raton)

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 (11 first-place votes)

2. Clearwater Central Catholic 7-0

3. Carrollwood Day (Tampa) 5-1

4. Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach) 6-1

5. Benjamin (Palm Beach Gardens) 6-1

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

Class 4S

Buchholz Bobcats wide receiver Dj Hicks (9) rushes with the ball during the first half against the Gainesville Hurricanes at Citizens Field in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, October 5, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]
Buchholz Bobcats wide receiver Dj Hicks (9) rushes with the ball during the first half against the Gainesville Hurricanes at Citizens Field in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, October 5, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]

1. Buchholz (Gainesville) 7-0 (9 first-place votes)

2. Lakeland 7-2 (1 first-place vote)

3. Venice 5-2 (1 first-place vote)

4. Niceville 6-1

5. Vero Beach 6-1

6. Treasure Coast (Port St. Lucie) 5-2

7. Ponte Vedra 6-1

8. Pace 6-1

9. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) 4-3

10. DeLand 5-2

ARV: University (Orange City), Manatee (Bradenton), Heritage (Palm Beach), Chiles Tallahassee), Lake Minneola

Class 3S

Mainland High's E'Zaiah Shine #4 turns the corner on his way to a touchdown as Matanzas High players give chase, Friday Auigust 18, 2023 in Daytona Beach.
Mainland High's E'Zaiah Shine #4 turns the corner on his way to a touchdown as Matanzas High players give chase, Friday Auigust 18, 2023 in Daytona Beach.

1. Mainland (Daytona Beach) 7-0 (11 first-place votes)

2. St. Augustine 6-0

3. Lake Wales 7-0

4. Lincoln (Tallahassee) 6-1

5. Vanguard (Ocala) 6-1

6.  Eau Gallie (Melbourne) 6-1

7.  Naples 7-1

8.  Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) 5-2

9.  Escambia (Pensacola) 5-2

10. Rockledge 4-3

ARV: Sebring, Golden Gate (Naples), Port Charlotte, Leesburg, Columbia (Lake City)

Class 2S

Latrison Lane of Cocoa gains big yardage against Titusville during their District 12-2S football game Friday, October 13, 2023. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Latrison Lane of Cocoa gains big yardage against Titusville during their District 12-2S football game Friday, October 13, 2023. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

1. Cocoa 6-1 (11 first-place votes)

2. Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) 6-1

3. Bradford (Starke) 7-0

4. Wakulla (Crawfordville) 8-0

5. Florida High (Tallahassee) 5-2

6. Walton (DeFuniak Springs) 7-0

7. Pensacola Catholic 5-2

8. South Sumter (Bushnell) 7-1

9.  Fort Meade 6-0

10. Titusville 7-1

ARV: Suwannee (Live Oak), Hudson, Dunnellon, Lemon Bay (Englewood), Yulee

Class 1S

First Baptist Academy Lions receiver Winston Watkins Jr. (5) makes a catch while being guarded by Golden Gate Titans defensive back Jermaine Fabien (5) during the second quarter of a game at Golden Gate High School in Naples on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.
First Baptist Academy Lions receiver Winston Watkins Jr. (5) makes a catch while being guarded by Golden Gate Titans defensive back Jermaine Fabien (5) during the second quarter of a game at Golden Gate High School in Naples on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.

1. First Baptist (Naples) 5-2 (9 first-place votes)

2. Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota) 6-1 (2 first-place votes)

3. Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 2-5

4. North Florida Christian (Tallahassee) 5-2

5.  Community School (Naples) 7-0

ARV:  Victory Christian (Lakeland, Lakeland Christian, Zephyrhills Christian, Holy Trinity (Melbourne), Evangelical (Fort Myers)

Class 1R

Hawthorne Hornets running back Keenon Johnson (9) runs as the Hawthorne Hornets takes on the Union County Fightin’ Tigers at Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, FL on Friday, October 13, 2023. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]
Hawthorne Hornets running back Keenon Johnson (9) runs as the Hawthorne Hornets takes on the Union County Fightin’ Tigers at Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, FL on Friday, October 13, 2023. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]

1. Hawthorne 7-0 (11 first-place votes)

2. Williston 7-0

3. Madison County 4-1

4. Newberry 5-2

5. Fort White 6-1

ARV: Union County (Lake Butler), Pahokee, Holmes County (Bonifay) Lafayette (Mayo), Bozeman (Panama City)

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: USA Today Florida High School Football Week 9 poll: Norland is No. 1