Week 6 Football: Lake Mary hosts Mandarin; Osceola vs. St. Cloud turns 100
There’s a postseason flare in the air for Orlando area high school football programs.
While five weeks still remain in the regular season, there’s plenty at stake in Week 6 as the majority of teams return to district play.
One notable exception is in Seminole County where unbeaten Lake Mary (5-0) hosts Jacksonville Mandarin (4-1). The Rams, No. 3 in the area Sentinel Super 16, debuted at No. 1 in the FHSAA Class 4 Metro Region 1 playoff power rankings.
Mandarin ranks No. 2.
The regional playoff preview features explosive offenses on both sides.
Mandarin junior quarterback Tramell Jones Jr., a Florida State commit, has passed for 1,101 yards with 13 TDs and 2 interceptions. Junior wideout Jaime Ffrench Jr. (20 receptions, 475 yards, 6 TDs) is an Alabama commit.
Lake Mary sophomore Noah Grubbs is 81-for-124 passing for 1,525 yards, 23 TDs and 3 INTs. Junior running back Isaiah Thomas has accounted for 565 total yards and 5 TDs.
District games with other 4M Region 1 implications include Apopka (3-1) at Sanford Seminole (4-1), Winter Park (4-0) at Hagerty (3-1) and Boone (2-3) at Lake Nona (2-2).
The ‘Noles are No. 3 in the region, followed in order by Winter Park, Apopka and Hagerty. Winter Park has won four in a row vs. the Huskies by a 155-38 margin.
Boone is No. 9 and Lake Nona is No. 10 in regional power rankings. Boone owns five wins in the past six meetings since 2015, including each of the past two years.
Four district champions and four at-large teams per region advance to FHSAA playoffs in November.
In Class 4 Suburban, Orange City University (5-0) plays at New Smyrna Beach (4-0) and DeLand (3-1) travels to Port Orange Spruce Creek (4-1) in intriguing District 9 outings.
University is No. 2 and New Smyrna Beach is No. 3 in 4S Region 3 behind Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (4-1). Spruce Creek ranks No. 7 while DeLand, winners of three in a row, ranks No. 8.
The 100th game between host Kissimmee Osceola and St. Cloud serves as a crucial 4S District 10 contest for both teams. The Kowboys are off to their worst start since finishing 2-8 in 2005. St. Cloud (2-2) dropped its first district game vs. Tohopekaliga (3-1) two weeks ago.
Osceola owns a 68-27-4 lead all-time over the Bulldogs — including 17 wins in a row since 2006 — in what is the fifth-longest continuous rivalry in Florida high school football history.
St. Cloud prevailed in back-to-back games in 2004-05 and forfeited a 41-35 win in 2010.
Pregame festivities will include recognition of former coaches and players who have taken part in the rivalry that dates to 1925.
Leesburg (4-1) hosts Tavares (3-1) in a district game that will put the winner in good position for a playoff spot. The Yellow Jackets rank No. 3 and Tavares is No. 8 in 3S Region 2 standings.
Postponed district games from Week 3 are scheduled for Monday as Lake Minneola travels to Clermont East Ridge and Deltona is home vs. Palm Coast Matanzas at 7 p.m.
The Week 6 schedule is listed below. Rankings are from the Sentinel Super 16. Team overall and district win-loss records are included in parentheses.
Top matchups
No. 12 Wekiva (3-2, 0-0) at No. 1 Edgewater (5-0, 1-0), 7
Buzz: Edgewater is No. 1 and Wekiva is No. 6 in FHSAA Class 3M Region 1 rankings. Eagles have recorded 13 sacks, 9 forced fumbles and 7 interceptions. Senior Joshua Bennett has 590 all-purpose yards for Wekiva as a receiver, defensive back and special teams returner.
No. 6 Apopka (3-1, 0-0) at No. 2 Seminole (4-1, 1-0), 7
Buzz: Blue Darters are 4-1 in the series since 2017, including a 28-27 win in 2021 and 24-23 win last year. Apopka offense has been limited to 8.5 points per game. Senior Treyvin Clark and junior Rodney Grant have combined for 667 rush yards and 4 TDs for the ‘Noles.
No. 16 West Orange (1-4, 0-0) at No. 10 Ocoee (3-2, 0-1), 7
Buzz: West Orange won 41-17 in the regular season and Ocoee prevailed 29-28 in the playoffs last year. Warriors, winners of three straight district titles and six of past nine meetings since 2016, are on a four-game skid. Ocoee defense has 20 sacks and 10 forced turnovers.
The First Academy (4-1, 0-0) at Orlando Christian Prep (5-0, 1-0), 7
Buzz: OCP ranks No. 1 and TFA is No. 5 in FHSAA Class 1M Region 1 rankings. OCP won 31-7 last year and 14-7 in 2021. Avery Anderson and Akeevin Anderson have combined for 872 rush yards and 9 TDs for Warriors. TFA’s Julian Anderson has 26 receptions for 463 yards and 7 TDs.
Other area games
Jacksonville Mandarin (4-1) at No. 3 Lake Mary (4-0), 7
No. 4 DeLand (3-1, 0-0) at Port Orange Spruce Creek (4-1, 0-0), 7
No. 7 Olympia (3-1, 1-0) at Windermere High (3-2, 0-1), 7#
No. 8 Winter Park (4-0, 1-0) at Hagerty (3-1, 1-0), 7
No. 9 Orange City University (5-0, 0-0) at New Smyrna Beach (4-0, 0-0), 7
No. 11 Lake Minneola (1-3, 0-0) at Ocala West Port (3-2, 1-0), 7
No. 14 Evans (2-3, 0-1) at Lake Brantley (1-4, 0-1), 7
No. 15 Oviedo (3-2, 0-0) at East River (1-4, 1-0), 7
St. Cloud (2-2, 0-1) at Osceola (0-5, 0-0), 7
The Villages (1-3, 0-0) at Eustis (3-2, 0-0), 7
Tavares (3-1, 0-0) at Leesburg (4-1, 0-1), 7
Boone (2-3, 1-0) at Lake Nona (2-2, 1-0), 7
Freedom (1-4, 0-1) at Oak Ridge (1-2, 0-0), 7
Winter Springs (0-5, 0-1) at Lyman (3-2, 1-0), 7
Colonial (1-3, 0-0) at Timber Creek (1-4, 0-1), 7
Celebration (1-4, 0-0) at Tohopekaliga (3-1, 1-0), 7
Mount Dora (3-1, 0-0) at Umatilla (0-4, 0-0), 7
Gateway (0-4, 0-1) at Liberty (1-4, 0-1), 7
Lake Howell (2-2) at Orlando University (1-3), 7
Trinity Prep (0-4) at Orangewood Christian (2-3), 7
Poinciana (2-2) at Foundation Academy (2-3), 7
The Master’s Academy (3-1) at Mount Dora Christian (2-3), 7
First Academy-Leesburg (2-3) at Cornerstone Charter (1-4), 7
Daytona Beach Mainland (5-0, 0-0) at Deltona Pine Ridge (3-1, 0-0), 7
Orlando Saints Academy (0-1) at Central Florida Christian (0-2), 7
Hudson Fivay (2-2) at Clermont East Ridge (3-0), 7:30
Groveland South Lake (0-4, 0-1) at Ocala Forest (2-2, 0-0), 7
Harmony (1-3, 0-0) at Melbourne (1-4, 0-0), 7
West Oaks (2-3) at Jacksonville Zarephath (2-3), 6
Deltona Trinity (1-3) at Winter Haven All Saints (2-2), 7
Windermere Prep (0-3) at Cocoa Beach (1-3), 7
Faith Christian (2-2) at Riverview Bell Creek (1-3), 7
#Home site: Windermere High at Scott Pine Community Park, Winter Garden.
Off this week: No. 5 Jones (2-3), No. 13 Dr. Phillips (3-2), Bishop Moore (2-3), Cypress Creek (0-4), Horizon (3-2), Lake Buena Vista (2-1), Legacy Charter (1-3). Played Thursday: Lake Highland Prep (3-1) at Port St. Lucie Tradition Prep (3-2), Daytona Beach Seabreeze (0-4, 0-0) at Deltona (0-3, 0-0).
This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.
