Week 1 was a wild one in Palm Beach County.
Five of the Post’s top 10 teams lost their season-openers, while many games went down to the wire.
Cadarius Gaskin (No. 8) and No. 7 Atlantic hope to shake off an upset loss to Palm Beach Central last week. The Eagles face No. 3 Dwyer on the road Friday. (Richard Graulich/Palm Beach Post)
Two of those contests turned on missed extra points, while three games among the top 10 were decided by a single point. Just one game featuring a top 10 team ended in a rout.
As a result, there was quite a bit of shuffling in this week’s top 10. Oxbridge takes over the top spot despite dropping a 14-13 decision to a state-ranked team from Pennsylvania last week. Pahokee moved from No. 3 to No. 2 after its 6-2 victory against Palm Beach Lakes, while Dwyer jumped up to No. 3 after its 22-15 overtime win against Park Vista.
Palm Beach Central rose to No. 4 after its 14-13 upset win over previous No. 1 Atlantic, while Palm Beach Gardens moved up to No. 5 after defeating John I. Leonard 55-7.
Wellington, Atlantic, American Heritage, Park Vista and Glades Central round out the top 10.
Here is the Post’s Top 10 entering Week 2
1. Oxbridge Academy (0-1)
2. Pahokee (1-0)
3. Dwyer (1-0)
4. Palm Beach Central (1-0)
5. Palm Beach Gardens (1-0)
6. Wellington (1-0)
7. Atlantic (0-1)
8. American Heritage (0-1)
9. Park Vista (0-1)
10. Glades Central (0-1)
Also considered: Boca Raton (1-0), Boynton Beach (1-0)
Top games this week: (All games will be played at 7 p.m. Friday unless otherwise listed)
No. 7 Atlantic (0-1) at No. 3 Dwyer (1-0): This contest continues a heated series of games between the former district rivals. Atlantic won two years ago, while Dwyer took last year’s game in a rout. Both teams are coming off incredibly tight games, with different results. The Eagles, then No. 1, dropped a 14-13 decision to No. 9 Palm Beach Central, while the Panthers outlasted Park Vista in overtime after allowing a late touchdown. Both games turned on missed extra points. Atlantic struggled offensively last week, throwing four interceptions. Dwyer fared better against a tough Park Vista defense, with quarterback Trevor Omans tossing three touchdown passes, including the game-winner in overtime. Both teams have plenty to prove Friday.
Vero Beach (1-0) at No. 6 Wellington (1-0): The Wolverines face a big test against perennial power Vero Beach, which traveled a long way last Friday to play – and beat – Oscar Smith of Chesapeake, Va. The Indians are ranked No. 6 in the Class 8A state poll, and are coming off a 2016 season in which they advanced to the regional finals. But Wellington has plenty of momentum following its 27-13 victory against Royal Palm Beach last week. The Wolverines turned to backup quarterback Austin Wallace, a sophomore, to pace their high-powered offense, and he accounted for four touchdowns in the win. Wellington will get starter Connor Rogers back to face Vero Beach, and will have the home crowd in its corner.
Pembroke Pines-Flanagan (0-0) at No. 1 Oxbridge Academy (0-1): The ThunderWolves take on the Falcons for the second consecutive year, this time at home. Last year’s 7-6 Oxbridge win kicked off a dominant season in which the ThunderWolves advanced to the Class 3A regional finals. Oxbridge dropped this year’s opener – 14-13 to a state-ranked Pennsylvania team – but limited its opponent to just 76 passing yards and also got rushing touchdowns from V’Lique Carter and James Meeks, both returning starters. Like last year, expect the ThunderWolves’ defense to come up big.
