On Wednesday, we assessed the state title chances for all 13 Palm Beach County football teams that qualified for the playoffs.
Today, we’ll look at which of the lower seeds – those that do not host a game Friday – have the best chance to pull off the upset.
Glades Central travels to Fort Lauderdale to play University School in a rematch of an August game. The Raiders are seeded fourth in their region, and the Sharks are No. 1. (Andres Leiva/Palm Beach Post)
Seven Palm Beach County teams face higher-seeded teams Friday. They are: Park Vista, Forest Hill, Glades Day, King’s Academy, Seminole Ridge, American Heritage and Glades Central.
Our sports staff took a look at those teams and the opponents they face, and give our thoughts below on which could pull off the upset Friday. For our scale, we used ‘fair,’ ‘good,’ and ‘excellent.’
Readers also can weigh in by voting for who they think has the best chance to win.
(8) Park Vista at (1) Miramar: The Cobras were not a playoff team during the final week of the regular season, but made up two spots after beating Palm Beach Gardens last Friday, and then getting help from West Boca Raton and Plantation. Park Vista’s reward is to face a Patriots team that has won nine straight and is coming off a big win over perennial power Fort Lauderdale-St. Thomas Aquinas. The Cobras have played very well defensively this year, and have big-play capability on offense with seniors John Smith and Atorian Perry. But beating a surging Miramar team on the road could prove to be too tall a task.
Upset chance: Fair
(5) Forest Hill at (4) West Broward: The surprising Falcons hope to make the most of their first playoff berth since 1996. They face a Bobcats team that likes to run the ball just as much as they do. Forest Hill has gotten great production out of its running backs this year, including sophomore B.J. Jones and junior Chaz Eaton. Quarterback Darius McClendon also has contributed to Forest Hill’s strong ground game. But can the Falcons’ defense rein in a West Broward team that has averaged 43 points over its last four games?
Upset chance: Good
(7) Seminole Ridge at (2) Palm Beach Central: This is one of three rematches involving Palm Beach County teams in the first round of the playoffs (Glades Central vs. Fort Lauderdale-University, and Glades Day vs. Moore Haven are the others). The Hawks and Broncos are district rivals who played each other less than a month ago, in a game that ultimately decided the District 9-8A title. The Broncos won that game 8-3, but the result could have gone either way. The same could be true Friday. Palm Beach Central’s defense is stellar, but Seminole Ridge has plenty of weapons on offense. The Hawks are the lower seed in this contest, but they probably have the best chance to win of any area underdog.
Upset chance: Excellent
(4) Glades Central at (1) Fort Lauderdale-University: This is a rematch of a game played way back on Aug. 25. The Sharks won that contest 13-7, and went on to win their next six before falling to the state’s No. 1 class 3A team – Hollywood-Chaminade Madonna – to close the season. The Raiders have gotten better on offense in the weeks since the early part of the season, when they were held to a combined 20 points by University, Orange Park-Oakleaf and Oxbridge Academy. Glades Central is averaging nearly 33 points over their final five games, and held a lead against Pahokee in last week’s Muck Bowl before falling in overtime. Can the Raiders score enough to get past state-ranked University?
Upset chance: Good
(3) King’s Academy at (2) Oxbridge Academy: The Lions have rolled through regular-season and postseason play during the past two years, winning 20 straight games before Benjamin snapped that streak last Friday. King’s played some good teams during that span, but none like what they expect to face Friday in the ThunderWolves. After opening the season with a 14-13 loss to one of Pennsylvania’s top-ranked teams, Oxbridge reeled off seven straight wins, and scored at least 31 points in all but two of them. The ThunderWolves have talent at nearly every position, and feature one of the area’s top secondaries. Lions quarterback Justin Wake has been tremendous this season, but he and King’s face an uphill battle.
Upset chance: Fair
(4) Glades Day at (1) Moore Haven: The Gators get a second crack at the Terriers following a 43-21 defeat Sept. 29. That loss was the third straight to open the season for Glades Day, and the Gators haven’t dropped a game since. Coach Eric Pitts has his team motivated for this contest after closing the season with five consecutive wins, with four of them coming by a two touchdown-or-larger margin. The other victory came by forfeit. However, the Gators face a big challenge on the road against unbeaten Moore Haven. The Terriers have won seven of their nine games by 22 points or more, and are averaging 35 points.
Upset chance: Fair
(4) American Heritage at (1) Hollywood-Chaminade Madonna: Like Park Vista, the Stallions face one of the state’s most dominant teams to open postseason play. The Lions, ranked No. 1 in the Class 3A state poll, have beaten a handful of the state’s top teams this year, including Miramar and Fort Lauderdale-University. Chaminade’s only loss came Sept. 22 to unbeaten Plantation-American Heritage – the state’s top ranked team in Class 5A – and since, the Lions have won six straight by an average margin of 39 points. Containing standout running back Shaun Shivers – an Auburn commit – will be a huge task for American Heritage’s defense. The Stallions turned their season around this year after a disappointing 2016, but getting past the first round will be a monumental challenge.
Upset chance: Fair
