BY CLIFF SMELLEY
For the second week in a row, Bradford and Union County high schools are the number-one teams in the Florida High School Athletic Association/MaxPreps football power rankings, which are used to determine playoff qualifiers and seeding.
Bradford (6-0) has been the top team in Class 2A since the release of the inaugural rankings on Sept. 24. Union (6-0) was behind Jay in the inaugural Rural Classification rankings, but the teams switched positions in when the rankings were updated on Oct. 1. The latest Rural rankings have Cottondale now second behind Union.
The top eight teams in each region qualify for the playoffs (district champions will automatically be placed in the top eight).
The Rural Classification isn’t divided into regions, so the top 16 teams in the class qualify for the playoffs.
Rankings, which take into account results and strength of schedule, are updated every week until the end of the regular season.
To view rankings, visit fhsaa.com.
BHS and Class 2A
In Region 2 of Class 2A Bradford is number one ahead of Cocoa (3-3), which defeated the Tornadoes 20-6 in last year’s state-championship game. Newberry (4-2) is third, followed by Clearwater’s Calvary Christian (5-2), Palatka (4-3), Berkeley Prep (3-3), The Villages (4-2) and Titusville Astronaut (5-2).
The top-10 overall teams in 2A (regardless of region) are Bradford, Gadsden County (6-1), Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (6-0), Pensacola Catholic (5-1), Bolles (5-1), Taylor County (5-0), Fort Myers Bishop Verot (4-2), Marianna (7-0), West Palm Beach King’s Academy (6-0) and Miami Immaculata-La Salle (4-1).
In combining all classifications (Rural-7A) Bradford is ranked fourth out of 460 teams. Class 6A Nease (5-0) is number one, followed by 6A Seffner Armwood (6-0) and 5A Lakeland (6-0).
UCHS and Rural
In looking at the top 16 teams in Rural, Union is one of just four that are undefeated.
Two-time defending Rural state champ Hawthorne (5-1) is ranked third behind Union and Cottondale (6-0). Fourth through 16th are Jay (6-1), Chiefland (6-0), Chipley (5-1), last year’s state runner-up Madison County (4-2), Pahokee (4-2), Fort White (4-2), Aucilla Christian (6-0), Williston (4-2), Franklin County (5-1), Jefferson County (5-1), Baker (6-1), Holmes County (4-2) and Blountstown (3-2).
In combining all classifications, Union is ranked 31st.
