BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Union County High School is still the top football team in the Rural Class, while Bradford remained number one in Region 2 of Class 2A with the release of the fifth Florida High School Athletic Association/MaxPreps power rankings on Oct. 22.
Rankings, which take into account results and strength of schedule, are updated weekly and will be used to determine playoff qualifiers and seeding.
Union has been the top Rural team the last four weeks after being ranked second in the Sept. 24 inaugural rankings. The Tigers are 7-0 after defeating Class 1A Trinity Catholic 54-16 on Oct. 18.
The Top 16 Rural Class teams at the end of the season qualify for the playoffs. Ranking behind Union in descending order are Hawthorne (6-1), Madison County (4-3), Jay (7-1), Chiefland (7-1), Cottondale (7-0), Pahokee (5-2), Aucilla Christian (8-0), Chipley (7-1), Fort White (4-3), Blountstown (5-2), Holmes County (5-3), Williston (4-3), Lafayette (4-4), Franklin County (6-2) and Jefferson County (6-2).
Bradford, which improved to 7-1 with a 43-7 win over Class 5A Leon, dropped from third to fourth in Class 2A, but maintained its hold on the number-one spot in Region 2. The top eight teams in the region (including district champions who automatically qualify for the postseason) will advance to the regional playoffs. Ranked behind the Tornadoes in Region 2 are Newberry (6-2), Cocoa (4-3), Palatka (5-3), Clearwater Calvary Christian (4-2), Tampa Berkeley Prep (3-4), Titusville Astronaut (5-2) and The Villages (4-3).
The only change from the previous rankings was Astronaut and The Villages swapping places.
In looking at Class 2A as a whole, the Tornadoes are now fourth behind Gadsden County (7-1), Bolles (7-1) and Pensacola Catholic (6-1).
