BY CLIFF SMELLEY
A matchup between two teams undefeated in District 5-2A will be played at Bradford High School’s David Hurse Stadium when the Tornadoes host Newberry on Friday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
It’s the final district game for Newberry, so if the Panthers (3-3, 3-0) win, they will be the district champs, earning an automatic berth in the playoffs.
If Bradford (6-1, 2-0) defeats Newberry, it won’t wrap up the district championship unless Santa Fe (4-2, 1-1) loses to Keystone Heights (0-6, 0-2) that same night. If Bradford defeats Newberry, and Santa Fe defeats Keystone, it would set up another big game for the Tornadoes when they host Santa Fe on Friday, Oct. 24. A Bradford win over Santa Fe in that scenario would result in the Tornadoes winning the district title. However, a Santa Fe win over Bradford would create a three-way tie atop the district with Newberry. Santa Fe lost to Newberry on Oct. 3.
In case of a tie, the district champ would be determined by the Florida High School Athletic Association power rankings.
The Tornadoes’ goal, of course, is to win a district championship every year, but it would especially feel good this year after Newberry won it last season. The Panthers defeated Bradford 21-7 to win the 2024 title and then ended the Tornadoes’ season with a 34-19 win in the second round of the playoffs.
That Newberry team went 8-2 in the regular season and 2-1 in the playoffs, losing 40-3 to eventual state champion Cocoa.
This year’s Newberry team dropped its first three games of the season, though all three losses were to top-10 teams: 47-14 to University Christian (sixth in Class 1A), 32-7 to Hawthorne (sixth in Rural) and 27-3 to Vanguard (10th in Class 4A).
The Panthers, who are ranked 31st in Class 2A, are now on a three-game winning streak, outscoring opponents by a combined 99-27. All three wins have come against district opponents: 51-7 over Keystone, 21-13 over Palatka and 27-7 over Santa Fe.
Bradford, ranked fifth in 2A, has won three in a row, too, since suffering its only loss — 14-7 against Mandarin (fifth in Class 6A).
The Tornadoes are scoring an average of 28 points per game, while Newberry is scoring 21 points per game.
Opponents are averaging only five points per game against a tough Bradford defense. Newberry is allowing an average of 22 points per game.
