Now for the predictions for Friday nights’ four FHSAA playoff games…
Note: These are predictions from my personal witnessing of teams or reports from respected people around the state about the teams playing. None of these picks are intended for gambling or other illegal reasons. Please take my choices with a grain of salt, if I am wrong then great job by the winning teams. If I am correct, you’re welcome…Friday’s Games…
Saint Augustine Nease Panthers (District 3) @ Jacksonville Episcopal Eagles (District 2) – 7:00PM
This game to everyone in the state, besides Bolles, looks to be an easy win for the Panthers. Some could say it will be an Episcopal win because Jacksonville Bolles beat Nease 8-4 and then proceeded to lose to the Eagles 9-6 in the playoffs after beating them in the regular season 10-7. After watching Nease play once this year, I was extremely surprised by the actual size and skill of the Nease defense. They are huge! One defenseman is playing lax and football for John Hopkins, another is playing lax for Jacksonville U, and the third is playing football for Jacksonville U and I am sure Coach Kerwick wouldn’t mind seeing him in lacrosse pads for the spring. Even better, if and I mean if they ever get beat or the offense finds and opening they have arguably the best goalie in the state Nick Colon backing them up. Look for Sapora to win most of the face-offs for Episcopal and be met quickly with an LSM sinking deep to cut the fast breaks and a shootout between the Eagles’ Branholm and the Panthers’ Angerer.
The pick… Nease beats Episcopal by 6 (13-7). Defense wins championships, and the better defense moves the Nease Panthers on to the state semifinals on Friday, April 24th at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, FL.
Apopka Blue Darters (District 6) @ Lake Brantley Patriots (District 5) – 8:00PM
I would love to say that Apopka has a chance to win this game. I would love to say that Apopka takes Lake Brantley down to the wire. Heck, I would even love to say that Apopka loses by only ten goals. Fortunately, the Blue Darters had a first round bye and can successfully say that in their first FHSAA playoff appearance they were one of the final eight teams. Unfortunately, for Apopka they face Lake Brantley fresh off a thorough beating of Winter Springs. This is the same Patriots’ team who devastated Apopka winning 17-4 earlier in the year.
The pick… Lake Brantley easily defeats Apopka by 15 (21-6). Good job this year Apopka, keep up the good work. Look for Lake Brantley to empty the benches early to rest the starters for a meeting with Nease in the state semifinals on Friday, April 24th at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, FL.
Gulliver Prep Raiders (District 12) @ Saint Andrews Scots (District 10) – 7:00PM
If you are not going to be attending the other two big close games in the state (Nease vs. Episcopal and FSU vs. UF), then you have no excuse but to be at this game. Unfortunately, these two meet way too early in the playoffs to be knocking each other off. This game will have the skill, tenaciousness, and caliber of play of the state semifinals and championship games. The game features two of the three best goalies in the state with Gulliver’s JT McCook and Saint Andrews’ Bernie Susskind. The two teams met earlier in the year with the Scots pounding away at the Raiders with a 16-6 win. Look for Gulliver to be looking for payback and a possible upset…
The pick… Saint Andrews wins a battle over Gulliver Prep by 4 (13-9). Someone put Gulliver in a different part of the bracket already so they can at least make it to the semifinals. Saint Andrews moves on to play Lake Highland Prep (sorry to ruin the surprise…) in the state semifinals on Friday, April 24th at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, FL.
Vero Beach Indians (District 9) @ Lake Highland Prep Highlanders (District 8) – 7:00PM
Lake Highland Prep comes off another intense overtime win (3rd this year) over Bishop Moore. Vero Beach has some talent on offense, defense, and in the cage and will be rested to play the Highlanders. Unfortunately for the Indians, the Highlanders will have too much talent all over the field. Look for big games out of Proechel and the St. Laurent brothers.
The pick… Lake Highland Prep easily wins over Vero Beach by 11 (18-7). Lake Highland moves on to play Saint Andrews in the state semifinals on Friday, April 24th at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, FL.
Moving away from the FHSAA games on Friday, a special preview/prediction on FSU vs. UF Game on Friday…
Florida State University Seminoles @ University of Florida Gators – UF UVS Field on Friday, April 17th @ 8:00PM
Rivalry. Hatred. If you look up in any article talking about college rivalries, there is one game which will always be on those lists. FSU and UF. The teams may not have the same talent you might find in a John Hopkins verse Maryland game, but the environment is definitely better. On Friday there will be 1,000+ people within ten yards of the UVS field at UF to watch this game, there will be altercations on the field and sideline alike, oh did I forget to also mention that there will be an additional 45,000 people in Gainesville this weekend to watch the spring football game. The atmosphere will be electric as the two bitter enemies square off looking for blood.
Florida State will need to decide which goalie they trust in the cage, senior Stephen Heiman (59.6% save percentage) or freshman John Goodrich (72.1% save percentage). The Seminoles feature an extremely talented defense led by Myles Somerville, JP Rius, and Jack Mata as well as a high scoring offense. Look for FSU midfielders Jon Yates, Alex Pettit, and Robert Lee to dictate the ball from up top and for the defense to slide fast and hard at All-American attackman Corey Noonan who puts a show of talent anytime the ball is around him.
Florida will look for another strong showing out of junior Grant Swartz (53.7% save percentage) in the cage. UF features a senior laden defense led by senior/junior eligibility-wise LSM Brad Swartz (yes they are related…) who doesn’t mind picking up a groundball and taking off 50 yards to score. The Gator offense features a lot of firepower with attackmen Steven Pike and Ryan Akin leading the way and Alex Cervasio returning from injury. Midfielders Scotty Knepper, Kyle Beckman, and FSU Transfer-Jamie Chapin to take their turns letting it rip from up top. Look for face-off middie David Rule to have his hands full with constant battles between Seminole middie Dave Siegel and FO/GO Jason Castellanos. Home field crowd will play a HUGE part in this game; look for the fan sideline to be completely blue and orange with speckled FSU colors mixed in.
The pick… Florida State wins with an open man on the crease in overtime over Florida (14-13). After the game, leaving the field will be an issue with 1000+ angry, buzzed Gator fans…
Next update… FHSAA State Semifinals Preview and Predictions…
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-OrlandoLax
