UMATILLA AT LAKE HIGHLAND PREP
KICKOFF: 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Umatilla 2-6 overall, 1-2 in Class 2A, District 4; Lake Highland Prep 2-6, 2-1.
LAST WEEK: Umatilla l. to Tavares 40-6; Lake Highland Prep d. Mount Dora 28-6.
THE BUZZ: Lake Highland, after six consecutive losses, has won two in a row and can end as district runner-up with a win tonight. The Highlanders’ offense is led by RB Jonathan Moment, who has 590 yards on 91 carries. Umatilla is led by RB Tyson Gaines, who has 478 yards rushing on 96 carries.
MOUNT DORA BIBLE AT GAINESVILLE OAK HALL
KICKOFF: 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Mount Dora Bible 1-7; Oak Hall 5-3.
LAST WEEK: Mount Dora Bible l. to Titusville Temple Christian 34-20; Oak Hall l. to Ocala St. John Lutheran 35-28.
THE BUZZ: Mount Dora Bible’s pass defense could face its toughest test of the season. The Eagles are led by QB Will Indianos, who has thrown for 2,315 yards. His two top favorite receivers are Skyler Neale (1,227 yards receiving) and Luke Diperna (904 yards receiving).
OCOEE AT EAST RIDGE
KICKOFF: 7:30.
RECORDS: Ocoee 6-2 overall, 2-2 in Class 6A, District 4; East Ridge 6-2, 3-1.
LAST WEEK: Ocoee l. to Evans 33-20; East Ridge l. to Apopka 17-14.
THE BUZZ: The winner of this game makes the playoffs as district runner-up. East Ridge QB Chad Cheek has completed 73 of 135 passes for 1,071 yards with seven TDs and eight interceptions. LB Greg Lloyd had 16 tackles against Apopka last week, giving him 112 this season.
BISHOP MOORE AT EUSTIS
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Bishop Moore 8-0 overall, 2-0 in Class 4A, District 7; Eustis 6-1, 2-0.
LAST WEEK: Bishop Moore d. Melbourne Central Catholic 45-13; Eustis d. Wildwood 33-0.
THE BUZZ: The Class 3A, District 7 championship hangs in the balance, just as it did in this game a year ago. The winner of the game earns the right to host the opening-round game in the state playoffs in two weeks. Bishop Moore has been led by QB J.P. Moriarty, who is a threat with his arm and his legs. He is 27-of-62 for 608 yards passing and 397 yards rushing. Eustis’ offense is led by RB Brandon Evans, who has 895 yards rushing.
MANDARIN CHRISTIAN AT FIRST ACAD. OF LEESBURG
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Mandarin Christian 0-0; FAL 2-7.
LAST WEEK: Mandarin Christian did not play; FAL l. to Spring Hill Bishop McLaughlin 54-6.
THE BUZZ: This is the final game in the inaugural season for First Academy of Leesburg, and it comes against a team that is playing its first varsity game of the season. Mandarin has played the year as a junior-varsity program. FAL is led by the versatility of QB Jon Elliott, who has 774 yards passing and 684 yards rushing this season. Tony Rodriguez leads the Eagles in all-purpose yards with 248 rushing, 383 receiving and 256 return yards.
LEESBURG AT GAINESVILLE EASTSIDE
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Leesburg 5-3 overall, 2-2 in Class 4A, District 6; Eastside 7-1, 4-0.
THE BUZZ: Eastside has clinched the Class 4A, District 6 championship. Leesburg still has a thin hope of making it into the playoffs as the runner-up. But for that to happen, Leesburg has to beat Eastside, and Belleview (4-4, 3-1) has to lose tonight to Lake Weir (2-6, 0-4) and Ocala Vanguard (3-5, 2-2) has to lose to Ocala Forest (2-6, 1-3). If that all happens, Leesburg, Belleview and Vanguard will be deadlocked in a three-way tie for second. A playoff would then be held on Monday night among the three schools with the surviving team getting the runner-up spot. Leesburg lineman Justin Blake suffered a concussion at the end of last week’s game.
JONES AT MOUNT DORA
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Jones 2-6 overall, 1-2 in Class 2A, District 4; Mount Dora 8-0, 0-3.
LAST WEEK: Jones l. to South Sumter 52-7; Mount Dora l. to Lake Highland Prep 28-6.
THE BUZZ: This is the final district game for the two teams who have struggled through the regular season. Demi Thompson led Mount Dora’s defensive effort last week with 10 tackles, one sack, one caused fumble and one tackle for a loss. Mount Dora’s Donovan Jackson also showed some versatility with two carries for 30 yards and four catches for 65 yards.
SOUTH LAKE AT TAVARES
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: South Lake 5-3 overall, 0-2 in Class 3A, District 7; Tavares 4-4, 0-2.
LAST WEEK: South Lake l. to Brooksville Central 27-7; Tavares d. Umatilla 40-6.
THE BUZZ: The toughness of Class 3A, District 7 means that these two good football teams will not be going to the state playoffs. South Lake RB/DB Jeff Demps (1,066 yards rushing) showed some of his defensive talents last week, intercepting a pass and returning it 70 yards for a touchdown. QB David Langley has completed 40 of 73 passes for 697 yards. Tavares has rushed for 1,970 yards and passed for 439.
SOUTH SUMTER AT FORT MEADE
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: South Sumter 8-1; Fort Meade 5-3.
LAST WEEK: South Sumter d. Jones 52-7; Fort Meade d. Largo Indian Rocks Christian 57-0.
THE BUZZ: Both these teams are district champs, though in different classifications. The Miners have clinched the Class 1A, District 5 championship and South Sumter is the Class 2A, District 4 champ. South Sumter closes out its regular season with this game, then has next week as a bye while it prepares for the first round of the state playoffs.
WILDWOOD AT THE VILLAGES
KICKOFF: 7:30.
RECORDS: Wildwood 3-5 overall, 3-0 in Class 2B, District 5; The Villages 6-2, 3-0.
LAST WEEK: Wildwood l. to Eustis 33-0; The Villages did not play.
THE BUZZ: The winner of this game will be the Class 2B, District 5 champ, the loser the district runner-up. Both teams know they are headed to the state playoffs, but what is at stake is a first-round playoff game at home for the winner. The Villages is looking for its second consecutive district title.
