1. (1) Armwood (4-0)
Last week: Beat Robinson 28-6
This week: vs. Jefferson
Lowdown: The Hawks stretched their win streak against Tampa Bay competition to 19 games, but on a rainy, rainy night, the defense was overshadowed by Noah’s arc on his throws.
2. (2) East Lake (4-0)
Last week: Beat Clearwater 38-6
This week: at Tarpon Springs
Lowdown: Things get amped up this week with the Eagles traveling to Tarpon Springs for a rivalry game between two undefeated teams. East Lake has won five straight in the series.
3. (3) Plant (3-1)
Last week: Beat Bloomingdale 20-6
This week: vs. Tampa Bay Tech
Lowdown: Patrick Brooks backstroked his way to more than 150 yards last week, and the 400-meter medley of Rex Culpepper, Jordan Reed, Derrick Baity and Kyle “Baby Fridge” Henderson helped with the other scoring to lead the Panthers to a 30th straight district win.
4. (4) Clearwater Central Catholic (3-0)
Last week: Bye
This week: at Ocala Trinity Catholic
Lowdown: The bye week came at an opportune time for the Marauders, who had to deal with injuries on the offensive side of the ball the first three weeks.
5. (5) Countryside (4-0)
Last week: Beat Northeast 47-7
This week: Bye
Lowdown: The offense is good, but an underrated defense which has allowed just 48 points in the first four games might be the biggest reason the Cougars still are undefeated.
6. (6) Sickles (3-1)
Last week: Beat Steinbrenner 15-7
This week: Bye.
Lowdown: Ray Ray McCloud III picked up his first 200-yard game of the season and also scored a touchdown against a Tampa Bay opponent for the 21st straight game.
7. (7) Pinellas Park (3-1)
Last week: Beat Seminole 10-0
This week: at Dixie Hollins
Lowdown: Though they have been battling injuries, the run-oriented Patriots have to get more production on offense after scoring just 34 points in the past three games.
8. (9) Hillsborough (2-1)
Last week: Beat Leto 25-0
This week: at Lennard
Lowdown: Crazy stat of the week: Michael Duclos has three 100-yard games in his career, all against teams that start with the letter “L” — Leto, Lennard (2013) and Lakewood (2012).
10. (14) Durant (3-1)
Last week: Beat Plant City 9-7
This week: at Gaither
Lowdown: Despite the heavy downpour Friday night, the Cougars’ top running back proved that even rain can’t make something Crispian get soggy. (Okay, fine, these water and rain puns are getting more and more difficult to come up with).
11. (10) Jefferson (2-1)
Last week: Bye
This week: at Armwood
Lowdown: The only thing that could stop the fire that the Dragons spew forth on Friday nights is the rai….oh, wait, what, they didn’t play last week? Okay. I’ll save that one for later.
12. (13) St. Petersburg (3-0)
Last week: Bye
This week: at Boca Ciega
Lowdown: Who says the wing-T is outdated? The Green Devils are averaging 40 points per game during their perfect start
13. (16) Berkeley Prep (4-0)
Last week: Beat Lakeland Christian 33-28
This week: vs. Springstead
Lowdown: If I ever had a small baby in my hands, and I was walking on the ledge of a tall building, then I stumbled and dropped the baby, I sure would hope Jacob Mathis was nearby. Just saying.
14. (8) Bloomingdale (2-1)
Last week: Lost 20-6 to Plant.
This week: at Plant City.
Lowdown: They say if you overwater a Plant, it will die. But that was not the case Friday night. (I’m back, baby!).
15. (11) Plant City (1-1)
Last week: Lost 9-7 to Durant
This week: vs. Bloomingdale
Lowdown: They say if you overwater a Plant (City), it will die. That was the case Friday night vs. Durant. (Sorry, not sorry.)
16. (20) Lennard (4-0)
Last week: Beat Blake 8-0
This week: vs. Hillsborough.
Lowdown: The next four weeks for the upstart Longhorns: Hillsborough, Robinson, Jefferson and Armwood. YeeeeeHawwwwww.
17. (23) Jesuit (3-1)
Last week: Beat Largo 20-18
This week: vs. Newsome
Lowdown: The Tigers didn’t need an excuse to run Malik Davis and Kevin Newman on the Packers, but the rain just provided a reminder.
18. (18) Lakewood (1-2)
Last week: at Gibbs, posptoned until tonight
This week: at Largo
Lowdown: After losing two of their first three, the Spartans do not have much time to figure things out with games against Gibbs and Largo in a five-day span.
19. (19) Indian Rocks Christian (4-0)
Last week: Beat Northside Christian 36-0
This week: vs. Agape Christian
Lowdown: The way the schedule is shaping up, the Golden Eagles will not be truly tested until they face Cambridge Christian in big district showdown on Oct. 17.
20. (12) Largo (2-2)
Last week: Lost 20-18 to Jesuit
This week: vs. Lakewood
Lowdown: This isn’t exactly where the Packers envisioned being at this point in the season, but a win against Lakewood would help turn things around.
21. (24) Tarpon Springs (4-0)
Last week: Beat Dunedin 10-7 in 2OT
This week: vs. East Lake
Lowdown: The Spongers are 4-0 for the first time since 2008 after getting past Dunedin in a defensive slugfest. Now, Tarpon will try to break five-game losing streak to rival East Lake.
22. (NR) Springstead (3-1)
Last week: Beat Sunlake 6-0
This week: at Berkeley Prep
Lowdown: Springstead won this game last year, and boasts an even better defense this year. The Eagles have allowed four touchdowns in four games, and for two of those its defense wasn’t even on the field.
23. (17) Sunlake (3-1)
Last week: Lost 6-0 to Springstead
This week: vs. Ridgewood.
Lowdown: The Seahawks’ rushing game, which has 310 fewer rushing yards through four games than it did last year, is feeling the effects of graduation up front. The defense, however, is as good as ever.
24. (21) Zephyrhills (3-1)
Last week: Lost 45-10 to South Sumter
This week: at Weeki Wachee
Lowdown: Reggie Roberts still looking for that defining win over an elite program. Countdown to the 9-Mile War against Pasco starts …..NOW!
25. (25) Pasco (2-1)
Last week: Bye.
This week: at Nature Coast
Lowdown: The Pirates picked a perfect week to take off and spend extra time Friday night studying and getting their homework done early.
Also considered: Mitchell, Calvary Christian, Cambridge Christian, Tampa Bay Tech, River Ridge, Land O’Lakes, Freedom.