By Ethan Jones
With another week of high school football officially in the books, it is time to turn our attention toward Week 6, and once again, there is plenty to be excited about around Polk County. Last week gave us a little bit of everything, including some predictions that turned out to be correct and a few that definitely did not go the way I expected. I correctly picked Lakeland to get past American Heritage, and the Dreadnaughts came away with a 21-16 victory. I also had Lakeland Christian beating Sebring, and the Vikings stayed perfect with a 45-21 win. However, my prediction for George Jenkins and Seminole was way off. As I had the Warhawks winning a close game, but the Eagles had other plans and dominated Seminole 37-0. That is what makes high school football so exciting. You can look at the records, the numbers, the matchups and everything that has happened up to that point, but once Friday night arrives, anything can happen. Every week brings new storylines, new challenges and another opportunity for teams to prove themselves. With that being said, there is no shortage of exciting games to keep an eye on this week. Kicking things off, we have (3-1) Auburndale at (3-1) Lakeland, and the stakes are high with this being a district matchup. Lakeland is looking to move to 2-0 in district play, while Auburndale is searching for its first district win and a chance to move to 1-1. This should be an intriguing matchup, as Lakeland enters the game ranked No. 9 in the state and is coming off a 21-16 victory over American Heritage. Auburndale, meanwhile, is coming off a 27-9 win over Kathleen and has shown that it can put points on the board throughout the season. As they are averaging 198.0 yards a game. If each team wants to come away with the win, there are some key factors they will need to focus on. For Lakeland, the biggest priority will be limiting Teo Edwards and his ability to make plays. Edwards has been one of Auburndale’s biggest offensive threats this season, completing 26 of 40 passes for 496 yards, seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. If Lakeland can make Edwards uncomfortable and prevent him from making plays with both his arm and his legs, it could make things difficult for the Bloodhounds’ offense. For Auburndale, the challenge will be finding a way to put pressure on Lakeland quarterback Kelin Hendrix. That will be no easy task, as Hendrix has been one of the biggest reasons for the Dreadnaughts’ success this season. Through the first five weeks, Hendrix has shown the ability to hurt opposing defenses both through the air and on the ground, making him a difficult player to contain. I expect this game to be competitive early, but I believe Lakeland’s experience and offensive firepower will eventually allow the Dreadnaughts to pull away.
Prediction: Lakeland 35, Auburndale 20
The next game I would keep an eye on this week would be (3-1) Bartow at (3-2) Sebring. This will be another district matchup for both teams, with Bartow sitting at 1-0 in district play and Sebring also at 1-0. With both teams looking to strengthen their position in the district standings, this could be an important game when it comes to district positioning as the season continues. This should be an interesting matchup because both teams are coming into the game with different momentum. Bartow enters Friday night riding a three-game winning streak, which includes its most recent 14-8 victory over Auburndale. Sebring, meanwhile, is looking to get back on track after suffering a 45-21 loss to Lakeland Christian. If each team wants to come away with the win, there are some key things they will need to focus on. For Bartow, one of the biggest priorities will be keeping its defense playing at a high level. The Yellow Jackets have allowed only 30 points through four games, an average of just 7.5 points per game. If Bartow can continue that defensive success, it could make things difficult for Sebring’s offense. For Sebring, one of the main priorities will be slowing down and putting pressure on quarterback Amire Hall. Hall has been one of Bartow’s biggest offensive threats this season, completing 21 of 40 passes for 663 yards while also rushing for 288 yards and accounting for 12 total touchdowns, including seven passing and five rushing. I expect this to be another competitive district matchup, but I believe Bartow’s defense and recent momentum will be enough to make the difference. The Yellow Jackets will have to play well on the road, but I expect them to find a way to get the job done.
Prediction: Bartow 25, Sebring 21.
The last game I would keep an eye on this week would be (3-1) George Jenkins at (1-3) Davenport. This will be another important district matchup, with both teams sitting at 0-1 in district play and looking for their first district victory of the season. For George Jenkins, this is an opportunity to build off one of its most impressive performances of the season. For Davenport, it is a chance to turn things around and get back on track. One of the biggest storylines will be whether George Jenkins can continue the offensive performance it put together against Seminole. The Eagles recorded 304 rushing yards, 79 passing yards and 383 total yards in their dominant 37-0 victory over the Warhawks. For Davenport, the biggest question will be whether the Broncos can get their offense back on track after being shut out in their last three games. Finding a way to move the football and put points on the board will be critical if Davenport wants to stay competitive. If George Jenkins wants to win, the Eagles will need to keep their rushing attack going. The ground game was the strongest part of their offense against Seminole, and continuing to establish the run could allow Jenkins to control the tempo once again. For Davenport, the key will be slowing down George Jenkins’ rushing attack. If the Broncos can limit the Eagles on the ground and force them to become one-dimensional, they could give themselves an opportunity to stay in the game. With that being said, I expect George Jenkins to continue the momentum it built last week and put together another dominant performance.
Prediction: George Jenkins 38, Davenport 9.
