It is hard to believe we have already reached Week 11 of the Polk County high school football season. What started as a new year full of excitement, expectations and fresh opportunities has brought us to the final week of the regular season, where teams will look to finish strong and build momentum heading into the postseason. Last week, I went a perfect 3–0 on my game picks, and I am looking to carry that momentum into one final week of regular-season action. Covering Polk County high school football throughout this season has been an honor and a privilege. From the exciting matchups and statement victories to the close finishes and unforgettable Friday night moments, it has been a rewarding experience to highlight the players, coaches and programs that make high school football in Polk County so special. With the regular season coming to a close, every game carries added importance as teams look to secure their postseason positions, build confidence and prove they are ready for the challenges ahead. As we head into Week 11, there is no better time for teams to leave everything on the field. The road to a championship is about to begin, and the final Friday night of the regular season will give Polk County teams one last opportunity to make a statement before the stakes get even higher. Let’s take a look at the biggest matchups, the keys to victory, and my predictions for one final week of regular-season football. The first matchup to keep an eye on is going to be (8-1) Lakeland vs. (7-1) First Academy. This will be a matchup between two heavyweights as Lakeland closes its regular season. This will must watch football between these two teams as Lakeland is ranked #11 in the state and nationally ranked #51 and first academy is ranked #8 in the state and #96 nationally. Both teams are coming into this game off impressive wins as Lakeland won their last game against Lake Gibson 35-10 and First Academy won theirs against Ambassador Christian 42-20. If each team wants to come away with a win, there are some key things they will need to focus on. For Lakeland if they want to win, they are going to want to limit First Academy’s top weapon on offense Deuce Woods, who has a very impressive freshman season at quarterback as he has thrown for 10 touchdowns and rushed for 10 touchdowns. His dual threat ability has made him dangerous against opposing defenses, so Lakeland will have to keep this in mind when facing him. For First Academy if they want to win, they will need to try to limit Lakeland’s explosive plays on offense as Lakeland has been to score 35 points or more in the last five games so First Academy will want to try to limit Lakeland’s offense from getting in a rhythm. With all things considered, I believe that it is going to be a shootout where I have Lakeland winning.
Prediction: Lakeland 37, First Academy 34
The next game for this Fridays slate of games to watch will have to be (7-1) Lake Wales vs. (6-3) Bartow. This will be a great rivalry game between two great Polk County teams that are playing for more than just playoff positioning but bragging rights for the next year. Both teams are coming off wins as Lake Wales beat Kathleen handily 51-8 and Bartow beat Osceola in a close contest 16-13. As both teams are looking to get a win to close out their regular season, there are some key things that they will need to focus on. If Lake Wales wants to win, they will want to establish Kamari Smith in the rushing attack as he has averaged 140.9 rushing yards per game and has proven time and time again to be a game changer for the Highlanders. For Bartow if they want to win, they will need to find a way to have quarterback Amire Hall have a big game. The biggest key for Bartow is getting quarterback Amire Hall going early. Hall threw for 205 yards and rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown in the Yellow Jackets’ 16–13 win over Osceola. His dual-threat ability gives Bartow an opportunity to challenge Lake Wales in multiple ways. If Hall can make plays with both his arm and legs, the Yellow Jackets will have a much better chance of keeping pace. With all things considered I have Lake Wales winning this game.
Prediction: Lake Wales 38, Bartow 27
The last game I have for this week’s slate of games would have to be (8-0-1) Lakeland Christian vs. (2-7) Northside Christian. This game will be a good game to see if Lakeland Christian can play with the level of dominance that they have played with all season or to see if Northside can pull off the upset. Both teams are coming off wins as Lakeland Christian won their last matchup 41-7 against Victory Christian and for Northside Christian, they won 20-10 against Indian Rocks Christian. If both teams want to win, there are some key things that they will want to focus on. For Lakeland Christian they will want to focus on getting their running game going early with AJ Truedell as he has averaged 93.4 rushing yards per game and 19 touchdowns on the year. For Northside Christian they will need to Get Christopher Butler Jr. involved early. The biggest key for Northside Christian is establishing its rushing attack behind sophomore Christopher Butler Jr. He rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown in the Mustangs’ 20–10 victory over Indian Rocks Christian. If Butler can find running room and consistently move the chains, Northside can control the clock and keep Lakeland Christian’s explosive offense off the field. With all things considered with this game I Have Lakeland Christian winning.
Prediction: Lakeland Christian 48, Northside Christian 12
As we head into the final week of the regular season, the excitement around Polk County high school football continues to build. With playoff positioning, momentum and one last opportunity to make a statement on the line, teams will be looking to finish strong before turning their attention to the postseason. Last week, I went 3–0 on my picks, and I’m hoping to carry that momentum into Week 11. From the Lakeland Dreadnaughts taking on The First Academy to the rivalry matchup between Bartow and Lake Wales, there are plenty of exciting games to watch this Friday night. It’s been an incredible journey covering Polk County football this season, and I can’t wait to see how the regular season comes to a close. Let the final Friday night lights of the regular season shine!
