7 Polk County teams in playoff position, 5 on bubble in recent FHSAA football rankings

LAKELAND — Seven Polk County teams would make the high school football playoffs according to the most recent FHSAA power rankings that were released Tuesday morning, including two teams that are No. 1 in their region.

Undefeated Lakeland, which is No. 1 in Class 7A and No. 3 in the overall rankings, remains No. 1 in 7A, Region 2. Mulberry , which also is undefeated and on pace for a historic season, is No. 1 in 3A-3.

The other Polk teams that currently have a playoff spot are Ridge Community , which is No. 9 in 7A-2 but in first place in the district, Bartow (No 2. in 6A-2), Lake Wales (No. 3 in 4A-2) and Victory Christian and Lakeland Christian, which are ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, in 1A-2.

Five Polk teams are on the bubble. Haines City remains in contention for the district title and could grab the last playoff spot if it can defeat Ridge and win the district. The two teams were scheduled to play on Friday and will have to make it up.

Lake Gibson dropped from No. 8 to No. 9 in 5A-2 after losing to Bartow last week, but still remains in position to move back up to No. 8 with a couple of wins.

Auburndale is also No. 9 in 4A-2 and are in position to move into the top eight.

In 2A-2, Discovery and Tenoroc are both tied with Lake Placid for first place in 2A, District 7 with Lake Placid, at No. 11, being the highest seed. Only the 2A-7 district winner will advance to the playoffs as it’s unlikely that any of the teams in the district will move into the top eight.

Class 7A, Region 2

1. Venice (6-1)

2. Winter Garden West Orange (5-1)

3. Litha Newsome (5-2)

4. Dover Strawberry Crest (5-1)

5. Plant City (5-2)

6. Ocoee (5-2)

7. Apopa (3-3)

8. Tampa Alonso (4-2)

9. Ridge Community (4-2)*

On the Bubble

12. Haines City (4-3)*

*Would supplant Alonso as the No. 8 seed based on being district champion.

Class 6A, Region 2

1. Seffner Armwood (6-0)

2. Bartow (5-2)

3. Kissimmee Osceola (5-2)

4. Durant (4-3)

5. Plant (2-4)

6. Viera (3-5)

7. Groveland Southlake (3-3)

8. Melbourne (4-3)

Class 5A, Region 2

1. Lakeland (6-0)

2. Tampa Bay Tech (4-2)

3. Orlando Edgewater (5-2)

4. Tampa Gaither (4-2)

5. Spring Hill Springstead (6-0)

6. Sebring (4-2)

7. Gibsonton East Bay (5-2)

8. Winter Springs (5-2)

On the Bubble

9. Lake Gibson (2-4)

Class 4A, Region 2

1. Orlando Jones (6-0)

2. Ocala Vanguard (5-1)

3. Lake Wales (5-1)

4. Lecanto (5-1)

5. Zephyrhills (4-2)

6. Leesburg (4-2)

7. Rockledge (3-2)

8. New Smyrna Beach (5-1)

On the Bubble

9. Auburndale (3-3)

Class 3A, Region 3

1. Mulberry (6-0)

2. Tampa Jefferson (7-0)

3. Sarasota Booker (3-3)

4. Brooksville Nature Coast (4-3)

5. Gulf Port Boca Ciega (3-3)

6. Hudson (2-5)

7. Tampa Robinson (1-4)

8. Wauchula Hardee (2-4)

Class 2A, Region 2

1. Starke Bradford (6-0)

2. Cocoa (3-3)

3. Newberry (4-2)

4. Calvary Christian (3-2)

5. Palatka (4-3)

6. Tampa Berkeley Prep (3-3)

7. The Villages Charter (4-2)

8. Titusville Astronaut (5-2)

On the Bubble

11. Lake Placid (2-3)#

12. Tenoroc (2-3)#

14. Discovery (1-4)#

#Still in contention for district title. 2A-7 winner will supplant No. 8 seed.

Class 1A, Region 2

1. Clearwater Central Catholic (7-0)

2. Orlando First Academy (6-1)

3. Melbourne Central Catholic  (5-1)

4. Victory Christian (5-0)

5. Lakeland Christian (4-1)

6. Tampa Carrollwood Day (3-3)

7. Crescent City (5-1)

8. Orlando Christian Prep

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: 7 Polk County teams in playoff position, 5 on bubble in recent FHSAA football rankings