GAINESVILLE – It was fun while it lasted, after a 17 year absence and a two year resurgence; unless they schedule each other as a non district game, the Bolles and Trinity Christian rivalry is back in the cold case files for now.
As the Florida High School Athletic Association released its new football districts for the upcoming 2019 and 2020 and both Bolles and Trinity Christian dropped down classifications for the next two years, as Bolles dropped from 5A to 4A and Trinity dropped from 5A back to 3A.
That wasn’t the only surprising changes as Lee drops from 7A to 6A, Ed White drops from 6A to 5A, Palatka dropped from 5A to 4A, Andrew Jackson and Wolfson both dropped from 4A to 3A, St. Joseph dropped from 3A to 2A and Fort White moved back to 1A.
Even more surprising were schools moving up classifications including Bartram Trail (7A), Nease (6A) and Oakleaf (7A) all to District 1-8A and Raines from Class 4A to Class 5A.
While these new districts are not finalized and will be in January, they essentially are as schools are not allowed to appeal their placements and can only decide to drop down as an independent.
According to a press release from the FHSAA today, “After traveling the state this past year, the consensus the FHSAA heard from its athletic directors and coaches was that they wanted an equal number of teams by classification, an even number of teams in each district and region and no three-team districts. Moving schools would go against that sentiment and would create uneven classifications, regions or districts. The staff has thoroughly reviewed the assignments and do not see any schools that are geographically isolated that would require movement to another classification (FHSAA Policy 12). To maintain the wishes of our constituents, the FHSAA will not be accepting appeals.”
Region 3-1A
(Amount of students)
Bell (383)
Branford (408)
Dixie County (536)
Fort White (598)
Hamilton County (378)
Hilliard (389)
Lafayette (339)
Madison County (579)
Union County (592)
GOOD: For the most part all schools are similar in size and close proximities to each other, making the playoff trips fun. Fort White is back where it belongs in 1A after a couple years of playing in 4A.
BAD: For teams like Hilliard and Union County its going to extremely tough to make it far in the playoffs with a region consisting of Dixie, Fort White, Lafayette and Madison.
UGLY: A trip to Boot Hill in November awaits everyone in the playoffs, one of the toughest places to play in the state, not to mention the home of back-to-back state champs Madison County
Region 4-1A
Bronson (278)
Chiefland (456)
Crescent City (590)
Fort Meade (375)
Hawthorne (183)
Newberry (590)
Pahokee (495)
Trenton (347)
Wildwood (398)
Williston (544)
GOOD: Not much change here, with the exception of Chiefland switching from Region 3-1A to Region 4-1A and Newberry dropping from Class 3A to Class 1A, probably where it belongs.
BAD: After serving a brutal penalty and being forced to play in 4A, Trenton is back down in 1A and will be a tough team to play in the playoffs
UGLY: A trip to Pahokee in November is likely waiting anyone who makes the playoffs and makes a lengthy run in this region.
Region I-2A
Aucilla Christian (100)
Florida A&M (162)
Maclay (352)
Munroe (82)
North Florida Christian (148)
North Florida Educational (105)
Rocky Bayou (235)
St. Joseph (313)
University Christian (257)
GOOD: After a historic season, St. Joseph drops down from Class 3A to Class 2A to better suit their program with teams similar to them.
BAD: Maclay rolled through the regular season undefeated before being taken out in the second round, Maclay appears to be on its way to becoming the third heavyweight of the region.
UGLY: Having to go through heavyweights NFC and University Christian spells disaster for the other seven teams in the region.
Region I-3A
Andrew Jackson (661)
Baldwin (673)
Episcopal (590)
Florida High (669)
Interlachen (733)
Pensacola Catholic (654)
PK Yonge (476)
Trinity Catholic (507)
Trinity Christian (442)
Walton (749)
Wolfson (726)
GOOD: Jackson moves down from Class 4A to Class 3A and could have an easier time perhaps getting into the playoffs after coming so close.
BAD: Florida High, Pensacola Catholic and Trinity Catholic make this region extremely difficult to get out of for the rest of the regional teams.
UGLY: Trinity Christian is back in 3A after a hiatus in 5A and immediately becomes the favorite in the region again after winning four consecutive state titles in 3A.
Region I-4A
Bolles (774)
Bradford (801)
Fernandina Beach (968)
Gadsden County (998)
Marianna (753)
North Bay Haven (823)
Rutherford (1025)
Santa Fe (1099)
South Walton (926)
West Nassau (1011)
GOOD: Bradford and Santa Fe move over from Region 3-4A and will contend for two of the six playoff spots immediately, while also making some noise in the playoffs.
BAD: West Nassau has made great strides over the last few years taking the program to historic changes, now with Raines out the way could the Warriors be finally getting over the hump ?
UGLY: While Raines is out, Bolles is back in Class 4A and immediately becomes the bully of the region again, as everyone knows the regional title will have to go through Bolles again.
Region II-4A
Astronaut (1066)
Cocoa (1027)
Cypress Creek (1102)
Hudson (1153)
Lake Highland Prep (777)
Keystone Heights (777)
Palatka (1135)
South Sumter (1050)
Space Coast (1035)
Villages (939)
GOOD: Palatka drops down from Class 5A to Class 4A perhaps giving it a better chance to make the playoffs, while Keystone no longer has to deal with Bradford, Santa Fe, PK Yonge in the region.
BAD: Cypress Creek, a school barely two years old in Wesley Chappell, will have to endure lengthy trips covering all the way from as far north as Keystone, far east to Cocoa and far west as Hudson if their lucky.
UGLY: For Keystone Heights and Palatka, two teams close by, long playoff trips to state power South Sumter, Lake Highland Prep, back-to-back Class 4A state runner-up Cocoa, Astronaut and Space Coast seem likely now.
District 2-5A
Godby (1396)
Rickards (1512)
Suwannee (1645)
Wakulla (1487)
GOOD: Suwannee is out of the Jacksonville district and back in its old district meaning closer trips to Tallahassee about an hour away instead of two hour trips to Jacksonville.
BAD: Competing with Rickards and Wakulla won’t be easy as both will give Suwannee tough challeges, not to mention hostile environments.
UGLY: Godby awaits everyone in the district as the Cougars are always one of the premier Big Bend programs in the area and always in position for state title runs.
District 3-5A
Baker County (1394)
Bishop Kenny (1207)
Ed White (1468)
Terry Parker (1618)
Westside (1589)
GOOD: The Battle of the Westside between arch-rivals Ed White and Westside is now a district game, while Parker gets out of the district of death and has a more reasonable chance to make the playoffs now.
BAD: No more intense district matchups between Baker County and Clay anymore, we all know how those annual meetings turned out.
UGLY: Baker County will be heavy favorites to win its fourth consecutive district title next season.
District 4-5A
Paxon (1476)
Raines (1361)
Ribault (1408)
Stanton (1595)
Yulee (1332)
GOOD: The good old days of neighboring arch-rivals Raines and Ribault being in the same district are back, making it an even more special meeting.
BAD: Ribault has won three consecutive district titles in this district and that appears to be in jeopardy now.
UGLY: Raines comes back to Class 4A and turns a once competitive district into a sacrificial lamb with having to play the state power now each season.
District 5-5A
Clay (1477)
Eastside (1333)
Menendez (1344)
Orange Park (1613)
Ridgeview (1516)
GOOD: Clay County teams Clay, Orange Park and Ridgeview remain in the same district again reassuring annual meetings every year.
BAD: With Baker County out of the district, perhaps its Menendez turn now to have the target on its back as the new king of the district.
UGLY: A trip to Gainesvlle and Citizens Field looms for each team as Eastside joins the district, while also the unknown factor of unfamiliarity with the Rams.
District 2-6A
Columbia (1993)
Gainesville (1891)
Lee (1715)
Middleburg (1745)
GOOD: Despite moving down, both Lee and Columbia remain in the same district and we can look forward to that annual intense district battle and possible rematch in the playoffs again.
BAD: Middleburg remains in Class 6A but instead of competing with Nease, Englewood and Ed White; the schedule gets a lot brutal with Gainesville, Lee and Columbia waiting.
UGLY: Not that Gainesville is that far, but the district automatically becomes a three team race with the addition of Gainesville, which makes the hour plus trip to Citizens Field so worth it.
District 3-6A
Englewood (1854)
Matanzas (1721)
Ponte Vedra (1839)
St. Augustine (1776)
GOOD: Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine already play each other in the regular season but putting them in the same district now makes the game more meaningful and intense.
BAD: Its a good hour or so drive to Matanzas for Englewood and that might be the only competitive district game the Rams have in the district. Matanzas finally catches a break by being placed in a more reasonable district and could compete here for a playoff berth, making them a team to look out for.
UGLY: Englewood leaves a semi competitive 6A district for another one and now has to deal with Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine annually as well as decent Matanzas program too.
District 2-7A
Atlantic Coast (2280)
Buchholz (2298)
Creekside (2274)
First Coast (2322)
Fletcher (2091)
Fleming Island (2159)
GOOD: Competitive wise this might be the most balanced district in the area for the next two years, with schools all similar in size and skills. With heavyweights Bartram Trail, Lee and Columbia all gone, the race for the district title is up for grabs.
BAD: With Lee and Columbia gone, Atlantic Coast may have a better chance now but it still wont be easy with newcomers Buchholz, Creekside and Fleming Island.
UGLY: One would assume Fletcher, Fleming Island and Buchholz are the teams to beat in the district now, which could be bad news for struggling programs like Atlantic Coast and First Coast.
District 1-8A
Bartram Trail (2782)
Mandarin (2533)
Nease (2634)
Oakleaf (2552)
Sandalwood (2923)
GOOD: No more trips to Deland, Palm Coast and Spruce Creek anymore as all three dropped out of the district and were replaced with near by new rivals Nease, Bartram Trail and Oakleaf, making this one of the more intriguing and well balanced districts for the next two years.
BAD: The defending district and state champions Mandarin Mustangs welcome everyone to the district with open arms until they meet at the Corral Friday nights. If that isn’t intimidating, Sandalwood returns nearly everyone on offense as does Bartram Trail and both are steaming still from missing the playoffs this season.
UGLY: The move up to 8A is a intriguing one for Nease, but they may be way over their head in this district with juggernauts Bartram Trail, Mandarin, Oakleaf and Sandalwood.
District 2-8A
Deland (2737)
Flagler Palm Coast (2601)
Seminole (3777)
West Port (2668)
GOOD: No more trips to Jacksonville unless they want to play teams in the regular season for Palm Coast as the Bulldogs drop down to District 2-6A and avoid Sandalwood and Mandarin and instead pick up nearby rivals Deland and Seminole.
BAD: Palm Coast, Deland and Seminole are all well established programs and all should be in the mix for the playoff berths, however West Port is near the bottom nearly every year and is in a for a possible rude awakening.
UGLY: Three of the four teams are in the Orlando/Daytona area, meaning West Port will have to cross I-75 and head across I-4 to all three schools over the next two years, quite a trip for all four schools.
North Florida Football Conference
South Division
St. Johns Country Day
Florida Deaf
Oak Hall
St. Francis
NOTE: According to coaches, St. Joseph is dropping out of the conference to concentrate on district play fully, meaning the conference is finally even with four teams in each division.
Sunshine State Athletic Conference
First Coast Division
Bishop Snyder
Cedar Creek
Christ’s Church
Providence
NOTE: Cedar Creek enjoyed a heck of inaugural year winning the division title and securing a home playoff game, while Christ’s Church upset Cedar Creek in the first round before being knocked out in the quarterfinals to the eventual conference champion. Now the division gets a little more challenging with Providence Christian dropping out of district play and joining the Sunshine State Athletic Conference allowing the Stallions a chance to compete right away and rebuild its program.
