Home College Sports Betting MMA Junkie Golf Week Subscribe Sign In Subscribe Sign In STORIES MOST RECENT STORIES letters Nov. 26 letters: Readers comment on a recently published letter lifestyle From the Extension: Wild turkeys are great, but be careful around them crime A year after the T&N shootings in Mount Dora, crime remains unsolved crime Thornhill trial: Jury selection begins after initial pool ran dry news Need a pet? Look no further, Lake County local Celebration of Life planned for former Lake Sheriff Gary Borders lifestyle Salute: 'Getting Results' Award earned by Combat Cafe sports HS Basketball: Lake Minneola boys win big against Eustis lifestyle Reflections: Jesus said to love one another. That includes the church local Mount Dora Community Trust hosting 'Giving Week' Florida high school football: How were Final Four teams ranked during regular season polls? JON SANTUCCI | Treasure Coast Newspapers 6 hours ago Show Caption We’re down to the final four teams in each class and 16 teams will book their trip to the state championship game this Friday. With the finish line in sight, let’s look back at how the final four teams in each class were ranked in the USA Today Florida Network poll during the regular season. More: Bolles 3-star DE Bradley Mann commits to Vanderbilt More: How college football coaching changes have already impacted recruiting landscape More: Top games, individual recruiting matchups in FHSAA state football semifinals Obviously, polls are an inexact science and shouldn’t be taken too seriously (although some people certainly do), but it is a barometer for how teams played during the regular season and how they were perceived by the media. With that disclaimer out of the way, here we go. Venice wins the 8A regional semifinal playoff game 54-14 over Riverview (Sarasota) Friday night, Nov. 19, 2021, at the Powell-Davis Stadium in Venice Florida. THOMAS BENDER/HERALD-TRIBUNE Class 8A Final four: Venice, Treasure Coast, Apopka, Columbus Final poll ranking: Venice (No. 2), Treasure Coast (No. 3), Apopka (No. 7), Columbus (ARV) Venice was the top team in the state until losing to Cardinal Gibbons in Week 9. Treasure Coast debuted at No. 4 and never dropped below that spot – even after its lone loss at Cocoa. Apopka was in the top 10 throughout the season, peaking at No. 6 and dropping as low as No. 9 after its second loss against Lakeland in Week 6. Columbus had the biggest swing of the Final Four teams as it started the year at No. 2 behind Venice and then fell out of the poll completely after a three-game losing streak in September. Seminole, which lost to Apopka 28-27 in overtime in the Region 1 championship game, ended the year No. 1 in the poll. Lake Gibson defensive back Sam McCall begins his punt return as he ended up returning 45 yards for a touchdown against Edgewater last week in … Show more ROY FUOCO/THE LEDGER Class 7A Final four: Tampa Bay Tech, St. Thomas Aquinas, Buchholz, Lake Gibson Final poll ranking: Aquinas (No. 1), Tampa Bay Tech (No. 3), Buchholz (No. 4), Lake Gibson (No. 10) No surprise to see Aquinas almost go wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team. The lone hiccup was after Aquinas lost at Jesuit in Week 2 when the Raiders dropped to No. 2 for a week before regaining the top spot with a win against American Heritage. Tampa Bay Tech started the season outside the top 10 – as the first team in the also receiving votes section – and debuted at No. 8 after Week 2. Buchholz began the year at No. 6 and never dropped below that spot. Lake Gibson had the most tumultuous year as far as the year went as voters struggled to get a good grasp of a team that started 2-3 with a win against rival Lakeland. Lake Gibson started at No. 8, dropped out of the top 10, climbed to No. 7 after beating Lakeland, fell back out the following week after losing to Sarasota Riverview and never returned to the top 10. Pine Forest running back Kobe Johnson (No. 4) takes the handoff from quarterback Tierra Wilson (No. 5) during Friday night's 6-A regional quarterfinals game against … Show more TONY GIBERSON/TGIBERSON@PNJ.COM Class 6A Final four: Jesuit, Pine Forest, Jones, Miami Northwestern Final poll ranking: Jesuit (No. 1), Jones (No. 3), Northwestern (No. 4), Pine Forest (No. 10) Jesuit opened the year at No. 2, moved into the top spot after the Week 2 win against Aquinas and never relinquished its grip on No. 1. Jones started the season the same place it finished – No. 3. The Tigers lowest spot was No. 5 after a 62-3 loss at IMG in Week 4. Northwestern was No. 1 to start the season, spent most of the year at No. 2 and dropped down to No. 4 after a 49-6 loss to Miami Central in Week 10. Pine Forest was by far the biggest miss. Maybe it was an east coast bias, but the Eagles were the fifth team listed in the “Also Receiving Votes” category in the first poll and didn’t crack the top 10 until Week 10. Bridger Koby of Merritt Island Mustangs runs for a touchdown during the game against Leesburg Nov. 12, 2021. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK CRAIG BAILEY/FLORIDA TODAY Class 5A Final four: Merritt Island, Miami Central, Baker County, Sebring Final poll ranking: Merritt Island (No. 5), Central (No. 1), Baker County (No. 7), Sebring (ARV) Merritt Island didn’t even get a vote in the poll until its second consecutive shutout in Week 3 and cracked the top 10 a week later. The Mustangs dropped back out of the poll after its lone loss in Week 5 but came back for good two weeks later. Central went wire-to-wire as the top team even after starting the year with consecutive out-of state losses. Baker County started the season at No. 6, dropped down to No. 9 after its first loss of the season in Week 2 and dropped out after a Week 4 loss. The Wildcats came back after a Week 6 win against Ridgeview and remained in the top 10 since. Sebring started the year at No. 7 but dropped out after a three-game skid in September. Sebring began receiving votes in the poll after Week 10. OJ Ross of Cocoa High runs 56 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter of the game against The Villages Charter Nov. 26, 2021. … Show more CRAIG BAILEY/FLORIDA TODAY Class 4A Final four: Cocoa, Cardinal Gibbons, Lakewood, Bolles Final poll ranking: Cocoa (No. 1), Gibbons (No. 2), Lakewood (ARV), Bolles (No. 4) Well, this is pretty much the Final Four the polls predicted since Week 1. The original top five was Cardinal Gibbons, Gulliver Prep, Cocoa, Bolles and Glades Central with Lakewood third in the ARV (Classes 1A-4A have only five teams in the poll because there are fewer teams in those classes). All of the final four teams started the year as the top ranked team in their respective regions. Cardinal Gibbons, Bolles and Cocoa at least one week at No. 1 and none of the three dropped below No. 4. Lakewood entered the poll at No. 5 in Week 3 and was ranked as high as No. 4 before dropping into the “Also Receiving Votes” category after losing its final two games of the regular season. Florida State High #19 Brooks Hickman celebrates his touchdown with teammate Florida State High #11 Brody Brooks in the first half to go ahead 10-3. … Show more DOUG ENGLE, DOUG ENGLE/OCALA STAR-BANNER Class 3A Final four: Chaminade-Madonna, Berkeley Prep, Lakeland Christian, Florida High Final poll ranking: Chaminade (No. 1), Berkeley Prep (No. 2), Lakeland Christian (No. 4), Florida High (No. 3) Class 3A is one of two in the state where the top four teams in the final poll are the same final four teams in the state semifinals. Chaminade went wire-to-wire at No. 1. Berkeley Prep opened the year at No. 3 and moved up to No. 2 in Week 6. Lakeland Christian was the third team listed in the “Also Receiving Votes” category at the start of the season and made its top five debut in Week 8. Florida High was No. 4 to state the season and never fell below No. 5. Trinity Christian's Treyaun Webb (3) rushes for yards en route to a first touchdown during the first quarter Friday, Nov. 26, 2021 at Trinity Christian … Show more COREY PERRINE, COREY PERRINE/FLORIDA TIMES-UNION Class 2A Final four: Orlando Christian Prep, First Baptist (Naples), Champagnat Catholic, Trinity Christian Final poll ranking: Orlando Christian (No. 4), First Baptist (No. 3), Champagnat Catholic (No. 1), Trinity Christian (No. 2) Class 2A is the other Final Four that is reflected in the final poll of the regular season. It certainly wasn’t the poll’s opinion to start the year. Orlando Christian was listed third in the “Also Receiving Votes” teams in Week 1 and didn’t make its top five debut until beating Trinity Prep in Week 10. First Baptist was the first team ranked in the ARV section of the first poll and entered the top five after Week 3. Trinity Christian and Champagnat were No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the first poll. The two teams switched spots in Week 9 and remained that way the final three weeks. Hawthorne High School defenders Stanley Cooks (52) and Jailen Ruth (14) celebrates after a big stop during a second round game in the 1A playoffs, … Show more BRAD MCCLENNY/THE GAINESVILLE SUN Class 1A Final four: Hawthorne, Chiefland, Madison County, Chipley Final poll ranking: Hawthorne (No. 1), Chiefland (ARV), Madison County (No. 2), Chipley (ARV) The poll wasn’t a great reflection of the Final Four at the start of the season or at the end. Hawthorne started the year at No. 4, slowly moved up and moved into the top spot after Week 8. Chiefland didn’t receive a single vote in the first top five poll, didn’t make it into the “Also Receiving Votes” section until Week 8 and received the most votes in Week 9. Madison County started the year at No. 1, slipped to No. 3 after Week 3 and moved back to No. 2 a week later. Chipley did not receiver any votes in the poll until Week 6 and never got higher than the third team listed in the ARV section. Chiefland and Chipley are the lone Final Four teams in the state that never appeared in the top five. 6 hours ago More Stories Leesburg jamboree provides game officials with preseason 'seat time' Football High school football preview: South Sumter maintains traditions Football H.S. football: Lake Minneola begins process of getting back to state Football Walker, Harwell are Daily Commercial Players of the Year Football Help Terms of Service Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy Privacy Policy Site Map Accessibility Our Ethical Principles Manage Cookies © Copyright Gannett 2021 About Your Privacy Clicking on the (X) in the top right corner retains the default setting of only strictly necessary cookies and "Always Active" purposes as preset by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) of Europe. We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. 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