Coming off an exciting Week 1 slate of games to kick off the 2024 season, let’s now take a look at Week 2 in Florida high school football and make some predictions for the state’s biggest matchups this weekend.
Venice vs. Miami Northwestern
The Miami Northwestern Bulls (1-0) kicked off the Teddy Bridgewater era in a big way last week, defeating Coconut Creek on the road by a final score of 45-0.
Next up for the Bulls is a road trip to Class 7A’s Venice (1-0) this Friday night, where a talented Indians team awaits.
Venice concluded last season as the Class 4S state runner-up and began the 2024 campaign with an impressive 63-40 win over Tampa Bay Tech last week.
This game could honestly go either way, making this easily one of the top Florida prep matchups of the week.
Prediction: Miami Northwestern 30, Venice 28
Mainland vs. Cocoa
Two of Florida high school football’s heavyweights from the 2023 season collide this Friday night in Daytona Beach as the Mainland Buccaneers host one of the top programs in the state, the Cocoa Tigers.
Mainland (0-1) opened their season with a 31-28 loss to University last week.
Cocoa (1-0), led by arguably the state’s top edge rusher in Florida State commit Javion Hilson, routed Titusville by a final score of 42-10.
The Tigers should come away with the victory here before their highly anticipated trip to Bradenton, Florida, to face IMG Academy in Week 3.
Prediction: Cocoa 30, Mainland 20
Bergen Catholic (NJ) vs. IMG Academy
Speaking of the Ascenders, IMG Academy traveled out west to Nevada last week for their season opener at Corner Canyon, a game in which they were upset by a final score of 35-34.
IMG travels once again in Week 2, this time to New Jersey to face a Bergen Catholic program that will be opening their season after an 11-1 campaign a year ago.
The Ascenders should bounce back Thursday night, setting up the anticipated aforementioned Week-3 matchup with their first in-state foe, Cocoa.
Prediction: IMG Academy 30, Bergen Catholic 20
American Heritage vs. Western
South Florida will play host to several matchups this week, the biggest of which is the American Heritage Patriots (0-1) versus the Western Wildcats (0-1).
Both teams opened their 2024 seasons with out-of-state matchups a week ago. American Heritage fell 37-28 to a Milton program that is among the best in Georgia, and Western fell to Hoover High School out of Alabama.
American Heritage has won both head-to-head meetings the last two years and should make it three straight this Friday night.
Prediction: American Heritage 33, Western 17
Trinity Christian vs. Bolles
Two of the top programs in Jacksonville, Florida, will meet Friday night when the Trinity Christian Conquerors (1-0) host the Bolles Bulldogs (0-1).
Bolles is coming off a Week-1 victory in which they fell to Raines 32-23, and Trinity Christian picked up a 21-18 win against ED White.
The Bulldogs have won three of the last four meetings between these two teams. Despite playing on the road, they should make it four of the last five here.
Prediction: Bolles 30, Trinity Christian 20
Thomas County Central (GA) vs. Florida High
One of Florida’s top Class 2A programs makes the trip north to Georgia this Friday night as the Florida High Seminoles travel to take on the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets.
This will certainly be a test for Florida High (0-1). Thomas County Central (2-0) was one of the top programs in the Peach State last season regardless of classification, going undefeated at 15-0 to win the Class 6A state title.
Can the Seminoles get it done in Georgia? While a possibility, the pick to win here goes to the Yellow Jackets.
