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Football playoffs

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published October 19, 2006

Class 5A, District 5

IN: No one.

OUT: Wesley Chapel.

STILL FIGHTING IT OUT: Gaither, Wharton, Land O'Lakes, Mitchell.

RIDING HIGH: Gaither can finish the district season with a 4-0 record and the title by beating Land O'Lakes on Friday night. Even with a loss, the Cowboys are assured of a spot in a possible three-way tiebreaker Oct. 30.

WILD ABOUT THE PLAYOFFS: Their loss last week to Gaither hurt, but the Wildcats can still get in if Land O'Lakes loses to Gaither on Friday and they beat the Gators and Mitchell. That would make them 3-1 in the district, tying Land O'Lakes, but by virtue of a head-to-head win over the Gators they would get the nod.

LAND O'DESTINY: It's all you can ask for - control of your own fate. All the Gators have to do is win one of their next two games against Gaither and Wharton. If the Gaither game is the one they win, then a Wharton win over Land O'Lakes will force a three-way tie. If the Wharton game is the one they win, then they clinch second place in the district. If they lose both, they're finished.

WANTED: ONE MIRACLE: Mitchell needs all kinds of help. If it beats Wharton and Wesley Chapel, and Land O'Lakes loses to Wharton and Gaither, it will tie the Gators and Wildcats at 2-2, setting up a three-way playoff for the runnerup spot.

Class 4A, District 8

IN: Central. The Bears are 3-0 in the district and have just one game remaining against last-place River Ridge.

OUT: River Ridge.

STILL FIGHTING IT OUT: Ridgewood, Springstead, Tarpon Springs.

WIN OR ELSE: The Rams have to beat Tarpon Springs at home or they will be eliminated. But even that won't be enough to clinch a playoff spot. They'll also have to beat Springstead the following week, but they control their destiny. If the Rams beat Tarpon Springs and lose to Springstead which should beat River Ridge Friday, it will create a three-way tie and an Oct. 30 tiebreaker.

SOAKING UP A SPOT: The Spongers will clinch the runnerup spot with a win Friday. A loss, and Tarpon Springs will be rooting for a Springstead win over Ridgewood next week to force a three-way tie.

CLIPPED WINGS: Springstead has to win its final two district games, but need help from Ridgewood, which has to beat Tarpon Springs for the Eagles to have a shot.

Class 3A, District 8

IN: No one.

OUT: Hudson.

STILL FIGHTING IT OUT: Zephyrhills, Pasco, Gulf.

BULLDOGS BITE: All Zephyrhills has to do is beat arch-rival Pasco and it heads into the playoffs for the second straight season.

NOT SUNK YET: If the Pirates beat Zephyrhills next week, they can force a three-way tie (if Gulf beats Hudson) and an Oct. 30 playoff. A loss and they are done.

FULL STEAM AHEAD: The Bucs need to beat Hudson to secure at the very least a spot in the Oct. 30 tiebreaker. And they will be rooting for Zephyrhills to beat Pasco, which gets the Bucs in win or lose.

Class B, District 6

IN: Keswick.

OUT: Bishop McLaughlin, Cambridge.

STILL FIGHTING IT OUT: Victory Christian, Lakeland Santa Fe, Calvary Christian.

VICTORY AHEAD: Calvary Christian and Santa Fe would have to beat Victory Christian and win their other remaining district game to force a three-way tie for second. That's not going to happen. Victory has outscored district competition 140-7 and should wrap up the title Friday by beating Calvary, leaving the runnerup spot to Keswick.

[Last modified October 19, 2006, 07:18:16]