Local Sports

Football teams get tough draws

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TBO.com
Published: December 24, 2012

Highlands County football teams don't have it easy when it comes to district play, as they are usually guaranteed having to play a tough foe on a weekly basis. Those foes might become a little tougher if the Florida High School Athletics Association has its way.

The FHSAA released its tentative football classification and district alignments for the 2013 and 2014 seasons Friday, and the three area high schools weren't done any favors.

Both Avon Park and Lake Placid play in Class 4A-District 6 and would remain there, along with current members Sarasota Booker, Clewiston, Fort Myers Dunbar and LaBelle. But under the tentative plan, those teams are scheduled to be joined by perennial power Tampa Catholic.

The Crusaders are currently in Class 3A-District 5, where they lost to Clearwater Central Catholic in the regional finals after knocking off Fort Meade in the opening round of the playoffs.

All four teams in Class 3A-District 5 were private schools.

The Sebring Blue Streaks, who currently play in Class 6A-District 10, along with Bartow, Kathleen, Lake Gibson and Winter Haven, would move to Class 6A-District 11, a four-team district that also includes Lake Gibson, Lake Region and Winter Haven. Both Bartow and Kathleen will jump to Class 7A.

Lake Gibson (7-4 this season) and Winter Haven (9-2) are both strong programs, while Lake Region has struggled a bit the past few years while playing in Class 7A.

The drop down a notch might not be enough for the Thunder, who lost to all four Class 6A-District 10 opponents it faced.

The new districts will also make things interesting in other parts of the state, most notably in the Tampa area, where Class 6A-District 8 will now have Chamberlain, which just played in the Class 5A state semifinals, joining the always tough Jefferson, Hillsborough and Armwood, along with four other schools in arguably the toughest district in the state.

Teams are permitted to appeal the FHSAA district alignments on the basis of hardship, when factors like travel time and costs are a concern. They cannot appeal on the basis of being placed in a tough district.

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