The FHSAA released first 2023 playoff rankings. Here’s where Manatee football teams stand
The Florida High School Athletic Association released its first rankings for the 2023 football season on Tuesday.
The rankings are used to determine who gets into the playoffs as an at-large wild card and playoff seeding. There are 32 playoff teams per classification, with eight teams qualifying in each region. Those eight teams comprise four district champions and four at-large berths awarded to the non-district champion teams with the highest power rating.
Here’s a look at how Manatee County teams sit heading into this week’s games:
Class 4S-Region 4
Manatee (5-0) is ranked as the fifth-best team in Class 4S and would be the top seed in Region 4 if the playoffs started Friday. The Hurricanes have a 12.248 rating.
The other two teams in the Canes’ district, Palmetto and Lakewood Ranch, would also qualify for the playoffs if they started this week. Palmetto (2-1) is fourth in Region 4 with a 2.682 rating, while Lakewood Ranch sits seventh with a minus 2.075 rating.
District games begin for most teams this week, which will clarify playoff standings in the coming weeks.
Class 3S-Region 4
Parrish Community leads county schools in Class 3S-Region 4 with a 7.427 rating. That places the Bulls (3-1) fifth in the region. After a second consecutive loss, Braden River (2-2) is 11th in the playoff standings with a 1.286 rating. Southeast is last among the 18 teams in the region. The Seminoles, who are 0-4, have a minus 8.295 rating.
Class 2S-Region 4
The lone county school in Class 2S, the Bayshore Bruins are fourth in Region 4 with a 6.438 rating. The Bruins (3-1) open District 15 play with a trip to Tornado Alley to play Sarasota Booker on Friday.
The third team in the district, Englewood Lemon Bay, sits just above the Bruins in the FHSAA’s first power rankings for 2S-4.
