It’s Gameday! Here’s what you need to know for Week 11 of the high school football season

It’s the final week of the high school football regular season and by the end of Friday night, a handful of Manatee County teams will have a better indicator of their postseason fate.

Some will have plenty to celebrate this weekend before beginning playoff preparations.

Others could see their dreams destroyed.

Here’s what we know heading into Week 11:

▪ Braden River (Class 7A-Region 3) and Cardinal Mooney (3A-3) are locks to earn berths in the FHSAA playoffs.

▪ Manatee (8A-2) and Palmetto (7A-3) are positioned to extend their seasons.

▪ Southeast (5A-3) needs a win and a lot of help to punch a postseason ticket.

Here’s a look at each of the five teams heading into Friday night’s action:

Braden River

The streaking Pirates (7-2) have won four in a row and are positioned to secure the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in 7A-3 as they host St. Petersburg (6-3).

Braden River has topped 50 points each of the past three games and is coming off back-to-back 56-0 victories on the road.

Pirates’ two losses are by a combined eight points against teams — Jacksonville Trinity Christian (10-0) and Venice (8-1) — poised to be No. 1 seeds in the playoffs.

Cardinal Mooney

The Cougars (8-1) saw their quest for a perfect regular season end with last week’s loss to Clearwater Central Catholic. Now the focus turns toward securing a first-round bye in the 3A-3 playoffs as Mooney hosts Booker (5-4).

The Cougars are second in the region and need to hold off No. 3 Berkeley Prep — Mooney beat the Buccaneers 28-17 in Week 3 — to secure a first-round bye in a region that sends six teams to the playoffs.

Manatee

Coming off their bye week, the Hurricanes (6-3) make the trip to defending Class 7A state champion Venice (8-1).

Manatee is well positioned for a 10th consecutive trip to the postseason and could be headed for a first-round matchup with Kissimmee Osceola for the second straight season.

The Canes enter the final week fifth in the 8A-2 rankings but Riverview and Orlando Dr. Phillips — both district champs — will jump Manatee when the final rankings are released Sunday.

Palmetto

Seeking their second straight postseason berth, the Tigers (6-3) are tied with St. Petersburg for the eighth and final playoff spot in 7A-3 as they make the trip to 6A-3 leader Punta Gorda Charlotte (8-1).

Palmetto snapped a two-year playoff drought by beating the Tarpons in the 2017 regular-season finale.

If the Tigers earn the final berth — they could get the help they need from rival Braden River, which hosts St. Pete — a rematch of their 56-28 loss to Venice in Week 10 seems likely.

Southeast

Four losses in five games after an encouraging 3-1 start all but ended their postseason aspirations, leaving the Seminoles (4-5) needing to beat host Port Charlotte (6-3) to finish at .500 and get a lot of help in their playoff pursuit.

Southeast sits 10th in 5A-3 and would need to jump two teams — Tampa Jefferson and Tarpon Springs are Nos. 8 and 9 — to earn the final playoff berth.

The FHSAA will announce the playoff field at 11 a.m. Sunday.

It’s the final full week of the season, so enjoy all of the action.

Elsewhere are Manatee County for Week 11:

Bayshore

The Bruins (4-5) snapped their five-game losing streak with last week’s one-point win over Englewood Lemon Bay, and a victory against visiting Mulberry (3-6) would give the program a .500 season and momentum heading into the offseason.

Bradenton Christian

Coming off a 43-26 victory at Central Florida Christian Academy, the Panthers (2-6) look for back-to-back wins to close their season as Lake Mary Prep (3-6) comes to town.

IMG Academy

The Ascenders (6-1) have had two weeks to prepare for their trip to Alabama to face Hoover (7-2). IMG has outscored its opponents 261-28 in its six wins this season. Hoover has won five in a row, averaging 35.4 points per game during the winning streak. The game between the perennial national powers will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU at 9 p.m. IMG beat Hoover 32-21 last season in the first meeting between the teams.

Lakewood Ranch

The winless Mustangs (0-9) have one last chance at that elusive victory as they host DeSoto County (6-3). Lakewood Ranch hasn’t reached double figures in points since scoring 14 in its season opener against Cape Coral Ida Baker.

Out-of-Door Academy

The Thunder (6-3) hit the road for the second straight week in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference playoffs, this time traveling to Mount Dora Christian Academy (6-3) for a Coral League semifinal matchup. No. 7 seed ODA upset No. 2 Jupiter Christian 27-14 last week, while No. 3 Mount Dora Christian routed No. 6 Riviera Beach Inlet Grove 49-6.

Saint Stephen’s

The Falcons (8-1) have won seven straight since having their 22-game winning streak snapped on Sept. 7. Saint Stephen’s started its current run with a 42-7 victory over Saint Petersburg Shorecrest Prep, and the teams meet again in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference’s Coral League semifinals. Top-seeded Saint Stephen’s advanced with a 55-9 victory against No. 8 Ocala Christian; No. 4 Shorecrest Prep (5-2) moved on with a 27-20 triumph over No. 5 Spring Hill Bishop McLaughlin.

Week 11 schedule

IMG White at Brooksville Nature Coast Tech, 7 p.m.

*-St. Petersburg Shorecrest Prep at Saint Stephen’s, 7 p.m.

*-Out-of-Door Academy at Mount Dora Christian Academy, 7 p.m.

Lake Mary Prep at Bradenton Christian, 7 p.m.

Arcadia DeSoto County at Lakewood Ranch, 7:30 p.m.

Booker at Cardinal Mooney, 7:30 p.m.

Manatee at Venice, 7:30 p.m.

Mulberry at Bayshore, 7:30 p.m.

Palmetto at Punta Gorda Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

Southeast at Port Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

St. Petersburg at Braden River, 7:30 p.m.

IMG Blue at Hoover (Ala.), 9 p.m.

*-Sunshine State Athletic Conference playoffs

This story was originally published November 2, 2018 at 6:05 AM.