ST. PETERSBURG —
The annual grudge match between south St. Petersburg rivals Boca Ciega and Northeast High used to take place in late November, with a touch of fall in the air and usually a district title on the line.
Thanks to recent realignment, the two schools, separated by just 8 miles and a sliver of I-275, now meet early in the season, as summer is winding down and teams are gearing up for district play.
Maybe it’s appropriate then that the Vikings played like the contest was a meaningless preseason jamboree, as Bogie used a potent defensive game plan to smother Northeast’s offense in a 48-3 rout.