The FHSAA’s reclassification and new district assignments created not just one, but several gauntlets for teams in multiple counties across the Tampa Bay region. Last week, we began a closer look at the groups that really have their work cut out for them starting with Pinellas County’s District 7A-10, containing St. Petersburg, East Lake, Countryside, Pinellas Park and Seminole. This week, we start with one of the largest districts in the area with teams located from east Hillsborough. This collection of squads could prove to be Tampa Bay’s most exciting AND most chaotic during the season and come time to settle the final playoff spots by the time it is all said and done. Just so happens this district is paired with the previously mentioned 7A-10 from Pinellas making Region-III already worth the price of admission come postseason play. For now, let’s look at the squads in this group of doom.
This group contains seven teams; Bloomingdale, Durant, East Bay, Lennard, Plant City, Strawberry Crest and Tampa Bay Tech. There was already a very competitive core to this group with Durant, East Bay, PC and ‘Crest from last season. The addition of Bloomingdale, who was a 9-2 playoff team from last season in 8A, Lennard’s 7-3 season in 6A-8’s “District of Death” and Tampa Bay Tech’s regional finals appearance makes this district feel like primetime week-in, week-out given the amount of talent returning to their rosters however.
As mentioned, four of the seven teams in this group were playoff teams last season. Obviously there isn’t enough room for all of them to make the postseason in 2015, so something will have to give. East Bay is just one year removed from an 8-4 season that saw them in the regional semis in 2013 and sees them returning virtually the entire core of their 4-6 team that was at 4-4 with two games left to play in the 2014 season which by most accounts was supposed to be a “rebuild” for Head Coach Frank LaRosa and his crew. Strawberry Crest took it on the chin last season with a 1-9 record, but they are poised to rebound well beyond that mark with the talent that now has a year of experience and a roster full of 2017’s and 2018’s that will only get better as time marches on.
Durant’s 5-5 record earned them the district champions spot, but their record was one of those types that might not have accurately reflected how close they were in most of their losses before the final whistle sounded. Like Strawberry Crest they have a group of athletes in the Class of 2017 that will make them a outright headache once they correct the mistakes that got them beat in games last season. It’s easy to look back and say their record “was what it was” without checking the tape, though. The Cougars have the ability to challenge anyone in this district with their brand of play.
The team that was the most enigmatic of them all was Plant City. The Raiders finished the season at 4-6-1, a record that on paper looks suspect at best. Not so fast. They actually finished as the runners-up in the district and those six losses and a tie were all by six points or less. You want to talk about a play here-or-there being the difference between 4-6-1 and say, 9-2 or 10-1 there’s your proof that you’ve got to play and execute every down in this game. The Raiders also return the vast majority of their roster and their non-district schedule contains Armwood, Jefferson and Brandon which would either set them up for a boost of confidence before their first district game at ‘Crest on the 18th of September, or send them into a precarious mental tailspin before the meat and potatoes of their season has been served.
Enter the “newbies” of Bloomingdale, Tampa Bay Tech and Lennard. The Bulls were runners-up to Plant in 8A last season and took Dr. Phillips to the ropes in the first round of the playoffs before losing 24-21. They too fall into the same theme of returning their core of playmakers on both sides of the ball and will face Armwood the week before they begin district play at home versus TBT on the 18th of September. Tampa Bay Tech were the “overachievers” in 2014, but some say all they did was finally look like the team we thought they would be towards the end of the season making it all the way to the regional finals against Kissimmee-Osceola. All Lennard did was put in the most impressive performance of the season by finishing third in a district that most of the pundits had them no higher than fifth or sixth at best. The Longhorns may not have the services of their #1-playmker this season due to graduation, but they certainly have the goods on their roster to win this district outright, not just play for a winning record in the regular season.
The toughest road to travel in this district when factoring all of the variables probably goes to Tampa Bay Tech at this point. The Titans will face Jefferson, Sickles, Wharton and Armwood when not having to face one of their tough opponents in 7A-9. A close second either goes to Plant City or Bloomingdale. All three teams must face Armwood at some point in the season, but PC’s opening to the season of Armwood, Jefferson and Brandon is about as tough as they come. The Raiders will then have to face six-straight district games following that open. The curious thing regarding the Titans schedule, is they face Armwood between district games of Plant City and Lennard; perhaps the two biggest games they’ll play all season. Tampa Bay Tech, Plant City and Strawberry Crest are in a spring jamboree with Armwood on May 21st.
DISTRICT 7A-9 SCHEDULE
9/18
East Bay at Durant
Tampa Bay Tech at Bloomingdale
Strawberry Crest at Plant City
9/25
Durant at Lennard
Tampa Bay Tech at Strawberry Crest
Plant City at East Bay
10/2
Bloomingdale at Durant
Tampa Bay Tech at Plant City
Strawberry Crest at Lennard
10/9
Durant at Strawberry Crest
Lennard at East Bay
Plant City at Bloomingdale
10/16
Plant City at Durant
Tampa Bay Tech at Lennard
Bloomingdale at East Bay
10/23
Tampa Bay Tech at Durant
Lennard at Bloomingdale
East Bay at Strawberry Crest
10/30
Lennard at Plant City
East Bay at Tampa Bay Tech
Strawberry Crest at Bloomingdale