They’re here. They’ve arrived. Yes, We are speaking of teams in Pasco County and NO, we are not joking. This collection of teams have provided great theatre for the fans both casual and diehard the past few seasons, and all of them are capable of doing damage once the postseason hits. With the addition of the county’s highest-profile member to the fold, things just got really “fun” for all involved this season; at least fun for those of us that don’t have to deal with the headaches each of these teams provide for opposing coaching staffs that is.

The lone squad from Hernando County is Springstead and when that group gets firing on all cylinders, they can put you into the meat grinder a la River Ridge, East Bay or Newsome. They went through some growing pains last season after a phenomenal campaign in 2013, and yet still made it to the Monday tiebreaker for with Sunlake and Mitchell for a postseason spot. This season, much of that roster is growing up and ready to roll once again. Land O’Lakes finished 4-6, but as mentioned earlier this spring they have reasons to hope that last year is well in the past.

Sunlake (9-3) and Mitchell (6-5) were your representatives in the playoffs out of this district with Mitchell losing a tough one to Gainesville in the first round, but Sunlake winning their first round game versus Ocala Vanguard before meeting the same fate up in Gainesville in the regional semifinals. Sunlake returns a pretty sizable chunk of their core that has now become the team to beat in the county that includes Pasco. Mitchell returns what is possibly the county’s top QB-WR tandem and a defense that now has the experience to catch up to the talent that the offense possesses.

Then there’s the “new” addition in one of the county’s oldest programs, the Pasco Pirates. The crew from Dade City is moving up from Class 5A is now faced with having to go at the team that has had their number as of recent in Sunlake. That is a game in recent years that everyone has circled, and now that it has postseason implications, the game is that much bigger.

Both Mitchell and Springstead will face Dunedin during the season with Sunlake, Pasco and Land O’Lakes all with stiff out-of-district contests on tap. Sunlake ail face East Lake in their week zero game, then also leave the county to play at Lakewood Ranch and St. Petersburg in addition to Zephyrhills and River Ridge within the county that will push them to their limits.

Land O’Lakes will face two-thirds of District 3A-4 when they face Tampa Catholic and Lakeland Christian while also facing a pretty formidable River Ridge team. Pasco faces some extremely tough tests against Victory Christian in week one, as well as North Marion, Jesuit and then their always-heated rivalry game with Zephyrhills.

If we had to place any type of fictional currency on which district is most likely to end in a tiebreaker yet again, we would do so with this group and without much second thought. Keep your eyes wide open for the second set of games October 2nd which is where the “fun” should all begin.

District Games:
September 18th
Springstead at Mitchell
Land O’Lakes at Sunlake

October 2nd
Mitchell at Pasco
Sunlake at Springstead

October 16th
Land O’Lakes at Springstead
Pasco at Sunlake

October 23rd
Sunlake at Mitchell
Pasco at Land O’Lakes

October 30th
Springstead at Pasco
Mitchell at Land O’Lakes