The teams and their coaching staffs may say they’re not looking ahead, and for the most part we believe them. Since the season has officially kicked off, let’s do what we in the media do best which is? Look at the schedule. Here now are three weekends in the first month of the season containing can’t-miss non-district contests in Pinellas County.
9/4
Clearwater vs. Countryside –(C’Side defeated Clearwater 24-14 last season)
Largo vs. East Lake –(Largo lost to East Lake 42-0 last season)
Pinellas Park vs. Northeast –(PPark beat Northeast last season 34-6)
Indian Rocks Christian vs. Clearwater Central Catholic — (last game 11/9/12 , 48-0 CCC)
–The game featuring the Tornadoes and the Cougars will be a celebration; literally. This year the City of Clearwater turned 100 years-old and to highlight that accomplishment, the mayor along with council men and women and all-around carnival atmosphere will accompany this game at Clearwater High School. The two teams played last season, and C’Side came out on top by ten points, but with both squads anticipated to be a full-strength in week two this game could provide the post-carnival fireworks and save the city some money on a birthday drink.
The Packers and the Eagles will go at it in Largo, and this years’ result should look noticeably different in what has become one of the preeminent match-ups in the county in recent years. P-Park may have thumped the Vikings last season, but Northeast is upgraded in several areas and this game should go to the final whistle. The final marquee match-up of the week should take place between two teams that haven’t met almost three years. IRC opens up the week before at Tampa Catholic in a BHSN-televised game and CCC opens up at Berkeley Prep, and if either one slip up the previous week, the urgency to keep from going 0-2 will make this game all the more significant.
9/11
East Lake vs. Lake Brantley (first meeting between the two schools)
Northside Christian vs. Victory Christian –(last meeting 10/1/10 in Lakeland, VCA won 28-0)
–The Eagles host the Patriots from Altamonte Springs and although Brantley is the Brantley of old, they’re returning all three of their 1,000-yard rushers from last season and run an offense under long-time Head Coach George Clayton that would make Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech smile from ear-to-ear. It’s likely that EL’s Head Coach Bob Hudson had one thing in mind when scheduling this one, and that’s be ready for the district opener against St. Pete the following week. Regardless of the motivation, this one’s a premier match-up.
It’s been a “hot-minute” as the cool kids say since these two lined up, but with Northside entering the season with some really good momentum and fresh off a playoff spot, the Mustangs should give the defending 2A Champions a seriously contested game that should provide many answers for both as they face all-or-nothing district schedules.
9/25
Clearwater Central Catholic vs. Tampa Catholic –(TC lost last season 38-0)
Largo vs. St. Petersburg –(last game was 9/26/12, Largo won 17-16)
–The Crusaders will have revenge on their minds due to last season’s dismantling at the hands of CCC. There’s plenty of playmaking ability to go around for both teams and before last season’s result, this game has been one of the tighter contested pairings through the years. Largo and St. Pete haven’t played for a few seasons either, but this game expects to deliver as two of Pinellas’ most recognizable programs get after it.