Sadly, the season is drawing to a close, but that doesn’t mean the Barber Shop is closed. Nope. Not by a long-shot. Round three of the playoffs is in the books and unfortunately some of our local teams are no longer in the hunt, but four teams do remain. One of those three are in the playoffs for the very first time–and they’re playing for a state championship. One of the state’s greatest running backs statistically finished his season and one of the city’s most historic programs is on the verge of playing for a title–one they haven’t won since the first manned spacecraft landed on the moon. We’ve also got some visitors from around the state making their first appearance–so checkout who’s in the chair this week at BCP’s Barber Shop!
50 – The number of points that CCC lost to American Heritage-Delray in the state semifinals last season. What a difference a year makes–the Marauders fell by seven points in 2015 and were driving late in the game.
6 – The number of times that AH-Delray has made it to the state finals since 2007.
2,060 – The number of yards that Jesuit’s Malik Davis has compiled this season and that gives the junior the single-season record for the Tigers–Davis’ 27TD’s this season is also a single-season record.
936 – The number of miles roundtrip that Tate will travel from the Panhandle (Cantonment/Gonzalez) to Seffner when the Aggies face Armwood.
1,836 – The number of miles total that Tate will have traveled if they were to pull off the massive upset and make it to the Class 6A State Finals in Orlando.
14 – The number of years it’s been since Tate was in this position and just the second time the Aggies have made it to the final four in the last 34 years.
0 – The number of rushing yards that University Christian has surrendered this season in three playoff games. The Christians were credited with holding Victory Christian to (-88) yards rushing on Friday Night in Jacksonville. Cambridge Christian is averaging 233 yards per game rushing this season by the way.
5 – The number of shutouts that the Jesuit defense has to its credit this season. Their opponents this week–Bishop Moore–are averaging 41 points per contest.
8 – The number of district runners-up that have made it to Orlando since 2012.
12 – The final number of touchdowns for NCT’s Deshawn Smith in the postseason–that’s good for sixth all-time in the postseason which would tie Smith with Duke Johnson (Norland), Matt Elam (Dwyer) and Sony Michel (American Heritage-Plantation). In case you were wondering–Glades Day’s Kelvin Taylor holds the all-time record with 19TD’s in the postseason.
4 – The number of coaches in the coverage area that were honored as the Coaches of the Year in their respective classes. Bob Dare at Cambridge Christian is your 2A COY, John Davis of CCC is the 3A Coach of the Year, Nature Coast’s Justin Worden is the 5A COY, and Braden River’s Curt Bradley is the Class 7A Coach of the Year. Deshawn Smith is your Class 5A Player of the Year in a landslide.
3 – The number of COY’s–in the last four seasons that is–in Class 1A for Trenton’s Andrew Thomas. His Tigers will face Port St. Joe on Friday Night in the Citrus Bowl.
3 – The number of consecutive shutouts that Flanagan–the 8A Region 3 Champions–have posted the past three weeks of the playoffs. Their opponents are last seasons’ finalists Columbus. The Falcons were upset by the Explorers 16-12 in the state semis in 2014.
15 – The number of consecutive playoff victories for Miami’s Booker T. Washington–the Tornadoes will play yet again for a title–their fourth consecutive title at that–this Saturday in what should be an epic showdown with Raines out of Jacksonville in Class 4A.
24 – The number of wins for Braden River in their last 25 games following their victory over Plant City in the Region 3 Finals on Friday Night.
22 – The number of years it has been since Jesuit has played for a state championship. The Tigers are one step closer to playing for a title–but must face a Bishop Moore squad that’s loaded and with just one loss this season.
46 – The number of years that have passed since the Tigers have been crowned as state champions. The year–1968. Notable events that took place in the year that Jesuit last won that state title–North Vietnam launches the Tet Offensive–Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis–Robert Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles–the first 747 was flown–Tommie Smith and John Carlos showed their solidarity in the Black Power movement on the Olympic Podium in Mexico City–Apollo 8, the first manned spacecraft landed on the moon.