VOTE: Who will be the top football progam in Pasco County (FL) in 2022?

Here are profiles of six teams we believe should lead the way

TRINITY, FL – It’s a year of new head coaches hitting the scene all throughout Pasco County for high school football, as the seven teams will have new head coaches manning the sidelines. The county saw six teams qualify for the playoffs last year and now with plenty of turnover at the head coaching position, Pasco as a whole should have some interesting story-lines play out.

The last and only time the county had a state champion was in 1992 with Pasco High School, and now several teams will be vying to make a deep playoff run. From Dade City to Holiday, we take a look at the programs we have picked out as the top teams. We invite you to vote on who you think is the top club.

Here are the candidates:

Mitchell: With Andy Schmitz and Justin Fenton back coaching up the Mustangs along with a very experienced staff, the Mustangs should be in the mix of things once again. Mitchell has a chance to win another district championship, aiming for its seventh in eight years.

River Ridge: The Royal Knights have a new head coach for the first time since 2010 in former Lake Brantley head coach Greg Miller. Miller has instilled a lot of confidence into a program that already carried a tradition of winning games. We expect the Royal Knights to be good and then some.

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Sunlake: How is a 2-7 team from 2021 on this list you may ask? Well, throw in the fact that the team does return a bevy of starters from last year, add in new head coach Allen Suber II plus quarterback Kyle Horvath, who transferred in from Land O’ Lakes and you have yourself some potential for a strong team.

Wiregrass Ranch: Though the Bulls lost a lot of key players due to graduation from last season, Wiregrass Ranch does retain enough to still be in the mix as one of the county’s top clubs. Ohio State commitment Bryson Rodgers is slated to be back along with running back Kenny Walker.

Zephyrhills: Now this particular Bulldogs team has a shot to be a really special club based on the talent it has. The return of hometown talent DJ Pickett has sparked a sense of excitement around the community along with Jakobe Campbell and others. Zephyrhills is gunning for a fourth district title in six years.

RELATED: Zephyrhills (FL) football reloaded for 2022 season

Zephyrhills Christian Academy: We can’t forget about the other Zephyrhills’ team in the town, as the Warriors have themselves another talented bunch heading into 2022. Mike Smith and staff have a strong group, which includes Dunedin transfer Parker Stirnkorb along with skill players like Jayden Ramos, Hezekiah Langley and EJ Allen.

Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.