Florida's Sunshine State Athletic Association 2024 football state finals set

The Master’s Academy, Jupiter Christian, Lighthouse Christian among the semifinal winners

The Master's Academy quarterback Jackson Stetcher. / Courtesy of Jackson Stetcher

While the FHSAA released its playoff brackets on Friday, many Florida schools were fighting for a state championship berth in the Sunshine State Athletic Association.

In the SSAA’s biggest classification in traditional 11-man football, The Master’s Academy of Oviedo continued its march toward another title with a 40-29 victory against Christ’s Church Academy of Jacksonville in a Class 6A state semifinal game.

TMA will take on NSU University High of Fort Lauderdale at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, for the state championship at The Village Charter School’s H.G. Morse Stadium, the venue for all SSAA title contests.

NSU University High beat Cape Coral Oasis, 21-10, in the other semifinal.

Senior Jacques Dixon Jr., a powerfully built running back at 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, rumbled 18 times for 152 yards and one TD, and fantastic freshman Collin Francis ran seven times for 101 yards and two TDs for the Sharks against Oasis.

The Master’s Academy features freshman phenom quarterback Jackson Stecher, who entered the game with more than 2,200 yards passing and 31 touchdowns. NSU University High features sophomore quarterback Jayden Miller, who has passed for more than 2,100 yards and 15 TDs.

"My mindset is that it's just another game," Stecher said of the upcoming state championship. "Me and the guys have to make sure we prepare accordingly and ball out versus NSU."

In the Class 5A semifinals, St. Joseph Academy of St. Augustine won a nail-biting defensive battle against Foundation Academy (Orlando), 10-5, and Jupiter Christian beat Out-of-Door Academy of Sarasota, 29-26, in a thriller.

St. Joseph will play Jupiter Christian for the state title on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. St. Joseph has one of the top running backs in Florida in senior Jack Fox, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 12 TDs, and junior quarterback Cody Ott, who has passed for more than 1,500 yards and 26 TDs.

Jupiter Christian features a punishing 1-2 running back duo of junior Randolph Wilkerson, who has rushed for more than 850 yards and eight TDs, and senior Gideon Douglas, who has run for more than 580 yards and 10 TDs. Douglas ran for four TDs against Out-of-Door Academy, including the game-winning score late.

Jupiter Christian wide receiver Ryder Zuniga (#81) finds some yardage around the outside of the ODA defense. The Out of Door Academy Thunder hosted the Jupiter Christian Eagles in the SSAA Class 5A semifinal game Friday night, Nov. 8, 2024. The Eagles defeated the Thunder 29-26. / Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the Class 4A semifinals, Lighthouse Private Christian Academy of Pensacola beat Old Plank Christian Academy of Jacksonville, 34-22. Lighthouse has won three straight games heading into the championship game, where it will face St. Petersburg Keswick Christian, a 13-7 winner against Tampa Cambridge Christian. Title game information will be announced.

Rowan Beckett and Frank Martinez rushed for TDs to lead Keswick past Cambridge.

In the Class 3A semifinals, Niceville Rocky Bayou Chriistian beat Jacksonville Duval Charter, 24-6, and Fort Myers Canterbury rallied to beat Belle Glade Glades Day, 29-28.

Freshman Brooks Selby caught the game-winning TD pass -- a 35-yarder -- for Canterbury. Quarterback JT Huether passed for more than 220 yards and a TD and ran for more than 30 yards and a score, AZ Levatte had an 80-yard fumble return, and Anthony Valenzuela ran for a TD for the Cougars. The title game is Nov. 16 at a time to be announced.

Glades Day won a wild double-overtime quarterfinal battle against Boca Raton Christian the week before, 43-41.

In the Class 2A semifinals, Lecanto Seven Rivers Christian defeated Harvest Community, 40-28, while Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic upended Fort Myers Gateway Charter, 38-22. Title game information will be announced.

In the Class 1A state semifinals, Jacksonville Cedar Creek Christian overwhelmed Windermere Prep, 64-27, while Legacy Charter of Ocoee won a nail-biting battle against Trinity Prep (Winter Park), 16-14. Title game information will be announced.

In the Atlantic Division Class 2A semifinals, Frostproof shut out American Heritage of Delray Beach, 21-0. The Bulldogs will play Fernandina Beach, which picked up a forfeit victory against Jacksonville Paxon School for Advanced Studios. The championship game is Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m.

In the Atlantic Division 1A semifinals, Bell outlasted Interlachen, 21-7, and Space Coast (Cocoa) won a wild one against Umatilla, 21-19. Title game information will be announced.

Senior Christian Burt scored what proved to be the game-winning TD. Senior Christopher Mcdonel rushed 22 times for 143 yards and two TDs, and Alex Banachoski recorded 12 tackles, including seven solo and two for loss, for the Vipers.