Top 25 Florida high school football rankings (9/28/2024)

No. 1 IMG Academy has unexpected bye week due to Hurricane Helene; St. Thomas Aquinas cruises past Bishop Moore and Venice easily breezes by Lehigh in Week 6 action

Venice High wide receiver Winston Watkins (#1) is pursued by Miami Northwestern defenders. The Venice High Indians hosted the Miami Northwestern Bulls in a non-conference game Friday evening, Aug. 30, 2024. / Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

Florida high school football has had plenty of ups and downs through the first six weeks and Hurricane Helene slamming into the state made things that much crazier.

Upsets and close calls have filled the scoreboards as we try and configure every week who are exactly the Sunshine State's top football programs week in and week out.

This past week was no different. Plenty of exciting games were on tap, bringing to you a whole new perspective on the best out of Florida.

We list every team's most impressive win this season in this week's rankings.

Here's the Top 25 Florida high school football teams after Week 6, as we see it.

High School On SI Top 25 Florida football rankings

1. IMG Academy (4-1)

IMG quarterback Ty Hawkins (#2) eludes Cocoa High defenders Javion Hilson (#9) and Chavaris Thompson (#50). The IMG Academy National squad hosted the Cocoa High School Tigers Friday, Sept. 6, 2024 in Bradenton. / Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

Due to Hurricane Helene, the Ascenders ended up not playing Phenix City Central (Alabama), thus having an unexpected bye week. Now they'll get to face No. 5 Venice this week on the road at Powell-Davis Stadium. This will be a treat, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

2. St. Thomas Aquinas (5-1)

St. Thomas Aquinas quarterback Andrew Indorf, who lacks major college offers thus far, showed is worthiness with 198 yards passing and two touchdowns against national power Bishop Gorman on Aug. 24, 2024. / Matt Christopher

Hitting the Florida Turnpike north into Central Florida and taking on Bishop Moore was no problem for the Raiders. St. Thomas Aquinas took over Orlando and won easily, 50-15.

3. Lakeland (5-0)

Lakeland 2026 linebacker Malik Morris / Joe Frisaro

Ah, how time flies? We remember a time when Lakeland against Lake Gibson was an intense rivalry game. The Dreadnaughts dominated the Braves 63-0 in a rare Tuesday night game.

4. Armwood (5-0)

Flex Sports Report

The Hawks will play the first of two games next week on Monday night against always tough Plant at Dads Stadium.

5. Venice (6-0)

Action from a high school football game between Bishop Verot and Venice at Bishop Verot on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. Venice won the offensive slugfest. / Andrew West/The News-Press/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

No team has scored points like John Peacock's Indians have. This time Venice took the short trip south and picked up an easy 50-7 win over Lehigh. Game of the year for Venice when they take on IMG Academy at home this week. Grab your popcorn.

6. Cocoa (3-2)

Class of 2026 quarterback Brady Hart (Cocoa High School, Florida) is committed to play college football at Michigan. / Matt Christopher

The Tigers enjoyed a bye week, but this Friday will welcome Miami Norland into town. This is another game that is right up there with any in the Southeast.

7. Miami Central (4-1)

Miami Central football / Robson Lopes

Bulls versus the Rockets in what is quite possibly the Dade County game of the year. It doesn't get any better than when these two storied programs get together at Traz Powell Stadium.

8. Chaminade-Madonna (4-2)

Matt Christopher

Dameon Jones has his Lions playing their best football right now and they'll need to be with the games coming up ahead: Monarch and St. Thomas Aquinas, which the latter will be at FIU's Pitbull Stadium on Oct. 11th.

9. Jones (5-0)

Jones Tigers quarterback Dereon Coleman. / Dereon Coleman Hudl

When you can roll into Polk County and defeat a team like Auburndale 49-7, definitely says something about the talent at Jones.

10. Plantation American Heritage (3-3)

American Heritage quarterback Dia Bell throwing against Milton defense / Matt Christopher

The Patriots reach the .500 mark after they easily defeated Plantation, 35-0. Next time American Heritage hits the field is on Oct. 12th against Miami Norland.

11. Clearwater Central Catholic (5-0)

FHSAA 1M Championship Chaminade-Madonna vs Clearwater Central Catholic December 8, 2022 / Matt Christopher

The Marauders are another Tampa Bay-area team that had their Week 6 game postponed due to Hurricane Helene.

12. Sanford Seminole (5-0)

Seminole high football plans to once again be the standard-bearer for Central Florida football excellence. / Seminole High football

Karl Calhoun's bunch are locked in and looked like it when they dismantled Lake Brantley 61-8. We feel like things won't be as easy when they face Titusville this week.

13. Miami Norland (4-1)

Jerrard Smith of Miami Norland had two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, against Chaminade-Madonna. / Matt Christopher

After an eas 49-16 victory over Archbishop McCarthy, Ennio Yapoor and crew can set their sights on a huge tilt against Cocoa on the road.

14. Miami Northwestern (3-2)

Miami Northwestern takes on Coconut Creek in the season opener / The Portal 305/FootballHotbed.com

First taste of the annual 'Soul Bowl' for Teddy Bridgewater as a head coach ends with a 48-6 romp of Miami Jackson. Focus now shifts to a 305 showdown with Miami Central.

15. The First Academy (6-0)

The First Academy quarterback Salomon Georges threw a pair of touchdown passes in a 77-19 Kickoff Classic rout of Leto High School. / The First Academy

Took Jeff Conaway's crew a little bit to wake up, but once they did, the Royals were able to notch a 39-13 win over Orlando Christian Prep. Royals win first district title since 2016.

16. Monarch (3-1)

Monarch's Samari Reed led the Knights to a 30-29 victory over Peachtree Ridge / Samari Reed/X

The Knights have had a heck of a time with game scheduling this season. Due to Helene, their game against Coral Springs is on Monday before the major tilt versus Chaminade-Madonna.

17. Niceville (6-0)

Johnny Lewis Jr. attempts to outrun the Escambia defender in Niceville's 42-21 win. / Reed Green

A 41-7 win over Gulf Breeze was nice, but now Niceville will sink its teeth into the meat of the schedule with meetings against Mosley and Lincoln back-to-back.

18. Dr. Phillips (5-0)

Dr. Phillips quarterback Stanley Anderson-Lofton is a dual-threat quarterback who combined for more than 1,500 yards rushing and passing, as well as 17 touchdowns in 2023. / Courtesy of Stanley Anderson-Lofton

There was no letdown after the huge win over Lake Mary last week, defeating Olympia 42-0.

19. Lake Mary (3-2)

The Rams had a much needed bye week before taking on North Miami Beach this upcoming Friday.

20. Bradford (5-0)

Bradford's Branden Williams (9) rushes for yards against Keystone Heights' Tallon Campbell (10) during the second quarter of a high school football matchup Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 at Bradford High School in Starke, Fla. The Bradford Tornadoes blanked the Keystone Heights Indians 40-0. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Playing earlier in the week ahead of Helene, Jamie Rodgers' bunch rolled in a 42-0 victory over Keystone Heights. A Oct. 11th meeting with Newberry looms large.

21. Manatee (4-1)

Manatee quarterback Andrew Heidel fends off Sarasota linebacker Kyser Bordones in a game last season. / THOMAS BENDER/HERALD-TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Hurricanes didn't get to play because of Helene, but plan to get back on the field Monday against a upset-minded Pinellas Park group.

22. Nease (4-0)

Nease quarterback Nate Harry (4) scrambles for yardage against Fletcher during a high school football game on September 13, 2024. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union] / Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Collin Drafts and the Panthers will test their mettle once again this Monday when they travel to Citizens Field to take on Buchholz.

23. St. Augustine (4-1)

Mainland defensive lineman LJ McCray pursues St. Augustine quarterback Locklan Hewlett during the FHSAA Class 3S high school football championship in Tallahassee on December 7, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union] / Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

All is right again in Yellow Jackets' land with a 27-6 romp over Columbia. Next up is a matchup against a much improved Clay team.

24. Cardinal Mooney (5-0)

Cardinal Mooney's Devin Mignery (#14) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Mason Jordan (#81). Cardinal Mooney played host to Bishop Verot winning 49-28 over Verot at John Heath Field at Austin Smithers Stadium in Sarasota. / Thomas Bender/ Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cougars will travel up to St. Petersburg on Tuesday night for a district tilt against always talented Lakewood.

25. Naples (5-1)

Naples Golden Eagles running back Shawn Simeon (5) returns a kick during the third quarter of a game against the American Heritage Patriots at Staver Field in Naples on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. / Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rick Martin and the Golden Eagles exorcised their demons with a 21-20 overtime victory over district rival Dunbar. It doesn't erase last year's region final, but definitely had to feel good.

On the outside looking in: Berkeley Prep, Bishop Moore, Bishop Verot, Blanche Ely, Bolles, Buchholz, Cardinal Newman, Cardinal Gibbons, Choctawhatchee, Delray Beach Atlantic, Dunbar, Eau Gallie, Edgewater, Escambia, Kissimmee Osceola, Lincoln, First Baptist Academy, Hawthorne, Jesuit, Lake Wales, Leesburg, Madison County, Mandarin, Miami Booker T. Washington, Mitchell, Newberry, Pensacola Catholic, Raines, Sarasota Booker, Southridge, Tampa Bay Tech, Union County, Vanguard, West Orange, Wiregrass Ranch

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl