Maclay and Episcopal School of Jacksonville will put their undefeated records on the line Friday as the Sunshine State Athletic Association’s 11-man state championship playoffs reach the quarterfinals. Both face opponents with 10 wins and just one loss, giving the North section two matchups between teams with a combined 41–2 record.
Florida Christian and Out-of-Door Academy hold the top two seeds in the South section, where Monsignor Pace and Jupiter Christian are also coming off convincing postseason victories. All eight remaining teams won their opening games by at least 29 points.
Here is the quarterfinal schedule and a closer look at the teams pursuing a place in the Nov. 13 semifinals. Records include first-round results, and statistics reflect the figures reported to MaxPreps.
Florida SSAA Football Quarterfinal Schedule: Nov. 6
All four games are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. ET. Seeds are listed within each section.
North Section
No. 4 Christ’s Church Academy (10–1) vs. No. 1 Maclay (10–0)
No. 3 Episcopal School of Jacksonville (11–0) vs. No. 2 Seffner Christian (10–1)
South Section
No. 4 Monsignor Pace (8–3) vs. No. 1 Florida Christian (9–2)
No. 3 Jupiter Christian (8–3) vs. No. 2 Out-of-Door Academy (8–2)
Christ’s Church Academy vs. Maclay
Maclay advanced with a 51–14 victory over Aucilla Christian, extending a season in which the Marauders have scored 446 points and allowed 106. Their averages of 44.6 points scored and 10.6 allowed help explain why the North section’s top seed remains unbeaten through 10 games.
Senior quarterback Beau Beshears is a player to watch for Maclay, averaging 212.3 passing yards per game. Christ’s Church Academy brings a different offensive emphasis, with a running game averaging 274.4 yards per outing.
The Eagles defeated St. Joseph Academy 50–8 in the first round and are averaging 46.8 points per game. Their ability to sustain that ground attack could help keep Beshears and Maclay’s offense off the field, making possession control an important part of the matchup.
Episcopal School of Jacksonville vs. Seffner Christian
Episcopal improved to 11–0 by beating Old Plank Christian Academy 37–8, while Seffner Christian advanced with a 55–18 victory over Cornerstone Classical Academy. The North section’s No. 2 and No. 3 seeds enter Friday with a combined 21 victories in 22 games.
Freshman quarterback Justice Turpin and sophomore running back Amir Allen give Episcopal production through the air and on the ground. Turpin is averaging 179.7 passing yards per game, while Allen is averaging 101.7 rushing yards.
Seffner Christian has scored 406 points and allowed 135 through 11 games. Episcopal’s defense has surrendered 111 points over the same number of contests, so both offenses will face a unit that has helped its team win consistently throughout the season.
Monsignor Pace vs. Florida Christian
Florida Christian beat NSU University 49–14 to reach the quarterfinals, while Monsignor Pace eliminated Westminster Academy 42–3. The Miami-Dade County programs now meet for a place in the South section semifinal.
Junior fullback Cordell Gibson is a central figure for Florida Christian, averaging 135.9 rushing yards per game. Limiting his production could force the Patriots to rely more heavily on their passing game against a Pace defense that has allowed 115 points in 11 outings.
Florida Christian has been similarly effective defensively, allowing 124 points across its 11 games. The Patriots carry the section’s No. 1 seed, but Pace’s defensive record gives the fourth-seeded Spartans a reason to expect a competitive quarterfinal.
Jupiter Christian vs. Out-of-Door Academy
Jupiter Christian travels to Out-of-Door Academy after beating Indian Rocks Christian 43–9. The Thunder advanced with a 49–13 victory over Sarasota Christian and have allowed just 96 points through 10 games, an average of 9.6 per outing.
That defense presents a challenge for an Eagles team averaging 32.1 points. Sophomore quarterback Kane Navaroli and senior receiver Luke Beach are among Jupiter Christian’s offensive players to watch, with Beach averaging 91.7 receiving yards per game.
Out-of-Door Academy has also produced offensively, averaging 37.1 points. Jupiter Christian will need enough sustained offense to keep pace while trying to prevent the Thunder from matching the scoring output they delivered in the opening round.
Remaining SSAA Football Playoff Schedule
The quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 13. The Maclay–Christ’s Church Academy winner will face the Episcopal–Seffner Christian winner in the North section, while the Florida Christian–Monsignor Pace winner meets the Out-of-Door Academy–Jupiter Christian winner in the South.
The SSAA’s state championship is scheduled for Nov. 20–21 in The Villages.
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