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Playoff Picture to Clear Up in Florida

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Playoff Picture to Clear Up in Florida

After spring breaks and Easter interrupted the Florida HS season, we're back in business and ready to finish everything up.

The top four teams will enter the Cup semifinals on April 16, with the next four playing for the Plate, and the bottom two for the Bowl.

Right now, it's highly unlikely that Tampa will not make the top four. The Krewe sits 6-1 with 24 points, and for them to be ousted from the top four, they havr to go 0-2 in their final two games, Key Biscayne, RBMA, and Orlando have to win twice, and - get this one - Jupiter needs to beat Naples on April 9 and tie Key Biscayne on April 2.

A win by either Key Biscayne or Jupiter will mean the other cannot bypass Tampa. That doesn't mean they can't make the playoffs - it just means Tampa fans don't want a tie.

Making things a little more complicated is the fact that Okapi and Key Biscayne have played one less game than the other teams because their mid-March tilt didn't happen. If it's not played, Key Biscayne will take the forfeit, which really hurts their Cup chances. If it's played, Key Biscayne could make the Cup semis with a 3-0 run.

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However, RBMA, Jupiter, and Orlando are also gunning for that semifinal spot. It's highly likely that four of those five will make the semis, so it's down to who plays whom and when.

Tampa takes on the Cape Pirates this weekend, and if the Pirates lose, their slim cup chances are basically in the wind. After that it's Orlando April 9. Orlando has no easy finish, with Okapi, and then Tampa. RBMA plays West Pines and then the Pirates, which. A win this weekend against the 1-6 Wolfhounds should secure a semifinal spot for RBMA.

Jupiter is, like Orlando, looking over their shoulder at Key Biscayne, and this week they get to look straight ahead at those rivals. It's a huge game between Key Biscayne and the Jupiter Sharks. Jupiter finishes off against 1-6 Naples, and so should have at least six wins. A win over Key Biscayne will keep them in the top four. A loss, and Key Biscayne will be the team gunning for the spot.

As for the Plate, that 5th Cup hopeful, plus Cape Pirates and Okapi, will compete there. The winner of this week's Naples v Dayton game will likely be the 4th Plate team. 

So it's not at all clear right now, but it will clear up this weekend.

 

4/2/2016 Okapi Wanderers (2-3-1) at Orlando Griffins (5-2)
4/2/2016 Tampa Krewe (6-1) at Cape Pirates (3-4)
4/2/2016 Naples Bears (1-6) at Daytona Beach (1-6)
4/2/2016 RBMA (5-1-1) at West Pines Wolfhounds (1-6)
4/2/2016 Jupiter Sharks (5-2) at Key Biscayne (4-2)

 

  Florida HS DI Standings   W L T PF PA PD PTS
  Tampa Krewe   6 1 0 149 67 82 24
  RBMA   5 1 1 153 124 29 22
  Jupiter Sharks   5 2 0 155 88 67 20
  Orlando Griffins   5 2 0 163 91 72 20
  Key Biscayne   4 2 0 139 104 35 16
  Cape Pirates   3 4 0 111 120 -9 12
  Okapi   2 3 1 83 100 -17 10
  Daytona   1 6 0 89 144 -55 4
  West Pines   1 6 0 62 143 -81 4
  Naples   1 6 0 40 172 -123 4