These Districts have some definite stories to tell, and plenty of movement possible.

Lots of top teams in my Polls, with a wild District 4 that should have great attendance at their games. The defending state champion in 2A in Bartram looking to recover from a late-season skid, while a late surging Lake Mary looks to keep their momentum going.

District 1

Gulf Breeze and Niceville met and GB took away the 12-4 win. GB also took an easy win over Milton, so there doesn’t seem to be much intrigue in this District. Niceville won the Milton battle, but that was in the first game of the season, and there might be more competitiveness in their semifinal game. It looks like this will be a 1-team district in all likelihood.

District 2

Based on the rankings, this is the weakest of the 4 districts, and a likely Fletcher #8 seed as a district winner. Atlantic Coast and Nease are the 2/3 matchup and they are 3rd and 4th Team Out, so there’s not much to watch for here, barring an unlikely Fletcher loss.

District 3

Bartram, the defending state champs, are the overwhelming favorite here, and the biggest game is the semifinal between Creekside and Buchholz. Right now, Buchholz holds the #6 seed while Creekside is First Team Out. Buchholz won the regular season game by 4 goals on the road. Their FHSAA rankings are 24 vs 29, yet Creekside has the higher ranking with LN and it’s a significant difference at 18 vs 29. It should be a battle.

District 4

This 8-team District might be as tough as any in the state. Right now, these teams rank #2-#5 in the Region, with statewide FHSAA rankings of 8/9/13/19. LN does not hold Apopka in the same category, so they might be vulnerable to moving down in seeding since they are facing a likely Bartram loss in the semifinal. What also makes this District interesting is how well Lake Mary finished the season on a roll, after Lake Brantley took a one-goal win early in the season over them. Oviedo was also competitive with them late in the season. Lake Mary’s star Jenna Skibbe should be better known than she is.

This District tournament is all about positioning for the best seed possible.