8-8A rivals Vero Beach, Centennial, Treasure Coast on track for top-4 seeds in playoffs

Combining for a 14-1 start helped the Vero Beach, St. Lucie West Centennial and Treasure Coast football teams get an early foothold on playoff positioning.

The District 8-8A rivals grabbed three of the top four spots in Region 2-8A in the season's first playoff power points ratings released Tuesday by the Florida High School Athletic Association.

Vero Beach (5-0), which has won 48 consecutive regular-season games, is first in the region with 44.40 points.

Centennial (5-0), off to its best start since 2003, is third with 42.80. Treasure Coast, located just 5 miles south of Centennial, is fourth with 40.40.

"Our district, top to bottom, is very tough," Vero Beach coach Lenny Jankowski said. "A lot of good players, a lot of good teams, a lot of good coaches. It's a lot of people doing things the right way."

All three teams have been scoring points in bunches. Treasure Coast averages an area-best 40.6 points per game, Vero Beach 40.2 and Centennial 39.2.

Treasure Coast defeated 2017 Class 4A state runner-up Cocoa 34-29 in Week 2 while Vero Beach owns a season-opening 42-20 win against 2017 Class 7A state champion Venice.

"We know what we need to do. Just keep winning and that will take care of things," Treasure Coast coach Irvin Jones said. "If we do what we are supposed to do, we don't even have to worry about it."

Point totals are based on a team's wins and losses plus opponents' records and recent playoff history. Eight teams make the playoffs in each region in classes 5A-8A.

The District 8-8A drama will begin to unfold Friday when Centennial hosts Vero Beach in a district opener at South County Regional Stadium while Treasure Coast plays Fort Pierce Central (1-3) at Lawnwood Stadium.

More:Inside Friday Night: 5-0 rivals Vero Beach, St. Lucie West Centennial await key 8-8A clash

Centennial last made the playoffs in 2011, but is 5-0 for only the third time in the program's 21-year history. The other two Eagles teams to do so — in 2000 and 2003 — won district titles and reached the second round of the playoffs.

The Eagles' most impressive win to date is a 54-0 dismantling of Melbourne two weeks ago. The Bulldogs, 3-0 at the time, failed to cross midfield.

Centennial coach Jamar Chaney could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Centennial-Vero Beach clash is a rare meeting of two 5-0 area teams. The Eagles have allowed only two touchdowns in five games while Vero Beach's defense has allowed one touchdown and one field goal in its past 18 quarters. 

Vero Beach has the fourth-highest points total among Class 8A teams, trailing only Delray Beach-Atlantic (47.25), Homestead-South Dade (46.80) and Wekiva (46.00).

The team with the top power rating in each class is guaranteed home-field advantage through the state semifinals.

The power ratings will change weekly until the playoffs begin Nov. 9.

"It's always nice to be recognized for whatever hard work we've put in up to this point, but in the grand scheme of things it means absolutely nothing," Jankowski said.

Sebastian River (3-1), which already has matched its 2017 win total in coach Tony Perry's first season, is seventh in Region 4-6A with 37.25 points. The Sharks meet Jensen Beach (1-3) in a District 14-6A game Friday.

Fort Pierce Westwood is ninth in Region 4-5A, but the Panthers (4-1) are 1-0 in District 15-5A and can clinch their second consecutive title by beating Suncoast (2-3) on Oct. 12 and Pompano Beach (0-4) on Oct. 26.

The four district champions in each region automatically advance to the playoffs and will be seeded Nos. 1-4. The next four spots are determined by points.

PLAYOFF POWER POINTS STANDINGS

Region 2-8A: 1. Vero Beach 44.40, 2. Osceola (Kissimmee) 43.00, 3. St. Lucie West Centennial 42.80, 4. Treasure Coast 40.40, 5. George Jenkins 38.25, 6. Manatee (Bradenton) 37.80, 7. Ridge Community 36.80, (tie) Gateway (Kissimmee) 36.80 Other local: 15. Fort Pierce Central 33.67

Region 2-7A: 1. Lakeland 44.00, 2. Harmony 42.20, 3. Sickles (Tampa) 40.80, 4. Winter Haven 40.40, 5. Plant (Tampa) 40.25, 6. Viera 39.80, 7. Lake Nona 39.00, 8. Wiregrass Ranch. Local: 12. Martin County 33.80, 15. South Fork 32.75

Region 4-6A: 1. Miami Central 44.40, 2. Miami Carol City 44.00, 3. Heritage 40.35, 4. Dillard (Fort Lauderdale) 39.40, 5. Mainland (Daytona Beach) 39.20, 6. Miami Northwestern 37.80, 7. Sebastian River 37.25, 8. New Smyrna Beach 37.00. Local: 15. Jensen Beach 33.25, 16. Okeechobee 31.50

Region 4-5A: 1. Rockledge 45.40, 2. Jones (Orlando) 42.25, 3. American Heritage (Plantation) 42.20, 4. Space Coast 41.60, 5. Coconut Creek 40.25, 6. Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Laudredale) 40.20, 7. Merritt Island 38.40, 8. Bishop Moore 37.25. Local: 9. Fort Pierce Westwood 37.00, 15. Port St. Lucie 34.20