UPDATE 2/28: The FHSAA Board of Directors vote to approve the format change of tournament classifications for high school football.
#BREAKING: The @FHSAA Board of Directors has voted 9-7 to approve the Metro/Suburban Classification plan for football starting with the 2022-2023 season. More to come later on https://t.co/yAjFaK3mZa. #flhsfb @FACACoach @FHS7v7A @HSFBamerica @JonSantucci pic.twitter.com/1AfMFMh0g1
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) February 28, 2022
The changes will commence with the 2022-2023 school year, according to the tweet.
Our original reporting continues below:
Here in the state of Florida, football is king, no matter where you go around the state.
But lately, It seems like the cities like Jacksonville Miami and Tampa have reigned supreme in the game of football.
They have brought home a lot more state titles, than here in Southwest Florida, leaving the Florida High School Athletic Association wondering if they can they change that.
According to Florida Gridiron Preps, last year all eight of the state champions came from a metropolitan area, sending teams like those in Southwest Florida home early.
So does something need to change?
“Depending on where you are, yes, the answer is yes,” said Immokalee head football coach James Delgado.
Many coaches in Southwest Florida are on either side of the issue.
Head coach Maurice McClain believes a change needs to be made, so his guys can have a shot at a more balanced playoff.
“Based off our community, there’s only two schools in Hendry County," said McClain. "As far as that pool to pull kids from, we don’t have that opportunity. And that will give us a better chance at making that additional run.”
If the committee decided to continue with this format, then it would place metro teams suburban teams in their own classification.
But some coaches feel they need to play the best in the state, to claim that title.
“I wanna compete against the best without a doubt," said Delgado. "Whether it’s best in the suburban county or the best in the metro county. What you ultimately want is to say is that we are competing for state title year in and year out because of the way we do things here because of the standard that we have set in our program. Because of the talent level, that standard won’t change.”
But for some of these seniors, they want the best shot they can get, before they hang up the jersey for the final time.
“Here in Immokolee, it’s a small town," said Senior Darius Billie. "There’s really not much going on here except football. So, this is what we really depend on and we’d like to play for state.”
