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FOUR-GAME SERIES SET TO OPEN THE SEASON
http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1073522
Dallas Jackson is the Senior Analyst for RivalsHigh. Email him your question, comment or story ideas to DallasJ@Yahoo-Inc.com and follow him on Twitter.
The number of kickoff classic events for high school football is on the rise. The 2010 season now has another to add to the list: Florida versus The USA.
RivalsHigh.com has learned The Gridiron Challenge Foundation has finalized deals with eight teams to play a four-game series on the weekend of Aug. 27-28 at Daytona Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The event will start with one Friday evening game, pairing Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland against defending Mississippi Class 5A Champion West Point High. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
West Point is coming off of a 14-1 season and returns running back LaKenderic Thomas to key a strong ground game. Mainland ended the 2009 campaign 9-3, losing in the second round of the Florida playoffs. The Buccaneers, who spent a few weeks in the RivalsHigh 100 last season, welcome back Florida State commit Cortez Davis and Clemson-bound running back Marlin Lane.
The event organizer, Billy Fleming, said that the original plan was to play four games on Saturday but Mainland-West Point was moved because both teams had a strong desire to play on Friday night.
There are three games on Saturday. Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central takes on Dallas (Texas) Skyline at noon. Then Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Day plays Jeffersonville (Ga.) Twiggs County. The day concludes with Cocoa (Fla.) High facing Olive Branch (Miss.) High.
Fleming said the teams were chosen for very specific reasons.
"The teams were chosen mainly by their history and recent success," he said.
Fleming also gave strong consideration to making sure the games were quality match-ups for both teams.
"We had two small schools that wanted in," he said. "And it made such a great pairing."
[table][tr][td]
[/td][td]
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
[/td][/tr][tr][td]Chevelle Buie leads Cocoa.[/td][/tr][/table] The first game on Saturday features two teams that climbed into the Top 15 of the RivalsHigh 100 last year.
Dallas Skyline, which was as high as No. 2 nationally, ended the year ranked No. 91, finishing 12-1 with a disappointing playoff loss. The team will be fielding a lot of new faces as it sent 11 seniors to Division I schools and graduated four more starters.
Glades Central was as high as No. 12 nationally in the 2009 season before settling in at No. 72 at season's end after losing in the state finals to Cocoa. Glades Central, a traditional power in Florida, features Rivals 250 to Watch member, Kelvin Benjamin, at wide receiver.
The afternoon matinee game will have two smaller classifications but one of the brightest - and youngest - stars in the event.
Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Day, the defending Class 1B state champion in Florida, hosts Georgia Class A member Jeffersonville Twiggs County. The game will be a showcase event for 2013 running back Kelvin Taylor, son of NFL player Fred Taylor. Taylor led the Gators to a state title last year averaging 127 yards on the ground per game.
The final game will feature Cocoa (Fla.) High, in defense of a Class 2A title in 2009 and Class 3A title in 2008, taking on perennial 6A Mississippi power, Olive Branch.
Cocoa ended the 2009 season ranked No. 57 in the RivalsHigh 100 and could have a better team returning in 2010, featuring running back Chevelle Buie.
Olive Branch, however, could be in a rebuilding year. In 2010, the Conquistadors sent three offensive lineman to the SEC. Running a spread offense behind an inexperienced line could prove to be an undoing early.
The Florida versus The USA event is the first for Fleming and his organization, but plans are underway to expand to other markets for major events.
Fleming has two key places in the Southeast targeted.
"We are looking into Legion Field in Birmingham and the Liberty Bowl in Memphis," he said. "We want to do two mega events next year."
I hope this is televised
http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1073522
The number of kickoff classic events for high school football is on the rise. The 2010 season now has another to add to the list: Florida versus The USA.
RivalsHigh.com has learned The Gridiron Challenge Foundation has finalized deals with eight teams to play a four-game series on the weekend of Aug. 27-28 at Daytona Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The event will start with one Friday evening game, pairing Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland against defending Mississippi Class 5A Champion West Point High. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
West Point is coming off of a 14-1 season and returns running back LaKenderic Thomas to key a strong ground game. Mainland ended the 2009 campaign 9-3, losing in the second round of the Florida playoffs. The Buccaneers, who spent a few weeks in the RivalsHigh 100 last season, welcome back Florida State commit Cortez Davis and Clemson-bound running back Marlin Lane.
The event organizer, Billy Fleming, said that the original plan was to play four games on Saturday but Mainland-West Point was moved because both teams had a strong desire to play on Friday night.
There are three games on Saturday. Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central takes on Dallas (Texas) Skyline at noon. Then Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Day plays Jeffersonville (Ga.) Twiggs County. The day concludes with Cocoa (Fla.) High facing Olive Branch (Miss.) High.
Fleming said the teams were chosen for very specific reasons.
"The teams were chosen mainly by their history and recent success," he said.
Fleming also gave strong consideration to making sure the games were quality match-ups for both teams.
"We had two small schools that wanted in," he said. "And it made such a great pairing."
[table][tr][td]
Dallas Skyline, which was as high as No. 2 nationally, ended the year ranked No. 91, finishing 12-1 with a disappointing playoff loss. The team will be fielding a lot of new faces as it sent 11 seniors to Division I schools and graduated four more starters.
Glades Central was as high as No. 12 nationally in the 2009 season before settling in at No. 72 at season's end after losing in the state finals to Cocoa. Glades Central, a traditional power in Florida, features Rivals 250 to Watch member, Kelvin Benjamin, at wide receiver.
The afternoon matinee game will have two smaller classifications but one of the brightest - and youngest - stars in the event.
Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Day, the defending Class 1B state champion in Florida, hosts Georgia Class A member Jeffersonville Twiggs County. The game will be a showcase event for 2013 running back Kelvin Taylor, son of NFL player Fred Taylor. Taylor led the Gators to a state title last year averaging 127 yards on the ground per game.
The final game will feature Cocoa (Fla.) High, in defense of a Class 2A title in 2009 and Class 3A title in 2008, taking on perennial 6A Mississippi power, Olive Branch.
Cocoa ended the 2009 season ranked No. 57 in the RivalsHigh 100 and could have a better team returning in 2010, featuring running back Chevelle Buie.
Olive Branch, however, could be in a rebuilding year. In 2010, the Conquistadors sent three offensive lineman to the SEC. Running a spread offense behind an inexperienced line could prove to be an undoing early.
The Florida versus The USA event is the first for Fleming and his organization, but plans are underway to expand to other markets for major events.
Fleming has two key places in the Southeast targeted.
"We are looking into Legion Field in Birmingham and the Liberty Bowl in Memphis," he said. "We want to do two mega events next year."
I hope this is televised
