Here are the previews and predictions for high school Kickoff Classic games and SSAA regular season games being played by Sarasota and Manatee area schools on Friday, August 14, 2026.
Braden River at George Jenkins
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for: Last season, Braden River went 4-6, but the Pirates have some key pieces returning during head coach Rick Farmer’s first season at the helm. Farmer was hired in April after serving as the defensive coordinator for the past two seasons, and is looking to have the first winning season since 2021. The Pirates will be senior-heavy this season. Braden River returns Louisen Desinor, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound senior quarterback. Last season, he threw for 1,614 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Pirates also have defensive lineman Darrious Pompey, who is 6-foot-1, 320 pounds. George Jenkins finished 1-9, losing to Braden River 10-9 in October 2025.
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St. John Neumann at Bayshore
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for: After finishing 5-7 last season, falling to Booker in the regional semifinals, Bayshore is looking to build. The Bruins boast wide receiver/defensive back Camdon Stancil, who is entering his senior season. In 2025, he finished with 51 catches, 751 yards and eight touchdowns. Head coach Ace Sanders said, “he’ll be all over the field this season.” Bayshore also has offensive lineman/defensive lineman Braylon Smith, who is 6-foot-5, 275 pounds. He has offers from Florida State, Miami, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Auburn, USC and Ole Miss. Senior Jayden Gibson will also be pivotal for the Bruins after finishing with 800 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns this season. He has one offer from UNC Pembroke. St. John Neumann went 8-4 last season, falling to St. Petersburg Catholic in the regional semifinals.
St. Thomas Aquinas at Cardinal Mooney
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for – Cardinal Mooney: Cardinal Mooney’s preseason matchup against St. Thomas Aquinas will be its first test as the Cougars look to earn their second straight title and third overall in four years. In 2025, Mooney went 14-1, finishing with a Class 2A state title. Mooney will have some familiar faces, including senior quarterback Davin Davidson. The 6-foot-6.5 signal-caller committed to Florida in April after an outstanding offseason, where he received offers from Miami, Georgia and Notre Dame. Mooney also returns senior running back Connail Jackson — who was named MVP of the state championship game — and junior linebacker Trav’ion Lester. The Cougars have also picked up some transfers, including three-star Boston College commit Kaleb Exume, who is a 6-foot-2, 310-pound defensive lineman. Senior Toryeon James, who played at Riverview last season, will also be pivotal for Mooney this season. He had 200 carries for 1,941 yards last season and 28 touchdowns last season, averaging 9.7 yards per carry. St. Thomas Aquinas: Defending state champions Aquinas defeated Cardinal Mooney 22-14 in last season’s kickoff classic. And this year, STA — which has won seven consecutive titles — is ready to give Cardinal Mooney another challenge, ranked as the No. 1 team in the USA Today Florida Network Super 25. Aquinas is led by senior offensive tackle Mark Matthews, who is committed to Texas A&M. Aquinas also boasts wide receiver Julius Jones (Notre Dame), edge Wyatt Smith (Ohio State) and safety Zayden Gamble (Notre Dame).
Lakewood Ranch at Moore Haven
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for: After finishing 4-6 last season, head coach Scott Paravicini has worked to refocus his team. Instead of his players worrying about who is transferring where, Paravicini is centering the attention on the 50-plus players in the locker room. The Mustangs boast senior running back Elidrick Berry, who had 886 yards and nine touchdowns on 132 carries last season. Lakewood Ranch also has linebacker/safety Aric Cleveland, corner/wide receiver Ka’Marion Jones, linebacker Harold McKeever and defensive end Reece Poole. The Mustangs also have a quarterback battle between Everett Russ and Sebastian Engel. The preseason game will likely help decide who will be the signal-caller this season. Moore Haven went 5-5 last season.
Trinity Christian at Manatee
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for: After finishing 6-7, Manatee is looking to rebound this season behind several transfers. Most notably, the Hurricanes picked up sophomore quarterback Nolan Downes in the offseason, who transferred from IMG Academy. There, Downes threw for 2,175 yards, 26 touchdowns and two interceptions, completing 57 percent of his passes. Manatee also boasts three-star senior receiver Tavares Powell, who transferred from Southeast after recording 488 yards and nine touchdowns on 42 passes, adding 67 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 18 carries. They’ll both join a strong offense, featuring receivers Deno Dalacas, Elijah Christian and Jamari Moore.
Lake Gibson at Palmetto
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for: Of the 20-plus players that left Booker, Palmetto may have won the lottery. The Tigers received four-star defensive lineman Maleek Lee, who committed to Georgia Tech from his 29 offers. Last season, Lee had 62 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hurries, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception returned for a touchdown. Palmetto also added former Booker star Kymani Sellers, who is a 6-foot, 200-pound senior linebacker. He had 32 total tackles, 25 solo tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and 23 quarterback hurries in 2025. These additions come on top of an already stacked lineup, featuring senior quarterback Matthew Hennesey, who threw for 2,167 yards last season, alongside cornerback Nazir Pitchford, receiver Jok Harris and Manatee transfer receiver Sirdarrean Allen. Last season, Palmetto finished 10-2, falling to Mitchell in the Class 6A regional semifinals. Lake Gibson finished 5-6 last season.
Port Charlotte at Riverview
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for: After graduating several seniors following a 9-2-1 season, head coach Mark Cristiani described this Riverview team as “resilient.” It features wide receivers Cooper Hamilton and Trenton Hoffman, who had 30 receptions and three touchdowns last season, alongside cornerbacks Casey Izquierdo and Pinot Parks. During the offseason, Cristiani has challenged his team to connect by both putting his seniors through tough situations and asking them hard questions, hoping to advance past the regional semifinals after losing to Sumner in the playoffs last season. Last season, Port Charlotte finished 11-3, losing to Jones in the Class 4A state semifinals. The Pirates will be led by three-star quarterback Logan Flaherty, who is committed to Florida State, and four-star wideout Elias Pearl, who is committed to Florida.
Parrish Community at Saint Petersburg
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for: Under new head coach Kody McNear, who was hired in June after serving as the running backs coach, the Bulls are planning to build on former coach Dylan Clark’s success. Over his three seasons, Clark compiled a 25-7 record, finishing 9-2 in 2025. In 2026, McNear said the defense will be a “different style of Parrish football,” led by defensive coordinator Mike Presto and linebackers coach Cullen Casey. Last season, Saint Petersburg finished 2-7.
Hillsborough at Sarasota
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for: Head coach Amp Campbell said he’ll be surprised if Sarasota doesn’t have its first winning season since 2021, when the Sailors went 6-5. Sarasota has several pieces, most notably three-star quarterback Hudson West. The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder has 21 offers, including Florida, Florida State, Iowa State, Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Cincinnati. Sarasota also has several key players, including senior receiver Jayden Rivers, senior linebacker Cooper Buck, senior safety Chase Fritz and receiver Julian Wilcom. In 2025, Hillsborough finished 2-8.
Gulf Coast at Venice
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for: Venice will be led by four-star receiver Tyree Mannings Jr., who has 23 offers, including ones from almost every powerhouse of the sport (Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Michigan, Florida, etc.). The Indians also return running backs Dorien Jones and Ira Dale Jr., who will split responsibilities. In the offseason, Venice has added junior quarterback Noah Patton, who transferred from IMG Academy. Receiver Jayvian Hoffmann will also be a new addition, looking to take pressure off Mannings in hopes Venice returns to a state championship game after falling to Lake Mary in the Class 7A semifinals last season. Last season, Gulf Coast finished 5-6.
North Port at Wellen Park
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for: In his second season, head coach Devon Gales will look to build on North Port’s 1-9 record. The team boasts several key players, including senior linebacker Timothy Shabunin, sophomore defensive end Chase DiBerardino and sophomore quarterback Cameron Wilson, who will start for the Bobcats this season. North Port’s first test this season will be a historic one against Wellen Park, which opened its doors on Monday, Aug. 10. Head coach Sascha Hyer plans to have a “no frills” approach in his first season to teach his players to earn what they deserve. And while he doesn’t expect to go 10-0, he’s using his first season as the foundation for the years to come.
SSAA: Week 1
Bishop McLaughlin at Saint Stephen’s
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for: Head coach Chris Valcarcel considers Saint Stephen’s roster to be one of the strongest over the last few seasons after finishing 5-6 last year. It boasts wide receiver/linebacker Nate Schueller — who had three touchdowns and 460 receiving yards — and wide receiver/defensive back Ashton Fischer, who had four receiving touchdowns in 2025. Senior linebacker Zach Bonisch and defensive end/linebacker Carlos Barrera — who had a team-high 6.5 sacks in 2025 — will also be pivotal for the Falcons this season. Junior Carson McBride had 116 tackles, two interceptions and one forced fumble last season, while two-way starter Dylan McLeod recovered five fumbles in 2025. Bishop McLaughlin went 4-8 last season.
Moon’s prediction: Saint Stephen’s 21-7
Bradenton Christian at First Academy Leesburg
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for: Bradenton Christian went 12-1 in 2025, falling to Real Life Christian Academy in the SSAA 8-man state championship. The Panthers return senior quarterback Holland Hume, who threw for 2,289 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, completing 64.5% of his passes. Bradenton Christian will look to replace several of its offensive pieces that have since graduated, including wideout Connar Henderson and Ben Krikke, who shared running back responsibilities with Dylan Herron. Krikke also led with 78 total tackles. First Academy went 6-5 last season.
Moon’s prediction: Bradenton Christian 42-14
Gateway Charter at Sarasota Christian
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for: Sarasota Christian finished 5-6 last season and is looking to improve in 2026 with a senior-heavy lineup. Head coach Jacob Spenn described Sarasota Christian as very unselfish — a team that’s “doing their job and having fun being together.” Sarasota Christian will be led by senior free safety/wide receiver Noah Spenn and senior guard/defensive tackle Jacob Murray. The Blazers will have a new signal-caller in Tait Zeltwanger for the first time in four years. Zeltwanger is a sophomore. Last season, Gateway Charter finished 3-8.
Moon’s prediction: Sarasota Christian 35-7
Indian Rocks at Out-of-Door Academy
Time: 7 p.m.
What to watch for: After finishing 8-3 last season, falling to Jupiter Christian in the SSAA 11-Man state championship, Out-of-Door is working to find the same success in 2026. The Thunder returns senior Jake Beasley, who had 54 total tackles, 12 solo tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 34 quarterback hurries and nine sacks last season. ODA also boasts Alex Falu — a senior who can play on both sides of the ball — and junior Kingston Kokoefer, who has started for the last two seasons at wide receiver and defensive back. Those three will be key as the Thunder look to go deeper in the playoffs. Indian Rocks finished 4-7 last season, falling to Clearwater Central Catholic in the regional quarterfinals.
Moon’s prediction: ODA 28-7
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida High School Football Week 0: Sarasota, Manatee game previews
Reporting by Emma Moon, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Emma Moon, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
