Class 5A football full brackets: recruits to watch, biggest question
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The Class 5A playoff bracket has been announced and a major program is out of the mix, clearing the way for new teams to make a run at a state championship.
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Back-to-back state champion West Boca made the FHSAA's inaugural Open Division, pulling the Bulls from the field.
Mandarin enters the bracket as the top seed in Region 1, on the other side of the bracket strong Buchholz program that took their first loss of the year last week. Sebring holds the No. 1 seed in Region 2.
Region 3 has No. 1 Armwood staring at a rematch with cross-town rival Tampa Bay Tech (No. 2) with no West Boca to break up the party. Region 4's No. 1 seed is Archbishop McCarthy.
Here are the full brackets for each region, along with burning questions and recruits to watch.
Region 1
Regional Quarterfinals
(1) Mandarin* vs. (8) Oakleaf
(4) Evans* (5) Pace*
(3) Nease vs. (6) Bartram Trail
(2) Buchholz* vs. (7) Ponte Vedra
Burning question: Are Mandarin and Buchholz on a collision course?
Buchholz beat Mandarin 27-20 in the Region 1-6A championship game in 2025. It wouldn't be a shock to see these two state powers meet again this season. Mandarin went 9-1 in the regular season. The lone loss came at undefeated Raines, and only St. Augustine was able to come within 18 ponts of the Mustangs. Buchholz also went 9-1. The lone loss was a 31-28 heartbreaker at Bolles in the finale — a game that saw the Bobcats rally from a 17-0 halftime deficit to take a fourth quarter lead. This is a very deep region with several teams capable of making a run, but Mandarin and Buchholz are the top seeds for a reason.
Recruit to watch: Mandarin 2027 WR Brysen Wright
Simply stated, Wright is one of the elite high school football players in the nation. The newest member of Miami's loaded 2027 class announced on Nov. 5 that he was reclassifying from the 2028 class. He caught 46 passes for 984 yards and 11 touchdowns, rushed for 92 yards and a score and chipped in 26 tackles, two interceptions, three passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries on defense this season.
Region 2
Regional Quarterfinals
(1) Sebring vs. (8) Wiregrass Ranch*
(4) Gaither* vs. (5) Melbourne
(3) Osceola vs. (6) Lake Gibson
(2) Oviedo* vs. (7) Lake Howell
Burning question: Without Lakeland, is this region wide open?
Lakeland is in the Open Division, leaving a major hole in Region 2. Sebring is the No. 1 seed, and beat both Osceola and Lake Gibson in one-score games in district play. Oviedo went 7-3 in the regular season, with its three losses coming by a total of four points. The Lions won seven in a row before falling to undefeated Seminole 30-29 in the finale. Osceola won just three games but played a strong schedule and is an experienced playoff team. Gaither won seven games with two of its losses coming a single score. That includes a 35-28 loss at Tampa Bay Tech, one of the favorites in Region 3.
Recruit to watch: Osceola 2027 DL Jason Lewis
Ranked No. 48 on the USA Today Florida top 100, Lewis is a force on the defensive line. The 6-foot-4, 260-pounder had 46 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, a team-best 11 sacks, 29 quarterback hurries and three passes defended this season. Lewis, a Syracuse commit, recently shut down his recruitment.
Region 3
Regional Quarterfinals
(1) Armwood* vs. (8) Cape Coral*
(4) Sumner vs. (5) Manatee
(3) Palmetto* vs. (6) Royal Palm Beach*
(2) Tampa Bay Tech vs. (7) Plant
Burning question: Can anyone prevent a rematch of Armwood vs. Tampa Bay Tech?
Armwood is undefeated in Florida this season, with its lone loss coming at Don Bosco Prep (NJ) in Week 2. Tampa Bay Tech also won nine games during the regular season. The lone loss? A 14-7 defeat at the hands of rival Armwood in a game that was essentially decided by an errant Tech punt snap. Palmetto may have the best chance to play spoiler of an Armwood-Tech rematch. The Tigers won nine games, including definitive wins over Sumner and Manatee. Royal Palm Beach also won nine games this season, including a win against Archbishop McCarthy — the top seed in Region 4.
Recruit to watch: Sumner 2028 OL George Selvie III
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Selvie is one of the premier junior linemen in the nation. He's strong, athletic, moves well and does a great job in both the run and pass games. The All-American is ranked No. 20 in Florida on the 247Sports composite rankings with offers from Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and several others. Selvie's father, George Selvie, is Sumner's head coach. The elder Selvie was an All-American at USF and played in the NFL.
Region 4
Regional Quarterfinals
(1) Archbishop McCarthy vs. (8) Olympic Heights
(4) Miami Southridge vs. (5) Piper
(3) Monarch vs. (6) Mater Academy*
(2) Coconut Creek* vs. (7) Deerfield Beach
Burning question: Who's the favorite?
Undefeated St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the premier teams in the nation, is in the Open Division. West Boca, which is undefeated in Florida this season, is in the Open Division. That's left a major void in the Region 4 bracket. Top seeded Archbishop McCarthy won just four games, but suffered one-score losses against Bolles, The First Academy and Royal Palm Beach. Coconut Creek has won seven of eight, with the lone loss coming against Chaminade-Madonna. Creek beat both McCarthy and Monarch in the regular season. Southridge was a state semifinalist in 2024 and a regional finalist in 2025.
Recruit to watch: Archbishop McCarthy 2028 CB Justin Antenor
The 6-foot-1, 172-pound Antenor is ranked No. 29 in Florida on the 247Sports composite rankings. His offer list includes Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas A&M and others. Antenor leads Archbishop McCarthy with four interceptions and nine pass breakups. He also recorded 36 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Class 5A football full brackets: recruits to watch, biggest question