The Florida High School Association’s state playoffs won’t be the only postseason for South Florida football teams next year.

A combined eight Miami-Dade and Broward County small private school teams have declared themselves independent of any of the FHSAA’s districts have joined a 14-team independent conference that will begin play next season.

Five Dade schools — Florida Christian, Miami Country Day, La Salle, Archbishop Curley and Ransom Everglades — and three Broward schools — Westminster Academy, Pine Crest and Coral Springs Charter — will join the new conference that has been named the Southeastern Coaches Football Conference.

The group, along with six more teams from Palm Beach and Monroe Counties will remain members of the FHSAA, but will play an eight-game regular season with a playoff system that will involve every member school.

The schools will be divided into a North and South division with seven teams each. They will compete in an eight-game schedule with seven conference games and one open date.

After eight games, they will compete in playoff games in Weeks 9 and 10 of the regular season. Week 11, which is the final week of the regular season, will be a bye. The championship of the conference will be played during the first week of the FHSAA playoffs.

A few of the schools joining the conference struggled to remain competitive in their district following realignment by the FHSAA before this school year.

Florida Christian, Miami Country Day and Ransom Everglades each withdrew from their districts after forfeiting games against eventual district champion University School.

Each also suffered blowout losses against some of their other district opponents. The three teams, who went a combined 9-20 last season, will join Curley and La Salle in the new conference.

“In an attempt to organize a competitive football schedule, that identifies and reflects the purposes, objectives and fundamental belief of interscholastic athletics our schools, and I think I speak on behalf of the other schools in the South, have chosen to compete as an independent FHSAA member for the 2012 football season,” Archbishop Curley coach and athletic director Greg Magner said.

Curley will leave the same District 8-3A following a 2-8 season, and La Salle departs District 8-4A following a 1-9 season.

• North Division: Westminster Academy, Pine Crest, Coral Springs Charter, Boca Raton Pope John Paul II, North Palm Beach Benjamin, Boca Raton St. Andrews, Fort Pierce John Carroll.

• South Division: Florida Christian, Ransom Everglades, La Salle, Miami Country Day, Archbishop Curley, Marathon, Tavernier Coral Shores.

Andre C. Fernandez

Football ALL-STARS

Some of South Florida’s best football players will get a chance to flaunt their skills in a professional football stadium Friday night.

Stars from Miami-Dade and Broward Counties will clash in the second annual Under Armour Miami Dolphins Dade vs. Broward All-Star game at 7:30 p.m. at Sun Life Stadium.

The teams will vie for the Superintendents Trophy.

The game, endorsed by both the Broward County Athletic Association and the Greater Miami Athletic Conference, will distribute the proceeds to help each counties’ school’s athletic programs.

Fans attending the event will have a chance to meet and get autographs from Dolphins players and cheerleaders before kickoff, and Under Armour will be hosting a skills competition from 4:30 to 6:30 for the opportunity to win a $1,000 shopping spree with Under Armour.