Herald Top 20 football poll: With most races decided, fewer key matchups this week

After 10 weeks of play, we wind down to the final week of the regular season with the playoffs on the horizon.

Even though the districts have been decided and most of the seedings have been determined (rendering most of this week’s action meaningless), there are still a few loose ends to be tied up.

With most of the top teams enjoying a bye week (which a lot of them do by design in anticipation of postseason play), there are still a few important races still going, and one of those will be for the top spot in Region 4-4A. Miami Gulliver Prep. and Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, separated by the narrowest of RPI points, are neck and neck for that spot.

Playing on your home field can be very valuable in the postseason and Gibbons and Gulliver, who have been headed on a collision course all season, desperately want to host that game as home field could prove to be the difference between who moves on and who goes home.

We’ll see how everything shakes out when the FHSAA officially releases its pairings on Sunday at 2 p.m.

▪ A quick shout-out to “The Voice” himself, Willie Wilcox Sr. It was two weeks ago that a special ceremony was held at Traz Powell Stadium to honor the longtime and legendary PA announcer at Traz as the press box was officially named in his honor.

A truly wonderful gentleman with a big heart and beloved by everyone, Wilcox Sr. has spent the past four decades calling games at Traz, aka “The Mecca” making his signature calls, most notably “Say no to drugs and yes to education” along with “it’s not over till it’s over” and whose name will now live forever as part of the stadium.

THIS WEEK’S TOP 20

1. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna; 2. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas; 3. Miami Central; 4. Cardinal Gibbons; 5. Miami Killian; 6. Fort Lauderdale Dillard; 7. Gulliver Prep.; 8. Homestead; 9. Plantation American Heritage; 10. Davie Western; 11. Deerfield Beach; 12. Miami Northwestern; 13. Miami Columbus; 14. Hialeah Champagnat; 15. Miami Palmetto; 16. Miami Florida Christian; 17. Miami Edison; 18. Miami LaSalle; 19. Miramar; 20. Hollywood South Broward.

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

Plantation, Coconut Creek, Doral Academy, Coral Glades, Hollywood Avant Garde.

THIS WEEK’S TOP GAMES

▪ No. 17 Edison (6-3) vs. No. 15 Palmetto (6-2), Friday, 5 p.m. at Tropical Park: As good as Edison is, the Red Raiders actually find themselves right on the playoff bubble in Region 4-3A and might just need to win this game to make it in. With no districts and only six teams making it in each region in 3A, the Red Raiders are sitting at No. 6 with Boca Raton St. Andrews nipping at their heels.

Palmetto meanwhile has already wrapped up the District 16-8A title but is in a battle with Western to secure the No. 1 seed in the region. The Panthers will have plenty to play for, too.

. A tough call here as Palmetto will be looking to bounce back from a close loss to Columbus last week but Edison has even more to play for trying to secure a playoff berth so I’ll go with the slightly more desperate team. BD’s Pick: Edison 26-21.

▪ No. 10 Western (7-2) at No. 19 Miramar (6-2), Friday, 7 p.m.: As previously mentioned, Western is battling Palmetto for the top seed in Region 4-8A so will have plenty to play for. Miramar is starting to really roll.

After an 0-2 start, the Patriots have reeled off six wins in a row, including outscoring their past five opponents by a combined 181-6. A good, tough matchup for both teams as they prepare for postseason play, and I’ll give a slight edge to the Wildcats in what might be a low-scoring affair. BD’s Pick: Western 20-13.

THE REST OF THE TOP 20

1. Chaminade-Madonna (7-1), Bye.

2. St. Thomas Aquinas (9-1), Bye.

3. Central (7-2), Bye.

▪ 4. Cardinal Gibbons (7-2) at Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson (3-6), Friday, 7 p.m.: A final tune-up for Gibbons before a challenging postseason begins. BD’s Pick: Gibbons 44-12.

5. Killian (10-0), Bye.

▪ 6. Dillard (8-1) at Pompano Beach Blanche Ely (1-8), Saturday, 7 p.m.: Once upon a time, the Broward Soul Bowl was a classic between two great programs. But not anymore as Ely has fallen on hard times. Dillard barely survived an upset bid by Plantation last week (winning 41-40) and will be looking to build some momentum heading into the playoffs. Look for Panthers to roll big. BD’s Pick: Dillard 45-8.

▪ 7. Gulliver Prep. (6-1) at Orlando Bishop Moore (4-5), Friday, 7 p.m.: This game looked a lot more challenging for Gulliver at the beginning of the season, but Bishop Moore, a traditional power in Central Florida, has struggled this year. Raiders should roll. BD’s Pick: Gulliver 38-10.

8. Homestead (8-1), Bye.

9. Plantation American Heritage (5-3), Bye.

▪ 11. Deerfield Beach (7-2) vs. Sunrise Piper (4-4), Friday, 7 p.m.: Bucks got a huge showdown win over Boca Raton last week to wrap up the district title and will look to keep the momentum going heading into the playoffs. BD’s Pick: Deerfield Beach 41-13.

12. Northwestern (7-3), Bye.

13. Columbus (6-3), Bye.

▪ 14. Champagnat (6-2) at Naples Lely (4-5), Friday, 7 p.m.: Lions are actually in a battle with Hollywood Avant Garde for the No. 1 seed in Region 4-2A so this game is important. They should take care of business. BD’s Pick: Champagnat 37-13.

▪ 16. Florida Christian (8-0) vs. Pembroke Pines Somerset (6-2), Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Patriots got a huge win last week against previously unbeaten Ransom Everglades and will look to close out a perfect regular season against a pretty good Somerset team as they head in to the playoffs. BD’s Pick: Florida Christian 33-16.

▪ 18. LaSalle (9-0) vs. Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy (2-7), Friday, 7 p.m.: Prepping for the postseason, the Royal Lions are looking to complete the program’s first undefeated regular season and will get it. BD’s Pick: LaSalle 42-7. ▪ 20. South Broward (8-1) vs. Cooper City (4-5), Friday, 7 p.m.: Bulldogs are on their way to the playoffs in Region 4-7A and will close out a terrific regular season with a big win over the Cowboys. BD’s Pick: South Broward 35-8.

OTHER GAMES

Wednesday: Miami-Dade: Coral Park vs. Goleman (Traz Powell), 7: Goleman 34-9; Thursday: Miami-Dade: Westland Hialeah at Ferguson, 3:30: WH 33-13: Hollywood Avant Garde at Somerset Silver Palms, 4: AG 40-14; Miami High vs. Norland (Traz), 7: Norland 30-12; Miami Springs vs. South Miami (Tropical), 7: SM 37-6. Broward: Hollywood Hills at Everglades, 7: Hills 25-13; Coral Springs Charter at North Broward Prep., 7: CSC 20-13; Friday: Miami-Dade: American at Braddock, 3:30: American 21-19; Varela at Hialeah Gardens, 3:30: HG 30-8; Everglades Prep. at Somerset South Homestead, 4: Somerset 27-8; Hialeah vs. Krop (Ives Estates), 7:30: Krop 42-6; Coral Reef at Belen, 7:30: Belen 35-12; Delray Beach Atlantic at Doral Academy, 7: Doral 24-20; Fort Pierce Central at Monsignor Pace, 7:30: Pace 31-14; Mourning at Miami Beach (Memorial), 7: Beach 48-0; Dade Christian at Key West, 7: DC 23-17; Jackson vs. Carol City (Traz), 7:30: Carol City 32-7; North Miami Beach at WPB Forest Hill, 6:30: NMB 30-19; South Dade at Southridge, 7:30: South Dade 26-21; Coral Gables vs. Southwest (Tropical), 8: SW 30-13. Broward: Boca Raton St. Andrews at Pine Crest, 7: St. Andrews 28-20; Monarch at Coconut Creek, 7: Creek 33-17; Douglas at Coral Glades, 7: Glades 23-16; Taravella at Coral Springs, 7: Springs 34-7; Nova at Cypress Bay, 7: CB 27-21; Hallandale at Flanagan, 7: Flanagan 35-12; Fort Lauderdale vs. Stranahan (Lockhart Park), 7: FTL 23-21; West Broward at McArthur, 7: McArthur 26-20; Pompano Beach at Pembroke Pines Charter, 7: Pompano 27-19; South Plantation at Plantation (PAL), 7: Plantation 44-8.

Last week top 20: 15-2. Last week overall: 38-6.

Season top 20: 115-15. Season overall: 311-63.

Bill Daley can be reached at:billd@curtispub.net.Follow him on Twitter: @Billykid11