As a whole, this area will never be confused with those pockets of Ohio, Texas or Pennsylvania where high school football practically defines the respective communities.
But for one night a year, Daytona Beach gets a major case of football fever. Tonight is that night.
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For the first time in 15 years, it's a district game. Win or lose, if they win in the playoffs they will meet again in round two. Tonight is for home field advantage the first round vs Lake Gibson or a trip to undefeated Winter Haven.
For some players, this is a week they have to put aside friendship, at least until the final seconds tick off the clock. Take, for example, the starting quarterbacks for each team -- Seabreeze's Trenton Norvell (Marshall commit) and Mainland's Shelton Willis. The two have been friends since their middle school days when they played on the same Police Athletic League basketball team.
"We won a state championship when we were 14," Norvell said. "(Mainland cornerback) Rick Rumph was on the team, too. We've been friends a long time."
The 7 p.m. kickoff sets up as a matchup of Mainland's tremendous defense led by defensive ends
Leonard Williams (48 tackles, 17 tackles for loss) and Quinton Powell (59 tackles, 17 tackles for loss), and linebacker Jarvis Mott (100 tackles, 13 tackles for loss), against a high-powered Seabreeze offense paced by Sophomore running backs Trevaughn Rodriguez (1,131 yards, 14 TDs) and Charles Nelson (674 yards, 10 TDs), and Norvell (75-141-5, 1,197 yards, 10 TDs).
The Sandcrabs will be challenged by a Mainland defense that has given up
just 22 points all season.
Seabreeze has averaged 42.2 points in its last five games and has a 6 game winning streak.
The Bucs' Leonard Williams (6'5", 260) is ranked as one of the top DE's in the nation.
Both teams lost their season opener. Mainland lost 14-0 at DeLand on a kick return and pick6. Seabreeze lost 10-7 to Spruce Creek and 20-17 to DeLand in week 3.
Trivia: NBA star Vince Carter was the drum major in the Mainland marching band. NFL kicker Sebastian Janikowski went to Seabreeze.
As a whole, this area will never be confused with those pockets of Ohio, Texas or Pennsylvania where high school football practically defines the respective communities.