The Florida High School Athletic Association released the 2025 state tournament brackets on Nov. 6, setting the stage for the Drive to 305 playoffs that begin this week with first-round regional matchups.

• Teams will compete over the next four weekends — three in Class Rural — with hopes of reaching their classification’s championship game.

The Rural Classification and Florida Invitational Tournament championships will be held Dec. 4 and 6 at The Villages Charter School and The Range at H.G. Morse Stadium. The Class 1A-7A title games will take place the following week, Dec. 10-13, on the campus of Florida International University at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium.

Seven area teams made the playoffs this season, and each brings its own story into the postseason.

Choctawhatchee

After quite possibly the best season the Indians have had since 1990, Choctawhatchee enters as the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a 9-1 record. The Indians lost out on the No. 1 seed to St. Augustine after an upset loss to Enterprise last week.

The offense is anchored by dual-threat quarterback Tamen Zabetakis, 1,000-yard rusher Von Keller and Wisconsin commit Bean Legree. Other key contributors include versatile playmaker Carter Marracco, receiver DJ Spence and two-way force Dante Whidbee.

On defense, the Indians have become one of the Panhandle’s best, featuring sack leader Mario Alloway, linebacker Ellis Alloway and a secondary anchored by the Reese brothers, Amir and Alontae.

Choctawhatchee will open at home against Booker T. Washington on Friday and is guaranteed another home game with a victory.

Coach Beasley said the team is focused heading into the playoffs.

• “They’re focused. They’re ready to go,” Beasley said. “Everyone really understands what’s in front of them, but we have an opportunity to make history and we have to take it one game at a time and make sure that we’re focused on each day and what we do at practice and how we’re gonna get better and it starts this week. I’m dialed in, the kids are dialed in, our coaches are dialed in so we’re ready to go.”

Niceville

While a 6-4 record (losses to Choctawhatchee and Crestview) and finishing as the No. 8 seed may disappoint some Eagles fans, Niceville showed plenty of promise in year one under new head coach Richard Morgan.

The Eagles finished the year on a 4-1 stretch, with their only loss in that span being an overtime loss to district champion and No. 3 seed Mosley.

The roster features a defense that includes one of the area’s best linebacker corps with Harper Campbell and Clay Nelson, in addition to disruptive force Dominic Ealy. On offense, the Eagles boast emerging sophomore quarterback Deegan McCoy and freshman standout 1,000-yard rusher Jakobe Gilyard. Receiver Robert Oliver rounded out the offensive big three this year.

The Eagles will travel to No. 1 Ponte Vedra to open the playoffs.

Crestview

The Bulldogs started the year 1-3, but their one win during that stretch was notable — a victory over archrival Niceville. Down the stretch is when the Bulldogs really turned it on, rallying to win five straight to finish the year strong.

The Bulldogs’ defense stepped up during that stretch, allowing just 6.2 points per game. The key player on defense is defensive tackle Jordyn Stoutemire, who has totaled five sacks and eight tackles for loss. Sack leader Landon Scott had nine sacks on the year.

• On offense, the Bulldogs’ calling card has been a strong rushing attack. Quarterback Zy Tassin is their leading rusher, and the Bulldogs have two solid running backs in Cre’Shon Cobb and Manwell Robinson.

The Bulldogs enter the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and will travel to Mandarin on Friday.

Baker

The Gators finished 10-0, the first time they’ve accomplished that feat since the 2020 state championship team.

Coach Matt Brunson sees similarities between this year’s team and the 2020 state championship squad.

• “Just a bunch of overachievers that work extremely hard, that play unselfish, just rally around each other and they’re fun to be around,” Brunson said. “They’re just a great group of kids just like the group was in 2020, and they both were very strong and play very physical.”

At the heart of the Gators’ success this year has been a balanced offensive attack anchored by dual-threat quarterback Justice Baldwin, a strong rushing attack featuring Calvin Wilks III and Wyatt Straight, and 1,000-yard receiver Riley Renfro. The Gators also boast a solid defense anchored by tackle-for-loss leaders Jonah Bennett and Ray Rentz in addition to sack leader Austin Stanley.

The Gators enter the playoffs as the No. 6 seed and face Liberty County at home on Friday.

Brunson pointed out his familiarity with Liberty County coach Gerald Tranquill as the biggest factor heading into Friday’s matchup.

• “Well Coach Gerald Tranquill at Liberty has done a great job,” Brunson said. “When he was at Vernon, we had some wars in ’18, ’19, and ’20 so I know he’ll have those guys ready and he knows Baker really well. There’s some history between the coaches’ styles of each team and we’re glad to have it at home, but anytime you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen, so we definitely need to be playing our best ball and we’re excited to play Coach Tranquill and the Liberty County Bulldogs.”

Brunson said the team views the need to take it one game at a time heading into the playoffs.

South Walton

The Seahawks were quite possibly the area’s most improved team, going from 2-8 to 7-3.

According to head coach Phil Tisa, the players decided to set a new standard and bought into it.

• “Just all of us looking in the mirror and realizing, we do not want to experience what we experienced last year and that the kids bought-in starting in November last year and just said no more,” Tisa said. “So we set a new standard. Everybody, from top to bottom, strives for that standard every day.”

At the heart of the Seahawks’ success has been their passing game, led by quarterback JD Brown’s emergence as one of the area’s best passers.

“Just his ability to understand the game plan and understand defenses,” Tisa said about Brown. “He’s obviously got all the tools as far as physical tools, but just that mental side of it makes a big difference for a high school quarterback.”

Other stars on offense include receivers Max Baker and Grant Gilmore, in addition to running back William Justiss.

The Seahawks enter as the No. 3 seed and open against cross-bay rival Freeport. Despite the Seahawks’ 50-9 victory over Freeport in their Week 8 matchup, Tisa said he’s putting that game behind him.

• “They’ve got some weapons that we have to take care of,” Tisa said. “I don’t want to put a whole lot of stock on our previous matchup. I’m sure both sides look at it and say, hey what do we need to do different, what tweaks do we need to make? I don’t want to take them for granted because I’m sure that there’s got to be some revenge on their minds, but just go out and try and prepare the best we can to take away their weapons.”

Freeport

The Bulldogs finished 5-4 and enter the playoffs as the No. 6 seed. They will open the playoffs with a rematch against cross-bay rival South Walton on Friday.

The key to their success has primarily been their offensive big four of quarterback Carter Nunes (23 touchdowns), 1,000-yard rusher Dylan Louthain, 1,000-yard receiver Julius Miles and two-way star Caleb Leonard.

Walton

The Braves finished 4-6 and enter the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. They will travel to Bolles on Friday to open the playoffs.

The Braves feature a strong rushing attack and a defense with playmakers including Cavion Adams, Camden Zodrow, Elijah Odom and Rylan Housand.

---

Full Brackets

Region 1-6A 

• #1 Bucholz* vs. #8 Oviedo* 
• #2 Mandarin* vs. #7 Crestview 
• #3 Pace* vs. #6 Evans 
• #4 Nease vs. #5 Oakleaf

Region 1-5A 

• #1 Ponte Vedra* vs. #8 Niceville 
• #2 Mainland* vs. #7 Middleburg 
• #3 Mosley* vs. #6 Lincoln* 
• #4 Beachside vs. #5 Milton

Region 1-4A 

• #1 St. Augustine* vs. #8 Arnold 
• #2 Choctawhatchee* vs. #7 Booker T. Washington 
• #3 Columbia vs. #6 Rickards 
• #4 Ed White* vs. #5 Pine Forest*

Region 1-2A 

• #1 Bolles* vs. #8 Walton 
• #2 Pensacola Catholic* vs. #7 Bozeman* 
• #3 South Walton vs. #6 Freeport 
• #4 Florida High* vs. #5 Baldwin

Rural 

• #1 Blountstown vs. #16 Jay 
• #2 Hawthorne vs. #15 Branford 
• #3 Chiefland vs. #14 Sneads 
• #4 Taylor County vs. #13 Trenton 
• #5 Pahokee vs. #12 Fort Meade 
• #6 Baker vs. #11 Liberty County 
• #7 Williston vs. #10 Lafayette 
• #8 Chipley vs. #9 Madison County

Key: * denotes district champion; bold denotes area team