There weren't any area lacrosse games played over spring break in Northwest Florida, but that doesn't mean the updated rankings stop.
The Florida High School Athletic Association posted its latest rankings for boys and girls lacrosse on Monday. Only a couple games were played on Monday, and those aren't included in the rankings.
For the boys lacrosse side, Gulf Breeze remains the top area team, now ranked No. 13 in the state with a 19.179 rating and a 9-1 record, dropping one spot overall. Pensacola Catholic, with a 10-1 record and a 16.232 rating, sits at No. 16, jumping up three spots in the state.
Pensacola Catholic remains the area's top ranked girls team at No. 21 in the state with a 14.827 rating and a 10-2 record, dropping a couple spots. Navarre, with an 11.231 rating and an 11-1 record, sits at No. 37, staying put.
District tournaments are less than a month away, starting on April 9 and going through April 17. Regional tournaments begin the following week on April 22 for girls lacrosse, and April 23 for boys lacrosse.
Here are the third FHSAA lacrosse rankings for teams from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, plus a way-too-early playoff watch.
BOYS LACROSSE RANKINGS
Class 2A
- Gulf Breeze (19.179) – first in District 1-2A, second in Region 1-2A, fifth in Class 2A, 13th overall in state
- Navarre (-0.125) – fourth in District 1-2A, 13th in Region 1-2A, 53rd in Class 2A, 107th overall in state
- Milton (-8.001) – seventh in District 1-2A, 18th in Region 1-2A, 79th in Class 2A, 157th overall in state
Class 1A
- Pensacola Catholic (16.232) – first in District 1-1A, fourth in District 1-1A, 11th in Class 1A, 16th overall in state
- West Florida (3.885) – third in District 1-1A, ninth in Region 1-1A, 43rd in Class 1A, 77th overall in state
- Booker T. Washington (-5.323) – fourth in District 1-1A, 16th in Region 1-1A, 74th in Class 1A, 144th overall in state
- Pensacola (-15.498) – sixth in District 1-1A, 20th in Region 1-1A, 92nd in Class 1A, 185th overall in state
GIRLS LACROSSE RANKINGS
Class 2A
- Navarre (11.231) – first in District 1-2A, fourth in Region 1-2A, 17th in Class 2A, 37th overall in state
- Gulf Breeze (7.030) – second in District 1-2A, sixth in Region 1-2A, 26th in Class 2A, 55th overall in state
- Milton (-9.863) – fourth in District 1-2A, 18th in Region 1-2A, 75th in Class 2A, 155th overall in state
- Tate (-9.960) – fifth in District 1-2A, 19th in Region 1-2A, 76th in Class 2A, 157th overall in state
Class 1A
- Pensacola Catholic (14.827) – first in District 1-1A, fourth in Region 1-1A, 13th in Class 1A, 21st overall in state
- Booker T. Washington (-1.357) – fourth in District 1-1A, 11th in Region 1-1A, 59th in Class 1A, 115th overall in state
- West Florida (-3.153) – sixth in District 1-1A, 14th in Region 1-1A, 63rd in Class 1A, 122nd overall in state
- Pensacola (-16.082) – seventh in District 1-1A, 19th in Region 1-1A, 92rd in Class 1A, 185th overall in state
Way-too-early region playoff picture
District tournaments aren't for another month, but it's still fun to take a look at what the playoff scenarios would look like if the regular season ended today as far as region tournaments.
District champions automatically advance to the region tournament after the district tourney, and there are four at-large bids per region in both classifications.
Rankings are bound to change after district tournaments as well, so we'll pretend that they didn't change at all through districts to make things a little easier. Remember: anything can happen in the playoffs.
Here's what the region tournaments would look like.
Boys Region 1-2A
- 1. Ponte Vedra (3)* vs. 8. Tocoi Creek (4)*
- 2. Gulf Breeze (1)* vs. 7. Bartram Trail (3)
- 3. Nease (3) vs. 6. Niceville (1)
- 4. Creekside (3) vs. 5. Fletcher (2)*
Notes: Gulf Breeze is the only area team making it to the Region 1-2A playoffs as the second seed, and the District 1 champion. The Dolphins would host Bartram Trail to start the tournament. The other three district champions are within the top eight teams, however Fletcher (District 2) would host a higher-seeded at-large bid, and Tocoi Creek (District 4) would be on the road at a higher-seeded district champion.
Boys Region 1-1A
- 1. Bolles (3)* vs. 8. Trinity Catholic (4)
- 2. Episcopal (2)* vs. 7. Maclay (2)
- 3. Oak Hall (4)* vs. 6. St. Augustine (3)
- 4. Pensacola Catholic (1)* vs. 5. South Walton (1)
Notes: Region 1-1A is pretty straightforward with all four presumed district champions as the top-four ranked teams in the region, meaning they all host in the quarterfinals. Pensacola Catholic, ranked fourth, would have a quarterfinals rematch against South Walton after 2024's "chess match." The Crusaders are the only area team advancing to the region tournament, as of now, with West Florida slotting in at ninth, just missing the cut.
Girls Region 1-2A
- 1. Lake Mary (4)* vs. 8. Lake Brantley (4)
- 2. Ponte Vedra (3)* vs. 7. Winter Springs (4)*
- 3. Bartram Trail (3) vs. 6. Gulf Breeze (1)
- 4. Navarre (1)* vs. 5. Tocoi Creek (3)
Notes: A pair of area teams make the postseason in Region 1-2A, as of now, with Navarre taking the fourth seed and Gulf Breeze earning the sixth seed. The Raiders, the presumed district champion, would host Tocoi Creek in the quarterfinals, while Gulf Breeze, an at-large bid, would head to Bartram Trail to start the playoffs.
Region 1-1A
- 1. Episcopal (2)* vs. 8. Seacoast Collegiate (1)
- 2. Oak Hall (4)* vs. 7. St. Augustine (3)
- 3. Bolles (3)* vs. 6. Gainesville (4)
- 4. Pensacola Catholic (1)* vs. 5. South Walton (1)
Notes: Similar to the boys Region 1-1A, the top-four ranked teams are all district champions, meaning all of them would host at least the quarterfinals. Also similar to the boys side, Pensacola Catholic, as of now, would host South Walton in the first round of the playoffs. Pensacola Catholic is the only area team to make the region tournament.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: FHSAA Lacrosse Rankings: Four Pensacola-area teams rank in Top 50 of state
