Prep football: Manatee, Palmetto still top AP polls

photo by Tiffany Tompkns-Condie

Chris Tuten and the Palmetto Tigers remained undefeated Friday thanks to a 9-7 win over Arcadia DeSoto.


They remained the top-ranked team in Class 5A, too.

Palmetto owns the No.1 spot for the third consecutive week after garnering 16 of a possible 17 first-place votes. Wakulla, ranked third, received the other.

The Tigers are 4-0 and 1-0 in Class 5A-Distrct 10 play. They head to East Manatee county Friday for a non-district game with Lakewood Ranch.

Southeast received seven votes but did not crack the top 10 in 5A.

Manatee, which was idle, is still the top team in Class 7A. The Hurricanes have been on top since beating Jacksonville First Coast last season for the state title.

The Hurricanes were first on 15 ballots. Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer, which  lost to Manatee last year in a state semifinal, received two first-place votes.

Manatee meets host Southeast Friday in the 31st edition of their rivalry.