Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Times
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Week 5 delivered another busy Friday night across Pinellas County. Several teams entered the night with plenty of momentum. Others needed a win to change their season’s direction. By the end of the night, several teams made major statements. The biggest result came from Clearwater, which faced Largo in a battle of unbeaten teams. Clearwater entered the game at 4-0. Largo also carried a perfect 4-0 record. The Tornadoes ultimately won the matchup 24-14. Clearwater improved to 5-0 with the victory.
The win continued a tremendous start for Clearwater. The Tornadoes also entered Week 5 with three straight shutout victories. They previously defeated Dunedin, Countryside, and St. Petersburg. Largo had also built plenty of momentum before Friday. The Packers now have their first loss of the season. Still, the matchup showed why both teams entered with undefeated records.
Boca Ciega Rolls Past Countryside
Boca Ciega produced one of the night’s biggest offensive performances. The Pirates crushed Countryside 44-7 at home. Boca Ciega improved to 3-1 with the victory. Countryside dropped to 3-2 after the loss. The result marked another strong offensive showing from Boca Ciega. The Pirates have now produced three wins by at least 28 points this season.Countryside entered the game with a 3-1 record. The Cougars had also won two straight games. However, Boca Ciega controlled the matchup and pulled away for the decisive victory.
Lakewood Finds Its Groove
Lakewood continued its turnaround with another strong performance. The Spartans defeated Northeast 34-8 on the road. The victory gave Lakewood its second straight win. The Spartans improved to 2-2 on the season. Lakewood’s defense again played a major role. The Spartans allowed only 14 points across their last two games. That defensive improvement has helped Lakewood regain momentum. Northeast fell to 2-3 after the loss. The Vikings had won two of their previous three games before Friday night.
Clearwater Central Catholic Handles St. Petersburg Catholic
Clearwater Central Catholic also picked up a major victory. The Marauders defeated St. Petersburg Catholic 35-11. CCC entered the matchup unbeaten and continued its strong start. The Marauders came into the season with championship aspirations after three straight state championship appearances. St. Petersburg Catholic entered the game with plenty of talent and experience. Quarterback Chase Burrill returned after throwing a county-record 53 touchdown passes last season.However, CCC controlled the game and moved forward with another impressive result.
St. Petersburg Wins a Close One
St. Petersburg and Gibbs played one of the night’s closer games. The Green Devils escaped with a 20-19 victory over the Gladiators. St. Petersburg entered the game with a 1-2 record. Gibbs also needed the victory after a difficult start. Instead, the Green Devils picked up an important win as district play continues. The victory gave St. Petersburg another opportunity to build momentum.
East Lake Wins a Shootout
East Lake and Tarpon Springs produced one of Week 5’s wildest games. The Eagles defeated the Spongers 45-35. East Lake improved to 3-2 with the victory. Tarpon Springs also moved to 3-2 after the loss. Brian Ford delivered an incredible performance for East Lake. Ford rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns on only 10 carries. He also caught a touchdown pass. His biggest play came on a spectacular 93-yard touchdown run.Josiah Collins added 142 rushing yards and another touchdown. Tarpon Springs battled back in the third quarter. The Spongers outscored East Lake 7-0 during that period. However, the Eagles held on for the 10-point victory.
Seminole’s Perfect Start Ends
Seminole entered Week 5 with a perfect 3-0 record. The Warhawks also represented one of Pinellas County’s biggest early-season turnaround stories. Unfortunately, George Jenkins ended that unbeaten start. The Eagles defeated Seminole 37-0. The loss dropped Seminole to 3-1. Still, the Warhawks have already made major progress after going 0-10 last season. The loss also gave Seminole its first major test of the season. The Warhawks will now look to rebound quickly.
Northside Christian Battles Seffner Christian
Northside Christian faced another difficult challenge on the road. The Mustangs traveled to undefeated Seffner Christian. The Crusaders eventually won 21-16. Northside Christian battled throughout the game despite entering with an 0-4 record. Seffner Christian improved to 5-0 with the victory. Northside dropped to 0-5 after another close result. The Mustangs will now look for their first victory of the season.
Week 5 Leaves Plenty of Questions
Week 5 changed the picture across Pinellas County. Clearwater remained unbeaten after beating Largo. Boca Ciega made a statement with its 44-point performance. Lakewood continued building momentum with another strong defensive effort. East Lake won a high-scoring battle against Tarpon Springs. Meanwhile, Seminole suffered its first loss after a promising 3-0 start. CCC also strengthened its position with a convincing victory over St. Petersburg Catholic.
With the season moving deeper into September, every game carries more weight. District races will become increasingly important in the coming weeks. Several Pinellas County teams now have plenty of momentum. Others need quick answers before the playoff picture takes shape.
These games in week five show who the teams are moving into the upcoming weeks.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker (VP) and Head of our Florida operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a host on The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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