FHSAA flag football district tournaments start this week with Southwest Florida teams looking to lift that championship trophy.
Riverdale, Bishop Verot and North Fort Myers captured their respective districts last season but will face strong challenges in their quests to repeat.
Here's a preview of our three local districts, followed by some key players to watch and the top five teams entering the postseason.
South Fort Myers/Bishop Verot vs. First Baptist/Estero
Outlook: This district features the two top regular-season teams in Southwest Florida, both of whom are undefeated. Bonita Springs (15-0) will carry a streak of 10 consecutive shutouts into the postseason and has allowed a minuscule 19 points. Bishop Verot (11-0) has outscored its opponents 274-78 so far and owns a pair of one-score wins over Class 3A Gateway Charter, the Griffins' only two setbacks of the season. Expect both teams to face off in what should be an epic battle for the district title.
Outlook: This looks to be a competitive championship chase with the top four seeds all having a chance at the title. North Fort Myers (4-3) owns regular-season wins over Cape Coral and Ida Baker but lost 26-18 to Fort Myers. In addition to its win over North, the Green Wave (6-4) topped Ida Baker 18-6, but lost 19-0 to Mariner in its regular-season finale. Ida Baker (5-5) split its two meetings with the top-seeded Tritons (7-5), including a 13-0 win on March 31.
Outlook: The top-seeded Griffins (9-2) have outscored their opponents 406-34 this season with all nine of their wins coming by shutout. Both losses came against Bishop Verot in close fashion, 27-26 on Feb. 25 and 7-0 on March 25. Look for Gateway Charter to capture its first flag football district crown.
The sophomore is Southwest Florida's top overall passer with an area-leading 2,591 passing yards and 47 touchdowns. She has also rushed for 356 yards and six more scores.
The seventh-grader is the Griffins' top pass-catcher with 39 receptions for 677 yards and 13 touchdowns. On defense, Burgess leads the team with 10 interceptions, returning three for touchdowns.
The reigning Southwest Florida Flag Football Player of the Year, Dinkel has been a standout on both sides of the ball for the Vikings this season. A dual threat at quarterback, the senior has completed 66% of her passes for 1,159 yards and 25 touchdowns with five interceptions. She also rushed for 639 yards (9.1 per carry) and 11 more scores. On defense, she leads Bishop Verot in flag pulls (44), adding 10 sacks and 8 interceptions.
The junior leads the Bull Sharks' top-ranked defense in total flag pulls with 64, including 17 for loss, along with three sacks, four interceptions and 13 passes defensed. On offense, Garcia has 53 receptions for a team-high 647 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The senior leads all Southwest Florida receivers in receptions (82), receiving yards (899) and receiving touchdowns (14). Witz is also a force on defense, with an area-best 15 interceptions, one of which she returned for a touchdown.
1. Bonita Springs (15-0): The Bull Sharks have already set a Southwest Florida mark for most regular-season wins, but are still seeking their first state playoff series victory.
2. Bishop Verot (11-0): The Vikings will have to knock off the unbeaten Bull Sharks to repeat as district champions.
3. Gateway Charter (9-2): The Griffins' high-powered offense is orchestrated by eighth-grader Taylor Brock, who has passed for 2,524 yards and 42 touchdowns.
4. Estero (7-2): The Wildcats' only two losses this season have come at the hands of Bonita Springs and Gateway Charter.
5. Riverdale (6-3): The Raiders are seeking their third consecutive district championship, but will need to get past Gateway Charter, which blanked Riverdale 31-0 in the season opener.
Contact Sports Reporter Dan DeLuca at ddeluca@usatodayco.com. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: SW Florida flag football district champion picks, players to watch