BACKYARD BOWL XII #2 Rockledge  vs #3 Viera: The Backyard Bowl has been lopsided the past 5 years with Viera winning every contest. Both teams had to reload after graduating key contributors from last season. These Programs are blessed with great feeder systems and are able to plug and play year after year with great success. The biggest replacement this season for the Hawks will be SO QB Bryce Norton. He comes into this season with plenty experience playing at the highest level in Youth Football and was a human highlight real on JV for the Hawks last season. He is a 3 time Football Hotbed All-American, competed in the Future 4 QB Challenge and is trained by one of the Top QB coaches in Central Florida with Drew Phillips QB Academy. Norton is electric with the football in his hands. He is a Duel Threat QB with a great arm, who can run and makes play once the play breaks down.  He will be protected by the strength of Viera Hawks, which is their Offensive Line. Anchored by SR OT Gavin Lamp, SR G Chris Murphy, and JR G Hunter Plotkin the hawks will be tough to beat.

Rockledge will have to replace 24 players that graduated and Jason Corbain who attends Texas A&M. This season the Raiders will have to rely heavy on the run with SR RB Jalen Mitchell as they bring a young SO QB Elias Allen along. The Raiders strength is their defense lead by UCF Commit SR LB/S OC Brothers as well as SR DL Dorien Josey who racked up the offers this off-season. Rockledge showed in their Kickoff Classic versus Jacksonville Raines that they will compete with the best teams in Florida this season.

Key Players Rockledge: ⭐⭐⭐ Jr RB/MLB Ladarius Tennison, ⭐⭐⭐ SR LB/WR Octavius Brothers, ⭐⭐⭐SR RB Jalen Mitchell, ⭐⭐⭐ SR DE Dorien Josey, SR TE Trevor Phillips, SR WR Adreal Johnson, SR DE AJ Hall, SR S Jeffery Thomas, and SO QB Elias Allen.

Key Players Viera: SR WR Sean Atkins, Sr LB/S Garrett Kaminski, SR LB Bear Bollinger, SR CB Cortez Reid, SR OT Gavin Lamp, SR LB Hunter Lee, JR G Hunter Plotkin, SR, G Chris Murphy, SR WR Jordan Emmons, SR WR Shamaar Moore, SR LB Aaron Thomas, SR FS Quez Menyfield, SO RB Jalen Housey, and SR DE Chancellor Mcgriff.

PREDICTION: Viera by 7

UPSET FINAL: Rockledge 26 Viera 21

#1 Cocoa  vs #4 Palm Bay Prediction: Cocoa by 18 FINAL:Cocoa 35 PB 14

#5 Heritage @ Lake Mary Prediction: Heritage by 12 FINAL: Lake Mary 21 Heritage 13

#6 Space Coast @ Harmony Prediction: SC by 14 FINAL: Space Coast 21 Harmony 17

#7 Merritt Island vs #10 Holy Trinity Prediction: MI by 10 FINAL:Merritt Island 10 HT 0

#8 Eau Gallie vs #13 Satellite Prediction: Eau by 7 FINAL: EAU 68 Satellite 0

#9 MCC @ IMG(White) Prediction: IMG by 22  FINAL:MCC 41 IMG 19

#11 Melbourne vs #16 Titusville Prediction: Melbourne by 17 FINAL: Melbourne 21 Titusville 14

#14 Cocoa Beach @ Orangewood Christian Prediction: CB by 3 FINAL: OC 27 CB 7

#15 Bayside @ West Boca Raton Prediction: WB by 21 FINAL: Bayside 23 West Boca 7

#17 MIC @ St Johns Country Day Prediction: SJ by 18 FINAL: SJ 49 MIC 0

IDLE #12 Astronaut