Ponder(ing) thougths for this week

Last week it was controversy, this week it was lightning.

Lightning canceled, delayed or post-poned at least 100 games last Friday night including our rivalry game between South Lake and East Ridge. Most were made up either Saturday or Monday, but it wreaked havoc on the schedules.

For Florida, playing Texas teams seems to be easy. Florida's Glades Central Miami Central and Cocoa got big wins this weekend on the road to the Lone Star State but Miramar gambled and lost - missing on a two-point conversion that would have won the game against DeSoto.

Plant, the #1 ranked team last week in the Top 25 - looked average against Hillsborough, but keep in mind Plant is still not healthy. All of those Panther-haters will see if the Panthers are legit over the next two-three weeks as they face Abilene and Armwood.

Is there a more road weary team than Cocoa? The Tigers traveled to Daytona Beach, Pennsylvania and Abilene, Texas in successive weeks - and came out 3-0. Yet despite receiving five first place votes in the Beef 'O' Brady's Top 25, the Tigers are still ranked seventh.

Manatee has its hands full this week with rival Southeast at Kiker Field. The Seminoles are 2-0 and ready to spring the upset. Last year Southeast led in the fourth quarter before Manatee pulled away. I'm picking the upset.

Lincoln gave Valdosta all it could handle Friday night, but the Trojans, still dealing with injuries, were unable to conquer the Wildcats. Leon, which also played in Lowndes County against the Vikings, didn't even come close - getting blown out 52-7.

My friend Larry Blustein says 'sleep on Pensacola all you want - they will be a top 5 team'... evidently the pollsters were listening as the Tigers are now #3 in the latest Top 25.

Dwyer decided to accept the punishment handed out to Nick O'Leary for giving the Ohio fans the one-fingered salute after a nationally-televised battle. O'Leary will sit out this week's game with Pahokee after sitting out last week's victory over Palm Beach Gardens. Pahokee, which most considered to be rebuilding this year, is off to a 2-0 start.

Who are your biggest surprises for 2010 so far? Two weeks in and who is disappointing? Remember very few districts have started play yet.

This week we're off to LaBelle for the Cowboys and the Vikings of Bishop Verot.