{"id":3435,"date":"2026-06-09T19:03:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T19:03:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=3435"},"modified":"2026-06-09T19:03:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T19:03:57","slug":"fhsaas-open-division-playoffs-are-set-for-2026-starting-with-football-volleyball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=3435","title":{"rendered":"FHSAA\u2019s Open Division playoffs are set for 2026, starting with football, volleyball"},"content":{"rendered":"
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GAINESVILLE \u2014 The Florida High School Athletic Association finalized its groundbreaking Open Division playoff plan on Tuesday, setting the stage for the state\u2019s eight highest-ranked teams in 11 different sports \u2014 regardless of school size \u2014 to compete against each other for one exclusive FHSAA championship starting with the 2026-27 school year.<\/p>\n

Read more Gators\u2019 Thomas Haugh: \u2018It\u2019s national championship or bust\u2019 for star-studded roster<\/a><\/p>\n

The association\u2019s board of directors approved the plan, designed to improve competitive balance and fair play in the playoffs, by a 10-0 vote in a meeting at FHSAA headquarters in Gainesville.<\/p>\n

The recommendation brought to the board by FHSAA executive director Craig Damon initially included eight major team bracket sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, fastpitch softball and baseball. Three more Open Division titles, for girls flag football and boys and girls lacrosse, were added to the lineup after board members discussed the plan in a Monday committee meeting.<\/p>\n

Damon said the additions were made because coaches on the lacrosse and flag football advisory committees asked to have Open Divisions for their sports.<\/p>\n

Open becomes the eighth championship class, essentially replacing 7A. Teams outside the elite eight will continue to play for state championships in seven traditional classifications (1A-6A and Rural), where schools are placed based on student enrollment counts. Those brackets will stick with 32 teams per class with 16 district champions and 16 at-large teams.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s football Open Division playoffs would have included state champs St. Thomas Aquinas (Class 6A) of Broward County, Raines (3A) of Jacksonville, Cardinal Mooney (2A) of Sarasota, and Cardinal Newman (1A) of West Palm Beach \u2014 along with perennial powers Miami Northwestern (seven state titles), Miami Central (nine since 2010) and Armwood (titles in 2003 and 2004) of Hillsborough County.<\/p>\n

Aquinas has set football records with seven consecutive state championships and 17 since 1992.<\/p>\n

Chaminade-Madonna, which lost 17-14 to Cardinal Newman in the 1A final, set a record with its nine consecutive state final appearances \u2014 including seven titles in eight years (2017-24).<\/p>\n

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Among Orlando area teams, Lake Mary would have made the football Open cut in 2024, when it lost to Venice in the 7A final. But with a 7-3 regular season record last fall, the Rams would have stayed in 7A \u2014 where they won five playoff games and the championship.<\/p>\n

Winter Park\u2019s dynamic girls volleyball state title teams of the past two seasons would have been pushed to Open. Orangewood Christian\u2019s 2025 Class 2A state runner-up would also have been elevated. Oviedo, the 6A state champ, would have been on the bubble.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s historic Lake Highland Prep\u2019s boys basketball team, which was 27-1 before losing a 3A region semifinal, would have been moved to a loaded Open Division including big-school juggernaut Miami Columbus (five 7A titles in a row), small-school powerhouse Sagemont (four straight) of Broward and Fort Lauderdale\u2019s Calvary Christian, which was ranked No. 2 nationally by MaxPreps.<\/p>\n

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FHSAA board of directors tackles high school sports Open Division debate<\/p>\n

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