Unbeaten and Unshaken: No. 1 Edgewater Opens Class 5A Playoffs Against Lake Gibson

The Eagles have soared to a perfect regular season and a dominant point differential — now they begin their postseason push with a home matchup against battle-tested Lake Gibson

Edgewater senior quarterback Carter Emanuel will lead the unbeaten Eagles (10-0) against Lake Gibson (5-5) on Friday, Nov. 14, in the Class 5A regional quarterfinals. / Acovan Schild

The Edgewater Eagles have flown high all year in high school football, and they don’t plan on being grounded anytime soon.

Ranked No. 1 in the High School on SI Central Florida Top 10 rankings, unbeaten Edgewater (10-0) begins its quest for postseason glory when it hosts Lake Gibson of Lakeland (5-5) in the Class 5A regional quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m.

Edgewater finished regular season unbeaten for third time in four years

The Eagles enter the game with first-year head coach Patrick Browning and one of their most dominant teams in history, having outscored their opponents, 432-72. This is also the third time in four seasons that Edgewater enters the playoffs undefeated.

But, Edgewater fans will be the first to tell you that the playoffs are a whole different animal. The Eagles have not made it past the regional finals since 2019 when they lost to Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, 28-23, in the Class 7A state championship game.

“I believe we just need to play our game and continue to overcome adversity in these games,” said Edgewater senior quarterback Carter Emanuel, who has passed for 1,513 yards and 11 touchdowns with only two interceptions, and rushed for 79 yards and two scores. “We are an overall better team and should take control of the game early.

“If we stick to our game, we should beat them pretty good,” Emanuel said.

The Eagles have been challenged only twice all season

Edgewater has been a tough team to handle, for sure. The Eagles have faced only two challenges all season and won both, beating defending Class 4A state runner-up Jones, 20-17, and Orange County rival, Winter Park, 28-21.

Edgewater defense has been rock solid

Edgewater’s defense has been exemplary, allowing only 7.2 points per game. Senior defensive end/linebacker Aiden Anderson has 52 tackles, including 26 solo and 19 for loss, to go along with 12 sacks.

Eagles average 43.2 points per game behind Carter Emanuel and Damian Moore

On offense, the Eagles average 43.2 points per game, scoring 42 or more points five times. Senior running back/linebacker Damian Moore has been a workhorse since moving to offense, rushing for 1,015 yards and 19 TDs and catching 14 passes for 110 yards and two scores.

“We’re taking each game week by week, making sure the team is locked in,” Moore said. “And keeping up with our bodies and trying to stay healthy each week.”

Lake Gibson has played three opponents close

Edgewater faces a Lake Gibson team that finished third in District 6. The Braves lost two straight to end the season, but three of their losses have come by six points or less.

Braves quarterback Brayden Padgett has 1,555 yards passing

Junior Brayden Padgett has passed for 1,555 yards has nine TDs with six interceptions. Lake Gibson has three running backs with at least 202 yards rushing, but none with more than 440.

Lake Gibson quarterback Brayden Padgett fires a pass against Bartow earlier this season. The Braves won that game, 7-6. / ROY FUOCO/THE LEDGER / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Derrick McBride has 598 yards receiving; Jase Severit, 349 yards receiving; and Adonis Cuyler, 323 yards receiving, for the Braves.

Malachi Moore leads Lake Gibson defense with 101 tackles

Defensively, Lake Gibson’s Malachi Moore has 101 tackles, including 49 solo, and Jeremiah Epps, three interceptions.

The winner will play either Tampa Bay Tech or Sebring in the regional semifinals on Nov. 21.

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Jeff Gardenour can be reached via email at jgardenour1962@gmail.com or X @JMarkG1962