Venice Visits Chaminade-Madonna to Kick Off Florida’s Inaugural Open Division Playoffs

Venice and Chaminade-Madonna have spent years pursuing state championships in separate classifications. Friday brings them together at the start of a postseason built to test Florida’s best teams against one another.

The eighth-seeded Indians (9-1) visit the fourth-seeded Lions (8-2) on Nov. 13 in the opening round of Open Division pool play. Both enter with winning streaks, but their offenses present different challenges: Venice leans on its backfield, while Chaminade can spread the field through quarterback Brady Quinn and several productive receivers.

A Pool-Play Win Carries Immediate Value

Friday’s result will not end either team’s season. Each Open Division participant plays three pool games, with the top two teams from each four-team group advancing to the semifinals.

That format provides another opportunity after a loss, but Pool A leaves little room to recover. St. Thomas Aquinas and Lakeland complete the group, giving every team three games against established championship programs.

Venice hosts Aquinas on Nov. 20 before traveling to Lakeland on Nov. 27. Chaminade follows Friday’s opener with a home game against Lakeland and a trip to Aquinas.

Venice’s Backfield Sets the Terms

Senior running backs Dorien “Macho” Irving-Jones and Ira Dale give Venice two experienced options around freshman quarterback Mason Polley.

Irving-Jones has recorded 1,189 rushing yards, averaging 148.6 per game and 8.2 per carry. Dale adds another runner capable of sustaining drives, allowing the Indians to distribute the workload rather than depend on one ball carrier.

Polley has thrown for 1,131 yards and 12 touchdowns against five interceptions, completing 57 percent of his passes. Establishing the run would help Venice avoid asking its freshman quarterback to repeatedly convert obvious passing situations.

The Indians have won three straight since their 20-17 loss at Raines, scoring at least 41 points in each victory. Chaminade’s defense presents a tougher test, particularly if Venice falls behind and has to move away from its preferred approach.

Chaminade Can Challenge Multiple Levels

Quinn enters the playoffs with 31 touchdown passes and a 71.9 percent completion rate. The junior also demonstrated his mobility against Aquinas, accounting for all three Chaminade touchdowns in a 21-20 loss.

Junior receiver Tromon Isaac Jr. averages 71.8 receiving yards per game and has 13 touchdown catches. Sophomore Kedarius Rhaney and junior Armani Strong provide additional targets, making it difficult for a defense to concentrate its coverage on one receiver.

Senior running back Amos Bradford supplies balance with 73.4 rushing yards per game and 12 rushing touchdowns.

Venice’s ability to pressure Quinn without consistently bringing extra defenders could determine how effectively it handles that group. Defensive linemen Noah Smith and Russell McCord each have eight sacks, giving the Indians two players capable of disrupting the pocket.

For Chaminade, the priority is limiting early rushing gains and forcing Polley into longer-yardage situations. The Lions have allowed 32 combined points during their four-game winning streak, including a 34-7 victory over Coconut Creek to close the regular season.

Game Info

Matchup: No. 8 Venice (9-1) at No. 4 Chaminade-Madonna (8-2)
Date: Friday, Nov. 13, 2026
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET

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