Fearless Fridays Area Football — Week 3 Scores, Records, Rankings and Player Notes
Sarasota–Manatee Area Scores, Records and Highlights
Rankings verified as of September 5, 2026.
Week 3 — Games played Friday, September 4, 2026
The following roundup covers high school football teams from Sarasota County, Manatee County and several nearby area schools. Records are updated through the September 4 games when results were available.
| Local Team | Opponent | Final Score | Result | Updated Record | Class / District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota | Hudson | 42–0 | Won | 2–1 | Class 6A; District 12 |
| Riverview Sarasota | Palmetto | 28–34 | Lost | 2–1 | Class 6A; District 12 |
| Cardinal Mooney | True North Classical Academy | 56–34 | Won | 2–1 | Class 3A; District 12 |
| Sarasota Christian | Southwest Florida Christian | 37–7 | Won | 3–1 | Private-school classification |
| Out-of-Door Academy | Saint Stephen’s Episcopal | 28–0 | Won | 3–0 | Class SSAA |
| Classical Academy of Sarasota | Foundation Christian Academy | 14–26 | Lost | 1–2 | Private-school classification |
| North Port | Lake Placid | Score not reported | Pending | Listed at 1–1 before game | Class 6A; District 12 |
| Lakewood Ranch | Braden River | 28–39 | Lost | 2–1 | Class 6A; District 12 |
| Braden River | Lakewood Ranch | 39–28 | Won | 3–0 | Class 3A; District 12 |
| Manatee | SFA | 41–21 | Won | 3–1 | Class 5A; District 10 |
| Parrish Community | Bayshore | 13–35 | Lost | 0–3 | Public-school classification |
| Bayshore | Parrish Community | 35–13 | Won | 2–1 | Public-school classification |
| Bradenton Christian | Hernando Christian Academy | 39–0 | Won | 3–0 | Private-school classification |
| Venice | Lakeland | 32–25 | Won | 3–0 | Class 6A |
| Southeast | Charlotte | 10–14 | Lost | 0–2 | Public-school classification |
| Lemon Bay | Frostproof | 23–19 | Won | 3–1 | Public-school classification |
| Port Charlotte | The First Academy | 20–23 | Lost | 1–2 | Public-school classification |
Scores for the area were led by Cardinal Mooney’s 56–34 victory, Sarasota’s 42–0 shutout of Hudson, Manatee’s 41–21 win over SFA and Sarasota Christian’s 37–7 victory. MaxPreps listed the final scores for the Florida statewide scoreboard, including Sarasota, Riverview Sarasota, Sarasota Christian, Classical Academy, Lakewood Ranch, Braden River, Venice, Manatee, Parrish Community and Bayshore.
Game Notes
Sarasota 42, Hudson 0
The Sailors rebounded from their 58–47 loss to Palm Beach Lakes by blanking Hudson, 42–0. Sarasota entered the game at 1–1 and moved to 2–1.
Sarasota’s leading season contributors entering the game included wide receiver Evan Larrick Jr., averaging 117.5 receiving yards per game, and quarterback Hudson West Jr., averaging 44.5 rushing yards per game. Sarasota football team statistics The shutout was one of the area’s most convincing defensive performances of the week.
Riverview Sarasota 28, Palmetto 34
Palmetto handed the Rams their first loss of the season in a 34–28 contest. Riverview Sarasota entered the game 2–0 after victories over Naples and IMG Academy Junior National.
The Rams’ early-season statistical leaders included quarterback Logan Carrillo Sr., averaging 364 passing yards per game, wide receiver Trenton Huffman Sr., averaging 182 receiving yards per game, and running back Michael Peterson Sr., averaging 59 rushing yards per game.
Cardinal Mooney 56, True North Classical Academy 34
The Cougars produced one of the week’s highest-scoring area wins, defeating True North Classical Academy, 56–34. The victory improved Cardinal Mooney to 2–1, while True North Classical Academy fell to 0–2.
Cardinal Mooney’s leading season performers included running back Connail Jackson Sr., averaging 248 rushing yards per game and credited with five total touchdowns entering the game, along with wide receiver Cj King Jr., averaging 129.5 receiving yards per game.
Out-of-Door Academy 28, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal 0
Out-of-Door Academy remained undefeated with a 28–0 shutout of Saint Stephen’s Episcopal. The Thunder entered the game ranked among Florida’s leading Class SSAA programs.
Sarasota Christian 37, Southwest Florida Christian 7
Sarasota Christian improved to 3–1 with a decisive 37–7 victory over Southwest Florida Christian. The result was one of the largest margins among Sarasota-area private schools during Week 3.
Foundation Christian Academy 26, Classical Academy of Sarasota 14
Foundation Christian Academy defeated Classical Academy of Sarasota, 26–14. Classical Academy entered the game with a 1–1 record and dropped to 1–2.
Braden River 39, Lakewood Ranch 28
Braden River stayed perfect with a 39–28 victory over Lakewood Ranch. The Pirates improved to 3–0, while the Mustangs suffered their first loss and moved to 2–1.
Braden River’s early-season statistical leaders included running back David Louis Sr., averaging 120.5 rushing yards per game, and wide receiver Marquis Koonce Jr., averaging 43.5 receiving yards per game. Lakewood Ranch was led statistically by running back Elidrick Berry Sr., averaging 110 rushing yards per game, and athlete Kamarion Jones Sr., averaging 61.5 receiving yards per game.
Manatee 41, SFA 21
Manatee defeated SFA, 41–21, to move to 3–1. The Hurricanes are listed in Class 5A, District 10.
Bayshore 35, Parrish Community 13
Bayshore earned a 35–13 win over Parrish Community. The victory moved Bayshore to 2–1, while Parrish Community remained winless at 0–3.
Venice 32, Lakeland 25
Venice won a highly regarded statewide matchup over Lakeland, 32–25. The Indians improved to 3–0.
North Port at Lake Placid
MaxPreps listed the North Port–Lake Placid game on the September 4 schedule but still showed the final score as unreported as of September 5. North Port entered the game with a 1–1 record and is listed in Class 6A, District 12. North Port schedule and district information A final score should be added once confirmed by the schools, FHSAA or a local news report.
Area Week 3 Snapshot
- Best record: Braden River, Venice and Out-of-Door Academy — 3–0
- Largest local shutout: Sarasota over Hudson, 42–0
- Highest-scoring local team: Cardinal Mooney, 56 points
- Closest listed game: Lemon Bay over Frostproof, 23–19
- Biggest local matchup surprise: Palmetto defeating previously unbeaten Riverview Sarasota, 34–28
- Area teams with unbeaten records: Braden River, Venice, Out-of-Door Academy and Bradenton Christian
Absolutely. Adding rankings would make the Fearless Fridays Area Football section more informative and give readers a quick sense of how the local teams compare statewide and nationally.
Compiled Ranking Columns
| Team | Record | Result | Class / District | Florida Rank | National Rank | Ranking Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal Mooney | 2–1 | Won | Class 3A | No. 10 | No. 99 | MaxPreps |
| Venice | 3–0 | Won | Class 6A | No. 16 | No. 95 | MaxPreps |
| Riverview Sarasota | 2–1 | Lost | Class 6A | To be verified | To be verified | MaxPreps / LAZ Index |
| Sarasota | 2–1 | Won | Class 6A | Not ranked in current top group | Not ranked in current top group | MaxPreps |
| Braden River | 3–0 | Won | Class 3A | To be verified | To be verified | MaxPreps / FloridaHSFootball |
| Manatee | 3–1 | Won | Class 5A | To be verified | To be verified | MaxPreps |
| Lakewood Ranch | 2–1 | Lost | Class 6A | To be verified | To be verified | MaxPreps |
| Out-of-Door Academy | 3–0 | Won | SSAA | To be verified | To be verified | MaxPreps |
| Sarasota Christian | 3–1 | Won | Private school | To be verified | To be verified | MaxPreps |
Present Verified Rankings
- Cardinal Mooney: No. 10 in Florida and No. 99 nationally in the current MaxPreps rankings. (maxpreps.com)
- Venice: No. 16 in Florida and No. 95 nationally, with a 3–0 record. (maxpreps.com)
- Riverview Sarasota: No. 12 statewide in the September 1 LAZ Index, with a 2–0 record listed before the latest game. (lazindex.com)
- Cardinal Mooney and Venice also appeared prominently in FloridaHSFootball’s preseason power rankings, with Mooney listed ahead of Venice among Southwest Florida programs. (floridahsfootball.com)
Rankings note: State and national rankings are based primarily on the latest available MaxPreps computer rankings. Rankings may change after scores are verified and are updated during the season. The FHSAA’s official weekly football rankings are scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 22, 2026, so the earliest September reports will rely on MaxPreps and other recognized football-rating services. (support.maxpreps.com)
Cardinal Mooney Cougars
Record: 2–1
Week 3 result: Defeated True North Classical Academy, 56–34
Classification: Class 3A
State ranking: No. 10 in Florida
National ranking: No. 99
Key note: Cardinal Mooney remains one of Sarasota County’s highest-ranked teams after beginning the season in the MaxPreps Florida Top 25.
Venice Indians
Record: 3–0
Week 3 result: Defeated Lakeland, 32–25
Classification: Class 6A, District 12
State ranking: No. 16 in Florida
National ranking: No. 95
Key player: Dorien “Macho” Irving-Jones — 114.5 rushing yards per game and seven total touchdowns entering the latest ranking update.
The scores above reflect results available on Saturday, September 5, 2026. MaxPreps had not posted a final score for North Port–Lake Placid at the time of review. School classifications and district designations can occasionally change under FHSAA alignment updates, so the public-school classifications should receive a final check against the current FHSAA directory before publication.
