By Official Florida FC

The FHSAA playoffs kick off on Tuesday night.

The FHSAA will send its three smaller classifications to Auburndale for the state championships, marking the first time in the high school association will award championships at the longtime location of the Florida State Cup.

The bigger classifications will continue to lift the trophy at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand.

Here are the teams and tidbits we have our sights on now that every match is an elimination match.

Will the Hawks fly again?

Public schools don’t often get to the state final three years in a row.

Viera has a chance to do exactly that in Class 6A. The Hawks (18-2-2) are the No. 1 seed in Region 2-6A despite losing their District 7-6A final to Melbourne.

Viera has three players with 10 or more goals, including 2023 Mr. Soccer Max May (12 goals, nine assists.)

May says he plays fullback for his club, but is often deployed as a midfielder at the varsity level. He scored the game-winning goal in the 2023 state semifinal and the opening goal in the state final. If the senior is once again Viera’s talisman, anything is possible for the Hawks.

Florida’s unbeatens

There are no unbeaten and untied boys soccer teams in Florida this year, but seven squads enter the postseason unbeaten.

Leading the way is reigning Class 4A state champion Miami Gulliver Prep that is 20-0-1 and finished as the District 16-4A tournament as the No. 1-ranked team in Florida.

If the Raiders would like to repeat, they might have to knock off Miami Mater Lakes Academy (12-0-1) in the Region 4-6A playoffs. Mater Lakes may be unbeaten, but their schedule has not nearly been as challenging as their fellow unbeaten from Dade County.

Class 7A has three unbeaten squads. Lake Nona (15-0-2) is the top seed in Region 2-7A. Boca Raton (19-0-2) is the top seed in Region 4-7A. Up on the First Coast, Jacksonville Mandarin (17-0-2) enter the postseason unbeaten for the second straight year.

Of course, an unbeaten record in the regular season and district playoffs doesn’t mean anything now. Mandarin was upset in the first round of the 2023 state playoffs.

The last unbeaten my have the longest odds to finish that way. Gainesville Oak Hall enters the Class 2A playoffs 13-0-1; however, their only draw was against a two-win Gainesville Eastside team.

It may take something special for a team to dethrone Gulliver Prep as senior midfielder Cosme Salas (11 goals, 14 assists) and other catalysts from the Raiders’ eighth state championship last year are back in the fold this season.

Bay Area’s Best

It’s been five years since a Tampa Bay area public school won a state championship.

Lithia Newsome got the Class 7A state final last year, but couldn’t finish its chances. Tampa Plant advanced to the 7A final in 2022, but was blitzed by Cypress Bay.

This year, the Bay area has public schools in Class 4A, 5A, 6A and 7A playoffs.

The region’s best bet to make a long run may be in Class 6A where a trio of teams are in Region 3-6A and have a chance to get to the semifinals.

Bloomingdale (17-1-1) has won 10 straight. The Bulls started the 2023 season hot, but faded down the stretch. This year, they have rolled into the postseason winning nine of its last 10 by multiple goals. Bloomingdale is the No. 1 seed in Region 3-6A, which means they would avoid 2023 state finalist Fort Myers until the regional final.

Elsewhere in Region 3-6A are New Port Richey Mitchell (17-4-3). The Mustangs have played a strong schedule in recent years, and can often be relied to win a playoff game, or two. But, Mitchell hasn’t made it to the state final since it won it back in 2010. Fourth-seeded Mitchell opens against Palmetto (13-3-2). Win that match and the Mustangs might have Bloomingdale in the postseason for the second straight year.

Then there is Land O’Lake Sunlake. Last month, Tampa Bay Top Ten noted the unbeaten Seahawks were as good as anyone in the state. Sunlake has scored 125 goals this season, is unbeaten in two matches against Mitchell and won seven matches by mercy rule.

Nick Kriel leads Sunlake with 28 goals in 23 games. David Gutierrez has 24 goals and 28 assists this season.

As much firepower as the Seahawks possess, what will win matches in the postseason is the fact they have only conceded 11 times.

With the state semifinals in the same location as the final, regional winners will not have to make a long drive to the panhandle or South Florida within touching distance of the state final.