Class 5A Final Fours

These are from 2011-2021 before the FHSAA went to a Suburban/Metro alignment

Class 5A

2011: Wakulla, Pasco, Miami Norland (c), Palmetto

2012: Tallahassee Godby (c), Tampa Robinson, Immokalee, Miami Jackson

2013: Clay, Lakewood, Plantation American Heritage (c), Lake Wales

2014: Godby (2), Suwannee, American Heritage (c) (2), Bishop Moore

2015: Wakulla (2), Clay (2), Bishop Moore (c) (2), Jesuit

2016: Ponte Vedra, Clay (3), American Heritage (c) (3), Jesuit (2)

2017: Baker County, West Florida, American Heritage (c) (4), Immokalee (2)

2018: North Marion, Jacksonville Trinity Christian, Cardinal Gibbons (c), Jesuit (3)

2019: Orlando Jones, Wakulla (3), Miami Northwestern (c), Jesuit (4)

2020: Tallassee Rickards, Dunnellon, American Heritage (c) (5), Jesuit (5)

2021: Merritt Island, Sebring, Miami Central (c), Baker County (2)

I came into this project thinking that the 5A region was going to be the most diverse. The school population cut-off numbers meant that this classification covered the entire state top to bottom and covered a lot of area powerhouse schools. There were bigger private schools and well respected programs across the board. By my count 26 different programs made the final four in this class.

Despite the diversity of the pairings, American Heritage clearly made its mark on the classification with five championships in an eight-year run. By the end of the 11-year span, there was a Dade district that included Miami Northwestern, Norland, Central and Jackson I believe. 

I would say that Class 5A is really what Florida high school football is about. There were a lot of very good teams that would have won in 4A or 6A, but 5A was often the deepest class in the state.