As we head into the sixth week of the rapidly-moving 2010 football season, there is little doubt that every game played from now on could mean the difference between a post season playoff position and sitting home.

These next few weeks are what football programs throughout the BCAA work so hard for during an off season that starts as early as December and lasts until the summer.

District games will tell which programs will move on and what teams will be putting the uniforms away until next season.

This week, there are 12 games that feature district games that make this Thursday, Friday and Saturday easily one of the most important weeks of the season.

On Thursday, Coral Springs, last year’s runner-up, will try and change the fortunes in a district that has three teams that could walk away with the title. The Colts will play host to Coconut Creek, a team that won this district last season, only to drop the playoff opener against South Broward.

Perhaps the most intriguing matchup will take place on Friday at Cypress Bay, when the Lightning, winners at home last week against a very talented Dillard team, will take on unbeaten and very surprising Flanagan. While the loser of the game isn’t out of the race, they will still have to beat upstart West Broward and athletic Everglades, who also play this week.

While Friday’s game pitting defending 6A state champion Miramar at South Plantation would never be a marquee contest, the fact that Miramar is coming off a so-so performance in a win against Plantation, which gave them the district lead two weeks ago, and a surprising loss to 3A Hallandale last week, makes this a must win for the Patriots to reclaim their spot among the elite.

The Paladins will not lie down for this game. Coach Doug Gatewood has proven over and over that he is one of the top coaches in the BCAA, and his team already owns a win over Hallandale, which is the Chargers’ only setback.

The final “huge district game” of the week will take place on Saturday night at Lockhart Stadium when the Panthers of Dillard take on the high-powered Boyd Anderson Cobras. Loser of this game could see the playoffs fade away with unbeaten Blanche Ely still on the schedule.

Here is a look at the remainder of the games on the schedule for this week:

BROWARD
THURSDAY
Piper at Hollywood Hills (McArthur), 7

FRIDAY
Pompano Beach at Plantation American Heritage, 7
Cooper City at Fort Lauderdale, 7
Coral Glades at Coral Springs Charter, 7
Northeast at Deerfield Beach, 7
Douglas at Taravella (Coral Springs), 7
Ely at Monarch (Coconut Creek), 7
Everglades at West Broward (Cooper City), 7
Hallandale at Pines Charter (Flanagan), 7
McArthur at South Broward, 7
Nova at St. Thomas Aquinas, 7
Plantation at Western, 7

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