For the first time since the 2009 high school football season began, everyone is on an even playing field. Each team that is entering the first round of the state football playoffs is 0-0 and has the right to believe that there will be a next week.

For 14 BCAA schools, the dream of standing in Orlando and having the chance to live a dream, starts this week, and while many have little shot at reaching that title game, we have to stand and applaud those teams who worked hard to reach this first week. A time when hundreds of others schools across Florida would gladly trade places with them.

As we look at the first week, we will start with the team that figures to run this gauntlet that has been the entire nation the past two years.

George Smith and his Raiders of St. Thomas have had that large target on their chest the entire season. As two-time defending state champions, every program in Florida has been hunting this impressive team down. As the No. 1 rated and defending national champs, they have been looked at and dissected each and every week by those who have never watched them play.

St. Thomas is truly the blueprint for the perfect team. While they don’t have the experience that last year’s squad did, the Raiders have what every great team needs to survive - depth!

Look in any direction and you will find a team that is loaded with talent and confident to know that they will take each game one at a time.

The first order of business in its third defense of the state championship is Coral Springs. The Colts finished second in the district, and like every team that have played the Raiders, fully understand that playing its best game is not only something that is needed, but is really the only option in keeping this contest close.

The Raiders are deep, make very few mistakes and are so quick on defense, they force you into making mistakes that often lead to scores.

Keep in mind that no matter what team they play, at any level, St. Thomas will always have an overwhelming advantage in special teams. Kicking and punting (Michael Palardy and Ben Hopfinger), snapping (Danny Adams) and returns with Rashad Greene and Lamarcus Joyner.

The St. Thomas game is not the only contest worth keeping an eye on. BCAA vs. BCAA matchups is 6A with surprising Northeast, which knocked Ely from the ranks of the unbeaten, will travel to 9-1 and battle-tested Miramar, and Deerfield Beach, which is back in the playoff picture, will host a dangerous but mistake-prone Plantation squad.

In 5A, South Broward, which sports a 9-1 record under head coach Allen Held and was a loser to the Raiders in the district, travels to play Coconut Creek, a team that has been on and off this season.

Okay, now just for fun, I will pick the games for this. Keep in mind, I am not good at this, but fans seem to like to make fun of me, so I will give it a try. By the way, thanks to all of you for writing so many e-mails to me this year about the coverage we provide the schools in the BCAA, and I will get to other sports when football is over.

6A
Cypress Bay at Miami Carol City: THE PICK - Carol City 21, Cypress Bay 14

Miami Dr. Krop at Everglades: THE PICK - Everglades 28, Dr. Krop 21

Northeast at Miramar THE PICK - Miramar 20, Northeast 6

Plantation at Deerfield THE PICK - Deerfield 27, Plantation 14

5A
Wellington at Blanche Ely THE PICK - Ely 30, Wellington 13

Coral Springs at St. Thomas Aquinas THE PICK - St. Thomas 47, Coral Springs 6

South Broward at Coconut Creek (Pompano Beach) THE PICK - South Broward 28, Coconut Creek 24

4A
Palm Beach Lakes at Stranahan THE PICK - Stranahan 17, Palm Beach Lakes 14

Hollywood Hills at Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer THE PICK - Dwyer 44, Hollywood Hills 12

2A
Cardinal Gibbons at Glades Central THE PICK - Glades Central 47, Cardinal Gibbons 13

You can reach Larry Blustein via e-mail at FloridaKids1@hotmail.com. He can also be heard every Thursday night (9-10) on the Miami Dolphins High School Gridiron Report on WQAM (560 AM).