Pace ranked in pre-Season

The Pace Patriots seem to have a target on them before the 2008 football season even kicks off.

Pace, who went all the way to the Class 4A Semi-Finals before losing to Nease in a dramatic four overtime affair, is ranked No. 17 in the state of Florida by Florida Football Magazine.

The Patriots also were ranked for having one of the Top 10 matchups this season on their schedule, but it is not for the game most fans in Santa Rosa County are anticipating.

Florida Football Magazine picked the Niceville and Pace game scheduled for Oct. 12 as one of the top 10 games for the upcoming high school football season.

The magazine even predicts the Eagles will avenge a 33-14 loss.

In the Panhandle Region the magazine ranks Pace as No. 1, while in-county rival Milton checks in at No. 4.

According to the magazine’s region watch list they describe Pace as one of the top coached teams that is loaded with quality talent and that senior quarterback Aaron Munoz is way underrated.

Milton on the other hand who checks in at No. 4 was commented as a team with a young talented group coming back to a program that has been known to reload following an eight win season last year.

Five players from Santa Rosa County were named to the All-Panhandle Pre-season Team.

Three of the five are from Pace. Wide receiver Tyler Busson and tight end Ryan Hanks joins Munoz on the pre-season team.

Hanks and Munoz have both committed early this season. Hanks gave his commitment to Southern Miss, while Munoz has giving his word to University of Louisiana-Monroe.

Munoz is also ranked as one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the state of Florida by the magazine.

Senior Eddie Lynn, who the magazine said was a player to watch at the tight end position, represents Milton. Lynn was nominated as a utility player.