It’s another first for “The Prep Zone” as Florida Sports Talk in Ocala & Gainesville has partnered to become the second radio home for high school football this fall.
Never before have there been two Game-of-the-Week broadcasts on ThePrepZone Radio Network until now. A total of 11 games, including Thursday’s season opener between Columbia (Lake City) and Gainesville, will be broadcast on FM-100.1 and AM-900 in Ocala, as well as AM-1230 in Gainesville.
Each week, high school football fans can listen to games on two radio stations in Ocala and two radio stations in Gainesville, as it was recently announced that 104.9 FM in Gainesville will carry games on Friday night.
Of the 11 games to be broadcast on Florida Sports Talk, a total of five Thursday night games will make air with veteran play-by-play announcer Marty Pallman on the call. Pallman is also the “Voice of the Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) Crusaders” on Friday nights. Spot play-by-play duties will be filled by Jake Winderman and Daniel Gillman, with former St. Francis Catholic Academy assistant coach Donald Taylor providing ‘color’ analysis on Friday nights and Tyler TenBieg and Darrin Johnson rotating on Thursday nights.
“The Prep Zone” would like to thank State Farm agent Mark McGriff, Sonic of Gainesville & Ocala, SunState Federal Credit Union, Zaxby’s and Re-Tech Smartphone Centers as participating sponsors.
2016 High School Football Game-of-the-Week on Florida Sports Talk
THURSDAY, August 25 – Columbia (Lake City) at Gainesville – Visiting Tigers advanced to their first state semifinal since 2003 while the Hurricanes advanced to their 7th straight postseason
Friday, Sept. 2 – West Port (Ocala) at Vanguard (Ocala) – Marion County showdown; West Port will try to knock off Vanguard for the first time since 2008; Knights lead the series, 8-3
THURSDAY, Sept. 8 – Columbia (Lake City) at Buchholz (Gainesville) – Match-up of state-ranked teams who were both district champions in 2015
Friday, Sept. 16 – Gainesville at Lake Weir (Ocala) – First of six straight Alachua County vs. Marion County games; Class 6A-District 5 opener for both teams
Friday, Sept. 23 – North Marion (Citra) at Gainesville – Match-up of the top teams in Marion & Alachua County; GHS has made the postseason seven straight times, while North Marion has advanced to the postseason 16 consecutive seasons; Gainesville leads 5-4 in the 10th meeting of the schools
THURSDAY, Sept. 29 – North Marion (Citra) at Eastside (Gainesville) – Both teams have first-year coaches; Class 5A-District 6 opener for both teams
Friday, Sept. 30 – Forest (Ocala) at Gainesville – Forest will try to knock off Gainesville for the first time since 1993; GHS leads the series, 14-7
THURSDAY, Oct. 6 – Lake Weir (Ocala) at Eastside (Gainesville) – Rams lost a tough 12-8 game on the road in 2015 but get the Hurricanes at home this season
Friday, Oct. 14 – Gainesville at Vanguard (Ocala) – Rematch of last year’s 6A-District 5 championship game won by the Knights; the ‘Canes won the rematch in the playoffs for an 11-10 series advantage
THURSDAY, Oct. 20 – Leesburg at Gainesville – Could be a must-win game in 6A-District 5 with a playoff berth on the line
Friday, Nov. 4 – Belleview at Williston – a coaching matchup between BHS’ John Brantley and Williston’s Justin Wentworth, a former assistant under Brantley at Trinity Catholic
