Merritt Island Mustangs (5-2) at Palm Bay Pirates (6-0)

When: Friday, 7:30pm

Where: Florida Tech Panther Stadium, Melbourne (101 Pirate Lane)

TV: BHSN (Channel 47 and HD 1147)

Coaches: Merritt Island – Jeff McLean (10th, 81-32); Palm Bay – Dan Burke (21st, 198-51)

About the matchup: Perennial powers are poised for a showdown that has major playoff implications. With a win, Palm Bay would clinch the 5A, District 14 championship. Merritt Island needs a win and a Titusville victory against Rockledge to lock up the district crown.

Palm Bay has won in dominating fashion this season, outscoring opponents 197-26. The Pirates have shutout four of their last five opponents. Bruising running back B.J. Daniels is Central Florida’s leading rusher with 1,078 yards and 15 touchdowns. 247 rates Daniels as the 71st best senior running back in the country and he holds offers from eight schools, including USF, Maryland and Colorado State. Senior quarterback Stuart Brown, a second year starter, has thrown for five touchdowns and no interceptions. Versatile slot receiver Dez Arthur has accounted for 630 yards and six touchdowns rushing and receiving. Defensively, Palm Bay’s leading tackler is a freshman, Ladarius Tennyson. He has 55 stops and eight sacks. Seniors Mitchell Cook and Ian Telpha have combined for 17 sacks while junior corner Javonne Roberson has six interceptions.

Merritt Island started the season 1-2 with losses to Heritage and Viera but the Mustangs have since won four straight. They escaped with a 14-12 win against Titusville last week to remain undefeated in the district. Harvard commit Jimmy Batch is in his second year as the starting quarterback for the Mustangs. He’s thrown for six touchdowns and rushed for two. Senior Sean Diggs has accounted for eight scores on the ground while junior Deben Peterson, who will lineup at both wide receiver and running back, has three receiving touchdowns and four rushing scores. Merritt Island’s top tackler is also a freshman, Daythan Peterson. He has 61 stops, four tackles for loss and two interceptions. The Mustangs are salty on the defensive line with seniors Cooper Wilson (53 tackles, six sacks) and Brandon Montanez (42 tackles, four tackles for loss).

Three and out:

1. Burke, who played offensive line at UCF and is in the school’s athletic Hall of Fame, is the longest tenured coach in Central Florida.

2. Merritt Island has won 30 consecutive district games and has taken the last four meetings against Palm Bay.

3. Both programs have won multiple state championships. The Mustangs were state champs in 1972, ’78 and ’79 while Palm Bay’s titles came in 2000 and ’02.