(FLORIDA) -- The wait is finally over... and high school football in the Sunshine State has commenced. Oh, the gaze of an oblong pigskin set against bright Friday Night Lights, with the aromatic smell of the gridiron's cut grass, stamped with fresh paint. This gospel that we preach called football is back in service.

The of action of the gridiron as Preseason Kickoff Classics shone statewide as teams geared up with early.

AREA GAMES OF THE WEEK

DAYTONA & ST. JOHNS AREA GAME OF THE WEEK
BARTRAM TRAIL 40, Riverside 0
Game Info

HEARTLAND AREA GAME OF THE WEEK
LAKELAND 13, Armwood 6
Game Info

ORLANDO METRO AREA GAME OF THE WEEK
THE WEST 42, Orlando Jones 24
Game Info

MIAMI-DADE AREA GAME OF THE WEEK
HOMESTEAD 40, Riverside 7
Game Info

SPACE & TREASURE COAST AREA GAME OF THE WEEK
TREASURE COAST 16, Rockledge 14
Game Info

LEGACY CLASSIC / "PRESEASON SOUL BOWL"

Many feared that this game too would get washed out with many of the other Central Florida games that were forced to cancel after patiently awaiting for some exodus of the torrential thunderstorms that plagued the area. After a wait of 42 minutes, the anticipated rematch of the 2019 State Championship game started at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

ORLANDO METRO AREA GAME OF THE WEEK

THE WEST WINS PRESEASON SOUL BOWL IN THE O

The West Bulls 42
Orlando Jones Tigers 24

FINALhttps://t.co/Ay8DE242Ar#FLgridiron@mnwbullsfootba1 @MNW_Bulls1955 @CoachMurph5_ @JonesHSFootball @Jones_OCPS @jones_athletics pic.twitter.com/WIcOwl7s0n

— Florida Gridiron Preps (@FLgridironpreps) August 21, 2022

MANY WEATHER-RELATED CANCELLATIONS STATEWIDE

The Orlando Area and Palm Beaches were forced to cancel many games due to weather. Sad start for many teams eager to finally gel on the gridiron in preseason action in a no-contest game as they prepare for upcoming Week 1 Season opening action.

Several of the state's most anticipated contests were cancelled due to weather:
Edgewater vs. Apopka - Many football fans were eager to get a preseason glimpse of one of the state's top 2 nationally ranked running backs, Edgewater's Cedric Baxter, Jr.

Regular Season games that counted

Most Preseason week games don't count for the team played... however, annually a few of the games that were played in "Week 0" do count, usually when a Florida high school team plays a team out of state on the road.

Brunswick (GA) 23, Andrew Jackson 13 FINAL

FLORIDA GRIDIRON STATEWIDE SCOREBOARD

View the Florida Gridiron Statewide Scoreboard with game scores from all 16 areas collectively throughout the state of Florida.

AREA SCOREBOARDS

Big Bend Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Broward Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Daytona & St. Johns Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
First Coast Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Heartland Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Miami Dade Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Mid Florida Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Nature Coast Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
North Central Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Orlando Metro Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Palm Beach Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Panhandle Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Southwest Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Space & Treasure Coast Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Suncoast Area Scoreboard -- Week 0
Tampa Bay Area Scoreboard -- Week 0