As you sit down to enjoy your Thanksgiving feast today with your family, the sport of football is indeed still in the air.
As we race toward December, high school football teams in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties are working hard to have the chance to play for a state title between Dec. 10-13 at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of FIU.
On Friday and Saturday, 12 programs from the two counties will compete for a Region title, moving them one step closer to a dream that began in the third week of August.
The winners of this round will advance to the state semifinals against some of the best in the state of Florida next Friday, which will produce the 14 schools that will head to south Florida to be crowned as the best in their classification.
Over the next three days, we will preview the upcoming games – starting with 1A, 2A and 4A today – 5A, 6A & 7A tomorrow, and then the titanic 3A rematch on Saturday between Miami Central and Miami Northwestern.
REGION 4-1A
Miami True North Classical Academy (10-2) at No. 1 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (9-2), 6:30 p.m.
This is a game that many football fans knew would happen on this day after Thanksgiving.
No doubt Chaminade-Madonna was a definite. Head Coach Dameon Jones and the Lions are going for an amazing 10th consecutive trip to the state title and are loaded with talent.
They are a nationally recognized program with great coaching and superior talent. They are indeed a dynasty that plays a competitive schedule and continues to attract top flight talent. They have several Power 4 prospects and are always a huge favorite in any game they play against a 1A program. They have outscored their opponents, 447-138.
On the other side of the field, you have a school that is just six years old that already has established itself as a rising power in the sport of football.
Winners of 10 straight games, including two current No. 1 seeds, head coach Greg Laferre and his staff have made believers of many teams, fans and football experts, but realize that this game will be by far the toughest since their opener against 2A power Sarasota Cardinal Mooney. They have outscored their 12 opponents, 462-203.
TRUE NORTH CLASSICAL ACADEMY TITANS
Sarasota Cardinal Mooney, L 41-14
Fort Myers Bishop Verot, L 44-34
Miami Gardens Monsignor Pace, W 49-18
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, W 31-6
Jacksonville University Christian, W 28-8
Miami Jackson, W 42-0
Boynton Beach Somerset Canyon, W 42-0
Miami Christopher Columbus, W 34-15
Miami Westminster Christian, W 35-6
Miami Archbishop Carroll, W 49-20
Miami Palmer Trinity, W 42-17
Boca Raton Saint Andrew’s Academy, W 62-28
11/28 - @Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna
CHAMINADE-MADONNA LIONS
Baltimore St. Frances Academy, L 42-13
Hollywood McArthur, W 28-14
Plantation American Heritage, W 28-24
Miami Edison, W 56-6
Davie Western, W 56-0
Coconut Creek Monarch, W 28-7
Pompano Beach Blanche Ely, W 60-0
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, W 47-0
Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, L 27-21
Boca Raton St. John Paul II Academy, W 63-0
Miami Edison, W 47-18
11/28 - Miami True North Classical Academy
REGION 4-2A
No. 2 Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (9-3) at No. 1 Miami Immaculata LaSalle (12-0), 7 p.m. A first ever meeting between these two schools who have remained in the spotlight throughout the season.
For the home team Royal Lions, under the direction of head coach Helder Valle, this run to 12-0 has come with a mix of youth and veteran prospects who have been able to step up to have an opportunity to play host for a third-round game for the first time in school history.
Rated as one of the top teams in south Florida throughout the season, they have been able to outscore their opponents by an impressive 438-73 with six shutouts.
For head coach Matt Dubuc and his Chiefs, this is a road they have traveled before as three-time state champions not so long ago.
This is a team that has been able to produce elite talent through the years and have maintained a competitive schedule, competing against two No. 1 playoff seeds along the way.
In this current three-game winning streak, they have been able to outscore their opponents this season, 421-281.
CARDINAL GIBBONS CHIEFS
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, L 42-35
Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian, W 33-6
Coconut Creek, W 11-6
Hollywood South Broward, W 52-6
Pembroke Pines West Broward, L 49-38
Hallandale, W 51-14
Deerfield Beach, W 45-7
Boca Raton, W 35-13
Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, L 47-0
Miramar, W 35-28
Miami Gardens Monsignor Pace, W 48-28
Miami Killian, W 38-35
11/28 - Miami Immaculata LaSalle
IMMACULATA LASALLE ROYAL LIONS
Miami High, W 35-0
Miami Jackson, W 50-0
Miami Belen Jesuit, W 34-3
Miami Booker T. Washington, W 31-0
Miami Ransom Everglades, W 21-17
Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, W 42-0
Miami Springs, W 49-12
Miami St. Brendan, W 40-0
Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy, W 21-18
Miami Dr. Krop, W 31-0
Homestead Somerset Academy Silver Palms, W 42-7
Miami Ransom Everglades, W 42-16
11/28 – Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons
REGION 4-4A
No. 2 Plantation American Heritage (6-5) at No. 1 Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy (10-2), 7 p.m. While this wasn’t the road that the defending 4A state champions wanted to travel to arrive at this game, the main thing is they are here and playing their best football of the season.
While there were five losses during the season, keep in mind that head coach Mike Smith and his team played the most challenging schedule of any team in this state – and those five setbacks came by a total of 31 points, including an overtime loss on the road against the current No. 6 ranked team in the state and three No. 1 seeds that are still very much alive.
Loaded with playmakers on both sides of the ball, this team has overcome several key losses – due to injury, but are healthy and have outscored the opposition, 314-204.
What else can be said about this program that hasn’t already been talked about by every football fan across the state?
District champions in only their second season in one of the most competitive 4A districts in the state of Florida, first year head coach Jake Pew and his staff have built this program from scratch, and they are now on the verge of getting to the state semifinals.
Stacked with gifted players on both sides of the ball, this is a team that continues to add tremendously student/athletes and have outscored the opposition, 379-162 during this five-game winning streak.
AMERICAN HERITAGE PATRIOTS
Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep, Pennsylvania, W 31-28
Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, L 28-24
New Orleans Edna Karr, Louisiana, L 24-17 (OT)
Miami Central, L 31-21
Plantation, W 28-13
Pembroke Pines Flanagan, W 31-0
Miami Norland, W 41-21
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, L 13-10
Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, L 19-12
Fort Pierce John Carroll, W 50-20
Plantation, W 48-7
11/28 - @Archbishop McCarthy
ARCHBISHOP MCCARTHY MAVERICKS
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, W 42-35
Community School of Naples, W 14-10
Miami St. Brendan, W 56-0
Miami True North Classical Academy, L 31-6
Boynton Beach Somerset Canyon, W 41-0
Miami Norland, W 21-14
Plantation, L 28-27
Plantation American Heritage, 13-10
Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian, W 38-7
West Palm Beach The King’s Academy, W 48-7
Hialeah, W 49-6
Miami Norland, W 24-14
11/28 – Plantation American Heritage
TOMORROW: We take a look at Region Finals in 5A, 6A, 7A.
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