As you have already watched the past four weeks, this season is going to be filled with marquee matchups that every fan will want to check out.
This week the big game in south Florida will be on Saturday night at Traz Powell Stadium when the No. 1 team in Florida, Miami Central (3-0), plays host to the No. 7 team locally, Fort Lauderdale Dillard (2-1).
While there has been a lot of talk about this game – from both sides – there is not denying the fact that the Rockets come in a huge favorites to stay unbeaten under first year head coach Jube Joseph.
The Rockets are loaded on both sides of the ball and have already shown that they are indeed a team that is ready for its ninth state title and fourth in a row.
For the Panthers and head coach Tyler Tate, a loss to No. 2 Hollywood Chaminade Madonna hurt, and although they have bounced back from that game, a win on Saturday night can change the entire program that still has No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas left in the schedule. From an exposure standpoint, very few teams can say that they have played the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the state like Dillard will do by season’s end!
FOR LAUDERDALE DILLARD PANTHERS
HEAD COACH: Tyler Tate
ROCK CREEK CHRISTIAN, MARYLAND, W 35-0
Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, L 49-28
Miramar, W 35-7
9/24 – At Miami Central
9/30 – LAUDERDALE LAKE BOYD ANDERSON
10/7 – FORT LAUDERDALE ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
10/14 – At Plantation
10/22 – FORT LAUDERDALE
10/28 – At Tallahassee Lincoln
11/5 – POMPANO BEACH BLANCHE ELY
MIAMI CENTRAL ROCKETS
HEAD COACH: Jube Joseph
Bradenton IMG Academy, W 20-14
MIAMI BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, W 36-19
Miami Carol City, W 34-0
9/24 – FORT LAUDERDALE DILLARD
9/30 – At North Miami Beach
10/7 – At Miami Northwestern
10/14 – MIAMI NORLAND
10/28 – MIAMI MONSIGNOR PACE
Here are a four more contests to check out:
No. 3 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (4-0) at Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (1-3), South County Municipal Stadium, 7:00. The Raiders hit the road against one of the best 1-3 programs in Florida. One that has been more than tested and are very familiar with Miami-Dade and Broward competition, and while the Titans have high hopes, they have not played anyone remotely like St. Thomas Aquinas. This is solid road test for head coach Roger Harriott and his team, but depth and overall ability should separate these two teams quickly. Coach Irvin Jones and his team have beaten some quality opponents in the past.
No. 17 Miami Palmetto (1-3) at Vero Beach (4-0), Sebastian River High School, 7:00. Another Treasure Coast matchup for south Florida on the road. The Panthers had such high hopes of having a banner season, things have not started well with some crushing losses. Head Coach Mike Manasco and the Panthers know that their work will be cut out for them against the Indians and head coach Lenny Jankowski who have done very well against competition from the #305 and #954 throughout the years.
No. 18 Pompano Beach Blanche Ely (2-0) at No. 16 Coconut Creek (2-2), 7:00. The saddest part about this quality matchup is nobody will get to see it. We are living in times where a few bad apples can ruin everything, and with threatening calls made about this game, the two teams and game officials will be the only ones allowed in for a contest that both programs had looked forward to. Head Coach Johnnie Sloan and the Cougars have lost two straight and look to get back on the winning track – while head coach Mike Bailey and his football team look to make it three straight and continue to turn heads.
Windermere Prep (4-0) at Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest (3-1), 7:00. It’s not often that the Panthers can jump into the spotlight, but after wins against Fort Lauderdale NSU University School (30-7), Fort Lauderdale Archbishop McCarthy (30-14) and Delray American Heritage (27-13), the Panthers get a Top 5 game this week at home against a quality team. The Lakers storm south with four quality wins under their belt, outscoring the opposition, 176-40. But head coach Timothy Hibbs and his team is ready to make a statement against a quality opponent.
MORE GAMES TO WATCH
In addition to those five games, here is a list of other Miami-Dade and Broward games to watch today:
FRIDAY’S GAMES
BridgePrep Village Green (0-3) at Miami Westminster Christian (3-0), 4:00
Coral Springs (1-2) at Oakland Park Northeast (0-3), 7:00
Davie Western (2-1) at Coral Springs Taravella (0-3), 4:00
Doral Academy (3-1) at No. 20 Miami Southridge (2-2), 7:30
No. 13 Fort Lauderdale (3-0) at Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson (0-2), 7:00
No. 4 Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (4-0) at Key West (2-2), 7:00
Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy (0-4) at Miami St. Brendan (1-2), 7
Hialeah Miami-Lakes (1-2) at Miami Coral Park (2-1), 3:30
Hollywood Avant Garde Academy (2-1) at Boca Raton Saint John Paul II (1-2), 7:00
Hollywood South Broward (2-2) at Miami Dr. Krop (2-2), Ives Park, 7:30
Homestead Everglades Prep (1-2) at Somerset Academy South Homestead (2-2), 7:30
Homestead South Dade (1-2) at Miami Jackson (2-2), Curtis Park, 7:30
No. 12 Miami Booker T. Washington (3-1) at Miami Carol City (1-2), Traz Powell Stadium, 7:30
Miami Braddock (3-0) at Coral Gables (2-0), 3:30
Miami Country Day (0-3) at North Miami Mourning (0-3), 3:30
Miami Dade Christian (0-1) at Miami True North Classical Academy (2-2)
Miami Edison (1-2) at Tallahassee Rickards (1-3), 7:00
Miami Killian (1-3) at Naples (3-1), 7:30
Miami LaSalle (2-1) at South Fort Myers (1-2), 7:00
No. 11 Miami Norland (3-0) at Hialeah American (1-2), Milander, 7:30
Miami Ransom Everglades (2-1) at Marathon (2-1), 7:00
Miami Sunset (1-3) at Doral Reagan (0-2), 3:30
No. 14 Miramar (2-1) at Coral Springs Coral Glades (0-3)
North Miami (1-3) at Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian (3-1), 7:00
Pembroke Pines Flanagan (1-3) at Hollywood Hills (1-2), 4:00
Pembroke Pines West Broward (1-2) at Pembroke Pines Charter (2-1), 7:00
Somerset Silver Palms (2-2) at Miami Belen Jesuit (2-2), 7:30
South Plantation (3-0) at Cooper City (0-4), 7:00
Vero Beach St. Edward’s (2-1) at Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy (3-0), 7:00
West Palm Beach King’s Academy (3-1) at Coconut Creek North Broward Prep (3-1), 6:00
Weston Cypress Bay (1-2) at Davie Nova (2-2), 7:00
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Boca Raton St. Andrew’s 42, NSU University School 6
Coconut Creek Monarch 20, Parkland Douglas 20
Coral Springs Charter 48, Tradition Prep 16
Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna 28, Miami Gulliver Prep 0
Miami Christopher Columbus 23, Miami Northwestern 19
North Miami Beach 22, Miami Monsignor Pace 13
Pembroke Pines West Broward 20, Pembroke Pines Charter 13
Sunrise Piper 30, Hollywood McArthur 29
West Palm Beach SLAM Academy 22, Deerfield Somerset Key 20
Westland Hialeah 39, Miami Springs 12