Okay, you are a high school football fan and it’s the first Friday of the season. Where are you going today?
The long-awaited Polk County-Miami-Dade contest will take center stage as perhaps the No. 1 game in the state of Florida.

A lot of talking and bragging on the internet will end when two-time defending state champion Lakeland heads to Traz Powell Stadium to play Miami Central – winners of four of the past five state titles.

Just up the road in Plantation you have the second day of the Broward County National Football showcase where defending Georgia state champion Milton – with University of Miami QB commitment Luke Nickel will play an American Heritage team that is ready to erase the nightmare end to the 2023 season with Class of 2026 University of Texas QB commit Dia Bell.

If those choices aren’t enough – for the third year Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons will host a Broward Showcase contest – inviting 2026 QB prospect Noah Grubbs and Lake Mary, Fl. in for another outstanding contest.
Where are you headed?

Lakeland (0-0) vs. No. 3 Miami Central (0-0), Traz Powell Stadium, 7:30
LAKELAND DREADNAUGHTS
HEAD COACH: Marvin Frazier
2023 RECORD: 12-3 (4M State Champions)
2024 SCHEDULE
8/23 - @Miami Central
9/6 - @Lake Mary
9/13 - @Winter Haven
9/20 – Miami Booker T. Washington
9/27 – Lakeland Lake Gibson
10/4 - @Riverview Sumner
10/11 - @Sebring
10/18 – Specialty Fit Academy
10/25 @Lakeland Kathleen

MIAMI CENTRAL ROCKETS
HEAD COACH: Jube Joseph
2023 RECORD: 8-4
2024 SCHEDULE
8/23 – Lakeland
8/31 – Miami Edison
9/7 – Miami Booker T. Washington
9/13 - @Pompano Beach
9/20 – Plantation American Heritage
10/4 - @Miami Northwestern
10/10 – Fort Lauderdale Stranahan
10/25 - @Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy

Milton, Georgia (1-0) vs. No. 4 American Heritage (0-0), 7
MITON EAGLES
HEAD COACH: Ben Reaves
2023 RECORD: 13-2 (7A State Champions)
2024 SCHEDULE
Buford W 13-10
8/23 - @Plantation American Heritage
8/30 – Alpharetta
9/13 – Blessed Trinity
9/20 – Chattahoochee
9/27 - @Seckinger
10/4 - @Lanier
10/11 - @Gainesville
10/25 – Johns Creek

PLANTATION AMERICAN HERITAGE PATRIOTS’
HEAD COACH: Mike Smith
2023 RECORD: 10-2
2024 SCHEDULE
8/23 – Milton, Georgia
8/30 – Davie Western
9/6 - @Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna
9/13 - @Naples
9/20 - @Miami Central
9/27 – Plantation
10/12 - @Miami Norland
10/18 – Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy

Lake Mary, Florida (0-0) at No. 11 Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (0-0), 7
LAKE MARY RAMS
HEAD COACH: Scott Perry
2023 RECORD: 10-2
2024 SCHEDULE
8/23 – @Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons
8/30 – Kissimmee Osceola
9/6 – Lakeland
9/20 - @Orlando Dr. Phillips
9/27 - @Oviedo Hagerty
10/4 – North Miami Beach
10/10 - @Sanford Seminole
10/18 - @Orlando Evans
10/25 – Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley
11/1 – Orlando Bishop Moore

FORT LAUDERDALE CARDINAL GIBBONS CHIEFS
HEAD COACH: Matt Dubuc
2023 RECORD: 9-4
2024 SCHEDULE
8/23 – Lake Mary
8/30 – Hollywood South Broward
9/13 - @Pembroke Pines West Broward
9/20 – Coconut Creek
9/27 – Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian
10/4 - @Hallandale
10/10 – Deerfield Beach
10/18 – Boca Raton
10/25 - @Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna
11/1 - @Miramar

MORE GAMES TO WATCH OPENING WEEK
While the national showcase is getting much of the attention on opening of the regular season, there are other contests to keep an eye on as well:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23
Clewiston at Key West, 7
Coral Springs Coral Glades at Cooper City, 7
Delray American Heritage at Miami Westminster Christian, 4
Fort Lauderdale at Miramar Everglades, 7
Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian at Miami Belen Jesuit, 7
No. 12 Fort Lauderdale Dillard vs. No. 20 Plantation (PAL), 7
Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest at West Palm Beach Oxbridge Academy, 7
Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy at Port St. Lucie Tradition Prep, 7
Hialeah ABF Academy at Goulds Palm Glades Prep, 4
Hialeah Gardens at Miami Varela, 3:30
Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy at Somerset Silver Palms, 7
Hollywood Avant Garde at Riviera Beach Inlet Grove, 6:30
Hollywood Hills at Coral Springs Taravella, 7
Hollywood McArthur at Hallandale, 7
Hollywood South Broward vs. Pembroke Pines West Broward (Ansin), 7
Homestead No. 5 vs. No. 14 Miami Palmetto (Tropical), 7:30
Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson at Pompano Beach Blanche Ely, 7
Miami Archbishop Carroll at Miami Florida Christian, 7
Miami Braddock vs. Mourning (N. Miami), 3:30
Miami Gardens TRU Prep vs. Miami True North Classical Academy (Tropical), 3:30
Miami Gulliver Prep at Doral Academy, 7
No. 8 Miami Norland at No. 19 Miramar, 7
Miami SmartEn Sports Academy at Miami Palmer Trinity, 4
Miami St. Brendan at Miami Dr. Krop (Ives), 7
Moore Haven at Davie Nova, 7
North Lauderdale Somerset Prep at Deerfield Beach Somerset Key, 4
North Miami vs. Jackson (Curtis), 7:30
North Miami Beach at Auburn, Alabama, 7
Palm Beach Lakes at Coral Springs, 7
Parkland Douglas at Weston Cypress Bay, 7
Pembroke Pines Flanagan vs. Miami Lakes Goleman (Milander), 7:30
Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy at Coconut Creek North Broward Prep, 6
Pompano Beach at Marathon, 7:30
Somerset South Homestead at Tavernier Coral Shores, 7
South Miami vs. Miami Coral Reef (Southridge), 7:30
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy at Naples Community School, 7
Deerfield Beach at Sunrise Piper, 7
West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman at Miami Gardens Monsignor Pace, 7:30

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24
Broward Showcase: Las Vegas Bishop Gorman at No. 1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, 4
Broward Showcase: Hoover, Alabama at No. 6 Davie Western, 7
Broward Showcase at St. Thomas: No. 2 Hollywood Chaminade vs. Bellflower St. John Bosco (California), 8
Hialeah at Miami Carol City (Milander), 7
Homestead Everglades Prep vs. Miami Killian (Southridge), 7

THURSDAY’S MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD RESULTS
BROWARD SHOWCASE
Coconut Creek Monarch 30, Suwannee Peachtree Ridge, Georgia 29
Miami Northwestern, 45, Coconut Creek 0
NSU University School 51, Coral Springs Charter 7
No. 20 Miami Edison 20, Hialeah American 0
No. 13 Miami Booker T. Washington 28, Homestead South Dade 6
No. 7 Miami Christopher Columbus 17, No. 15 Miami Southridge 14
Southwest Miami 41, Miami Coral Park 6
Coral Gables 19, Miami Ferguson 0
Miami Immaculata LaSalle 40, Miami High 7
Miami Springs 39, Miami Beach 29
North Lauderdale Somerset Prep 53, Deerfield Somerset Key 21
Pembroke Pines Charter 41, Oakland Park Northeast 14
Riviera Beach Inlet Grove 46, Hollywood Avant Garde 0
West Palm Beach Oxbridge Academy 14, Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest 7

STATE SCORES
Cape Coral Oasis 40, Fort Myers Gateway Charter 14
Corner Canyon, Utah 35, Bradenton IMG 34
Chardon, Ohio 29, Orlando Timber Creek 7
Fort Myers Dunbar 30, Fort Myers Cypress Lake 15
Lake Worth Dr. Joaquin Garcia 49, Lake Worth 13
Merritt Island Christian 38, Hernando Christian 12
New Smyrna Beach 41, Golden, Colorado 19
Ocala Christian 64, Winter Park Oasis Christian 12
Orlando The First Academy 28, Lipscomb, Tennessee 23
Port Orange Spruce Creek 50, Daytona Beach Seabreeze 0
Port St. Lucie Centennial 26, Wellington 12
Tarpon Springs 42, Seminole 20
Wellington, Colorado 38, Orlando Colonial 12
West Boca Raton 14, North Palm Beach Benjamin 13

MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD INFORMATION YEAR-ROUND. https://larryblustein.com/

Are You Keeping Up With Miami-Dade & Broward High School Football Transfers? https://larryblustein.com/news/keeping-up-with-miami-dade-broward-high-school-football-transfers

For the past 54 years, we have spent more time on football fields than anyone in the country. From games to practices, camps, combines and 7-on-7 events, we get to as many events as possible to see the athletes LIVE. Follow us on Facebook (Larry Blustein) Instagram (@OurBoyBlu) and Twitter (@PrepRedzoneFL). Contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..