1A FINAL - No. 2 West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (11-3) vs. No. 1 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (11-2). For the 10th straight year, head coach Dameon Jones and his Lions are in the title game.
This program has established itself as a powerhouse, and while this will be their final game at the 1A level (will move to 2A in 2026), they once again come into this contest as big favorites, running a tough gauntlet of quality teams along the way and combining an explosive offense with a stingy defense.
While experts will tell you that this is the matchup they had hoped for, the Crusaders and veteran head coach Jack Daniels have shown that they are as ready as you can be for a shot at the Lions.
Cardinal Newman is explosive on offense with two 1,000-yard runners, speed just about everywhere and a defense that believes they can slow down Chaminade-Madonna.
This has the chance to be one of the toughest challenges that the Lions have had during this dominating run in the state finals.
CARDINAL NEWMAN CRUSADERS
Fort Pierce John Carroll, W 49-0
Philadelphia Roman Catholic, Pa., L 49-35
North Palm Beach Benjamin, W 47-0
Pahokee, W 26-10
Tampa Jesuit, L 31-0
Miami Lakes Barbara Goleman, W 28-7
Melbourne Central Catholic, W 43-6
West Boca Raton, W 26-20 (OT)
Fort Myers Bishop Verot, W 28-0
Gainesville Buchholz, L 34-30
North Palm Beach Benjamin, W 37-0
Community School of Naples, W 45-14
St. Petersburg Catholic, W 42-13
Tampa Carrollwood Day, W 48-33
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
2026 – Adam Balogoun-Ali, LB
2026 – Phoenix Donghia, RB
2028 – Kahlil Gabaud, DB
2026 – Jyron Hughley, QB
2026 – Leslie Mosley, WR/DB
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
Miami True North Classical Academy, W 35-14
12/5 – Jacksonville Trinity Christian
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
2026 – R.J. Alphonse, DE
2026 – Derrek Cooper, RB
2027 – Trevoris Finley, DE
2029 – Malik Leonard, QB
2026 – Jasen Lopez, WR
CLASS 5A
Dec. 11, 7:30 p.m.
No. 3 Lakeland (12-2) vs. No. 1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (13-1). After losing to the Raiders in the state finals a year ago, 34-0, Dreadnaughts head coach Marvin Frazier Jr. and his coaching staff looked ahead to the 2025 season.
While Lakeland had plenty coming back and some quality that came in, the focus was getting back to the title game, and no matter who was on the other side, bring back a championship (three in four years) to Polk County.
To accomplish that they will have to get over a very large obstacle that has won six straight state titles and are once again loaded under veteran head coach Roger Harriott.
Winners of 13 straight, this program has certainly played a challenging schedule and rolls out some impressive talent on both sides of the ball.
While many do not expect the same run away result like last year, the Raiders do some in as a home favorite to win an unprecedented seventh consecutive championship!
LAKELAND DREANAUGHTS
Auburndale, W 31-21
Concord De La Salle, California, L 10-6
Lake Mary, W 32-13
Miami Booker T. Washington W 32-0
Lakeland Lake Gibson, W 40-0
Riverview Sumner, W 41-9
Sebring, W 34-7
Dover Specialty Fit, W 48-6
Lakeland Kathleen, W 44-6
Orlando The First Academy, L 35-28 (2 OT)
Wesley Chapel, W 35-0
Tampa Gaither, W 15-8
Orlando Edgewater, W 27-14
Ponte Vedra, W 40-13
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
2028 – Ahnarri Cooper, RB
2027 – Kelin Hendrix, Athlete
2026 – Malik Morris, LB
2026 – Ziggy Riley, LB
2027 – Andrew Sapp, DE
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS RAIDERS
Santa Ana Mater Dei, California, L 26-23
Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Andeson, W 72-6
Miami Christopher Columbus, W 42-7
Davie Western, W 45-6
Hollywood McArthur, W 31-7
Hollywood Hills, W 63-0
NFL Academy London, W 41-38
Coconut Creek Monarch, W 31-20
Plantation American Heritage, W 19-12
Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, W 27-21
Palm Bay Heritage, W 58-7
Coconut Creek, W 45-13
Hollywood McArthur, W 34-7
Fort Myers Riverdale, W 45-13
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
2026 – Justice Fitzpatrick, WR/DB
2027 – Julius Jones Jr., WR
2026 – Mason Mallory, QB
2027 – Mark Matthews, OL
2027 – Wyatt Smith, DE
2A FINAL SCORE
No. 1 Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (14-1) 52, No. 2 Jacksonville Bolles (13-2) 28
In addition to those games, here is a look at this week’s schedule:
FRIDAY
CLASS 6A
Dec. 12, 12:30 p.m.
No. 4 Pembroke Pines West Broward (12-2) vs. No. 3 West Boca Raton (12-2)
CLASS 3A
Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m.
No. 2 Jacksonville Raines (13-0) vs. No. 1 Miami Northwestern (13-0)
SATURDAY
CLASS 4A
Dec. 13, 12:30 p.m.
No. 3 Plantation American Heritage (8-5) vs. No. 1 Orlando Jones (12-2)
CLASS 7A
Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m.
No. 2 Lake Mary (11-3) vs. No. 1 Vero Beach (14-0)
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