Back in the third week of August, football programs in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties started the season with a dream.
Now, some three plus months later, programs in every classification still have those hopes of winning a state title as they will compete in the Region Final round of the state playoffs that will end up at Pitbull Stadium in the second week of December.
When play starts the day after Thanksgiving, there are 14 teams from the two counties that are still holding on to that coveted dream of getting to play for a state title.
With that in mind, we check out the top local teams heading into the second round of the state playoffs:
1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (5A, 11-1). LAST WEEK: The six-time state champions beat No. 16 Coconut Creek in a region semifinal contest, 45-13. THIS WEEK: No. 7 Hollywood McArthur (10-2). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
2. Miami Northwestern (3A, 11-0). LAST WEEK: The defending state champions rolled to a 56-6 win over Key West. THIS WEEK: No. 3 Miami Central (10-1). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
3. Miami Central (3A, 10-1). LAST WEEK: The Rockets outscored Naples Lely, 70-30. THIS WEEK: No. 2 Miami Northwestern (11-0). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
4. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1A, 9-2). LAST WEEK: The four-time defending state champions continued their path to a 10th straight state championship appearance with a 47-18 win against Miami Edison. THIS WEEK: No. 8 Miami True North Classical Academy (10-2). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
5. Miami Southridge (6A, 11-1). LAST WEEK: The Spartans continued to make a statement with a dominating 42-6 win against Sunrise Piper. THIS WEEK: No. 6 Pembroke Pines West Broward (10-2). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
6. Pembroke Pines West Broward (6A, 10-2). LAST WEEK: The Bobcats won a competitive contest against No. 17 Coconut Creek Monarch, 38-12. rolled to a 56-13 win over South Plantation. THIS WEEK: No. 5 Miami Southridge (11-1). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
7. Hollywood McArthur (5A, 10-2). LAST WEEK: The Mustangs continued one of the biggest turnarounds in the state with a 17-16 win against Delray Beach Atlantic. THIS WEEK: A rematch with No. 1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (11-1). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
8. Miami True North Classical Academy (1A, 10-2). LAST WEEK: The Tians won for the 10th straight time, 62-28, against Boca Raton St. Andrew’s. THIS WEEK: No. 4 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (9-2). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
9. Miami Palmetto (7A, 10-2). LAST WEEK: For the second time this year, the Panthers knocked off Miami Christopher Columbus, 27-10. THIS WEEK: No. 14 Miami Lakes Barbara Goleman (8-4). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
10. Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy (4A, 10-2). LAST WEEK: The Mavericks, for the second time this season, beat No. 15 Miami Norland, 24-14. THIS WEEK: No. 13 defending state champion Plantation American Heritage (6-5). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
11. Miami Immaculata LaSalle (2A, 12-0). LAST WEEK: The Royal Lions continued one of the best seasons in school history with a 42-16 win against Miami Ransom Everglades. THIS WEEK: No. 12 Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (9-3). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
12. Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (2A, 9-3). LAST WEEK: The Chiefs won a thriller against No. 19 Miami Killian, 38-35. THIS WEEK: No. 11 Miami Immaculata LaSalle (12-0).
13. Plantation American Heritage (4A, 6-5). LAST WEEK: The defending state champions continued to regain their form with a convincing 48-7 win against No. 18 Plantation. THIS WEEK: No. 10 Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy (10-2). NEXT WEEK: TBA.
14. Miami Lakes Barbara Goleman (8-4). LAST WEEK: The Gators went on the road and beat Boca Raton Spanish River, 56-42. THIS WEEK: When they take on No. 9 Miami Palmetto (10-2), it will be the furthest that this school has ever gone in the state football playoffs. NEXT WEEK: TBA.
15. Miami Norland (4A, 6-5). LAST WEEK: The Vikings dropped a 24-14 decision to No. 10 Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy. SEASON OVER.
16. Coconut Creek (5A, 9-3). LAST WEEK: The Cougars dropped a 45-13 game to No. 1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. SEASON OVER.
17. Coconut Creek Monarch (6A, 7-5). LAST WEEK: The Knights ended a very productive year, 38-12, to No. 6 Pembroke Pines West Broward. SEASON OVER.
18. Plantation (4A, 7-5). LAST WEEK: The Colonels ended the season with a 48-7 decision to defending state champion and No. 13 Plantation American Heritage. SEASON OVER.
19. Miami Killian (2A, 8-3). LAST WEEK: The Cougars watching the season come to an end with a tough 38-35 contest to No. 12 Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons. SEASON OVER.
20. Fort Lauderdale Dillard (4A, 10-1). SEASON OVER.
Here are some other programs who worked hard this year:
INDEPENDENT
Doral Ronald Reagan (7-2). SEASON OVER
Coral Springs Charter (5-6). SEASON OVER
Fort Lauderdale University School (8-5). SEASON OVER
Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy (8-3). SEASON OVER
Hialeah Gardens (4-7). SEASON OVER
Miami Braddock (4-6). SEASON OVER
Miami Coral Reef Football (9-2). SEASON OVER
Miami Ferguson (5-3). SEASON OVER
Miami Florida Christian (7-2-1). SEASON OVER
Miami Varela (6-4). SEASON OVER
CLASS 1A
Miami Archbishop Carroll (8-3), SEASON OVER
Miami Edison (6-5). SEASON OVER
Miami Palmer Trinity (7-3). SEASON OVER
Miami Westminster Christian (8-3). SEASON OVER
CLASS 2A
Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy (7-4). SEASON OVER
Miami Booker T. Washington (2-8)
Miami Carol City (6-5). SEASON OVER
Miami Gardens Monsignor Pace (4-7). SEASON OVER
Miami Gulliver Prep (6-4). SEASON OVER
Miami Ransom Everglades (7-4). SEASON OVER
North Miami Beach (4-6)
CLASS 3A
Miami St. Brendan (4-7). SEASON OVER
Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy (4-7). SEASON OVER
CLASS 4A
Hialeah (6-5). SEASON OVER
CLASS 5A
Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy (8-4)
Miramar (4-7). SEASON OVER
North Miami (7-4). SEASON OVER
CLASS 6A
Davie Nova (5-6). SEASON OVER
Doral Academy (5-5). SEASON OVER
Miami Christopher Columbus (4-8). SEASON OVER
Pembroke Pines Flanagan (8-3). SEASON OVER
South Plantation (6-5). SEASON OVER
Sunrise Piper (7-5). SEASON OVER
CLASS 7A
Coral Gables (4-5). SEASON OVER
Coral Springs Coral Glades (6-5). SEASON OVER
Davie Western (4-7). SEASON OVER
Homestead South Dade (5-6). SEASON OVER
Weston Cypress Bay (5-5). SEASON OVER
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD TOP 20
WEEK 1. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-1-top-20-miami-dade-broward-loaded-with-talent
WEEK 2. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-2-top-20-st-thomas-aquinas-moves-to-no-1
WEEK 3. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-3-local-teams-are-starting-to-emerge
WEEK 4. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-4-huge-games-will-test-local-teams
WEEK 5. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-5-new-teams-enter-an-elite-group
WEEK 6. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-6-district-games-will-put-distance-between-teams
WEEK 7. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-7-things-are-beginning-to-get-interesting-for-area-programs
WEEK 8. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-8-it-s-all-about-the-state-playoffs-now
WEEK 9. https://larryblustein.com/news/miami-dade-broward-week-9-playoff-slots-still-up-for-grabs
WEEK 10. https://larryblustein.com/news/miami-dade-broward-week-10-playoff-spots-up-for-grabs
WEEK 11. https://larryblustein.com/news/miami-dade-broward-week-11-teams-getting-ready-for-the-post-season
WEEK 12. https://larryblustein.com/news/miami-dade-broward-week-12-the-playoff-waiting-game-begins
WEEK 1 PLAYOFFS. https://larryblustein.com/news/miami-dade-broward-playoff-week-1-key-opening-round-games
WEEK 2 PLAYOFFS. https://larryblustein.com/news/miami-dade-broward-playoff-week-2-local-programs-stay-alive
2025 Road To Miami & The Villages Charter. https://larryblustein.com/news/2025-road-to-miami-the-villages-charter
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD INFORMATION YEAR-ROUND. https://larryblustein.com/
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