As the scores rolled in last Friday night from across Florida in the state semifinal round of the playoffs and Miami-Dade and Broward County programs were on top, there were some smiling faces.
When the 2025 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state finals begin on Wednesday and culminate Saturday night at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University, five schools from the two counties will be represented along with two from Palm Beach County.
Chaminade-Madonna will be making a school-record 10th straight trip to the finals, looking for a fifth consecutive win in 1A under head coach Dameon Jones.
For head coach Roger Harriott and his St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, this week’s appearance in the 5A final will be the seventh consecutive for the six-time defending state champions.
Defending 4A state champion Plantation American Heritage and head coach Mike Smith will be back to defend their title after a huge state semifinal road win some 620 miles away.
First year Miami Northwestern head coach Jaquatin Victrum and his Bulls return to the 3A state championship game for a rematch with Jacksonville Raines in a battle of unbeatens.
After head coach Brian McCartney and West Broward upset Buchholz in Gainesville, the Bobcats will make their first ever appearance in the state title game in 6A.
Here is a look at how this week will stack up:
CLASS 1A
STATE SEMIFINAL
Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna 35, Jacksonville Trinity Christian 0
West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman 48, Tampa Carrollwood Day 33
Thursday, Dec. 11, 12:30 p.m.
Pitbull Stadium, FIU, Miami
No. 2 West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (11-3) vs. No. 1 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (11-2)
CLASS 3A
STATE SEMIFINAL
Miami Northwestern 52, Orlando Bishop Moore 21
Jacksonville Raines 28, Sarasota Booker 8
FINAL
Friday, Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m.
Pitbull Stadium, FIU, Miami
No. 2 Jacksonville Raines (13-0) vs. No. 1 Miami Northwestern (13-0)
CLASS 4A
STATE SEMIFINAL
Orlando Jones 35, Port Charlotte 23
Plantation American Heritage 31, Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee 14
FINAL
Saturday, Dec. 13, 12:30 p.m.
Pitbull Stadium, FIU, Miami
No. 3 Plantation American Heritage (8-5) vs. No. 1 Orlando Jones (12-2)
CLASS 5A
STATE SEMIFINAL
Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas 45, Fort Myers Riverdale 13
Lakeland 40, Ponte Vedra 13
FINAL
Thursday, Dec. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Pitbull Stadium, FIU, Miami
No. 3 Lakeland (12-2) vs. No. 1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (13-1)
CLASS 6A
STATE SEMIFINAL
West Boca Raton 14, Seffner Armwood 13
Pembroke Pines West Broward 24, Gainesville Buchholz 17
FINAL
Friday, Dec. 12, 12:30 p.m.
Pitbull Stadium, FIU, Miami
No. 4 Pembroke Pines West Broward (12-2) vs. No. 3 West Boca Raton (12-2)
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD INFORMATION YEAR-ROUND. https://larryblustein.com/
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