The high school football experts believe they have it all figured out.
They all know who will be at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University next Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
So, while everyone knows the outcome, why even play tonight’s state semifinal games.
While Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna and head coach Dameon Jones look to head to the state finals for a record ninth consecutive time, and are favored to do just that, five-time defending state champion Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas and head coach Roger Harriott, and two-time defending state champion Miami Christopher Columbus and head coach Dave Dunn are being doubted.
We will come back to what Chaminade-Madonna has done but let us look at St. Thomas Aquinas for a second.
This is a program that is the most successful in the history of high school football in Florida. They have carried the championship flag in the state and recognized them nationally for nearly five decades.
While they are on the road at Manatee and may be underdogs by some who follow the game, check out the losses they have had this year – all against top-flight teams.
For them to run this crazy streak to six consecutive, they will have to play mistake-free football tonight and if they advance do the same next week.
While we are talking about programs who are underdogs on the road, check out the Explorers of Miami Christopher.
This team has won two straight state titles and have been in the mix nearly every season since Dunn returned to the school in 2018.
They know that Venice is one of the best programs in the country and understand that they will have to turn it up several volumes, but they have been underdogs before and realize what lies ahead.
Now, getting back to Chaminade-Madonna. We all know that the season started off with a loss to national power Bellflower St. John Bosco of California and a huge upset to Pompano Beach Blanche Ely, but since then they have taken care of business against eight playoff teams and are heavy favorites tonight and next Wednesday in the 1A state title game against either West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman or Clearwater Central Catholic.
1A
No. 4 Jacksonville Trinity Christian Academy (10-3) at No. 1 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (11-2). These are two schools that know each other very well – and with 33-year veteran head coach Verlon Dorminey (296-77) at the helm, this is one program that Chaminade-Madonna has had some problems with over the years. They head south with a seven-game winning streak. The winner will play next Wednesday night (7:30) at Pitbull Stadium in Miami against Clearwater Central Catholic, who beat West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman in the state semifinal, 22-21 (OT).
JACKSONVILLE TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY CONQUERORS
Jacksonville Ed White, W 21-18
Jacksonville Bolles, L 41-7
Jacksonville Raines, L 48-23
Jacksonville North Florida Educational Institiute, W 49-0
Lake City Columbia, W 21-14
Jacksonville Riverside, L 28-21
Jacksonville Episcopal, W 49-3
Zephyrhills Christian, W 47-14
Jacksonville KIPP Bold City, W 44-6
Neptune Beach Fletcher, W 35-21
*Gainesville P.K. Yonge, W Forfeit
*Tallahassee Maclay, W 28-21
*Jacksonville University Christian, W 27-6
HOLLYWOOD CHAMINADE-MADONNA LIONS
St. John Bosco, California, L 34-27
Pompano Beach Blanche Ely, L 35-34 (OT)
Plantation American Heritage, W 48-45
Miami Edison, W 56-19
Miami Norland, W 45-20
Davie Western, W 26-9
Coconut Creek Monarch, W 37-8
Hollywood Avant Garde, W 56-0
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, W 62-17
*Boca Raton St. John Paul II, W 63-0
*Boca Raton St. Andrew’s, W 70-0
*Miami Edison, W 49-6
2A
No. 4 Miami Booker T. Washington (10-2) at No. 1 Havana Gadsden County (12-1). Riding a seven-game winning streak, veteran head coach Tim “Ice” Harris and his football team must travel 500 miles to face one of the hottest teams in Florida. The job that head coach Russell Ellington and his staff have done is impressive as they come in on a nine-game winning streak, losing only to Georgia state champion Coffee County.
MIAMI BOOKER T. WASHINGTON TORNADOES
Homestead South Dade, W 28-6
Miami Central, W Forfeit
Miami Immaculata LaSalle, W 35-20
Lakeland, L 48-13
Miami Springs, W 62-7
Vero Beach, L 24-21
Miami Southridge, W 27-14
Miami Ransom Everglades, W 42-13
Miami Palmetto, W 21-16
*North Miami Beach, W 31-13
*Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, W 47-0
*Miami Immaculata LaSalle, W 41-6
HAVANA GADSDEN COUNTY JAGUARS
Tift County, Georgia, W 45-7
McCallie, Tennessee, W 27-23
Tallahassee Godby, W 48-7
Coffee County, Georgia, L 27-14
Donaldson Seminole County, Georgia, W 60-7
Jacksonville Impact Christian, W Forfeit
Tallahassee Lincoln, W 31-21
Tallahassee Florida High, W 42-11
Crawfordville Wakulla, W 49-6
Perry Taylor County, W 34-0
*Baldwin, W 48-7
*Tallahassee Florida High, W 42-11
*Jacksonville Bolles, W 21-9
3A
No. 3 Miami Northwestern (10-2) at No. 2 Melbourne Eau Gallie (12-1). The Bulls head on the road for the first time in the state playoffs to play head coach Chris Sands and a program that has been impressive down the stretch. But on the other side of the field this week will be first year head coach Teddy Bridgewater and his team that has more than met the challenge – with losses coming in overtime to state power Venice and 2023 state runner up Norland. This will be by far the biggest test and the most speed Eau Gallie has faced this year.
MIAMI NORTHWESTERN BULLS
Coconut Creek, W 45-0
Venice, L 48-42 (OT)
Miami Carol City, W 42-7
Miami Norland, L 21-17
Miami Jackson, W 48-6
Miami Central, W Forfeit
Key West, W 50-14
Miami Christopher Columbus, W 23-18
Miami St. Brendan, W 57-7
*Naples Barron Collier, W 69-0
*Naples Lely, W 64-12
*Fort Myers Cypress Lake, W 48-0
MELBOURNE EAU GALLIE COMMODORES
Vero Beach, W 29-27
Rockledge, W 40-0
Palm Bay Heritage, W 21-0
Satellite, W 33-3
Orange City University, W 40-7
Titusville, W 7-3
Merritt Island, W 27-20
Palm Bay, W 43-0
Tallahassee Lincoln, L 38-17
Melbourne, W 43-0
*Crystal River, W 35-0
*Titusville, W 44-7
*Orlando Bishop Moore, W 26-24
4A
No. 4 St. Augustine (11-1) at No. 1 Plantation American Heritage (10-2). Last year’s state runner up in 3S heads south for the first time riding a eight-game winning streak and loaded with talent under head coach Brian Braddock, who has guided them to a 24-2 record over the past two seasons. The Patriots are also red-hot themselves, winning nine consecutive games playing perhaps the most challenging schedules in the state that featured nine playoff teams and two nationally rated programs under head coach Mike Smith.
ST. AUGUSTINE YELLOW JACKETS
Palatka, W 42-6
St. Augustine Menendez, W 34-14
Jacksonville Riverside, W 47-35
Ponte Vedra Nease, L 35-34 (OT)
Lake City Columbia, W 27-6
Green Cove Springs Clay, W 56-6
St. Johns Bartram Trail, W 48-21
Orange Park Ridgeview, W 63-7
Jacksonville Mandarin, W 38-26
*Lake City Columbia, W 28-0
*Jacksonville Ed White, W 38-14
*Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee, W 13-6
PLANTATION AMERICAN HERITAGE PATRIOTS
Milton, Georgia, L 37-28
Davie Western, W 52-12
Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, L 48-45
Naples, W 23-3
Miami Central, W Forfeit
Plantation, W 35-0
Miami Norland, W Forfeit
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, W 35-0
Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, W 42-38
*Jensen Beach, W 40-7
*Fort Lauderdale Dillard, W 24-14
*Miami Norland, W 35-14
5A
No. 4 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (10-3) at No. 1 Bradenton Manatee (10-1). There’s no getting around the fact that head coach Jacquez Green and his staff have restored this program to a point where they can lineup against anyone and more than hold their own. Green has been able to compile a 65-17 record. The Hurricanes know all about the Raiders, and realize that while they have lost three games, they still are loaded with talent and great coaching.
FORT LAUDERDALE ST. THOMAS AQUINAS RAIDERS
Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, Nevada, L 29-21
Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson, W 51-0
Miami Christopher Columbus, W 42-6
Davie Western, W 23-15
Hollywood McArthur, W 56-0
Orlando Bishop Moore, W 50-15
Hollywood Hills, W 64-0
Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, L 29-22
Coconut Creek Monarch, W 44-6
Plantation American Heritage, L 42-38
*North Miami, W 58-0
*Pompano Beach Blanche Ely, W 53-32
*Delray Beach Atlantic, W 49-42 (OT)
BRADENTON MANATEE HURRICANES
Lake Minneola, W 57-19
Bradenton Southeast, W 41-0
Lowndes County, Georgia, L 30-15
Gainesville Buchholz, W 34-27
Bradenton IMG Academy White, W 44-7
Pinellas Park, W 34-10
Palmetto, W 35-7
Bradenton Braden River, W 41-0
*Pinellas Park, W 55-26
*Immokalee, W 54-8
*Fort Myers Riverdale, W 38-0
6A
No. 4 Miami Southridge (11-2) at No. 1 West Boca Raton (13-0). This is indeed one of the interesting matchups between two programs who have truly stepped up this season. For head coach Pierre Senatus and his football program this is just the beginning of returning the Spartans back to where they were for so many years. They are loaded with talent and have played a competitive schedule, but they know they have their hands full. Former Miami Belen Jesuit assistant Dylan Potts arrived last year and has put this program on the map by attending everything year-round and adding a quality roster, including a stingy defense that has yielded just 105 points. This is the furthest a football team has ever advanced in school history.
MIAMI SOUTHRIDGE SPARTANS
Miami Christopher Columbus, L 17-14
Miami Lakes Barbara Goleman, W 25-12
Miami Palmetto, W 21-7
Hialeah, W 34-0
Doral Academy, W 31-8
Homestead, W 17-14
Miami Edison, W 40-8
Southwest Miami, W 44-7
Miami Booker T. Washington, L 27-14
Homestead South Dade, W 33-7
*Hollywood South Broward, W 37-6
*Coconut Creek Monarch, W 20-14
*Pembroke Pines West Broward, W 51-21
WEST BOCA RATON BULLS
North Palm Beach Benjamin, W 14-13
Palm Beach Central, W 28-7
Loxahtachee Seminole Ridge, W 42-8
Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast, W 48-0
Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer, W 42-0
Davie Western, W Forfeit
Fort Myers Bishop Verot, W 34-14
Palm Beach Gardens, W 48-0
Delray Beach Atlantic, W 28-14
Royal Palm Beach, W 48-7
*Lutz Steinbrenner, W 42-7
*Trinity Mitchell, W 38-7
*Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Ranch, W 17-0
7A
No. 4 Miami Christopher Columbus (9-3) at No. 1 Venice (12-1). By now we all know the gaudy numbers that veteran head coach John Peacock and his football program have put up this season, scoring 663 points in 13 games. We have watched them rip through a schedule that has included quality opponents, even coming within four points of nationally rated Bradenton IMG Academy. They are two-time defending state runner ups that are hungry to win that elusive title. They are home and will have their usual huge crowd. With that said, they still must play the game to advance to Miami next week!
MIAMI CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS EXPLORERS
Miami Southridge, W 17-14
Our Lady of Good Counsel, Maryland, L 14-10
Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, L 42-6
Miami Palmetto, W 17-14
Homestead South Dade, W 42-15
Miami High, W 52-6
Coral Gables, W 33-0
Miami Northwestern, L 23-18
Miami Archbishop Carroll, W 35-6
*Boca Raton Spanish River, W 56-8
*Homestead South Dade, W 28-7
*Davie Western, W 27-25
VENICE INDIANS
Tampa Bay Tech, W 63-40
Miami Northwestern, W 48-42 (OT)
Fort Myers Bishop Verot, W 71-56
Port Charlotte, W 49-41
Cocoa, W 54-51
Lehigh, W 50-7
Bradenton IMG Academy, L 21-16
Clearwater Central Catholic, W 27-20
Sarasota, W 76-0
Sarasota Riverview, W 42-8
*Haines City, W 26-7
*Lithia Newsome, W 56-17
*Winter Garden West Orange, W 55-26
THURSDAY NIGHT
1A STATE SEMIFINAL
Clearwater Central Catholic 22, West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman 21 (OT)
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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..