Through the decades, fans, players, coaches and administrators often boasted that their team was the best on the football field.

With the powers never playing each other, most of that boasting was hollow – because those games were never played.

Over the past few seasons that has not been the case – and when the top teams rise to the top – they are now doing it by playing the best of the best.

So far this season, the top programs in the #305 have met, and with the GMAC Week in full swing, tonight at 7:30 another chapter in what has become a competitive rivalry will take place, featuring the two best.

While head coach Jube Joseph and Miami Central has run the county for much of the past decade, last season saw the Rockets go down twice to Miami Norland – both decided in the final seconds.

For Central it didn’t sit well to see head coach Daryle Heidelberg and his football team advance to the 2M state championship game.

This year has watched both programs – Central (3A) and Norland (4A) once again move to the top, and they will both have the chance to head to the state championship game at Pitbull Stadium (FIU) in December.

Who runs Miami-Dade County? We will find out this evening.

MIAMI NORLAND VIKINGS (6-1)

Miramar, W 27-0

Miami Carol City, W 36-10

Miami Northwestern, W 21-17

Hollywood Chaminade, L 45-20

Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, W 49-16

Cocoa, W 33-15

Plantation American Heritage, W 32-27

10/18 – Miami Central

10/24 - Plantation

MIAMI CENTRAL ROCKETS (5-1)

Lakeland, L 16-8

Miami Edison, W 54-7

Miami Booker T. Washington, W 55-25

Pompano Beach, W 67-0

Plantation American Heritage, W 35-32

Miami Northwestern, W 24-21

10/18 – Miami Norland

10/21 – Fort Lauderdale Stranahan

10/25 - @Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy

PIPER LOOKS TO REMAIN UNBEATEN

While much of the attention this football season has been on the traditional powers – and it’s pretty much been that way, football fans are missing one of the big stories that continues to unfold every week.

What No. 7 Sunrise Piper head coach Quentin Short and his football team have done is remain the only unbeaten Miami-Dade and Broward County team as we head toward Week 9. The Bengals, who won the district a year ago in Short’s first season, are back at it again.

With a showdown against head coach Darrell Strong and No. 16 Plantation tonight (7:00) at home, this could be the biggest challenge that this program has had this season.

Win or lose, this has been quite a ride for a program that hasn’t been in the spotlight on the football field in several years.

PLANTATION COLONELS (5-1)

Fort Lauderdale Dillard, W 27-21

Miramar, W 2-0

West Broward, W 25-21

Hollywood South Broward, W 29-0

Plantation American Heritage, L 35-0

Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, W 18-3

10/18 – Piper

10/24 - @Miami Norland

10/31 – South Plantation

SUNRISE PIPER BENGALS (6-0)

Deerfield Beach, W 23-0

North Lauderdale Somerset Prep, W 34-0

South Plantation, W 35-0

Coral Springs, W 41-40

Pompano Beach Blanche Ely, W 21-20

Lauderdale Lake Boyd Anderson, W 34-12

10/18 – Plantation

10/24 - @Coconut Creek Monarch

10/28 – Fort Lauderdale

11/1 - @Hollywood South Broward

Here are some other games in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties to keep an eye on:

FRIDAY, October 18

GMAC: Miami Carol City vs. No. 17 Homestead (Harris), 4

GMAC: Coral Gables vs. Miami High (Curtis), 7:30

GMAC: Hialeah Gardens vs. Miami Dr. Krop (Ives), 3:30

GMAC: No. 18 Miami Booker T. Washington at No. 5 Miami Southridge, 7:30

GMAC: Miami Lakes Barbara Goleman vs. Hialeah (Milander), 7:30

GMAC: North Miami vs. Killian (Tropical), 7:30

GMAC: North Miami Mourning vs. Miami Beach (N. Miami), 3:30

GMAC: Westland Hialeah at Hialeah-Miami Lakes, 3:30

OTHER GAMES

Boca Raton at No. 14 Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, 7

Boca St. Andrews at Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian, 7

No. 15 Coconut Creek Monarch at No. 3 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, 7

Coral Springs Charter at Coconut Creek North Broward Prep, 7

Davie Nova at Hollywood South Broward, 7

Deerfield Beach Somerset Key at Miami Country Day, 7

Delray Atlantic at Deerfield Beach, 7

Doral Academy at Boca Raton Spanish River, 7

Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest at Orlando Lake Highland Prep, 7

Fort Lauderdale Stranahan at Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson, 7

Fort Myers Evangelical Christian at Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy, 7

Fort Myers Gateway Charter at Marathon, 7

Hallandale at Pembroke Pines Flanagan, 7

Hialeah ABF Academy at Fort Lauderdale NSU University School, 7

Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy at Miami Archbishop Carroll, 3:30

Hollywood Avant Garde at No. 1 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, 7

Homestead Everglades Prep at Miami Palmer Trinity, 4

Miami Belen at Miami Gulliver Prep, 4

Miami Immaculata LaSalle at Miami St. Brendan, 7

Miami True North Classical Academy at West Palm Beach The Kings Academy, 6:30

Miramar at Coconut Creek, 7

Parkland Stoneman Douglas at Coral Springs, 7

No. 12 Pembroke Pines West Broward at Naples Gulf Coast, 7

Riviera Beach Suncoast at Oakland Park Northeast, 7

Somerset South Homestead at Miami Ransom Everglades, 7

South Plantation at Cooper City, 7

No. 20 Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy at No. 9 Plantation American Heritage, 7:30

Weston Cypress Bay at Davie Western, 7

THURSDAY RESULTS

Coconut Creek North Broward Prep 48, Coral Springs Charter 8

Coral Springs Coral Glades 35, Coral Springs Taravella 0

Delray Atlantic 41, Deerfield Beach 8

Doral Ronald Reagan 28, Miami Sunset 6

Hialeah American 19, Miami Ferguson 8

Hollywood Hills 27, Pompano Beach 8

Miami Braddock 20, Miami Coral Park 0

Miami Coral Reef 21, Southwest Miami 20

Miami Northwestern 23, Miami Christopher Columbus 12

Miami Palmetto 41, Miami Edison 24

North Miami Beach 42, Miami Springs 6

Pembroke Pines Charter 22, Miramar Everglades 21

SATURDAY, October 19

No. 13 Pompano Beach Blanche Ely at No. 10 Fort Lauderdale Dillard, 7

MONDAY, October 21

Cooper City at Pembroke Pines Charter, 6

Fort Lauderdale Stranahan vs. No. 2 Miami Central (Traz), 7

Hollywood Hills at Hallandale, 7

Miami Dr. Krop at Pembroke Pines Flanagan, 6

Miramar Everglades at North Miami (St. Thomas U), 7

No. 12 Pembroke Pines West Broward at Miami Beach, 3

Pompano Beach at Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy, 3

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

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..