Talk about the demise of Booker T. Washington's football program and standout senior running back Eduardo Clements rolls his eyes and gives that smile of disbelief. Head coach Earl Tillman won't even dignify the question with a response.

A lot has happened to the Tornadoes over the past year, since losing some quality players who went to the University of Miami as part of that amazing 2008 class.

Everything that started to go wrong began about this time last year, when the team was trying to find a new beginning under Tillman, who took over for Tim ''Ice'' Harris, who had guided the program to a 4A state title the year before and helped to build a winner.

Competing in its second high profile 7-on-7 tournament of the summer, winning the first in Orlando, which qualified the team for the national tournament, Booker T. Washington found itself in a heated game against 2B power Pahokee. The result was a fight that did a lot of harm to both programs.

What it did was put the Tornadoes in a hole as they tried to regain the championship form. It also put Tillman in the hospital with a knee injury so severe, the scars and pain are still there a year later.

Failing to repeat as champions, there was a sense things were falling apart. Even in a 10-2 season, there was the thought that the loss of coaches and players sent this program in the opposite direction.

JUST REBUILDING

This spring failed to show any positives when starting offensive lineman Jose Jose transferred to Central and the team looked less than spectacular in a loss to Monsignor Pace.

But behind the losses and many changes was a program that was merely rebuilding. All the outside talk about a program on the decline was certainly not coming from within, and last weekend, competing without two starters -- defensive end Lynden Trail and receiver Ted Meline -- the Tornadoes put it all together, and talk of championships and family resurfaced.

On a field some 75 miles away from Overtown, the Tornadoes came together, played as a unit and showed why making plans for the championship in Orlando will need to include them.

While it was just a 7-on-7, it was something to rally around. It was a day, at the Heath Evans Foundation event at The King's Academy in West Palm Beach, that everyone got the message -- loud and clear.

''We never went anywhere,'' Clements said. ``This is still the same program, with all the talent that brought us a state title two years ago, and 10 wins last year.''

The Tornadoes went 6-1 on a day that featured such powers as Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer, Belle Glades Central, Blanche Ely, Daytona Beach Seabreeze, Tampa Plant, Gulliver Prep, Daytona Beach Mainland and Boyd Anderson, a team they matched up with in the finals.

That 33-28 win against the Cobras marked the second win of the day against a Broward power, loaded with athletes on both sides of the ball.

MUCH MORE TALENT

While much of the focus has been on seniors such as Clements, Trail and receivers Meline and Quinton Dunbar, this spring and summer has uncovered some other talented athletes such as senior receivers Jelanie Rouland (6-4, 170) and Jayvon Wrentz (6-0, 175), who came up with huge catches all spring and won the Heath Evans event with a touchdown reception with 7 seconds left for the win.

The senior class also includes defensive backs Dominique Morris (5-10, 165) and Todderick Roberts (5-9, 160), linebackers Anthony Smith (6-0, 180) and Willie Williams (5-10, 190), defensive lineman Gerald Taylor (5-10, 215) and kicker Oscar Diaz (6-2, 175).

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