These are the high school football playoff matchups for this week. And predicted winners
Now that a lot of first-round mismatches are out of the way, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty of the high school playoffs.
The much anticipated second round, or regional semifinals, have traditionally given us the best matchups featuring many rematches and the next few weeks look awfully good as we’re going to get some great matchups starting this week.
First some quick observations from last week.
▪ What happened to South Dade? Four weeks ago, the Bucs were rolling, 7-0 and ranked No. 3 in our Miami Herald Top 20 poll. And then the bottom fell out. A loss to Carol City, a last-second heartbreaking loss to Palmetto costing them the district title, an upset loss to Hialeah to close out the regular season and then last week, a trip to Davie to take on Western. A 43-20 loss and just like that, the Bucs are done. You never know.
▪ An impossibly difficult schedule all season long just turned out to be too much for Carol City. The Chiefs probably tried to convince themselves that the long grueling season of playing a murderers row slate of games each week had no effect on them physically or mentally. But they simply looked nothing close to the fresh team that knocked off Deerfield Beach to start the season two months ago and were no match for Booker T. Washington. The schedule will change for next season.
▪ What a night last week at Milander Stadium as Krop and Goleman went at it like it was the Super Bowl. No it wasn’t the Super Bowl but it was the first GMAC Independent Conference Championship game. One that came down to the final 30 seconds as a great defensive play in the red zone preserved Krop’s 24-20 win prompting a wild celebration.
On to this week’s action.
THURSDAY GAMES
▪ Region 4-8A Semifinal — Miami High (8-3) vs. Columbus (7-4), 6 p.m., Tropical: A District 15-8A rematch from late September when Columbus pulled away in the fourth quarter to win easily 44-18. The Stingarees, under first-year coach Corey Smith have had a nice season but the Explorers, who grinded through a terrible mid-season slump under their first-year coach David Dunn, have started to come around in the past three weeks playing much better football. BD’s Pick: Columbus 38-16.
▪ Region 4-8A Semifinal — Western (8-2) vs. Palmetto (10-1), 7 p.m., Harris Field: Western came through with an impressive thumping of South Dade in the first round last week but now must make the long trip south to Homestead to take on a Palmetto team that has been consistently good all season. Palmetto beat Western (23-0) in a preseason classic on the Wildcats field and while I look for the Panthers to win this matchup again, I think it will be a lot closer this time as Western has a tremendous defense. BD’s Pick: Palmetto 20-16.
▪ Region 4-2A Semifinal — Miami Christian (6-4) vs. Champagnat (7-3), 7:30 p.m., Curtis Park: Was there any way the high school football Gods weren’t going to make sure these two met? Call this one the “Pastelito Bowl.” That after Champy coach Hector Clavijo, in a preseason Herald feature blew off the idea of a possible budding rivalry between the two programs chirping “they don’t play anybody, they play in the pastelito league.” You can bet MC head coach Nick Turnbull will have that article plastered to his locker room wall this week but I still don’t think it will be enough to push his team past the Lions who are the favorite to come out of Class 2A and make it to Tallahassee. BD’s Pick: Champagnat 33-14
FRIDAY’S GAMES
(All games 7:30 unless otherwise noted)
▪ Region 3-8A Semifinal — Deerfield Beach (8-3) at Palm Beach Central (9-2), 7 p.m.: There was a of preseason hype and big expectations surrounding the Bucks at the start of the season but things have been a little choppy. Deerfield Beach got an impressive blowout of Palm Beach Gardens last week but now must go on the road for what figures to be a hard fought contest. I think the Bucks will handle business. BD’s Pick: Deerfield Beach 31-20.
▪ Region 4-7A Semifinal — Plantation (10-1) at St. Thomas Aquinas (10-0): These two met a month ago in a District 14-7A showdown and the No. 1 nationally-ranked (USA Today) Raiders handled the Colonels easily, 35-0. Plantation will come in here a determined group but St. Thomas has just been down this path too many times and will be ready to take care of business. BD’s Pick: Aquinas 38-12.
▪ Region 4-7A Semifinal — Delray Beach Atlantic (7-3) at McArthur (8-2): The Mustangs played well down the stretch including a first round win against Fort Lauderdale last week while Atlantic struggled in the second half of the season before blowing out Ely last week. A tough one to pick here as it could come down to the last possession with overtime a possibility. BD’s Pick: Atlantic 21-20.
▪ Region 4-6A Semifinal — Central (8-3) at Naples (10-0): A very tricky road game for the Rockets as they travel to the west coast to take on Bill Kramer and his unbeaten, top-seeded Golden Eagles. It’s been a rocky year for Central and some recent internal discord among the coaching staff hasn’t helped. But I’ve seen this movie before and Naples will once again be reminded that the speed and size of the kids from Southwest Florida are absolutely no match for the kids from South Florida. BD’s Pick: Central 34-19.
▪ Region 4-6A Semifinal — Fort Myers (9-2) at Dillard (11-0): All season long I’ve been wondering about Dillard and if the Panthers, who haven’t exactly played that challenging of a schedule, were worthy of their lofty record and high ranking. They crushed Naples Lely last week and I suspect they will handle business this week setting up a possible showdown with Central. BD’s Pick: Dillard 35-20
▪ Region 4-5A Semifinal — North Miami Beach (8-3) at Plantation American Heritage (9-1): Another great coach’em job by NMB’s Jeff Bertani as he has done so often. But the Chargers, who lost to Heritage 31-8 in the regular season, will run into a season-ending road block here. BD’s Pick: Heritage 35-6.
▪ Region 4-5A Semifinal — Killian (9-2) vs. Northwestern (9-2), Traz Powell: Another nice coaching job here as well as first-year Killian coach Derrick Gibson got everything he could out of talented Frank Gore Jr. But, with a potential monster matchup with American Heritage a little more than a week away, no way the Bulls take their eyes off Killian here and should roll to the easy win. BD’s Pick: Northwestern 40-14.
▪ Region 4-4A Semifinal — Booker T. Washington (9-2) vs. Gulliver Prep. (10-0), Tropical Park: Perhaps the best matchup of the weekend in South Florida. The Raiders proved themselves to be legit good with quality late-season lopsided wins over Calvary Christian, Champagnat and Delray Heritage. Now we’ll really see what Gulliver is made of as many believe the Raiders, despite being unbeaten and the top seed, can’t win this one. I’m going to stick my head out on a limb here, go against the grain and pick a mild upset. BD’s Pick: Gulliver 24-22.
▪ Region 4-4A Semifinal — Cardinal Gibbons (9-2) at University School (9-2): If BTW/Gulliver is the best matchup of the weekend, this one isn’t far behind. Hit hard by graduation from last year’s state championship team, CG coach Matt DuBoc has done a nice job of holding things together this year with a lot of new faces. But I boldly picked U. School last August to come out of the vaunted “Region of Death” and make it to Daytona and I’m not going to get off that train here. BD’s Pick: University 26-21.
▪ Region 4-3A Semifinal — Somerset Silver Palms (8-2) at Chaminade-Madonna (9-2): Congrats to Javi Valdes who has very quietly gone about his business of building Silver Palms into a solid program the last few years capped off by a great season this year. But the Stallions haven’t seen anything close to the kind of talent all season long they’re going to see in the two-time defending state champion Lions on Friday night and the results will be predictable. BD’s Pick: Chaminade 38-9.
▪ Region 4-3A Semifinal — Edison (6-5) at Ft. Lauderdale Calvary Christian (9-1): This one might be the toughest one for me to pick. Luther Campbell has put together quite a stable of talent at Edison, proven last week when they squashed Westminster Christian like a grape. But Kirk Hoza has done a bang-up job with the Eagles who outmuscled Chaminade for the No. 1 seed and will be a formidable matchup for the talented Red Raiders. A tough one to pick here as it could come down to the last possession. BD’s Pick: Edison 27-23.
▪ Region 4-2A Semifinal — Moore Haven (6-5) at Westminster Academy (9-1): I don’t know much about Moore Haven but what I do know is that coach Tommy Lewis, who won state titles with Victory Christian in Lakeland, has the WA Lions playing very well so I’ll go with the home team. BD’s Pick: Westminster 34-16
▪ Last week: 19-2. Season: 410-91.
Bill Daley can be reached at: billd@curtispub.net. Follow him on Twitter: @Billykid11
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