Miami High two-way star leads Public past Private in All-Star game

He may not have been wearing the number he wanted, but when the night was over, it didn’t matter which jersey Samaurie Dukes was wearing.

The two-way player from Miami High who played both wide receiver and defensive back excelled on the offensive side of the ball on Saturday night. Dukes reeled in six catches for 115 yards and one touchdown to lead the Public All Stars to a 31-21 victory over the Private All Stars in the 12th Annual Tru Sports Foundation Public/Private All Star game at Monsignor Pace High School.

He was duly rewarded when the game was over as he was selected Offensive MVP, barely edging out Hialeah quarterback Manny Reyes IIII who entered in the second half and was outstanding as well, bringing the Public offense to life by completing 6 of his 7 passes for 96 yards and throwing for two touchdowns.

“I was a little disappointed when I didn’t get to wear my number but I guess it didn’t matter what number I wore. I just wanted to come out tonight and try and help my team come out on top,” said Dukes, who wound up wearing number 37 rather than his customary No. 2. “It was just a matter of just getting out there and do whatever it took to try and make some plays and get us going because the first half was a real struggle.”

Indeed as the first half was a monumental struggle for both offenses as neither team scored a single point before the game exploded into a combined 52-point outburst in the second half.

Still scoreless midway through the third quarter, the game then went in to overdrive with three scores in just 23 seconds. After Northwestern’s Leo Zuazo kicked a short field goal to put the Public stars up 3-0, a bad shotgun snap on the Private’s next offensive play led to a fumble and 10-yard scoop and score touchdown by Boyd Anderson’s Javaris Juste.

On the first play after the kickoff, the Private team answered when the Dade Christian combination of Emile Bienemy and Matthew Henry hooked up for an 80-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass to make it 10-7.

But that’s when Reyes III entered the game and immediately gave an offense that had struggled up to that point a spark by marching 67 yards in eight plays, completing all four passes on the drive and finding Dukes for a 30-yard score in the corner of the end zone.

“I got behind my man and he made a great throw,” said Dukes, who was the catalyst on both sides of the ball for Miami High this season with 38 catches for 624 yards and 10 touchdowns along with 212 yards rushing and 22 tackles with two interceptions on defense. “Once we got up by 10, I knew we were in great shape.”

When Public quarterback Alexander Law Jr. found Dillard’s Even Valcort for a 26-yard score with 3:33 left, it just about sealed the deal at 24-7.

But Tyous Taylor didn’t lead Champagnat to a second straight state title last month by accident as he came out and fired a pair of long touchdown passes to R.J. Huggins and Alexander Bell in the final three minutes to try and rally the Private team back.

But a 30-yard scoring toss from Reyes III to Deerfield Beach’s Mekiel Stewart sandwiched in between provided the Public team with more than enough cushion to secure the win.

“The first half obviously was a struggle for both sides but our kids did a good job of just staying with it and eventually things came together in the second half,” said Flanagan assistant head coach Dave Simmons, who headed up the public squad. “Samaurie and Manny really stepped up for us big time by getting us going on offense although I was disappointed in our defense giving up some big plays late that allowed them to stay alive. But overall a great effort and we’ll take the win.”

A big first half by the Private stars on the defensive side of the ball played a big part in keeping the game scoreless as Cardinal Gibbons’ Corde St. Louis, Rodney Williams of Columbus and Dade Christian’s Corey Scott all picked off passes. Scott also recorded four pass breakups and was selected as the game’s Defensive MVP.

The Public All Stars now lead the series 7-5.

This story was originally published January 30, 2021 at 10:22 PM.