Herald high school predictions: Three quality matchups among seven regional football finals
The battle cry from just about every high school football coach this time of year is, “if you’re practicing on Thanksgiving Day, you’ve had a darn good season.”
Unless of course you are Miami Central, MIami Northwestern or Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas where the bar is set so ridiculously high (they have combined for 26 state championships) that if you’re not practicing on Thanksgiving Day, the season is considered a major disappointment.
But no worries for the Rockets, Bulls and Raiders, they all made it through along with nine other teams from Miami-Dade and Broward counties still very much alive as we head into this week’s regional finals.
And while winning two more games to win a state title is no easy task at this point, that will be a nice problem to have this weekend.
The deeper the playoff round also means the tougher it is to pick some of these games and some of those 14 games last weekend were tricky. Going 9-5 on a Sunday picking NFL games is good. But when you have been picking games on the high school slate at an 85 percent clip all year, that’s not as good.
This week’s slate of seven games are highlighted by three quality matchups, Miami Palmetto/Miami Columbus at Harris Field, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons/Miami Gulliver Prep at Tropical and Central/Miami Killian on Saturday night at Tropical.
Happy Thanksgiving to all and let’s break down t1his week’s contests.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
▪ Region 4-8A final: Columbus (8-3) vs. Palmetto (9-2), 7:30 p.m. at Harris Field: Wasn’t it always somehow going to be Columbus and Palmetto for a third time?
After meeting in early October in a regular-season matchup, these two wound up getting paired in the newly formed GMAC Championship series in late October meaning this will be the first time (as far as anybody can remember) that two teams will face each other three times in the same season.
The first contest ended in major controversy when Palmetto secured a 7-3 win, only when the Explorers were not awarded a touchdown on the game’s final play after a Palmetto defesnsive back, after a game-sealing interception in the end zone, dropped the ball on the ground resulting in a fumble recovery that was disallowed.
The Explorers got even on Oct. 29 when they won the GMAC contest 10-7 at Traz Powell so this will be your classic “rubber match” but with so much more on the line.
Each got great wins last week, Palmetto downing a Deerfield Beach team that probably had more raw talent while No. 5 Columbus went on the road and knocked off No. 1 seeded Davie Western in impressive fashion.
Having scored a combined 27 points between them in two games, expect another low-scoring game again and a tight finish as well. I will give a slight lean to the Panthers, perhaps on a late field goal. BD’s Pick: Palmetto 13-10.
▪ Region 4-7A final: Homestead (10-1) at St. Thomas Aquinas (11-1), 7:30 p.m.: While many were anticipating a big rematch between Aquinas and Dillard after the Panthers took the Raiders down to the wire in the regular season, Homestead had much different ideas last week as the Broncos, led by Coach of the Year candidate Philip Simpson, turned in their most impressive performance of the season, knocking off Dillard 28-14.
But the only problem with anybody who plays in Region 4-7A is that eventually you are going to run into St. Thomas Aquinas. The Raiders are at a much different level than most any team in the state while the Broncos, who certainly will show up, compete and perhaps even hang in there for a while, won’t have enough to actually finish the job.
Keep in mind that you’re asking Homestead to beat a team that has won 47 consecutive postseason games on its own field dating back to 2003. Enough said. BD’s Pick: Aquinas 37-14
▪ Region 4-6A Final: Plantation (9-2) at Miami Northwestern (9-3), at Traz Powell, 7:30 p.m.: What has Plantation head coach Steve Davis been feeding his Colonel players?
After barely sneaking into the playoffs on the final weekend, Plantation has gone on the road for two weeks and hardly played like a No. 8 seed. Not only beating No. 1 Fort Myers Dunbar and No. 4 Coconut Creek but crushing them by a combined scored of 86-27.
Much like Homestead, Plantation enters a new arena this week as Northwestern, after struggling (by Northwestern standards) during the regular season, is starting to roll at the right time and will likely serve as Plantation’s stop sign. Especially since the Bulls rarely lose in November when they get to play at Traz Powell.
A berth in the state final is still going to be a challenge as the Bulls will still need to play their state semifinal on the road (possibly against Tampa Jesuit) next week, but their season won’t come to an end this week. BD’s Pick: Northwestern 35-13.
▪ Region 4-4A final: Cardinal Gibbons (8-2) at Gulliver Prep. (8-1) at Tropical Park, 7:30 p.m.: It was a year ago that Gulliver had designs of winning a 4A state title. The Raiders played host to Gibbons and the night was a disaster as the Chiefs dominated from the start, beating them 29-7. They then had to watch Gibbons go on and win a state title that they thought could have been theirs.
Well, they waited nearly 365 days and here is the Raiders shot at redemption. With a multitalented roster that includes quarterback Carson Haggard, running back Sedrick Irvin Jr. and athlete Jaylen Brown, head coach Earl Sims knows all too well that the window to win a title might not stay open much longer.
My hunch is that this is Gulliver’s year to win the program’s second state title (the other coming in 2000), but it will not be easy on Friday night. Gibbons has won two state titles in the past three years for a reason. They’re good and head coach Matt DuBuc is one of the best coaches in South Florida who will have his team prepped and ready to go.
If you want to see what might be the best of all seven games this weekend, be at Tropical Park on Friday night. BD’s Pick: Gulliver 27-23.
▪ Region 4-3A final: West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (9-3) at Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (8-1), 7 p.m.: I’m not going to spend too much time on this one.
Chaminade, in my humble opinion, is the best team in the entire state, regardless of classification and yes, that includes St. Thomas Aquinas.
I’m sure Cardinal Newman, led by longtime Dwyer head coach Jack Daniels will make the trip south to Hollywood feeling like it has a chance. Then the Lions will hit them in the first quarter and that will take care of that.
The only thing that will keep the Lions from playing the Dec. 10 state title game in Tallahassee will be themselves. And Dameon Jones is too good a coach to allow that to happen. They will win by whatever score they wish Friday night, host the state semifinal at their field next week and then be on their way. See you in Tally guys. BD’s Pick: Chaminade 41-10.
▪ Region 4-2A final: Fort Pierce John Carroll (7-2) at Hialeah Champagnat (8-2) at Monsignor Pace HS, 7:30 p.m.: For a change, the Lions, who, with no real venue to call home and have made a living throughout the years going on the road in the postseason, will actually stay in town this week.
The best part about Hector Clavijo and his kids is that Champagnat doesn’t really care where it plays — anywhere between Miami and Pensacola will do. It plays a very challenging regular-season schedule. By the time it reaches the postseason, other 2A teams are nothing but a small speedbump in the road to Tallahassee. John Carroll will get a firsthand lesson in that Friday night. BD’s Pick: Champagnat 38-9.
SATURDAY’S GAME
▪ Region 4-5A final: Central (9-2) at Killian (12-0) at Tropical Park, 7:30 p.m.: Like Homestead/St. Thomas Aquinas, another example of an “upstart” team taking on an established program with a long pedigree of success.
Congrats to Derrick Gibson and his Killian Cougars for a great season in which they haven’t lost a game. But if you take a look at their schedule, you will see that the Cougars, with the possible exception of Palmetto, haven’t faced anybody close to the level of what they will be facing Saturday night.
Head coach Roland Smith and his Rockets went on the road last week and handled Plantation American Heritage, seemingly their biggest obstacle to a third straight state title, without much trouble. The Cougars will be fired up with “we’re not getting any respect” but that will only take you so far.
The Rockets are a proven program during the last decade while Killian, playing in its first regional final in seven years and with just one state title (2004) to its credit, is not. I’m not saying this will necessarily be a blowout. I wouldn’t disrespect the Cougars and what they’ve accomplished this season that way. But what I am saying is that I expect Central to do what it always seems to do in November and December — win. BD’s Pick: Central 34-21.
Last Week: 9-5, Postseason: 26-8. Season Overall: 365-79.
Bill Daley can be reached at:billd@curtispub.net. Follow him on Twitter: @Billykid11