With ex-NFL player and alum EJ Biggers coaching, NMB secures district win, plus scores
North Miami Beach’s football team still reflects the toughness and grit of its longtime coach Jeff Bertani.
All the familiar elements are still in place.
The roughly 30-player roster with each playing offense and defense and some also special teams.
The team that will always go for two after touchdowns by design.
But on Thursday afternoon at Traz Powell Stadium, something was different.
The Chargers played without Bertani, who was serving a one-game suspension due to an ejection in their previous game.
Enter another familiar face for NMB - former star athlete EJ Biggers.
The former NFL cornerback, who has been an assistant coach for his alma mater since 2016 when he retired from football, guided North Miami Beach to a key 22-13 victory over Miami Gardens Monsignor Pace in its District 13-2M opener.
“I bleed royal blue and red,” said Biggers, who starred at NMB before playing at Western Michigan and eventually in the NFL for four teams over seven seasons. “When I was done playing, there was no other option for me than to come back and coach. We want these kids to be better than we ever were.”
The Chargers (2-2, 1-0 in district), who last made the postseason in 2019 advancing to the regional semifinals, persevered through two tough road losses at Niceville and southern Georgia’s Lowndes County to win a 30-28 overtime thriller two weeks ago at Delray Beach Atlantic.
In a district that also includes nationally-ranked Miami Central, a much-improved Miami Norland squad and rival Miami Carol City, NMB is hoping its early tough schedule will prepare it for what lies ahead.
Biggers played for Bertani, who is now the longest-tenured coach in Miami-Dade County at one school and is in his 27th season at NMB. According to Biggers, the Chargers have about 20 players who are either freshmen or sophomores.
“We all said before the game that this was for coach Bertani,” Biggers said. “I know how much it was probably killing him not to be here tonight. I know all the things he’s done for me in my life. He was there for me whenever I was in a tough spot in my life. And my message to the kids was play with that same fire he always has.”
The Chargers’ defense set the tone with a big play within the first three minutes of the game. Amani Floyd’s 45-yard interception return to the Pace 2 set up a touchdown run from that distance by Frank Montijo to give NMB an 8-0 lead after a successful two-point conversion.
Montijo followed that with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Gio Olivo to put the Chargers ahead 14-0, giving them all the points they’d need.
Pace pulled within a point just before halftime following a 20-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Dylan Pelliccio to Willie Anderson and Keymari Robiou’s 12-yard touchdown run. But the Spartans failed to tie it up after missing the extra point.
NMB quarterback Mahki Rolle broke through Pace’s defense and rumbled 73 yards for a touchdown with 30 seconds left in the half, which was followed by a key two-point conversion to make it a two-score game.
The Chargers defense did the rest, shutting out Pace in the second half, including a key interception late in the third quarter after the Spartans had moved the ball inside the 10.
▪ Chaminade-Madonna 28, Gulliver Prep 0: Quarterback Cedric Bailey completed 17 of 23 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a 15-yard touchdown to lead the Lions (5-0), ranked No. 6 nationally by MaxPreps, cruised in a game that was called after a half due to inclement weather. Duane Thomas Jr. led Chaminade’s receivers with six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Jeno Junius had 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble while Wayne Peart, Kaleb Stewart and Zach Crothers each had a sack to lead the Lions on defense. Chris Ewald had an interception.
▪ More scores: Coral Springs Charter 48, Traditions Prep 16; Monarch 20, Stoneman Douglas 14; Piper 30, McArthur 29; Boca St. Andrews 42, NSU University School 6; West Broward 20, Pembroke Pines Charter 13; West Palm Beach SLAM Academy 22, Deerfield Somerset Key 20; Westland Hialeah 39, Miami Springs 12.
