Led by UM commit Armondo Blount, Miami Central held off upset-minded Northwestern
As a four-time defending state champion, Miami Central’s football team is used to being “the hunted.”
Other South Florida powerhouses like Miami Booker T. Washington and Miami Norland are aiming to dethrone the Rockets in Class 2M this season.
The Rockets need not overlook their longtime neighborhood rivals Miami Northwestern either.
Even though the Bulls have struggled through the first half of this season, they pushed Central to its limits on Friday night before a crowd of over 7,000 at Traz Powell Stadium.
But led by 2025 five-star defensive lineman and University of Miami commit Armondo Blount, who registered four sacks, the Rockets did just enough to secure a 17-10 victory over Northwestern and retain the Commissioner’s Cup for the third consecutive season.
“They played their best game but we came out on top,” Blount said. “All the coaching staff puts us through hell and back in the summer so playing in games like this, it’s just muscle memory for us.”
The Rockets (3-2), who are ranked No. 10 nationally by MaxPreps with its only losses coming against No. 3 Hollywood Chaminade and No. 2 Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, defeated the Bulls (2-5) for the fifth consecutive time.
The teams conceivably could meet again in the playoffs as Northwestern, despite its record, entered the week as the eighth-highest rated team in Region 4-2M according to the FHSAA’s power rankings.
Blount was named the Defensive Player of the Game while four-star athlete and FSU commit Lawayne McCoy was named the Offensive Player of the Game.
McCoy caught five passes for 52 yards and made the game-clinching interception when he came down with Northwestern’s last-gasp Hail Mary into the end zone as time expired.
“I know my coach said he needed me there to play DB and they needed me to make a play and I made a play,” McCoy said. “I just knew they’d take a shot to the end zone and it was just a jump for the ball.”
The lead changed three times in the game until Central took the advantage for good with 4:10 remaining in the third quarter. Quarterback Antonio Smith lobbed a fade pass into the corner of the end zone that was hauled in by Khaleal Sterling for a 7-yard score that gave the Rockets a 14-10 edge.
Northwestern’s defense kept it in the game early and produced three first-half turnovers including Jarvis Hill’s 35-yard interception return for a touchdown which gave the Bulls a 10-7 lead with 1:44 left in the first half.
On the play, Hill telegraphed a screen pass by Smith, leaped and grabbed the ball and ran untouched to the end zone. Sophomore linebacker Desmond Johnson also recovered a fumble and had a sack for the Bulls.
Blount wasn’t the only star on defense for Central as 2024 three-star linebacker and University of Miami commit Vince Shavers came up with a clutch strip sack late in the fourth quarter, which junior Derrick Manke recovered.
Sophomore defensive lineman Otis Guyton recorded two sacks and had a fumble recovery and Karon Maycock had another fumble recovery.
“That d-line, we’re like brothers, we can call each other at 3 am and we’ll pick up, we’re like brothers back there,” Blount said.
Despite the game being mostly a defensive struggle, the Rockets still managed to amass 175 yards on the ground led by Jayden Ford (60 yards on 14 carries) and King Davis (54 yards on five carries) Central must now prepare for another major test as next Friday it will take on Norland in a game that should decide the District 13-2M championship. The Vikings (6-0) narrowly defeated Booker T. Washington on Thursday.
Northwestern will face the Tornadoes on Thursday in a key matchup in the race for the District 14-2M title and an automatic playoff spot.
This story was originally published October 6, 2023 at 11:51 PM.
