Fernandez: A new face to the Central-Northwestern rivalry will influence outcome | Opinion
It’s Central-Northwestern week.
If you’ve followed high school football in South Florida, you know Miami-Dade County’s premier rivalry doesn’t need much of an introduction.
A who’s who of college and NFL talent have played in this matchup over the last few decades.
And when both teams are in the same classification as they have been in recent years, this game often decides which team will represent Dade at the state championships.
This year’s clash will once again feature numerous Power Four conference level talent on both sides, and, as is often the case, will likely be the first of two clashes between the teams.
Miami Central and Miami Northwestern - each nine-time state champions - are likely going to finish as the top two teams in their region and meet again in the postseason in a future matchup likely to decide who will earn ring No. 10.
Adding to the drama is the fact Central beat Northwestern during the regular season last year. But the Bulls eventually won the Class 3A state title without having to face the Rockets again since Central was forced to forfeit all of its wins due to the use of an ineligible player.
Let’s look at the key figures in this year’s clash, as well as the other top games in week 7.
But first, the Miami Herald’s new rankings.
THE MIAMI HERALD’S SOUTH FLORIDA TOP 20
1. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (4-1); 2. Miami Northwestern (4-1); 3. Hollywood Chaminade (4-1); 4. Miami Central (3-0); 5. Miami Southridge (5-0); 6. Fort Lauderdale Dillard (6-0); 7. Plantation American Heritage (2-3); 8. Miami Palmetto (4-1); 9. Hollywood McArthur (3-2); 10. Pembroke Pines West Broward (4-2); 11. Miami True North (2-2); 12. Coconut Creek Monarch (3-2); 13. Fort Lauderdale Archbishop McCarthy (5-1); 14. Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy (6-0); 15. Miami Norland (2-4); 16. Cardinal Gibbons (3-2); 17. Coconut Creek (5-1); 18. Hialeah Gardens Goleman (4-1); 19. Miramar (2-4); 20. Plantation (3-3); Dropped out: No. 20 Killian (3-2); On the cusp: Miami Gulliver (3-2), Pembroke Pines Flanagan (4-1), Miami La Salle (5-0), Westminster Christian (6-0), Columbus (1-4).
GAMES OF THE WEEK
2. Northwestern (4-1) vs. 4. Central (3-0), 4:30, Traz, Saturday.
There’s at least two big games on Saturday with many eyes fixed on the college one going on at night in Tallahassee between Miami and FSU. So to give fans a potential “doubleheader,” this game was moved to the afternoon at “The Mecca.”
Central and Northwestern have both dealt with weather postponements and opponent forfeits, which have reduced their respective schedules.
But each team has shown they are still among the nation’s best despite some notable changes in the offseason.
Coaches familiar with the rivalry will match up for the first time as head coaches with Central’s Derrick Gibson and Northwestern’s Quentin Victrum.
The Rockets overall have several new faces on their roster, but returners in key positions such as quarterback Anthony McQueen, athlete Jayden Ford and linebacker Karon Maycock to name a few. Northwestern’s Nick Lennear and Calvin Russell Jr. headline some of the top returners for the Bulls.
But one of the new faces to the rivalry may be the pivotal character in this story.
Northwestern sophomore quarterback Neiman Lawrence, who became the starter in recent weeks after Leon Strawder transferred to American Heritage, has some Cam Ward-like attributes and the skills to be a gamechanger.
But this is Lawrence’s first Central-Northwestern game.
If he has the poise and ability, and if his offensive line is up to the task of handling one of the best pass rushes in the country, the Bulls will be able to win this game. But if that Rockets’ front starts teeing off on Lawrence and limits the run, Central could be the ones telling everyone it is still at the top in this rivalry. Dre’s pick: Northwestern 24, Central 21.
5. Southridge (5-0) at Columbus (1-4), 4:30, Monday.
For the second week in a row, we have a key Monday matchup. Although this one should be: “Take 4.” After being postponed or suspended three times at the start of the season, Columbus and Southridge will try to finish a game that was supposed to have been played on August 22. The Explorers are winning 14-7 with 3:33 left in the third quarter. That’s a good thing for Columbus, which has struggled mightily since that weekend, losing its first four official games for the first time in over two decades. Southridge has been rolling since with five victories in a row including wins over Palmetto and Goleman, and is favored to be 6-0 if it beats Edison on Friday at Traz. The Spartans’ defense created four turnovers in the first two-plus quarters of this game against Columbus. If it creates another or multiple on Monday, expect a Spartans’ comeback win to stay perfect. Dre’s pick: Southridge 20, Columbus 17.
12. Monarch (3-2) at 3. Chaminade (4-1), 7, Friday.
Monarch has done a solid job of bouncing back from some tough setbacks against out-of-county competition early on, which includes a win over Sanford Seminole. The Knights, however, will have a hard time slowing down Chaminade’s up-tempo and explosive offense. And the Lions’ defense isn’t getting enough credit for its bounce back after a rough opening week loss. Dre’s pick: Chaminade 38, Monarch 13.
6. Dillard (6-0) at Blanche Ely (3-2), 7, Saturday.
Usually, you can say you can throw out the records in this one due to the Broward Soul Bowl being one of the most emotionally-charged games in South Florida. It could factor in this year’s chapter. But I don’t think it will happen too much. This is one of the stronger Dillard squads in recent memory, and Ely hasn’t proven itself to be as strong as in recent years. The Tigers have home field advantage, but that only goes so far. Dre’s pick: Dillard 28, Ely 12.
THE REST OF THE TOP 20
Hollywood Hills (2-3) at 1. St. Thomas Aquinas (4-1), 7, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Aquinas 63, Hollywood Hills 3. Aquinas can give players who won’t be on the London roster some action in this game.
5. Southridge (5-0) vs. Miami Edison (2-3), 4, Traz, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Southridge 30, Edison 12. The Spartans need to be smart with their roster management in this one with a little over five quarters combined to play over a four-day span.
7. American Heritage (2-3) at Flanagan (4-1), 7, Friday.
Dre’s pick: American Heritage 27, Flanagan 10. The Strawder-led offense starts to find some rhythm against an improved Falcons’ squad.
Homestead South Dade (2-3) vs. 8. Palmetto (4-1), 7:30, Tropical, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Palmetto 35, South Dade 7. The Bucs are young and competitive, but not yet on equal footing here.
8. Palmetto (4-1) vs. Homestead (1-3), 4, Harris, Monday.
Dre’s pick: Palmetto 47, Homestead 8. The Panthers will play their second game in four days, and are ahead 7-0 in the first quarter in this game, which was suspended in late August due to weather.
9. McArthur (3-2) at Deerfield Beach (1-4), 7, Friday.
Dre’s pick: McArthur 41, Deerfield Beach 6. The Mustangs can flex their collective muscles here against the young Bucks.
10. West Broward (4-2): Bye.
11. True North (2-2) vs. Jacksonville University Christian (5-1), 7, Tropical, Thursday.
Dre’s pick: True North 34, University Christian 31. The Titans started the season with a couple of tough losses to out-of-county competition. Here’s where you see that experience pay off.
11. True North (2-2) at Miami Archbishop Carroll (3-0-1), 3:30, Monday.
Dre’s pick: True North 42, Archbishop Carroll 10. The Titans have a 21-7 cushion in the second quarter when play resumes in this makeup game.
13. Fort Lauderdale Archbishop McCarthy (5-1): Bye
14. Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy (6-0): Bye
Cocoa (2-3) vs. 15. Norland (2-4), 7:30, Traz, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Norland 30, Cocoa 21. This is not your typical Cocoa team and the Vikings need a bounce back game.
Hallandale (3-2) at 16. Cardinal Gibbons (3-2), 7, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Gibbons 42, Hallandale 7. The Chiefs have the firepower to recover quickly from Monday’s loss to West Broward.
17. Coconut Creek (5-1) at South Broward, 7, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Coconut Creek 36, South Broward 8. The Cougars continue to impress as one of the county’s most improved teams.
18. Goleman (4-1) vs. West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (3-2), 7, Traz, Thursday.
Dre’s pick: Cardinal Newman 40, Goleman 26. The Gators are much better, but Newman is still in the upper tier of Florida’s top teams.
19. Miramar (2-4) at North Miami (4-2), 7, Curtis, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Miramar 20, North Miami 6. The Patriots had a rough start, but are battle-tested.
20. Plantation (3-3): Bye
OTHER GAMES
Thursday - Miami-Dade: Columbus vs. Miami High (Curtis), 7; Col 35-7; Varela at Reagan (Milander), 7; RR 30-17.
Friday - Miami-Dade vs. Broward: La Salle at Somerset Academy, 7; LaS 27-14; Monsignor Pace at Calvary Christian, 7; Calv 21-20; Miami-Dade: South Miami vs. Carol City (Betty Ferguson), 7:30; CC 42-2; Krop vs. American (Milander), 7; Krop 16-6; Coral Gables at Braddock, 3:30; CG 30-14; Miami Beach at Ferguson, 3:30; MB 21-13; Doral vs. Homestead (Harris), 7:30; Dor 14-12; Booker T. at Vero Beach, 7; Vero 41-2; Southwest at Belen, 7:30; Bel 14-6; NMB at Lake Mary, 7:30; LM 30-20; Ransom Everglades at Miami Springs, 3:30; RE 26-12; Coral Park at Sunset, 3:30; Sun 6-3; Westland Hialeah at Hialeah Gardens, 3:30; HG 7-6; Archbishop Carroll at Westminster Christian, 3:30; WC 24-21; Palmer Trinity at Somerset South Homestead, 7; PT 34-14; Miami Country Day at Marco Island Academy, 7; Marco 27-7; Naples Aubrey Rogers at Florida Christian, 7; AR 28-14; Broward: Western at West Boca Raton, 6:30; West Boca 41-14; Douglas vs. Coral Glades (CS Sportsplex), 7; Glades 20-14; Cypress Bay at Coral Springs, 7; CB 35-3; Boyd Anderson at Piper, 7; Pip 42-2; Pines Charter at Nova, 7; Nova 14-13; South Plantation vs. Stranahan (Dillard), 7; SP 38-6; Coral Springs Charter at Northeast, 6:30; CSC 41-12; St. John Paul II at North Broward Prep, 7; SJP 34-21; Somerset Prep at WPB Kings Academy, 6:30; KA 41-14; NSU University School at Oxbridge Academy, 7; US 45-10; Westminster Academy at Fort Myers Evangelical Christian, 7; EC 31-24.
Saturday - Miami-Dade: Hialeah vs. HML (Milander), 7; Hia 48-2.
Andre’s record - Last week (Top 20): 13-2; Overall: 39-7; Season (Top 20): 69-13 (.842); Overall: 215-47 (.821).
