The best high school football games to watch in Broward County for the 2021 season
St. Thomas Aquinas and Plantation American Heritage begin the season nationally ranked, while defending state champion Cardinal Gibbons and Chaminade-Maddona, which won three in a row from 2017 to 2019, believe they’re every bit as good as their peers. The private schools, like usual, headline the most high-profile games in Broward County for the 2021 season, but public schools like Dillard and Western are title contenders, too. These are the games to keep an eye on in Broward this season:
Note: All games 7 p.m. unless noted.
Week 1 — Aug. 27
St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) at St. Thomas Aquinas, Saturday, 12
No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas will open its season on ESPN against No. 10 St Frances Academy in a matchup with potential national-championship implications.
Others to watch: Chaminade-Madonna at Western; Cardinal Gibbons at Venice; Edison at Deerfield Beach; Plantation at Monarch (Coconut Creek); Killian at Miramar, 7:30; Plantation American Heritage vs. Treasure Coast, Saturday, 7 (Paradise Coast Sports Complex)
Week 2 — Sept. 3
Chaminade-Madonna at Plantation American Heritage, 7:30
American Heritage and Chaminade-Madonna have combined for eight state championships since 2013, but the No. 8 Patriots have won all five meetings between the county rivals since then.
Others to watch: Deerfield Beach at Dillard; St. Thomas Aquinas at Plantation (PAL); Miramar at Stranahan, Saturday, 7
Week 3 — Sept. 10
Chaminade-Madonna at Columbus
Chaminade-Madonna and Columbus both won state titles in 2019, then, for different reasons, failed to defend their championships last year. This will be another good early season test for both Catholic schools.
Others to watch: Coconut Creek at Coral Springs, Thursday, 7; Stranahan at Cardinal Gibbons; Miramar at Dillard (Lockhart)
Week 4 — Sept. 17
Plantation American Heritage at Edna Karr (New Orleans), 8
Coach Patrick Surtain leads American Heritage up to Louisiana for a meeting with his alma mater. Edna Karr won four state championships in a row before falling in the title game last year.
Others to watch: Cardinal Gibbons at Gainesville Buchholz; Monsignor Pace at St. Thomas Aquinas; Coconut Creek at Plantation (PAL); Chaminade-Madonna at Buford (Ga.), 7:30
Week 5 — Sept. 24
Western at St. Thomas Aquinas
After COVID-19 derailed its 2020 season, Western has sights set on a Class 8A championship and St. Thomas Aquinas will provide the Wildcats with their most high-profile test of the year.
Others to watch: Champagnat Catholic at Chaminade-Madonna; Deerfield Beach at Rockledge
Week 6 — Oct. 1
Plantation American Heritage at Cardinal Gibbons
After upsetting St. Thomas Aquinas last season, Cardinal Gibbons will try to avenge its only loss from a year ago and prove private-school supremacy in Broward County.
Others to watch: Chaminade-Madonna at Sanford Seminole; Monarch at Deerfield Beach, Saturday, 7
Week 7 — Oct. 8
Plantation American Heritage at Jacksonville Trinity Christian Academy
American Heritage will try to avenge one of its two losses from last season when it travels up to Jacksonville for a meeting between defending state champions.
Others to watch: Stoneman Douglas at Monarch (Coconut Creek); Coconut Creek at Western; Coral Springs at Calvary Christian Academy
Week 8 — Oct. 15
St. Thomas Aquinas at Cardinal Gibbons, Saturday, 7
Cardinal Gibbons sprung a rare upset on St. Thomas Aquinas last year, then both teams went on to win state championships. The rematch could help determine the top team in Broward County for 2021.
Others to watch: Gulliver Prep at Chaminade-Madonna; King’s Academy at Calvary Christian Academy
Week 9 — Oct. 22
Dillard at St. Thomas Aquinas
Dillard will travel all of about two miles north up Southwest 27th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale for a game which could determine the champion in District 14-Class 7A.
Others to watch: Stranahan at Chaminade-Madonna; Calvary Christian Academy at Benjamin; Boca Raton at Coral Springs
Week 10 — Oct. 29
St. Petersburg Lakewood at Chaminade-Madonna
While most districts could be sorted out by the final weeks of the season, Chaminade-Madonna will welcome Lakewood from across the state to try to bolster its standing in Region 4-Class 3A.
Others to watch: Plantation at Dillard; Coral Springs at Stoneman Douglas; Stranahan at Plantation American Heritage, 7:30; Clearwater Central Catholic at Calvary Christian Academy, 7:30
Week 11 — Nov. 5
Western at Miramar
If Miramar hopes to make a run in loaded Class 7A, Western should give the Patriots a good final tune-up in the last week of the regular season.
Others to watch: Monarch at Coconut Creek; Stranahan at Fort Lauderdale (Lockhart)
