Broward County high school football: The top games to watch each week of the 2022 season

With three of the 50 best teams in the country, Broward County is still as good as any place in the country for high school football.

A few of these teams share a district, too, and it’s going to make for some of the highest profile individual games in the nation this year, as St. Thomas Aquinas, Cardinal Gibbons and Chaminade-Madonna all aim to defend state championships, and Plantation American Heritage guns to get back to the top.

Note: All games Friday at 7 p.m. unless noted.

Week 1 — Aug. 25-27

St. John’s (Washington) at Chaminade-Madonna, Saturday, 8 (St. Thomas Aquinas)

Chaminade-Madonna’s game against St. John’s headlines a tripleheader at St. Thomas Aquinas High School’s Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium on the first Saturday of the regular season. The Lions are No. 13 in MaxPreps’ preseason rankings and the Cadets are No. 18.

Others to watch: Life Christian Academy (South Chesterfield, Virginia) at Stranahan, Thursday, 5 (Western); DeMatha (Hyattsville, Maryland) at Cardinal Gibbons; Rock Creek Christian Academy (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) at Dillard; Plantation at Miramar; St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia) at St. Thomas Aquinas, Saturday, noon; Los Alamitos (California) at Plantation American Heritage, Saturday, 4 (St. Thomas Aquinas).

Week 2 — Sept. 1-3

Dillard at Chaminade-Madonna, Sept. 2.

Dillard believes it can contend for a 3M championship this year. This game against Chaminade-Madonna might provide a hint at how close the Panthers are.

Others to watch: Stranahan vs. Plantation, Thursday, 7 (PAL); Monarch at Atlantic; Somerset Academy at LaSalle; Lakeland Lake Gibson at Plantation American Heritage, 7:30

Week 3 — Sept. 8-10

Chaminade-Madonna vs. Northwestern, 7, Thursday, Sept. 8 (Traz)

Chaminade-Madonna’s incredibly difficult schedule continues with a trip down to Miami for a top 100 matchup.

Others to watch: Dillard at Miramar; Stranahan vs. Deerfield Beach (DRV PNK); Gulliver Prep at Cardinal Gibbons; Cocoa at St. Thomas Aquinas; Western at Coconut Creek.

Week 4 — Sept. 15-17

Plantation American Heritage at Chaminade-Madonna, Sept. 16

Chaminade-Madonna battles No. 20 American Heritage in its second top-25 matchup of the first four weeks and its third top-100 showdown.

Others to watch: St. Thomas Aquinas at Western; Plantation vs. Coconut Creek (PAL); Delray Beach American Heritage at Pine Crest; Avant Garde Academy vs. Krop (Ives).

Week 5 — Sept. 22-24

Chaminade-Madonna at Gulliver Prep, Thursday, Sept. 22, 3:30 (Tropical)

Chaminade-Madonna hits the road again for its second top-100 matchup in Miami in three weeks.

Others to watch: St. Thomas Aquinas at Treasure Coast (South County Regional); Monarch at Stoneman Douglas; Blanche Ely at Coconut Creek; Dillard at Central, Saturday, 6 (Traz)

Week 6 — Sept. 29-Oct. 1

Plantation American Heritage at Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 30.

American Heritage and Cardinal Gibbons have combined to win seven state championships in the last seven years. Now they’re back in the same district for the first time since 2018 and the winner of this matchup will have the inside track to win District 12-2M.

Others to watch: Miramar at St. Thomas Aquinas; Treasure Coast at Chaminade-Madonna; Plantation vs. South Plantation (PAL); Somerset Academy vs. West Broward (Pembroke Pines).

Week 7 — Oct. 6-8

St. Thomas Aquinas at Dillard, Oct. 7.

No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas and Dillard battle in a de facto District 11-3M championship between Fort Lauderdale rivals.

Others to watch: Piper at South Plantation, Thursday, 7; Cardinal Gibbons vs. Belen (FAU), Friday, 7:30; Western at Plantation American Heritage, 7:30; Chaminade-Madonna at Venice, 7:30.

Week 8 — Oct. 13-15

Plantation American Heritage vs. Stranahan (DRV PNK), Oct. 14

Stranahan will try to crash the party in ultra-competitive District 12-2M by upsetting American Heritage in Fort Lauderdale. It’ll also be a major test for five-star Mighty Dragons wide receiver Hykeem Williams, South Florida’s top-ranked recruit in the 247Sports composite rankings, when he goes against the Patriots’ secondary.

Others to watch: Dillard vs. Plantation (PAL); Blanche Ely at Deerfield Beach; Cypress Bay at Western; North Broward Prep at Calvary Christian Academy

Week 9 — Oct. 20-22

Plantation American Heritage at Naples, 7:30, Oct. 21.

This is a matchup of state-championship contenders with Naples now positioned to be one of the top contenders in 4S following the split of metro and suburban classifications.

Others to watch: Miramar at Western; Plantation vs. Deerfield Beach (PAL); Fort Lauderdale at Dillard; Avant Garde Academy at Chaminade-Madonna.

Week 10 — Oct. 27-29

Coconut Creek at Deerfield Beach, Oct. 27

If Coconut Creek has already defeated Blanche Ely by this point, it will be the Cougars’ chance to break through and secure the District 10-3M title if it can secure a win over perennial contender Deerfield Beach at its home field.

Others to watch: Stranahan at Cardinal Gibbons; West Boca Raton at Blanche Ely, Thursday, 7; Dillard at Tallahassee Lincoln; Western at Coral Glades.

Week 11 — Nov. 3-5

Plantation at Western, Nov. 4

Western and Plantation should both be playoff teams, but won’t take it easy in the final week of the regular season, opting to schedule a good opponent in Week 11.

Others to watch: Monarch vs. Deerfield Beach (Coconut Creek); Avant Garde Academy at Monsignor Pace; Pine Crest at Saint Andrew’s; Palmetto at Coconut Creek (Tropical Park).

This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 1:40 PM.