Central’s Bissainthe, Bain are Miami-Dade’s 5A-Ind. Co-Defensive Players of the Year
A few months before the first of their three state championships and long before they were perhaps the two best defensive players in all of South Florida, Wesley Bissainthe and Rueben Bain sat on a bench outside Central’s locker room, and groused about a particularly grueling summer workout before Bain began his freshman year and Bissainthe began his sophomore season.
It was an innocuous enough initial meeting between two future blue-chip defenders, but they still laugh about it now. As Bissainthe jokes, he could feel he was in the presence of something special when they first plopped down to talk back in 2018.
“I pretty much knew,” the 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker said with a smile.
Fast forward a little more than three years and Bissainthe was right. The Rockets have won three straight state titles with Bissainthe and Bain both playing a key role in each one of those runs. Fittingly enough, they’re now the Miami Herald’s Co-Defensive Players of the Year for Miami-Dade County in Classes 5A-Independent.
Bissainthe was the quarterback of the defense, and the heart and soul of Central’s latest Class 5A championship, stuffing the stat sheet with 86 tackles, six sacks, 15 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions to earn All-America honors from MaxPreps. Bain was maybe the most dominant defensive player in the state, setting a school record with 29 1/2 sacks to go along with 60 tackles, 48 1/2 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
“It ain’t nothing I’ve never seen before -- five, six sacks a game,” Bissainthe said, heaping praise upon the junior.
Bain returned the favor.
“He’s the captain of the ship and the captain of our defense,” the 6-2, 250-pound lineman said of the senior leader.
The Rockets’ latest run of titles, stretching from 2019-2021 coincided directly with Bissainthe’s emergence as one of the best players in Miami.
After playing a supporting role as a freshman, Bissainthe cracked the starting lineup full-time as a sophomore in 2019 and was a first-team all-county selection by the Herald, already making a case as Central’s best defensive player. He’s now a three-time first-team all-county selection and the No. 16 linebacker in the Class of 2022, according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings. There’s a reason the Miami Hurricanes made him one of their biggest priorities in the 2022 recruiting cycle and he signed a national letter of intent with his hometown team last month.
Bain crashed onto the scene at the same time and seized a starting job during the Rockets’ 2019 title run, earning second-team all-county honors. He’s now a two-time first-team all-county selection and the No. 28 defensive lineman in the Class of 2023. There’s a reason he’s one of the Hurricanes biggest priorities in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
Their early playing time, Roland Smith said, helped contribute to a culture of sustained success at Central.
“That’s why became a great defense and a great team,” the coach said, “because those guys played so young and had to play big roles for a big-time program.”
With three state titles and Player of the Year recognition, Bissainthe graduates as one of the most decorated players in program history and, just as importantly, he leaves the Rockets in good hands.
He set an example for the all the defenders behind him, including Bain.
In all likelihood, Central will be the favorite to win a fourth straight state title next year and Bain is ready to step into the leadership role Bissainthe is vacating.
And if Bain can finish off the rare feat of four titles in four years, Bissainthe swears he won’t be too envious. After all, he did help set the tone.
“I ain’t really jealous,” he said. “It’s a great accomplishment.”
