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When a head coach leaves a program and administration has to pick the right guy, the choice could very easily take a couple of seasons to pan out. Not in the case of two District 16-6A programs searching for the right man. Enter Cory Johnson and Greg Dentino, already ahead of schedule.
Killian (3-4, 1-2) the defending District champ, seemed poised for a rebuilding year with the departure of coach Steve Smith to Texas and star running back Lamar Miller to Miami. But under a heavy ground attack that’s produced 1,400 yards to just 500 passing has kept the Cougars competitive this season.
Killian has the playmakers on their offense starting with Richard Leonard, Hosey Williams, DeAndre Mann, and Todd Bush. Leonard, an FIU commit, has impressive 4.4 speed and plays running back, receiver, cornerback and return kicks for the Cougars. He’s complemented by Southwest transfer Williams in the backfield, who earned 3,300 in his first three seasons.
Despite the amount of talent, South Dade was able to outmatch Killian in a 42-39 victory thanks to a last minute touchdown. The win has South Dade still hopeful to reach the playoffs but need a Southridge loss to set a three-way tie including Homestead.
The Bucs lead a balanced offense with a solid air attack from quarterback Jovani McCray and ground game from Jeremy Hill and Jorell Miller. McCray’s effectiveness throwing the ball has kept South Dade in every game, including Columbus and Southridge. McCray has thrown 13 touchdowns and only three interceptions on the season. Six of those have been to his dependable receiver JJ Wharton, who has hauled in 16 catches for 344 yards.
After seven games, Dentino, who has coached at the junior varsity level at South Dade as well as at nearby rival Homestead, has not let his team down through a very difficult schedule that includes Killian, Southridge and Columbus. Thanks to a 26 seniors and a strong junior class, Dentino and the Bucs are sitting on a goldmine in the southern part of Dade County, already ahead of schedule.
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A couple years ago, CypressBay was faced with a problem. 5,500 students produced the largest graduating classes in America for consecutive years. Classrooms were overcrowded. Students weren’t getting the attention they deserved for an area that growing by the years.
Enter WestBrowardHigh School. In 2008, the school opened it doors and took in many former CypressBay students and athletes to start a new program. So did coach Rick Divita.
Divita has been no stranger to coaching at the South Florida level. His experience included players like Chad Ochocinco, Duane Starks, Terry Cousins, and Ray Piuquion. Schools like Miami Beach Senior High and Dr. Krop benefited from his coaching. So why did he leave an established program like Dr. Krop for West Broward?
“So I can instill character, leadership, and hard work to a new group of guys facing a huge obstacle,” Divita told the South Florida High School Football Show before his Bobcats 35-0 loss to Everglades.
And what an obstacle he’s facing. West Broward went 0-10 their inaugural season with freshmen and junior varsity players having to play at the varsity toughness. But after two difficult losses to Pembroke Pines Charter and Western High School, all of Divita’s hard work and persistence paid off.
With his Bobcats holding Coral Glades to two first half field goals, West Broward needed to cross the end zone for a victory. Not an easy task for a team that was shutout their first five halves to the season. It’s only fitting that on a fourth-and-goal, with less than 4 minutes left in game; a senior….Aaron Parker would find the end zone and give West Broward their first victory of the program.
Beating Coral Glades has been the biggest hurdle for this West Broward program. Next will be their first district game win. And with the right man for the job on their sidelines, it’s not of matter of “If” but “when”.
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Last Friday was my first look at Hialeah Miami Lakes and I left the stadium thinking this program is on the right direction.
The Trojans tasted victory only once in two years when Coach Kennan Lawhorne took over. The former All-Dade running back from Krop High School turned things around quicker than people expected, having a WINNING record in his first season.
Going from a winless season to a winning record gave his players nothing but hard-earned confidence. And looking at the speed and talent from his team, I could see why.
Antwan Gay has plenty of speed and elusive to make defenses pay. The senior running back tore threw Miami Northwestern’s defense for 171 yards. He even ran back kick 89-yards for a touchdown, which kept the Trojans in the game.
Gay isn’t the only running back on this team that can make plays. Marcele Neat averages 9.5 yards a touch.
Complementing the backfield is quarterback Neil Anton, an absolute gamer. Anton has already thrown for seven touchdowns and we saw him make a wide array of passes.
Those three players alone give Coach Lawhorne plenty to play around with. It shows that this program has promise and a strong future in Dade County. Lawhorne had his team disciplined, focused, and ready to make plays.
If this HML team played in another district, no doubt they would vie for the title. It’s just too bad they play in arguably the toughest district in the country with top ranked Miami Northwestern and Miami Central in there.
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Given the task of replacing half your varsity team is no easy plan. But if there's ever been a qualified coach who expects his team to IMPROVE the next season, Coach Mark Guandola would be it.
Last season the Cypress Bay Lightning had their deepest playoff run in school history. Boasting a 10 win season and a perfect record against Broward County Schools, Cypress Bay had one of the better 6A teams in the state. But losing 42 players from that team to college put thousands of question marks around one of the more successful programs.
One of those answers this season seemed to be that offensive lineman Joe McNamara would be the anchor not only for a youthful line, but also the offense and the team. However, the Stanford commit tore his ACL prior to the season, making the road to Orlando substantially tougher mentally for an offensive line that now has only one upper classman, Alex Tucci.
But the Lightning, along with McNamara are focused on solutions and not excuses.
Coming away with a winning record against three powerful district champions in Boyd Anderson, Plantation, and Deerfield Beach has proven the fight of this Lightning bunch. Coach Guandolo has the ability to coach up his players no matter the circumstances. But the stakes only get higher for a team that has the next four games on the road before wrapping the regular season at St. Thomas Aquinas.
To get the Lightning through the season will be another strong running attack in Danny Epstein and David McKnight (who's father is the wide receivers coach). Epstein has the size and speed to elude the defensive,scoring a 54 yard scamper against a speedy Bucks defense.
Also aiding the offense is senior Zac Greene. The quarterback has great poise and confidence for someone who has started every game since his freshman year.
The defense side of the ball is very young but still talented with Juan Montoya looking natural making a switch from defensive line to linebacker.
Cypress Bay should come away with a District 11-6A championship which includes Everglades, West Broward, and Flanagan. How far they go in the playoffs will be determined by how far their youthful offensive line gels. Needless to say in a year where the 6A level seems talented as ever, next season could be shaping up for an even deeper playoff run. But don't tell that to Guandolo and his hungry team.
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Boy did the Plantation Colonels look good Friday night. Not great as in the “dub them the front runner in 6A” kind of performance but enough to make you think last season’s playoff performance was no joke.
The Colonels were a bit of an out program a couple of seasons ago. So much hype each season but nothing to show for it. But Head Coach Steve Davis is no stranger to going deep in the playoffs; he led a stacked Ely team to the state championship in the early decade. During the offseason so many question marks surround this team with the departure of two important players in Brandon McGee and Josh Robinson. McGee was a coach’s dream with his ability to play at the corner spot, quarterback and wide receiver and excel at each position.
Davis not only reloaded with Hallandale transfer running back Michael Anderson but add that to the combination of 10 starters returning on defense, and Plantation might shape up for a deep playoff run. District 10-6A got slightly easier this season with Boyd Anderson replaced by a Eugene Smith-less Miramar Patriots, who they play coming off a bye week at the end of the month.
This program was held out of the playoffs for four years before last season, but I would be surprised for anything less than a second place finish by the Colonels.
Before the game Davis told me his biggest concern was the youth of his offensive line. He told me this during a typical South Florida rainstorm which caused us both to believe the upcoming game would be determined on the ground. And specifically the holes his offensive line would create.
After a quiet (and I mean quiet) first half, Anderson made his presence felt on the football team with or without those holes. Running in between the tackles and around linebackers, Anderson showed why he opted out of secondary duties that Hallandale wanted to him to play.
His childhood friend and quarterback Imonni Carswell provides a great supporting act for the offense. Playing 10 games his sophomore has really helped this junior flourish this season. In their 26-15 week one victory over Northeast, Carswell threw three touchdowns to Devan Drane.
It just goes to show that Plantation can hurt you either on the ground or in the air. Two elements that can come in handy in the playoffs. Especially with a defense that might have the best public secondary in the county.
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The program at Carol City is down but out. In the mid 1990s their wasn’t a program in Miami Dade county that could touch the work Coach Walt Frazier was doing. Back to Back State championships and a 29 game winning streak somewhere in between them. But after 26 seasons of calling the shots, and a 2-8 record, it was time for a change.
So naturally Carol City grad and assistant coach Harold Barnwell stepped up to lead the Chiefs last season. Changing from a strong running game to more airing it out, many thought the Chiefs would need time to adjust. But credit Barnwell for wasting no time in changing the culture.
Carol City went from that 2-8 season to an 8 game winning streak in Barnwell’s first season, but it didn’t look that way. With a tough two game start, the Chiefs had to play Miami Northwestern and Columbus.
And they didn’t score a point.
You could only imagine the pressure that was put on Barnwell. But with a freshman quarterback behind the helm, it was a quick transition. Senior playmaker Allen Hurns stepped up at wide out too. Hurns is getting lots of attention from college scouts, a major part to a successful program.
Last season’s turnaround tells recruiters there still are talented college players in the making. A program that churned out Santana and Sinorice Moss, Kenny Phillips, and rapper Rick Ross. The future looks bright for the Chiefs to get back to the state championship, especially with a homegrown coach.
Carol City should defend their District 12-6A championship, their first since 2001. But with growing programs in their division like North Miami, North Miami Beach, and Norland, Barnwell’s success will be in learning from their loss to Northwestern.
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