Palmetto is lone team from South Florida that will compete in Class 8A state tourney
Palmetto is still going for it.
On the rise in recent years, the Panthers feel like this is their most talented football team and didn’t want to miss on a chance to bring home a state championship.
“This is the year, we were really waiting to play for it more than anything for our seniors and they deserve an opportunity to play for a state championship,” Palmetto coach
Mike Manasco said.
With the Florida High School Athletic Association choosing to start the football season as scheduled Aug. 24, schools who felt they weren’t ready to start because COVID-19 concerns had a choice to opt out and play an independent season by Sept. 18.
While two defending state champions — Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna and Hialeah Champagnat Catholic — started in late August and have already played three games each, the rest of South Florida’s best will be back in action within the next two weeks.
Palmetto was one of six Miami-Dade public schools and 22 schools overall in Dade and Broward that made the choice to compete in the state playoffs.
The six schools, which also include defending state champions Miami Central and Miami Northwestern as well as Miami Edison, Miami Killian and Homestead, were all cleared to return to practice a week ago and are scheduled to begin an abbreviated three-week slate of games starting Oct. 23 with a series of exhibition games.
In Broward, defending Class 7A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas and 2018 Class 5A state champion Cardinal Gibbons are the only Broward County Athletic Association member schools that opted in.
The rest of South Florida’s teams including all BCAA-member public schools opted out and are in the process of putting together a “South Florida championship” season that will include teams from Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Those teams will play a five-game regular season set to begin Oct. 29 with a playoff format to be determined.
Manasco met with his players in person for the first time since mid-March on Sept. 14, and said his players made the choice on how to proceed easy.
“We told the kids we have a choice, we can opt out and guarantee we play a certain amount of games or we can go for the big one,” Manasco said. “They unanimously all said they wanted to play for a state title.”
Manasco said all of his players have been practicing for the past week — including defensive tackles Leonard Taylor and Savion Collins and wide receiver Brashard Smith (all University of Miami commits) as well as defensive backs Corey Collier and Jason Marshall (both University of Florida commits).
Manasco said he and Palmetto’s players and coaches have been strictly following protocols that involve temperature checks when they arrive at school for practice, as well as social distancing measures in the locker room and weight room and required wearing of masks on and off the field.
“We’re not even really huddling up on the field,” Manasco said. “The plays are coming in from the sideline. And our coaches are spacing out on the sideline. Everyone has to wear masks except for the kids while they’re playing.”
Manasco spent most of the six months away keeping in touch with his players via Zoom conference calls. He came up with workout plans for each of them to do from home to keep themselves in top physical shape in case they were able to play the season.
“I planned out goals for each day for each kid of where I want us to be and make sure we’re making progress in terms of conditioning and contact,” Manasco said. “This first couple of games will be so important.”
Palmetto, which has never won a state championship in football, is the only South Florida team that remained in the FHSAA state series that is playing in Class 8A.
Just as every other team that opted to remain in the FHSAA playoffs, they already know their potential road as the state held a random draw to put together a six-round playoff bracket that begins Nov. 13 and culminates with the state finals on the week of Dec. 18.
Palmetto will open the postseason by hosting Orlando powerhouse Dr. Phillips. But being the lone South Florida team, they face a potential road to state that could include a lot of travel. And most teams around the state such as Dr. Phillips have already played multiple games to this point.
The Panthers plan to play their exhibition game against Booker T. Washington or as part of a multiteam jamboree. They will then take on Homestead on Oct. 30 and Northwestern on Nov. 6.
“My goal for the regular season isn’t even so much about the scoreboard, it’s to get ready for the playoffs,” Manasco said. “Obviously, we will try to win but it’s a race to be in the best shape especially since a lot of those teams will have been playing since September.”
Aquinas, ranked in the top 3 nationally by both USA Today and MaxPreps, opens its season Friday at home against Tru Prep Academy at 7 p.m. The game will be closed to spectators and will be the first of three regular-season games that also include contests against
Cardinal Gibbons and American Heritage, ranked No. 23 nationally by USA Today.
Among the most notable games next week is an exhibition clash between longtime rivals Northwestern and Central on Oct. 23.
The Rockets are ranked No. 9 nationally and the Bulls are ranked No. 10 by MaxPreps and both return numerous FBS-level prospects.
GOLF
1A District 16 Boys at Crandon Park, Par 72 — Team: *Gulliver Prep 321, *Ransom Everglades 331, *Divine Savior Academy (Doral) 342, Westminster Christian 381, Florida Christian 392, Palmer Trinity 397, ImmaculataLaSalle 450. Individuals:
**Nicholas Prieto (FC) 73, John Marshall (GP) 76, Alexander Dalmau (GP) 76, Jackson Langer (RE) 80, Ignacio Asin (DS) 81, Daniel Vanososte (DS) 81, **Peter Hellebrand (IL) 83, Nick Viana (RE) 83, Aidan Cantillo (GP) 83, **Morgan Powell (PT) 84, Jonathan Pollak (RE) 84, Kobe Lopez (RE) 84.
1A District 16 Girls at Crandon Park, Par 72 — Team: *Palmer Trinity
318, *Carrollton 343, *Gulliver Prep 398, SLAM Academy 431, ImmaculataLaSalle 439. Individuals:
Remi Bacardi (PT) 72, **Skylee Shin (DS) 74, Pam Ascobereta (PT) 77, Carolina Swain (C) 81, Tori Hagenlocker (GP) 81, **Dariana Breto (SA) 82, **Alexandra Ragan (RP)
83, Alessandra Lanz (PT) 84, Yariliz Delgado (DS)
85, Sydney Powell (PT) 85, Victoria Gallinar (C) 85.
*Advance to Region 4 team **Advance to Region 4 individual
GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL
District Semifinal 3A — District 15 — Carrollton (8-1) d. Archbishop Carroll (4-1): (25-10, 2513, 25-8): Sofia Ibarra 6 kills, 9 aces; Isabella Vazquez 10 kills, 3 aces; Gianna Canto 6 kills, 2 blocks.
District Semifinal 3A — District 15 — Ransome Everglades d. Florida Christian 25-21 25-23 25-19