Champagnat, Chaminade face tough tasks in title quest
After getting a record seven out of a possible seven teams to the state finals two years ago and six out of seven last year, South Florida will have to “settle” for only five teams this time.
Of course, most any area would be thrilled to get five of their teams in the state finals, but I guess we’ve all gotten a little spoiled during the past two years.
When Miami Columbus and Miami Northwestern both lost in their respective 8A and 6A state semifinals Friday night, it meant there will be no South Florida representative at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on
Dec. 18 when the 6A and 8A finals will be held.
As good a season as the Explorers and Bulls both had, both Venice and Tampa Jesuit (ranked No. 1 and 3 in the state, respectively, regardless of classification) served as major hurdles for South Florida teams trying to get to the 8A or 6A finals.
That came to fruition when both lost by lopsided scores.
But Miami-Dade and
Broward still managed to get five teams through, and two of those, Hialeah Champagnat Catholic and Hollywood ChaminadeMadonna, will make the long trek to Tallahassee this week to try and bring home 2A and 3A state titles, respectively.
Both schools also made history on the very same night.
Following their state semifinal wins last Friday, each became only the third and fourth teams in state history to make it to six consecutive state championship games, joining Belle Glade Glades Day (1982-88) and Pahokee (2003-08).
(For the record, Miami Central did it between 2010 and 2015, but the Rockets’ 2011 participation in the state series was vacated due to ineligible players.).
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (4A), Miami Central (5A) and Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (7A) also will play for state titles, but the Chiefs, Rockets and Raiders will enjoy a week off before taking the field on Dec. 16-17 before what should be a strong local crowd.
We will break down their state final matchups next week.
Class 2A state final:
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Champagnat (10-2) vs. Jacksonville Trinity Christian (9-4), Thursday, 7 p.m. at Gene Cox Stadium, Tallahassee: The tiny matchbox school in Hialeah isn’t so tiny when it comes to football, as Champagnat is going for state championship
No. 5 on Thursday and its third in a row.
But the Lions will be seriously challenged in this one as Trinity Christian, led by veteran coach Verlon Dorminey, are going for state title No. 9 and are the defending 3A state champs.
TC employs a grind-itout wing offense led by running backs Darnell Rogers and Treyaun
Webb, who have 2,143 combined rushing yards this season and will be tough to stop.
I make no bones about it, I’m as self-confessed “homer” who has been spoiled over the years with all the success South Florida teams have had against out-of-area teams, so I make this pick with serious reservations as Champagnat might be really up against the wall in this one. Even though TC lost four of its last five regular season games,
Dorminey has shown through his more than two decades of coaching this program that they know how to win the big games when it counts.
But I still say coach Hector Clavijo and Champagnat find a way to get it done.
BD’s Pick: Champagnat 24-22.
Class 3A state final:
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Chaminade-Madonna (10-1) vs. Tampa Berkeley Prep. (12-0), Friday, 7 p.m. at Gene Cox Stadium, Tallahassee: Talk to any Chaminade player who was on that team a year ago and they will tell you about the pain they’ve had to live with for nearly one year to the day. That’s when the Lions were a mere 30 seconds from becoming the first Broward team to win four straight state titles only to have it slip away on a fourth-down touchdown pass by Trinity Christian for a heartbeaking 25-22 loss.
It’s the “unfinished business” that has driven this team throughout the entire offseason, regular season and postseason. Now the Lions have made it all the way back to Tallahassee with a chance to notch a sixth state title for the program and fourth in the past five years.
But make no mistake about it: While Chaminade has been busy blowing up teams this postseason, this one will be no blowout, as Berkeley Prep not only brings a perfect 12-0 record but also credentials and talent along with it.
These two teams met a year ago in the state semifinal and it was close, as Chaminade edged Berkeley Prep 23-21 in Tampa. Berkeley players, led by their two powerhouse running backs, Xavier Townsend and Travis Bates, who have combined for nearly 3,000 yards rushing and scored 41 of the team’s 62 touchdowns, have been pointing to this potential matchup all season as their shot at redemption.
But this is where Chaminade’s killer schedule — perhaps the toughest in the nation this past season — will pay handsome dividends. I expect a close game for awhile, perhaps even down to the end. But look for a veteran team that knows how to win state championships against a team playing in its first ever state title game to make the plays it needs to down the stretch to raise another state title banner.
BD’s Pick: Chaminade 31-23.
Last Week: 5-2. Postseason: 36-12. Season: 375-83.