Rivals Heritage, Gibbons to battle for semifinal berth
Cardinal Gibbons coach Matt DuBuc struggles to remember the last victory the Chiefs have had against American Heritage.
“Long time ago … long time ago,” he says as the second-year head coach and longtime offensive coordinator tries to jog his memory. “Maybe 10 years?”
Whatever it’s been, here’s the number that counts: Since Gibbons made the leap over the rest of District 16-5A to challenge Heritage’s post at the top, the Chiefs are 20-0 against all opponents other than American Heritage, but 0-3 against the Patriots.
Heritage (10-0), state champions three of the past four years, ranked the No. 3 team in the nation by MaxPreps and winners of 24 consecutive games, puts it all on the line at home on Friday night as Gibbons (11-1) looks to show it is the new team in Class 5A.
“Streaks are streaks, and they’ve got a long one. We’ve got a long one losing to them,” DuBuc said. “Hopefully the streak can be broken. That’s going to depend on the guys on the locker room.”
“You’re not going to show up and get lucky against them, and 24 in a row proves that.”
Last year, when the Chiefs were a surprise team, rising the way they did, they entered the postseason with just the one regular-season loss to Heritage. Then the Patriots squeaked by 10-7 in a regional semifinal en route to the state title.
Gibbons entered this year more proven and now knowing it can challenge Heritage. The teams played to a 23-19 final at Gibbons in the regular season and now get the postseason matchup in the third round, a regional final between the top two ranked teams in Class 5A with a state semifinal spot on the line.
Heritage coach Patrick Surtain is used to these twice-a-year battles going back to his playing days with the Miami Dolphins — whether it was against the Patriots, Jets, Bills or Colts — when they were in the AFC East.
“You know the players. You know their strengths and weaknesses. You know exactly what they’re going to do. It’s just a matter of executing,” Surtain said.
Despite the familiarity between the foes, the teams know what’s on the line and that this meeting means a little bit more.
“It’s different this week because it’s do or die. It’s win or go home. The tension is heightened,” Surtain said.
Western’s magical run
Western had never won a playoff game before this season. Now the Wildcats have won two, and they’re looking for more.
After upsetting Deerfield Beach, ranked No. 1 in Class 8A for much of the season, in the opening round and coming back from down 12 in the fourth quarter at Palm Beach Central, Western (10-2) now seeks its first regional title.
Atlantic (10-1) has fallen in this same round each of the past two seasons to a Broward County foe — Deerfield Beach last year and eventual state champion Flanagan in 2015. The Eagles are looking for their first state semifinal appearance since 2001.
A win away from title game match
Traditionally, state football championships pair teams from the southern half of the state with teams from the northern half, but as long as ChaminadeMadonna and Oxbridge Academy win their state semifinals — and they will be favored to do so — it will be a Broward-Palm Beach battle in Orlando for the Class 3A title.
As rare as it may appear, one doesn’t have to go that far back to find the last time Broward and Palm Beach teams faced in a championship game. In 2005, Palm Beach Gardens defeated Deerfield Beach in the Class 6A title game in Miami Gardens’ Dolphin Stadium.
The Lions were state runner-up last year and defeated Oxbridge en route to the championship game then. Chaminade (9-2) travels to Clearwater Central Catholic in its semifinal while Oxbridge (9-1) hosts Florida State University — the high school.
St. Thomas keeps rolling
St. Thomas Aquinas (9-2), winners of three consecutive Class 7A state titles, has yet to be challenged in the postseason.
After cruising to victory over South Miami, the Raiders humbled a West Broward team fresh off its first playoff victory.
A similar scenario is on the horizon in Friday’s regional final at Brian Piccolo Stadium. St. Thomas hosts Doral Academy, which is coming off the school’s first two playoff victories after most recently going up to Palm Beach Gardens to upset Dwyer 6-5.
U-School and Pahokee away
University School and Pahokee have daunting tasks ahead of them in their respective state semifinals.
The upstart Sharks (9-1), coming off victories over Glades Central and Miami Pace, go up to Cocoa to take on the reigning Class 4A state champions.
Pahokee (8-2) will take a five-hour bus ride to take on 12-0 Madison County. The Blue Devils won this same semifinal at home last year before winning the Class 1A title on the field but later having the championship stripped from the school.