Cardinal Gibbons will face St. Thomas Aquinas
Week 8 offers some of the season’s most intriguing matchups of the 2021 season.
In Broward County, Chaminade-Madonna hosts Miami Gulliver Prep in a matchup of two of the top small schools in South Florida. In Palm Beach County, Dwyer travels to Belle Glade to take on Glades Central as both teams try to recover from losses.
The biggest game of the week — and one of the biggest games in the state this year — is the showdown between reigning state champions Cardinal Gibbons and St. Thomas Aquinas.
I went 4-2 with last week’s picks after two games were canceled or postponed due to weather and one game was canceled due to COVID19 (I also miscounted and only picked nine games total). I am 45-17 so far this season. All games are at 7 p.m. on Friday unless otherwise noted.
St. Thomas Aquinas (6-1) vs. Cardinal Gibbons (5-1), Saturday, 7 p.m., FAU Stadium: One of this season’s biggest games in South Florida gets a venue befitting its scale. The Raiders and Chiefs square off Saturday night at FAU Stadium. Last year, Cardinal Gibbons got the better of St. Thomas, and both teams went on to win state championships. These two elite teams probably do not have much separation between them, so a close game that comes down to the wire Saturday night could certainly be in the cars. With the exception of a one-sided blowout, not much would really surprise me in this game. It could be a classic. St. Thomas Aquinas 24, Cardinal Gibbons 21.
Miami Gulliver Prep (5-0) at Chaminade-Madonna (4-1):
Another big South Florida matchup is scheduled for Friday night as Chaminade hosts undefeated Gulliver Prep. This is the Lions’ first home game of the year, so they surely want to put up a good showing. Going 4-1 against a road slate that included American Heritage, Georgia powerhouse Buford, Miami Columbus, Sanford Seminole and Western is impressive. Sophomore running back Davion Gause has done much of the heavy lifting on offense, and the defense has been stingy. Gulliver has plenty of talent of its own, including fivestar wide receiver Jalen Brown, four-star linebacker Trey Lathan and three-star tight end De’Carlo Donaldson. This should be a good game. Chaminade-Madonna 21, Gulliver Prep 17.
Boca Raton (5-1) at Monarch (3-2): The Bobcats are rolling right now, winning their last four games. After impressive wins over Stoneman Douglas and Dwyer, Boca cannot let its guard down now. The Bobcats are putting themselves in good shape for a playoff berth. Monarch will come into this game hungry. This is an absolutely crucial game for the Knights if they want to make a run for a playoff berth. Handing Boca Raton its first district loss would go a long way for helping Monarch’s playoff chances. Boca Raton 32, Monarch 17.
Miramar (4-2) at McArthur (3-2): Miramar is coming off a two-game week in which it won both games, picking up a three-touchdown victory over Stranahan and a blowout win over Hallandale. The Patriots have outscored opponents 125-18 during their four-game winning streak. But this road contest against McArthur may not be as easy as those victories. Unlike the Patriots, the Mustangs are well-rested after a bye week and shut out Everglades in their last game. Still, Miramar is the favorite in this one. Miramar 27, McArthur 14.
Stranahan (4-2) at Boynton Beach (5-1), Thursday, 6:30 p.m.: This big-time matchup will likely decide which team finishes second in District 14-5A behind American Heritage. Boynton Beach is having a resurgent season, winning five straight since dropping its season opener against Boca Raton. However, the Tigers’ five wins have come at the expense of teams that are struggling; their combined record is 3-23. Stranahan is the toughest opponent they’ve faced since the first week of their season. It will be a solid test for both teams. Stranahan 28, Boynton Beach 21.
Dwyer (4-2) at Glades Central (3-3), Thursday, 6:30 p.m.:
Both of these teams enter this game coming off losses. Dwyer dropped its game against Boca Raton, and Glades Central has lost back-toback games against Miami Carol City and Miami Booker T. Washington. Since this is a non-district game, it means a little more to the Raiders than the Panthers. Dwyer can win its district regardless of what happens in this game, whereas Glades Central doesn’t play in a district and needs to pick up any win it can. Dwyer 20, Glades Central 17.
Clewiston (4-0) at Cardinal Newman (4-2):
Clewiston heads east from the Muck to face off against Cardinal Newman on Friday. Clewiston features former Glades Central quarterback Zo’marion Harper, who transferred from the Raiders. Harper has completed 67% of his passes and has not yet thrown an interception this year. But the Crusaders are hot right now, having won their last three games. At home, they should be tougher to beat. Cardinal Newman 21, Clewiston 17.
Coral Springs (1-4) at Deerfield Beach (4-2), Thursday, 7 p.m.:
The Bucks recovered from a 7-0 road loss to Rockledge with a 40-6 victory over Monarch, and they took that win into their bye week last week. Deerfield remains tied for first in its district with Boca Raton. The Bucks just can’t slip up against teams they should beat and then they could clinch a playoff berth on Oct. 29 against Boca. Deerfield Beach 45, Coral Springs 10.
Hialeah Champagnat (4-2) at Benjamin (4-2), Thursday, 7 p.m.: Benjamin hosts the reigning Class 2A state champions this week following a loss to Daytona Beach Mainland. The Lions offer a tough test, with their only losses coming against Miami Northwestern and Gulliver Prep. Champagnat Catholic 28, Benjamin 14.
Palm Beach Lakes (0-6) at Palm Beach Central (5-0), 6:30 p.m.:
The Broncos pulled ahead of Park Vista before the game had to be postponed because of bad weather last week. Palm Beach Central’s high-powered offense faces off against a struggling Palm Beach Lakes team, and they should pick up the win without too much trouble. Palm Beach Central 48, Palm Beach Lakes 7.