Deerfield Beach, Aquinas clash in state showdown

You will be hard-pressed to find a Broward County football field with more talent than the one at Deerfield Beach this Friday.

With Division I matchups all over the field, this week’s game between No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas and No. 1 Deerfield Beach has the makings of one of Florida’s best games this year.

“It’s a great opportunity for our kids to be able to come out, put on a showcase,” Bucks coach Jevon Glenn said. “There are going to be numerous college coaches going to be in town, on the sidelines. This is one everybody wants to see. It’s one that we want to play in.”

Both teams enter the game ranked No. 1 in their respective classes (Class 8A for Deerfield and Class 7A for St. Thomas Aquinas), and the hype around the game is at a fever pitch.

“Every year, on the schedule, you know this is our biggest game, besides Ely,” Deerfield Beach wide receiver Deajuan McDougle said. “We’re all looking forward to this.”

The Bucks (6-0) are rolling entering Friday’s game. They put a running clock on Taravella last week, and running back Jaylan Knighton, a junior Oklahoma commit, set a school record with 347 rushing yards. They’re averaging 36 points per game while allowing only nine points per game.

“We’re putting up great numbers for the first couple games,” Deerfield Beach quarterback Derohn King said. “Second part of the season, we want to put up more numbers and get ready to go to the playoffs.”

The Raiders (4-1), no strangers to strong opponents, are coming off a bye week following their first loss of the season — a 43-27 home defeat against Miami Central.

“We brought it back to fundamentals,” Aquinas coach Roger Harriott said. “It was a positive bye week, something that we needed. Obviously, we came off a very difficult experience, and it takes a healthy mindset to ensure that we’re ready for the following week.”

The two loaded teams met last year, and the Raiders beat the Bucks 14-0 in Fort Lauderdale, setting the stage for this year’s showdown.

“This is one of those games where you can become legendary on Friday nights,” Glenn said. “It’s special around here.”