Northwestern, Chaminade cruise to titles
defense wins championships, Miami Northwestern certainly made its case Saturday in the Class 6A football state championship game.
Northwestern returned two turnovers for scores and forced a safety to overpower Seffner Armwood 22-0 in a rematch of last year’s title game at Camping World Stadium. The Bulls (10-5), who won their sixth state championship and second in a row, dominated the Hawks (13-2) in winning their seventh consecutive game.
Northwestern became the first team in state history to win an FHSAA football championship after placing third in its district. The Bulls lost to Class 6A, District 16 champ Miami Carol City 28-7 and runner-up Miami Central 38-10 in regular-season play. In the playoffs, Central knocked out Carol City before Northwestern then beat the favored Rockets 19-16 in a region final.
“It’s an awesome feeling,” said Northwestern coach Max Edwards. “We didn’t have the best year, but we were actually determined. We knew we wouldn’t go undefeated, but our goal was to get to the title [game] and to defend it.”
Teams from 6A-16 have dominated the classification, winning seven straight state championships.
Northwestern got a 23-yard interception return for a touchdown from Timothy Burns, a 56-yard fumble return for a TD from Samuel Brooks, and a safety when Armwood quarterback Cam’ron Ransom was flagged for intentional grounding in his end zone.
The Bulls limited Armwood to 48 total yards and forced eight punts and two turnovers.
“This is one of the best defenses I’ve ever played with,” said Burns, who has received offers from Kentucky and Kentucky, among others.
Chaminade turns the tide: Top-ranked Hollywood Chaminade overcame an early 10-0 deficit by getting two touchdown runs from Willie Davis IV, two TD passes from Daelen Menard and a stingy defensive effort to beat third-ranIf ked West Palm Beach King’s Academy 38-10 in the 3A title game.
Chaminade (12-2) scored 38 unanswered points to win its ninth consecutive game. Chaminade is 11-1 in the playoffs over the past three seasons — including a 2016 state runner-up finish behind Jacksonville Trinity Christian.
“It feels great, man,” said Chaminade coach Dameon Jones, who is in his fourth year. “It would have been great to go back-to-back-toback, but this [repeat] is a big achievement. A lot of people don’t do it.”
Davis, a 5-foot-8, 200-pound senior who was not listed as a starter, scored on runs of 14 and 13 yards to give Chaminade a 14-10 halftime lead.
“I knew eventually it would open up for us, and that’s exactly what happened,” said Davis, who transferred from 6A power Miami Central. “I saw the hole and I hit it. I can’t explain it. It was just in the moment.”
He finished with 83 yards rushing on Saturday.
Menard finished with 218 yards passing, completing passes to five receivers. He threw two interceptions.
Chaminade’s defense limited King’s Academy (12-2) to 138 yards, including just 50 in the second half.
Te’cory Couch, a Miami commit, had two interceptions, and Thomas Armstrong had 12 tackles for Chaminade.
King’s took advantage of some Chaminade mistakes to take its early lead. Jayvon Wynn returned an interception 37 yards to the Chaminade’s 13-yard line, setting up Wake’s 14-yard TD pass to Cory Croteau three plays later.
On its next drive, King’s Academy drove 57 yards in 10 plays to set up a 37-yard field goal by Bernie Cueto on the first play of the second quarter.
From there, it was all Chaminade as the Lions got two TD runs from Davis on their final three drives of the first half to take a 14-10 lead.
Saturday’s FHSAA football finals
2A: Chaminade-Madonna (12-2) d. King’s Academy (12-2), 38-10
6A: Miami Northwestern (10-5) d. Armwood (13-2), 22-0
8A: Jacksonville Mandarin (10-4) vs. Miami Christopher Columbus (14-0), late.