Gibbons fueled by past losses
Chiefs, other area teams begin their spring work
FORT LAUDERDALE — Over the last two seasons, Cardinal Gibbons has won every football game it has played — except four against American Heritage, two of those eliminating the Chiefs as they watched the Patriots march on to state titles.
As the Gibbons seniors hit the field on Monday for the first day of spring drills across Florida and first time back out since a heartbreaking 58-57 triple-overtime defeat in a Class 5A regional final, they were not shy about expressing their feelings toward their rival.
“I hate Heritage. I hate what they stand for, everything,” defensive end Khris Bogle said. “Our goal is to beat Heritage. That’s all I want — to beat Heritage before I go to college. … They don’t stand a chance against us.”
Said quarterback Nik Scalzo, who will likely break all the Chiefs passing records this season and has been the starter for all four losses: “I’m not losing to them again. That’s all I’m saying.”
While Gibbons graduated key contributors, Scalzo and Bogle will provide pivotal senior leadership on each side of the ball next season. Combine that with Heritage losing one of the most talented senior classes you’ll ever see come out of a high school, and there’s reason to believe beating the Patriots should now be an expectation for the Chiefs and not just a bonus or an upset should they pull it off.
“It’s going to be a different result this year,” offensive lineman Jamari Williams said.
While this season may present itself as that opportunity for Gibbons to get over the hump, coach Matt DuBuc doesn’t see it anything different than the mindset in his first two seasons leading the Chiefs.
“We expect to win every game,” DuBuc said. “What it comes down to is that you have a lot of returners that are hungry.”
Speedy running back Vincent Davis is back to spearhead the running game. A sprinter on the track team, which heads into regionals on Wednesday, Davis is not yet participating in spring football.
St. Thomas eager
The last time St. Thomas Aquinas held a first practice as anything other than defending champs was after the 2013 season.
The end of a run of three consecutive state titles was a topic in meetings before practice as St. Thomas began its first session before sunrise.
“That was just the message for the whole day,” rising senior cornerback Jaden Davis said. “Everybody was out here with a chip on their shoulder.”
The motivation was there after falling in state semifinals to eventual Class 7A champ Venice the last time they took the field.
“A little bit of adversity is healthy for the human spirit,” coach Roger Harriott said. “They came out here with a healthy attitude and competitive nature.”
Open competition will take place at quarterback with Curt Casteel, the starter most of last season, and Mariano Valenti, a transfer from Michigan, leading that battle, which will likely run through the summer.
Title aspirations
With a new crop of players filtering into Deerfield Beach every year, there’s always intense competition with talented youngsters looking to surge up the depth chart and knock off established starters.
That’s something Bucks coach Jevon Glenn loves to see.
“Everyone battles here,” Glenn said. “Last year, Jakari Norwood — an early enrollee at Northern Illinois — came in as the starter [at running back] and Jaylan [Knighton] took it,” Glenn said. “[Norwood] was the backup to the sophomore who ran for 1,200 yards.”
As spring football practice kicked off, Deerfield Beach was back, fielding state title aspirations. The Bucks, who reached the Class 8A state semifinals in 2016, were upset by Western, 20-17, in the first round last season.
As always, there’s loads of talent returning, especially at the skill positions. Deerfield Beach should boast one of the area’s top rushing attacks thanks to Knighton. The explosive running back broke out for 1,223 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.
Atlantic
After finishing as Class 8A state runner-up last season, Atlantic was back on the field. The Eagles, along with Oxbridge Academy, were one of two Palm Beach County teams to reach the state title game last year.
The Eagles will be tasked with replacing a stacked senior class. Atlantic still has plenty of talent back, though. Sophomore defensive tackle and running back Henry Bryant Jr. and junior cornerback Marc’Allen Derac headline a young nucleus of returning players.