GAME PREVIEW: John Carroll at North Broward Prep

North Broward Prep gets a tune up on Thursday – their senior night – before the Gold Coast Conference playoffs next week.

The Eagles (7-2) will either travel to play Calvary Christian or Archbishop McCarthy in the semifinals, a result of dropping two out of their last three games after starting the season 6-0. Both losses came without starting quarterback Logan Shooster, who is expected to be ready for playoffs.

John Carroll (5-4), meanwhile, will also be looking for a tune up before their regional quarterfinal game against Clearwater Central Catholic next week. The Rams, a member of district six in 3A, clinched a playoff spot with a 60-42 win over Holy Trinity Episcopal last Friday.

Thursday night marks the first matchup between North Broward and John Carroll.

North Broward Prep looked prime to have at least one home Gold Coast Conference playoff game three weeks ago before losing to Archbishop McCarthy at home and losing Shooster in the process. The loss of Shooster has forced the Eagles to start sophomore backup Christian Paillet, who has struggled, and in turn, North Broward has dropped two out of their last three and had a scare on the road against 3-6 Coral Glades.

With Paillet at quarterback, the Eagles’ offense has to put together three straight games with their three lowest point totals of the season (20, 27, 14, respectively). However, despite the recent funk, North Broward still averages north of 39 points per game, tops in their conference.

John Carroll’s defense – which has omitted 145 points in its last three games – will be forced with the tough task of slowing down the talented athletes North Broward has in four-star Kevin Austin, senior running back Dymitri McKenzie, senior receiver and talented punt returner Anthony Gomez, and tight end Kenny Henningsen, among others.

The Rams, too, have dropped two out of their last three, and their defense has been a big part of that. Their 242 points allowed is just 22 points less than their points forward, and have let up 1,364 yards in their last three games alone.

Fortunately, however, their offense has picked up the slack with a 60-point performance last week, and 48-point showing on the road two weeks ago. The Rams offensive unit averages just over 29 points per game and is led by senior 6’3” receiver Jamal Polk, senior 6’2” receiver Umah Miller Jr., and sophomore quarterback Nick Celidonio.

The Eagles’ special teams continue to struggle, missing a field goal, and having another big return by Anthony Gomez on a punt return called back due to a penalty last week versus Calvary Christian. Gomez has five touchdowns called back on punt returns this season, and this one would’ve set up North Broward at the Calvary 10.

North Broward has also omitted the most yards on kickoff returns this season in the Gold Coast Conference.

But North Broward Prep’s defense has let up just over 17 points per game this year and had another strong showing last week. The final score showed 31 points for Calvary, but seven came off of a pick six, and three more came after North Broward fumbled the snap on the punt, and the defense held Calvary to a field goal after taking over at the 10. Furthermore, the last Calvary Christian touchdown was a run with under a minute left in which North Broward had waved the white flag and was expected a kneel down. Take away that 17, and it was just 14 given up.

Thursday will be North Broward’s last home game of the season, barring an upset by Key West over the top seed in the GCFC playoffs in the semifinals. The Eagles went 5-0 on the road, but are just a pedestrian 2-2 at home this season.

Kickoff Thursday is at 7:00 P.M. from Tom Marcy Field.

PREDICTION: North Broward Prep 42, John Carroll Catholic 21.