FLORIDA TOP 25 PREVIEW: No. 20 Miami Palmetto Panthers team preview

With the 2022 high school football season here we are previewing the Top 25 teams in our Florida Top 25 rankings that we have already debuted on Varsity Sports Network’s Florida Gridiron Report last week. Rankings for the Florida Top 25 will be updated each Wednesday night on the Florida Gridirion Report and on FloridaHSFootball.com along with all classification rankings.

NO. 20 MIAMI PALMETTO PANTHERS

Head Coach: Mike Manasco, 8th year

Classification & District: 4M-16

2021 Record: 9-3

Key Athletes: ATH Robby Washington, Sr; LB Bobby Washington, Sr; CB Dwight Bootie II; WR Derrick Bohler; OL Darryl Doctor, Sr; LB Gabriel Hardman, Sr; TE Blake Brookins, Sr; LS Justin Wood, Sr; P Patrick Keough, Sr; QB Lucas Suarez, Sr; CB Jaden Outar, Sr; DE Willis McGahee IV, Jr; ATH Jacory Barney Jr., Jr

2022 Schedule

Kickoff 7:30 PM ET unless noted

* – Denotes District Game

All home games at Tropical Park

Thu. 8/18 (Preseason) – @ Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (jamboree), 6

Thu. 8/26 (Week 1) – Homestead, 7

Fri. 9/2 (Week 2) – @ Clearwater Academy International, 7

Fri. 9/9 (Week 3) – Miami Killian

Fri. 9/16 (Week 4) – Miami Columbus

Fri. 9/23 (Week 5) – @ Vero Beach, 7

Thu. 9/29 (Week 6) – Coral Gables*, 7

Thu. 10/6 (Week 7) – @ Miami Edison (at Curtis Park), 7

Fri. 10/14 (Week 8) – @ Homestead South Dade* (at Harris Field)

Fri. 10/21 (Week 9) – GMAC Game (TBD)

Fri. 10/28 (Week 10) – BYE WEEK

Fri. 11/4 (Week 11) – @ Coconut Creek

Season Outlook: Coming off another successful playoff run that ended the regional finals, Miami Palmetto is looking to break the barrier and make a run towards a state championship. To accomplish that feat, they will need everyone to buy in. That buy-in will come from a significant amount of talent on the team that is holding multiple Division I offer in both the 2023 and 2024 classes. The Panthers will have a tough schedule that will include a mix of top-tier teams from Miami-Dade County along with trips to Indian River and Broward counties sprinkled in. Overall, Coach Manasco’s team has a strong chance this year of finally winning the school’s first state championship in football if they play well in all the games they are supposed to.