CLASS 1M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: Battled tested Chaminade-Madonna to take on competitive Clearwater Central Catholic team

NO. 3 CLEARWATER CENTRAL CATHOLIC (12-1) vs. NO. 1 CHAMINADE-MADONNA (HOLLYWOOD (12-0)

WHAT: FHSAA Class 1M State Championship

WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m. ET

WHERE: Gene Cox Stadium, Tallahassee

TICKET INFO: Go Fan ($14 per game advance purchase & $17 day of)

INTERNET STREAM: Spectrum Cable ($9.95 fee per game)

ABOUT CLEARWATER CENTRAL CATHOLIC

COACH: Chris Harvey, 7th year (65-18 at CCC)

ROAD TO TALLAHASSEE: d. Indian Rocks Christian (Largo), 63-12 (Regional Semifinals); d. Carrollwood Day (Tampa), 21-11 (Regional Finals); d. University Christian (Jacksonville), 34-29 (State Semifinals)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Clearwater Central Catholic is 0-1 in state championship games. They finished as runners-up in 2013.

KEY PLAYERS: QB Jershaun Newton, So. (127-of-186, 2,113 yds passing. 23 TDs, 2 INTs; 141 car, 1,212 yds rushing, 15 TDs, Division I FBS prospect); RB Lenwood Sapp, Sr. (170 car, 1,245 yds, 15 TDs); WR Nate Johnson III, Sr. (51 rec, 895 yds, 8 TDs); OC Shane Elam, Sr. (Division II prospect); OT Kevin Terry, Sr. (Committed to Temple); S Andy Jaffe, Jr. (110 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 4 PBUs, Division I FBS prospect); LB Curtis Roberts, Sr. (34 tackles, 5 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PBUs, 1 FR)

SCORING AVERAGES: Points For: 34.9 ppg; Points Against: 14.8 ppg

FLORIDAHSFOOTBALL.COM INTERVIEW WITH COACH HARVEY

ABOUT CHAMINADE-MADONNA

COACH: Dameon Jones, 7th year (76-12 at Chaminade-Madonna; 147-29 overall at Chaminade-Madonna and Hallandale)

ROAD TO TALLAHASSEE: d. Avant Garde (Hollywood), 48-0 (Regional Semifinals); d. Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach), 49-16 (Regional Finals); d. True North (Miami), 56-0 (State Semifinals)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Chaminade-Madonna is 6-4 in state championship games with titles won in 2003, 2005, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. They finished as runners-up in 1974, 2002, 2016, and 2020.

KEY PLAYERS: QB Cedrick Bailey, Jr. (182-260, 2,981 yds passing, 42 TDs, 5 INTs; 20 carries, 180 yds rushing, 2 TDs); RB Davion Gause, Jr. (131 carries, 956 yds rushing, 17 TDs; 1 rec TD, Division I FBS prospect); WR Jeremiah Smith, Jr. (51 rec., 960 yds, 18 TDs, Division I FBS prospect); WR Joshisa Trader, Jr., (43 rec., 692 yds, 6 TDs, Division I FBS prospect); WR Edwin Joseph, Sr., (36 rec., 592 yds, 8 TDs, Division I FBS prospect); WR Kyle Washington, So. (21 rec., 338 yds., 10 TDs); DL Zach Crothers, Jr., (56 tackles, 14 sacks, 23 TFL, 1 FR); S Jeno Junius, Sr. (110 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks); LB Denzel Johnson, Jr. (82 tackles, 10.5 TFL); CB Chris Ewald, So. (22 tackles, 4 INTs, 11 pass breakups); DT Wayne Peart (47 tackles, 16 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, Committed to Toledo); OT Deandre Duffus, Sr. (Committed to Maryland); OL William Larkins, Sr. (Committed to Indiana); CB Luke Evans, Sr. (7 tackles, 6 PBUs, 1 FR, Committed to Cincinnati); DB D’Angelo Ponds, Sr. (58 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 7 PBUs Committed to James Madison)

SCORING AVERAGES: Points For: 50.8 ppg; Points Against: 10.5 ppg

FLORIDAHSFOOTBALL.COM INTERVIEW WITH COACH JONES

PREVIEW

Back when the classifications came out in March of this year, most people had thought this game would be a matchup between Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) and Chaminade-Madonna. However, that is not the case and we have Clearwater Central Catholic going up against Chaminade-Madonna after the Marauders successfully knocked off the team that knocked off Trinity Christian in the regional finals. However, if the Marauders thought playing University Christian was a challenge in itself, going up against the Lions of Chaminade-Madonna is going to be an even taller order. The Marauders come in as a team that is balanced on the offensive side of the ball with Newton being a dual-threat quarterback along with Sapp being able to carry the ball as well. For the Lions, they got a stud quarterback in Cedrick Bailey who led them to the state championship in Class 3A this year. Defensively, Clearwater Central Catholic will need Andy Jaffe and Curtis Roberts to have a huge game to be able to stop the passing attack that Chaminade-Madonna will bring. For Chaminade-Madonna themselves they got a defense that has been playing lights out on the field against opponents and with Crothers being a dangerous threat on the field along with Ewald in the secondary they will put Marauders in some tough situations of what plays they might want to attempt to run. In the end, no one, not even American Heritage (Plantation) who will play in the Class 2M State Championship next week in Fort Lauderdale could not find a way to victory against the Lions this season. If Clearwater Central Catholic wants to get a win, they will need to play perfect football and find ways to force mistakes and make Chaminade-Madonna have its worse game all season which will be a very hard feat to accomplish.

PREDICTION

Chaminade-Madonna 38, Clearwater Central Catholic 17