Original1

Pahokee was up 28 to 0 on Ely and then they (PK) put their JV in. The final was 28-20. Deerfield Beach was a different story. Deerfield was bigger, more depth and they had a stud running back. All the things you would expect from a strong 8A program. But Pahokee held their own and hung in there with them. I think that final was 14-7

I must say, I wasn't expecting much from Pahokee this year but they surprised the hell out of me yesterday. They easily handled Ely, and hung in there with 8A Deerfield (Deerfield was much bigger and stronger). Kudos to the Pahokee coaching change. It appears to be working!

Last year’s Pahokee team should have been undefeated. They were athletically better than every scheduled team. The coaching and discipline was horrible however. Pahokee will be competitive.

I would agree with you. Some kids love the game, but because of their size, they don't attempt to play. Heck, I've even talked to some kids who were in high school bands, but had had brilliant football minds because they've been watching the game so much.

Excellent insight! Thanks for the input.

Head Coaches who have actually never played football on ANY level... I'm just throwing this out here to get some feedback. What are your thoughts? Do you know of any? Are they or have they been successful? Should it be a prerequisite?

Great!

Looks like Hester had GC heading on the right track. Seems like they were a couple pieces away from being a dominant team again. Pahokee however was a different story. I could be wrong, but I think Pahokee needs a staff that's not from the area. The city is so small that, political hanky panky seems to run rampant. Outside coaches are usually more neutral in their decision making, and don't give to community pressure. The coach from Wake Forest (Smith?) did appear to be doing a good job, but he had other issues. Hopefully all the teams can get back, including Clewiston. I agree with @Mashburns... when the Glades teams are strong, it makes the entire county competitive.

Dade County football will be on full display! This is great for overall competition.

Hooray! Big fan of Glades football. It was very clear that Pahokee had the athletes, but didn't have the coaches to match.

Good, Pahokee needs a total makeover! I thought Glades Central did a great job making adjustments through the season.

Baker has to play a tougher schedule to prepare for the post season. Truth be told, they will always have problems with Madison County and Pahokee.

A lot was learned about (some) of the Baker fan base after they lost (on the field) to Pahokee in that State Championship game. I don't think anything will help Baker against Madison County. And, I don't think Madison County is a true 1A school either. Just my thoughts.

I have to agree with 561_Fan.... Pahokee played at least 4 teams this year that were bigger and faster than Hawthorne. And they should have beat them all. That's why I asked the game film preparation question earlier...It's almost like Pahokee doesn't prepare for teams. They just show up and play.

Pahokee has been winning games with just great athletes. But athletes have to be properly coached, and that's Pahokee's problem. They have an outdated, good ole boy system of coaching. Some of the better players didn't even play much this year because of meaningless reasons. (Your family has to be from Pahokee, or you have to be related to a past player, or your family has to know someone on the coaching staff)...sounds stupid right? You would not believe the number of "good" players that have transferred from Pahokee to other West Palm Beach area schools in the last 2 years. Sometimes it's good for a small town to bring in a coaching staff that's not from the area to rebuild the program. Hawthorne is a really good team. The Hornets are well coached and very athletic. I was more surprised with the way they played Pahokee in the trenches. But it was clear that they had never faced a team like Pahokee before. I wouldn't mind being in "Boot Hill" for the the Hawthorne/Madison game. Should be a good one! P.s. ... Do the Pahokee coaches ever watch game film to prepare for their opponents?

I agree Captain Morgan. I don’t think Madison is a true 1A school. Rural? Yes.. But definitely not 1A.

Hawthorne is a well coached, very athletic team. They had a game plan and stuck to it. Pahokee had a team full of athletes with no game plan and no identity. Kudos to both teams. That Madison/Hawthorne matchup will be pretty interesting.

Hopefully they get rid of ALL the coaches and start over next year. It wasn't the refs. Pahokee got their a** kicked.

Pahokee is capable of beating teams (especially in 1A) without a coach. That's just how athletically talented the team is. Coaches are supposed to reinforce discipline, and this Pahokee team has none.... Now I see why! The darn coach was thrown out the game! The way it appears, the head coach isn't really the coach. The offensive coordinator is really calling the shots.

Pahokee has to get a group of coaches that are NOT from Pahokee to rebuild the program. The team is still very capable of winning, But they have no leadership or discipline.

Don't forget about Pahokee. I think some people forget Pahokee is a 1A team. 8A-5, 7A-1, 6A-1, 4A-2, 3A-1...1A-0

I totally agree Muckcitypride1. Pahokee and GC have been plagued with bad officiating forever. Heck!...It was used as a method of inspiration for many years. But coaches at this level should be role models. But let's forget about the officiating. Cocoa out-coached Pahokee. Vero and Seminole Ridge did the same. GC probably will do it Saturday. I've never seen such an athletically gifted team become so lack luster. The problem starts at the top, and I don't think the players are the problem!

The Ref should have threw all the PK coaches out the game! 561_Fan you already know how I feel about those Pahokee coaches. The officiating was pretty bad, but the "real problem" ain't the Refs.

No disrespect to the coaches there, but a team that talented should NOT be losing football games. Whenever they face a team with superior coaching, it shows. I also agree, they need a new person at the top..but they also need a total makeover on the entire staff. Let the local guys assist (from afar). But bring in experienced coaches from elsewhere. But... that's usually a task for any rural football program.

At some point we have to be honest about the coaching in Pahokee. Pahokee has been winning games based on talented athletes. The coaching there has never been great. Pahokee is a team that should be undefeated this year. The program needs a head coach, and a offensive/defensive coordinator that is NOT from Pahokee. Those kids are extremely talented and they deserve better. With that said...Pahokee may still very well win 1A (if they can get pass Madison) but that does not negate the fact that the coaching there is subpar. Just my opinion.