OldSchoolLion

Hurray! Football, football, football!  It starts this week and based on the feedback I've gotten every team is going to be better, strong and accomplish more in 2018 than 2017.  I can't possibly provide thoughts on every football game I would like to, but here's the big 3A match-ups I'll be looking forward to this week:

GAME OF THE WEEK:
Chaminade-Madonna vs Deerfield Beach

Two of the top teams in the nation square off for an opening week game of significant interest not only to those in South Florida but those interested in seeing how Chaminade starts in 2018.  In 2017 the highly ranked Lions started off with a thud as they were overwhelmed by a deeper Miami Central team. I truly believe the 2018 version of CM is better than the 2017 version for two reasons 1) The team is deeper along the lines which hurt them against the powerhouses last year and 2) experience. Damon Jones is sort of a legend in the South Florida area, but even he needs times to build chemistry.  This CM team is the perfect blend of experience, toughness, talent and conditioning.

While this is a big game for the Lions, the Bucks of Deerfield could also benefit from a big win to get the proverbial "overrated" money off their bank. Deerfield has consistently been one of the more talented teams in the area but that hasn't translated to success on the field. A win for Deerfield would probably be considered an upset since Chaminade is the favorite here, but the Bucks has enough play makers and depth to give the Lions a 4 quarter game.

Prediction:  Chaminade 27, Deerfield 17


Clearwater Central Catholic vs Tampa Berkeley Prep

Berkeley Prep made the state semifinals in 3A back in 2016 but did not make the playoffs in 2017 but it wasn't for lack of effort or talent. Berkeley Prep lost 4 games by a TD or less.  I expect that to change this year as the Buccaneers have one of the most electrifying QB's in the state in Joshua Youngblood.  Berkeley is also home to one of the top linebackers in the country Jr. Jaylen Harrell.  As is typical of any Dominick Ciao coached team the Bucs are very strong across both the offensive and defensive lines.

CCC really doesn't need an introduction since they've become a household name in 3A making the playoffs 19 of the past 22 years, winning 6 regional championships (1 state finals) and not suffering a losing regular season since 1996. The 2018 version of CCC is also loaded with power 5 potential. Brothers  Sr. JerJuan and Jr. Jerzhan Newton both return along with Qb Rory Hicks, WR Brett Seither TE/DE Kennedy Roberts and a host of talented playmakers. Perhaps the biggest steal of the off season was Sophomore Makkah Jordan transferring in along with his brother Melvin giving CCC even more weapons to play with. CCC is also very young as the team only has 8 seniors on a 45 player roster.

Prediction: CCC 28,  Berkeley prep 20

Florida High School vs Blountstown

2017 State Finalist in class 1A meets 2017 class 3A State Semifinalist. This should be a good one as both teams are expected to have strong seasons. FSU School (Florida High) was bolstered by key transfers Willie Taggart and Raymond Woodie; however, they also return quite a bit of star power behind WR Javan Morgan, QB Bryson Hill and a most of a secondary that had a strong season. While preseason picks are just that- educated guesses based on hype, star power and potential- many (myself included) have Florida High as a favorite to be in the state finals this year.

Blountstown hit lofty heights in 2017, but only return 3 starters on each side of the ball in 2018 with a varsity roster of 27. The Tigers do have weapons such as Qb Treven Smith and Alex Veldez that the Seminoles will need to account for.

Prediction: Florida High 35, Blountstown 13



Other games I'll be looking at:

MCC vs IMG Academy (Varsity). I've got MCC by 14.
Ft. White vs Suwannee. I've got Ft. White by 10.
Taylor County vs Bradford. I've got Taylor County by 7
Tampa Catholic vs Gibbs. I've got Tampa Catholic by 28.
Calvary Christian vs Umatilla. I've got Calvary Christian by 45.
King's Academy vs Pope John Paul II. I've got King's by 28.
Calvary Christian Academy vs LaSalle. I've got CCA by 14.
Lakeland Christian vs Tenoroc. I've got LCS by 30.
Cardinal Mooney vs Bishop Verot. I've got Cardinal Mooney by 3.
St. Pete Catholic vs Carrollwood Day. I've got Carrollwood by 14.



 

I haven’t done this in months but I will like to talk about in my opinion the must see games this week and my predictions for them feel free to drop your own predictions and state what made u go with that choice and I’m going to do them same.
 
starting with DEMATHA @ ST THOMAS This right here has the means to go either way sta was knocked out the playoffs last year short of the state title and I’m sure they’ve done some scoping on dematha they know what their bringing in and what they lost and would love nothing more to beat a well known school whose had a lot of success vs fl schools recently In dematha to show the raiders are back. 
#PREDICTIONS if this was in Maryland I would have to roll with dematha all day but playing at STA Week 1 I believe STA takes it 14-10 in a defensive ball game. 
CAROL CITY @ AMERICAN HERITAGE Man oh man what I would do to see this game two heavy weights clashing in Broward County the patriots are coming off another state title at 14-0 while Carol city is coming off a second round exit while both teams are expected to make a deep run this year there can only be one winner Friday night I expect a offensive type game.
#PREDICTION I have to roll with the patriots to hold serve at home 31-28
 
DILLARD @ BOOKER T WASHIGTON This game right here has the potential to be the dark horse of the week Dillard silently beat a very talented Jackson team who can make some noise in 5A this year while BTW ended their KOC in a 28 tie with TC last year when these two teams met Dillard came in with out a OC who left the same week and took all his plays with him and Dillard showed the effects of just that getting blitzed in the first half 25-0!! Only to hold BTW scoreless the last two quarters. This year Dillard comes in with a revamped coaching staff starting at head coach in Toriano Morgan and OC from lane college they have the panthers more up temp and more disciplined which I believe will make Dillard a very dangerous football team this year. 
#PREDICTION DILLARD 21 BOOKER T 13 
MIAMI CENTRAL @ CARDINAL GIBBONS Wow could this game take any longer to be played nothing has to be even said about this game just look at the names. But both teams come in looking to make a respective statement gibbons who finished runner up to rival AHP Again is looking to show the world they can indeed beat a power house team while MC is looking to handle bussiness as usual when they come to Broward I believe this will be a shoot out. 
#PREDICTION MC 42 GIBBONS 31
MNW @ MIRAMAR This is another sneaky good game Miramar can make a huge statement by giving the bulls their first lost of the season while the bulls are looking to show 6A that their not so ready to give up the spot as the king of 6A I Believe this game will be gritty and firstly as a lot of these kids know each other..but in the end.,,
#PREDICTION I see MNW running away with it after halftime winning 35-6.

This would be a good guy to reach out to 
 
In fact i might see if he willing to come over to the forum 
 

Vero run game is non existent BUT Vero's passing game is still lightning quick I mean Vero scored on the first play of the game and scored passing tds in a matter of minutes in the 4th qt. If they can stay consistent in the pass game, then I think they slice up the DBs....
Second reason Vero need to make the running back more part of the passing scheme, if they do that then Venice could get fooled by a Slot Back type receiver and it'll be too much passing attack on me.... 
Third reason is that front seven, it has potential to shutdown their RB, they control LOS then the qb will not be able to scramble like Viera's did last week.....
If just these three things happen then I think Vero will take the win in a game that we are the underdogs. 

Wasn’t at states or in the playoffs 
 
but 2010 DILLARD 3-3 Beating 6-0 glades central with star wr former Carolina panther kelvin Benjamin at the helm 
with us coming off a lost to rival Boyd Anderson and losing our star DE in Wayne Lyon the week prior a cypress bay. 
Glades central came in nationally ranked top 10 or at the worst top 20 they came in that October 6-0 blowing out nationally ranked skyline in week 1 they won their first 4 out of 5 games by 28 points or more. Giving up up more then 14 once in a 20-18 game vs AHD
ONLY to lose to Dillard 34-31 with Dillard having a 34-14 advantage in the game at one point before GC made one last run in the end. 
Still one of my most memeorbale Dillard games the crowd literally shook the stands loose that night the band was hype and glades central was HOT!! that was their first REGULAR SEASON lost in think 3 years!!

Sanford Seminole over MNW wasn't an all time upset. They went 13-2 and had two 4 stars and a 5 star stud. 
MNW was blown out in the opening against a Cali team who made their finals. Plus they lost to Central as well. 
So this wasn't an all time great team. It was actually the year after they won the MNC and had over a dozen D1s move on. 
From a name standpoint it was an upset, but definitely not an time one 

Bolles was number 1 in the country when Bartow beat them. Cost the state a mythical national title. 
Thats gotta be the biggest imo 

I might have some video of that Osceola win

Yeah I here he is very Good and he has Dillard disciplined and refuse to let them beat themselves 
@ColumbiaHighFan2017class @OldSchoolLion @954gator @DarterBlue2 Y’all boys check this out!! This is what Dillard been missing!!
 
 

https://amp.tcpalm.com/amp/952157002
Haven't lost a regular season game since Oct.4 2013 so let's see if they can continue the streak this year 

Some of these games are baffling.
-New Hempstead(GA) @ Bolles - Definitely not an OOS team looking to come to FL to beat up a FL team and brag about it.  This should be a wipeout by Bolles of a newer, small-school GA program just getting on its feet.  
-Taravella @ Coffee(GA) - Taravella did not even win a district game last year.  Coffee County is a strong program.  So a team that struggles to win games in Broward County is driving 7 hours to the middle of nowhere to play a team that will likely beat them easily.  
-Everglades @ Thomasville (GA) - Another Broward County team with losing record that struggles to win locally traveling 7 hours to the wilds of south GA to play a mediocre, small school less than a third of its size. 
-Melbourne Central Catholic @ Corinth, MS - 750 miles to play a mediocre public school team in the middle of nowhere in Mississippi.  I've been to Corinth and there is nothing there, trust me! 
I could see going somewhere like Atlanta or Charlotte to show the kids some sights, but some of these locations strike me as very odd.     
     

Panther would be OK, but this is what my football friends in Texas would do to certain parties (who shall remain unnamed) after about 5 minutes in their company

With a school like Lee I just don't see how they can get a bunch of transfers being so out in the Boonies... I mean like if Madison all of a Sudden got a bunch of transfers from Gainesville and Jville... You know folk would be like "WAYAMINUTE"

Nah, Panther know how to handle himself.  But there are certain other parties on this board I would be very worried about going to Texas.  We might not ever see them again.   

Good for you.  I learned a great icebreaker to make friends when I visited there.  Just walk in a sports bar and start talking real loud about how much better hs football is in Florida and ask them if all that horseback riding makes them run so slow.  You'll be one of them before you know it.  

Good for you.  I learned a great icebreaker to make friends when I visited there.  Just walk in a sports bar and start talking real loud about how much better hs football is in Florida and ask them if all that horseback riding makes them run so slow.  You'll be one of them before you know it.  

u got urself a cowboy hat yet?  I wanna see a picture of that.

Just to pick on one of the teams: St Joes of Montvale (NJ).
The 4 losses were all to other Catholic school powerhouse~ish teams.
St. Johns College in Maryland which is the poster child of what happens when wealthy alumni get a little too involved, with the founder of Under Armor sinking lots into the team, eventual state championship.
 
Bergen Catholic, Non Public Group 4 winner (largest population group). Local rival, recruit same kids, students know each otber well.
St. Peters Prep, large parochial school, has had several talented teams. Non-public Group 4, runner-up. 
DePaul, an up and coming Catholic school in that area that usually shocks at least on of the big 4 (BC, DBP, PC, St. Joe's). St Joes lost in the last championship game to them.
Not a horrible group to lose to, but the toll of playing this many "big" games has to wear on these kids eventually.

There is a problem with some of this obviously. If people think you are a "national" caliber team, you are expected to schedule against "national" caliber teams. When national caliber teams play each other somebody loses. If half your schedule is against "national" caliber or really good local team then you are going to have some loses. 
 
The reality is that these polls stink because humans make them and we are judging teenagers who are the least predictable group of people in the world. Bad Test? Dad in Jail? Mom working extra hours? Girlfriend not texting back? Teacher might flunk me? Is this really worth 30 years of injuries?

Lmao lol now that would be hilarious 

Beat up !? Na these hands deadly lol 

That guy "in general" is nothing but a troublemaker.  He lives in your head.  Please have a stern talkin' with him and tell him to keep his thoughts to himself.        

That guy "in general" is nothing but a troublemaker.  He lives in your head.  Please have a stern talkin' with him and tell him to keep his thoughts to himself.        

For what it's worth....Lee County is a rural area and does not have the population to reload year-in and year-out.  A number of teams in the southern part of the state were like that, ie Coffee County or Tift County.   They will have a strong team one year and the next will just be "OK."  That said, football is religion in southern GA and count on them being very scrappy.  
They are light years from the talent in north Atlanta and sometimes even struggle with the Warner Robins/Macon schools.  When they have played the better schools, they have gotten spanked.  Even with a young team, I can see Dr P taking it to them, and hope they do.    

You're definitely missing some for STA especially on D.   STA will still have the talent advantage vs Dematha.   Still, that doesn't mean chit if they can't move the ball.    
https://247sports.com/Season/2019-Football/Recruits/?Player.Enabled=False&Recruitment.Enabled=True&PlayerSport.PlayerInstitution.Institution.Key=1414
https://247sports.com/Season/2020-Football/Recruits/?Player.Enabled=False&Recruitment.Enabled=True&PlayerSport.PlayerInstitution.Institution.Key=1414
Also to add to those a couple 2021 DE's that will be special.  Both will be highly ranked.    Tyreak Sapp and Tyrique Owens.