What the heck happened to Miami Central his season?

[ExplorerHomer2]

From nearly beating the #1 team in the nation at their place on week 0, we now see them getting beaten for probably the 2nd time this season by Norland. I mean dogged right now. And Norland is good, but not THAT good. I know they QB went down in that 1st loss to the Vikings, but this is crazy for a school that had like 30+ transfers and hopes for a natty a couple months ago. @MC Rockets you got the story?

 3rd quarter, Norland is up 3 scores on the Rockets.

[DarterBlue2]

19 minutes ago, ExplorerHomer2 said:

From nearly beating the #1 team in the nation at their place on week 0, we now see them getting beaten for probably the 2nd time this season by Norland. I mean dogged right now. And Norland is good, but not THAT good. I know they QB went down in that 1st loss to the Vikings, but this is crazy for a school that had like 30+ transfers and hopes for a natty a couple months ago. @MC Rockets you got the story?

 3rd quarter, Norland is up 3 scores on the Rockets.

Heavily recruited teams don't always win. If no chemistry, no title. VB is a lesser example of the same issue. 

[cribboy305]

26 minutes ago, ExplorerHomer2 said:

From nearly beating the #1 team in the nation at their place on week 0, we now see them getting beaten for probably the 2nd time this season by Norland. I mean dogged right now. And Norland is good, but not THAT good. I know they QB went down in that 1st loss to the Vikings, but this is crazy for a school that had like 30+ transfers and hopes for a natty a couple months ago. @MC Rockets you got the story?

 3rd quarter, Norland is up 3 scores on the Rockets.

This has literally happened before.. why are we surprised? Its only been a handful of times Central has ran the whole dade county. In the early 2010s Btw was king of miami, mid 2010s it was a combination of west , cc & cent & btw. late 2010s central & northwestern. Its always been like this, nothing is wrong. You’re just not used to no Norland winning is all cause if this was the west doing this it would be normal 

[ExplorerHomer2]

30 minutes ago, cribboy305 said:

This has literally happened before.. why are we surprised? Its only been a handful of times Central has ran the whole dade county. In the early 2010s Btw was king of miami, mid 2010s it was a combination of west , cc & cent & btw. late 2010s central & northwestern. Its always been like this, nothing is wrong. You’re just not used to no Norland winning is all cause if this was the west doing this it would be normal 

I get that, I'm just talking about the fall after BG. Anyway, I may have spoke too soon, Rockets stormed back with 21 unanswered points.

[cribboy305]

18 minutes ago, ExplorerHomer2 said:

I get that, I'm just talking about the fall after BG. Anyway, I may have spoke too soon, Rockets stormed back with 21 unanswered points.

Gotcha, It is puzzling how they went downhill after that performance but I could say we’re looking at it from the wrong pov. BG Chaminade & Norland are all Top 15 teams. It’s weird tho seeing that they were all games a single play decided. All winnable games by many accounts. 

[Vero Indian]

1 hour ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Heavily recruited teams don't always win. If no chemistry, no title. VB is a lesser example of the same issue. 

Tell me about it 

[Longtime Observer]

After the narrow kickoff classic win over Ocala Vanguard, I said it was an indicator MC wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Of course, such a statement was impermissible at the time. Hopefully, now, I can say it: Central struggling to win at Vanguard was a harbinger of the season to come for the Rockets. No, teams don't travel 10 hours by bus to play in a game where they just want to get the backups and JV some reps. Miami Central struggled to score at Vanguard and they only managed 17 points against a MNW team that yielded 63 to Venice. Many of the kickoff classic games really are good indicators of teams' upcoming seasons. That some schools treat the classics as NFL-style exhibitions doesn't mean they all do.

[cribboy305]

2 hours ago, Longtime Observer said:

After the narrow kickoff classic win over Ocala Vanguard, I said it was an indicator MC wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Of course, such a statement was impermissible at the time. Hopefully, now, I can say it: Central struggling to win at Vanguard was a harbinger of the season to come for the Rockets. No, teams don't travel 10 hours by bus to play in a game where they just want to get the backups and JV some reps. Miami Central struggled to score at Vanguard and they only managed 17 points against a MNW team that yielded 63 to Venice. Many of the kickoff classic games really are good indicators of teams' upcoming seasons. That some schools treat the classics as NFL-style exhibitions doesn't mean they all do.

Do you feel had they stuck with 1 qb throughtout the season , things would be different? 

IMO they bit off way more than they could chew. Alot of that central team is still underclassed so graduating the class they did in 2022 they should have only replaced what they lost. Instead it seemed they were just accepting kids just because and thats the difference between Coach Jube (New Dade) and Coach Roland Smith (Original Dade). They should revert back. 

[DarterBlue2]

2 hours ago, Longtime Observer said:

After the narrow kickoff classic win over Ocala Vanguard, I said it was an indicator MC wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Of course, such a statement was impermissible at the time. Hopefully, now, I can say it: Central struggling to win at Vanguard was a harbinger of the season to come for the Rockets. No, teams don't travel 10 hours by bus to play in a game where they just want to get the backups and JV some reps. Miami Central struggled to score at Vanguard and they only managed 17 points against a MNW team that yielded 63 to Venice. Many of the kickoff classic games really are good indicators of teams' upcoming seasons. That some schools treat the classics as NFL-style exhibitions doesn't mean they all do.

In fairness to Vanguard, they are alive and well and looking like they may win a state title for Marion Publics for the first time in forever. 

[nolebull813]

4 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

In fairness to Vanguard, they are alive and well and looking like they may win a state title for Marion Publics for the first time in forever. 

Vanguard beat Erie,Colorado who only has the one loss to Vanguard and is playing in their semi finals game today to try and clinch a spot in the championship.

[181pl]

4 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

In fairness to Vanguard, they are alive and well and looking like they may win a state title for Marion Publics for the first time in forever. 

I was just about to say that Vanguard put up a huge win against a defending state champ...

[DarterBlue2]

37 minutes ago, 181pl said:

I was just about to say that Vanguard put up a huge win against a defending state champ...

They certainly did. Both Mainland and St. Augustine are likely very aware that Vanguard stands in their way. 

[VeniceIndianFan]

Vanguard beating Lake Wales 52-15 was the surprise of the night. I thought Vanguard would win by a score of 24-17 or similar to avenge last year's loss; not a thorough domination from start to finish. Those kids in Vanguard have to be very excited right now. 

[Dan in Daytona]

Can't say I remember it well, but I do have the 1994 FHSAA Championship program to re-kick my fading memory. It was 1994 and Ocala Vanguard was lead by the biggest high school quarterback I had ever seen (to that point), 6'4" 220lb Daunte Culpepper. And they brought with them a huge vocal Ocala crowd to Daytona Beach. The only problem was their opponent , for the class 5A state championship was Bradenton-Southeast lead Hall of Fame Head coach Paul Maechtle (283 wins) and a defending 1993 state championship team. Under center for the Seminoles that night might have been the greatest Florida athlete to ever play quarterback, Peter Warrick (FSU, NFL 1st round pick-# 4 Cincinnati, Seattle). The game was close throughout and Vanguard was driving for the win but came up short. Can't remember ending !!!  Southeast wins 19-17.*

* Complete game is on YouTube, if anyone is interested  

 

[FBGUY1989]

This Central team isn't the same from last year. The first match up against Norland Central lost and was leading like 20-0 at half. I said to myself what in the heck is happening then thought to myself maybe it's just a fluke, but the second match up Central lost again. We have to sit back and give Norland their credit they're as good as advertised this year.

Miami football is so different and at any given moment someone can beat you. Norland has not been to states and won since 2011 and from then they've been horrible and nobody was talking about them. I just hope Norland wins it all and bring that trophy back to Miami and if so this would make three state titles.

2002

2011

2023

[DarterBlue2]

32 minutes ago, FBGUY1989 said:

This Central team isn't the same from last year. The first match up against Norland Central lost and was leading like 20-0 at half. I said to myself what in the heck is happening then thought to myself maybe it's just a fluke, but the second match up Central lost again. We have to sit back and give Norland their credit they're as good as advertised this year.

Miami football is so different and at any given moment someone can beat you. Norland has not been to states and won since 2011 and from then they've been horrible and nobody was talking about them. I just hope Norland wins it all and bring that trophy back to Miami and if so this would make three state titles.

2003

2011

2023

Norland won in 2002, not 2003 which was the year of Willie Williams and Carol City. I remember that game well as I was there and it was the coldest game I have ever watched in the state of Florida. It was in the 30s and freezing. 

[FBGUY1989]

19 minutes ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Norland won in 2002, not 2003 which was the year of Willie Williams and Carol City. I remember that game well as I was there and it was the coldest game I have ever watched in the state of Florida. It was in the 30s and freezing. 

Oh my bad let me change that

[cribboy305]

3 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Norland won in 2002, not 2003 which was the year of Willie Williams and Carol City. I remember that game well as I was there and it was the coldest game I have ever watched in the state of Florida. It was in the 30s and freezing. 

Willie probably best defensive player ever from dade, dude had a motor like a SRT

[DarterBlue2]

1 minute ago, cribboy305 said:

Willie probably best defensive player ever from dade, dude had a motor like a SRT

At the high school level yes. It's a shame off the field issues did his career in. What's crazy is that he was the best defensive player on the 2003 Carol City team. That team sent three defensive players into the NFL and Willie was not one of them. 

On Edgewater's second offensive series, Willie hit the Edgewater QB so hard he broke his collar bone and was knocked out of the game. And it was not an illegal hit. That hit ended any chance Edgewater had of winning that game. Though their defense played well and held CC to two field goals and a touchdown (13 total points). I don't think Edgewater was able to put up a 100 yards of total offense for the entire game. 

[flabuck]

First post here, lurker for several years. Watcher of Dade / Broward football for about 15 years or so. I saw the Chaminade game and both Norland games in person. The Central defense was just not as suffocating as it has been during the championship run. Over the past few years they were capable of shutting nearly everybody including the better teams. They gave up too many big plays. On the offensive side they never found an identity, swapping qb's constantly.  I wasn't sure if Central could come back from down 28-7 but they did and were a blocked field goal on the last play of regulation to win it and todays story would be how Central revenged a regular season loss.

That said they played those teams to a field goal game each time. With a better kicker maybe they win at least two if those games.

[Manatee Magic]

Wasn't "Willie Williams" that known promising player with all the potential on the planet who wound up in prison and basically ruined it all?

[DarterBlue2]

4 hours ago, Manatee Magic said:

Wasn't "Willie Williams" that known promising player with all the potential on the planet who wound up in prison and basically ruined it all?

I am not sure he ended up in prison, but he was let go by the Hurricanes after a season and thereafter had stints on the roster of a number of lesser teams. In each of those sojourns, drama followed him, as he just did not seem able to put his head down and play football. The irony was that the kid had good grades and good test scores. But he also had a self destructive streak that kept getting in the way. 

Truly a sad situation. I hope he eventually straightened his life out and that he is doing okay. 

[DarterBlue2]

5 hours ago, Manatee Magic said:

Wasn't "Willie Williams" that known promising player with all the potential on the planet who wound up in prison and basically ruined it all?

After doing a quick Google search, in 2013, he was sentenced to 15 years on a conviction for second degree burglary. The reason for the long sentence is that he had been a consistent offender over the years. Truly sad, as he was the number 6 overall recruit in 2004 and the number 1 linebacker in that class. 

I could not determine if he's since been paroled or whether he's still incarcerated.  But there is an Instagram account: WillieWilliams Fitness which looks like it could be his. If it is, I hope he's made his peace with life and has found a productive calling. He would be in his late 30s now. 

[Drogo]

4 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

After doing a quick Google search, in 2013, he was sentenced to 15 years on a conviction for second degree burglary. The reason for the long sentence is that he had been a consistent offender over the years. Truly sad, as he was the number 6 overall recruit in 2004 and the number 1 linebacker in that class. 

I could not determine if he's since been paroled or whether he's still incarcerated.  But there is an Instagram account: WillieWilliams Fitness which looks like it could be his. If it is, I hope he's made his peace with life and has found a productive calling. He would be in his late 30s now. 

It’s his, 2021 article about his life now:

https://wsvn.com/sports/former-south-florida-football-star-willie-williams-shares-his-journey-as-coach-personal-trainer-mentor/amp/

[Nulli Secundus]

On 11/24/2023 at 9:25 PM, ExplorerHomer2 said:

From nearly beating the #1 team in the nation at their place on week 0, we now see them getting beaten for probably the 2nd time this season by Norland. I mean dogged right now. And Norland is good, but not THAT good. I know they QB went down in that 1st loss to the Vikings, but this is crazy for a school that had like 30+ transfers and hopes for a natty a couple months ago. @MC Rockets you got the story?

 3rd quarter, Norland is up 3 scores on the Rockets.

What happened to MC this season is the inevitability of all teams.  Sooner or later, the mighty do fall.  How far and how fast remains to be seen.  The sun rises and sets on all programs and many will experience dark, stormy weather along the way.  To answer your question, it's hard to become the team to beat and even harder to maintain that status.