Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Jesuit At American Heritage Preview

     The Jesuit Tigers have to make a long trip from Tampa to Plantation and face the American Heritage Patriots on Friday night at Heritage Field in a Class 5A state semifinal. Both schools enter this contest undefeated.
     American Heritage(12-0) have captured two of the last three FHSAA Class 5A state titles with victories in 2013 and 2014. They went on the road last week and stopped the defending Class 5A state champions Bishop Moore 20-7 in the regional final. The Pats beat Fort Pierce Westwood 55-12 in a regional quarterfinal and Cardinal Gibbons 10-7 in a regional semifinal. They have averaged 32 points in their last 10 games.
     Patriots quarterback Jason Brown can occasionally run with the ball out of the option and pass it to wide receivers Laress Nelson, Miles Jones, Dontavius Butler, Darnell Fleury and Josh Alexander. Jones could also be used in the backfield along with running backs Abraham Alce and Jordan Johnson on rushes.
     Jesuit(12-0) will play their first road game of the playoffs following three blowout victories at home. The Tigers pounded Gibbs 64-12 in a regional quarterfinal, topped Jefferson 42-20 in a regional semifinal and stomped Immokalee 56-29 in the regional final last week. They have scored 585 points in 12 games this season which averages to 48 points per game.
     The Tigers will put more emphasis on running the ball than passing with quarterback Daniel Boon calling the signals. Running back Malik Davis should get most of the carries with Matthew Pittman and Leonard Parker added to the rushing threat. Travell Harris and Larry Hodges are their primary wide receivers.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Blackhawks Beat Panthers

     Tom Rowe made his NHL coaching debut as the Florida Panthers fell to the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in a shootout at United Center on Tuesday night. Rowe was named interim head coach following their game in Carolina on Sunday and replaced Gerard Gallant.
     It was the second game of a six-game road trip for the Panthers. Jaromir Jagr tied Mark Recchi for fourth all-time in NHL history as he played in his 1,652nd game. He broke a tie with former Blackhawks defenseman Chris Chelios for fifth all-time in games played. Brian Campbell played his former team the Panthers for the first time since he signed as a free agent over the summer.
     Chicago(15-6-3) got out to a 1-0 lead with 2:15 left in the first period. The puck bounced off  the right glove of Jakub Kindl at center ice and it was picked up by Richard Panik. He skated in on a breakaway, faked a forehand shot and slid a backhand shot past Roberto Luongo. Dennis Rasmussen and Marcus Kruger were credited with assists on the play.
     Florida(11-10-2) drew even 35 seconds into the third period. Jagr added a power-play tally for his fourth goal of the season and his 753rd NHL goal. Jonathan Marchessault got the primary assist and Aaron Ekblad made his first assist 23 games into the campaign.
     The game went into a shootout for it to be decided. Artemi Panarin converted on the second shootout attempt for Chicago with a backhand shot and Panik finished it with a wrist shot on their third attempt. Vincent Trocheck and Aleksander Barkov were unable to put the puck by Corey Crawford.

Southridge At Deerfield Beach Preview

     The Southridge Spartans visit the Deerfield Beach Bucks in a Class 8A state semifinal at Butler Stadium on Friday night. It is a battle between two schools that have not gone this deep into the FHSAA playoffs in a long time.
     Deerfield Beach(10-2) attempts to win their first state semifinal since 2005. The Bucks beat Western 27-7 in a regional quarterfinal then went on the road and eliminated the defending FHSAA Class 8A champions Flanagan 10-7 in a regional semifinal. They came back home and edged Atlantic 28-21 in the regional final last week. It is their first appearance in a state semifinal since quarterback Denard Robinson led them back in 2007.
     The Bucks will split their offensive calls in half between the run and the pass. The player with the biggest profile for the school is wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. He has committed to the University of Alabama, can make receptions on any part of the field and score if he gets space following a catch. Quarterback Nick Holm looks to find him downfield along with wide receivers Daewood Davis, Leroy Henley and Cornelius McCoy. Running backs Jakari Norwood and Jaylan Knighton share the amount of carries from the backfield.
     Southridge(10-2) had racked up seven consecutive shutouts until they stopped Coral Gables 28-10 in the regional final last week. The Spartans compiled consecutive shutouts in the playoffs with a 28-0 win over Southwest in a regional quarterfinal and a 26-0 victory against Palmetto in a regional semifinal. They are playing in their first state semifinal game since 1999 and have outscored opponents 234-10 in their last eight games.
      The Spartans can use either Michael Cox or Antwan Collier at quarterback. Look for rushing plays from running backs Bentavious Thompson, Courtney Reese and Collier. They will spread the ball around with short passes to wide receivers Mark Pope, Rodney Scott and tight end Kemore Gamble.

Venice At St. Thomas Aquinas Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders host the Venice Indians at Brian Piccolo Stadium on Friday night in a FHSAA Class 7A state semifinal. The Raiders are looking to capture their third consecutive state title if they are victorious in their next two games.
     St. Thomas Aquinas(10-2) have not lost a home playoff game since 2003. They have played in the state semifinal game every year since 2004 with the exception of 2013 and have a record of 9-2. STA have outscored their three playoff opponents 122-10 and compiled two shutouts. The Raiders pounded Palm Beach Lakes 35-0 in the regional quarterfinal, blanked Dwyer 37-0 in the regional semifinal and breezed by with a road victory at Mater Academy 50-10 last week in a regional final. They have outscored their opponents 480-102 and averaged 40 points per game this season.
     The Raiders have a tremendous backfield with quarterback Jake Allen along with running backs Michael Epstein and Kyshaun Bryan who look to move the ball. Wide receivers Michael Harley, Joshua Palmer, Jonathan Moore and Jordan Merrell will made numerous receptions from Allen. Their defense can also score occasionally on a turnover with defensive backs that include Asante Samuel, Trenell Troutman, Alphonso Blades and Adetutu Daranijo.
     Venice(12-0) enters this contest undefeated and have averaged 49 points per game this season. They have scored at least 28 points every game this year. It will be their first playoff game on the road following three home victories. They shut out South Fort Myers 56-0 in a regional quarterfinal, outlasted Braden River 64-42 in a regional semifinal and dropped East Lake 43-14 in a regional final last week. Their last two opponents fell to St. Thomas Aquinas in the previous two state semifinals. 
     The Indians are led on offense by quarterback Bryce Carpenter who can run and pass the ball. Running back Matthew Laroche will get the bulk of the carries for the team along with Courtney Doss. Carpenter looks to connect with wide receivers Jaivon Heiligh and Aaron Hackett on passes.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Florida Panthers Fire Gerard Gallant

     The Florida Panthers fired head coach Gerard Gallant on Sunday night following a 3-2 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina. It might be one of the most bizarre firings since the team let go Doug MacLean on Thanksgiving Day in 1997. Panthers general manager Tom Rowe has been named the new head coach for the club.
     Gallant was in the middle of his third season for the Panthers and had an 11-10-1 record for 23 points. He helped Florida win the Atlantic Division title last season with 103 points after they went 47-26-9 during the regular season. The Panthers fell to the New York Islanders in six games during the first round of the playoffs. Gallant was a finalist for the Jack Adams Coach of the Year Award in 2015-16.

Hurricanes Overcome Panthers

     The Florida Panthers ended up with a 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night at PNC Arena. It was the first game of a six-game road trip for the Panthers. Florida head coach Gerard Gallant was fired after the game and will be replaced by general manager Tom Rowe. Gallant was in the middle of his third season with the club.
     Jonathan Marchessault gathered his team-high 10th goal of the season on the power play for Florida(11-11-1) at 5:41 of the first period. Aleksander Barkov put the puck toward the net from the right circle and it was partially deflected by Jaromir Jagr in the low slot. Marchessault raced in and put in the rebound on a backhand shot.
     The Cats expanded their margin midway through the first to 2-0 at 9:05 of the frame. Barkov was on the right-wing wall and passed back to Aaron Ekblad on the right point. His shot sailed and hit Michael Leighton and fell behind him into the Canes net.
     Carolina(9-8-4) came back from a two-goal deficit with three goals in a four-minute span during the second period. Viktor Stalberg got it going with a tally at 5:21, Jeff Skinner followed with his ninth goal of the season at 7:12 and Derek Ryan put in the go-ahead goal on the power play at 8:49.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Panthers Down Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers ended a short two-game homestand with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at BB&T Center on Saturday night. The Panthers, who have won five of their last seven games, now head for the road to play their next six games. It was the first shootout played this season by the Blue Jackets.
     Jaromir Jagr collected his third goal of the year and 752nd NHL goal for Florida(11-9-1) with 3:15 remaining in the first period. Shawn Thornton put a snap shot on net from the top left circle which was saved by Sergei Bobrosky. Aleksander Barkov was to the left side of the crease and fed Jagr for a soft shot from the low slot. Thornton was credited on the play for his first point of the campaign.
    Columbus(11-5-4) waited until 7:10 left in the third period to tie it at 1-1. Brandon Dubinsky won the draw in the right circle and placed it back to Cam Atkinson at the top right circle. His shot hit traffic in front, bounced to Brandon Saad in the low right circle and he flicked a backhand shot by Roberto Luongo.
     The contest went into a shootout and the Panthers were the club with the successful attempt. Barkov scored on the Cats second opportunity as he shifted to the backhand and roofed in a shot for the win.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Deerfield Beach Escapes Atlantic

     The Deerfield Beach Bucks held off the Atlantic Eagles 28-21 in a Class 8A regional final on Friday night at Butler Stadium. The Bucks advanced to the state semifinal game for the first time since 2007 when Denard Robinson was their quarterback.
     Deerfield Beach(10-2) scored midway through the first quarter in an unusual way. They blocked a punt and Jerry Jeudy returned it 25 yards for the score at 6:41 of the opening quarter.
     Atlantic(9-4) was able to tie the contest 7-7 at the 3:10 mark of the second quarter. Bucks quarterback Nick Holm fumbled the ball into the end zone for a touchback. The Eagles marched down the field on a 80-yard drive. Eagles backup quarterback Lamar Brewster was called upon and he rushed through the left side of the line from one yard away for a touchdown.
     The Bucks exploded with two touchdowns in the final minute of the first half to go up 21-7. Running back Jakari Norwood dashed up the middle from six yards out for a score with 46.9 seconds left.
     They got the ball back on the first play of the Eagles next possession as defensive back Cornelius Doe intercepted the ball and returned it to the Atlantic 42-yard line. Deerfield Beach struck on the first play of the drive as Holm threw a long pass down the right hash marks which was caught by wide receiver Daewood Davis in the front of the end zone with 20.5 seconds remaining.
     The Eagles did not give up and picked up the momentum for most of the second half. They pulled to 21-13 with 7:42 to go in the third when running back Marquis Waters sprinted off-left tackle for a 17-yard touchdown run.
     In the fourth quarter, Atlantic quarterback Zavion Thompson would sneak in on a one-yard plunge up the middle with 11:10 left. He connected on a two-point conversion pass to wide receiver Corey Gammage on the right side to tie the game 21-21.
     It came down to the final drives for both schools and Deerfield Beach regained the lead 28-21 with 2:20 remaining. Norwood caught a swing pass on the left side from Holm and he rambled down the left sideline for a 44-yard touchdown.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Booker T. Washington At Cocoa Preview

     The Booker T. Washington Tornadoes will head up north to take on the Cocoa Tigers in a Class 4A state semifinal on Friday night. Both schools have faced each other in the FHSAA state semifinal round for the past five straight years with the Tornadoes victorious every time since 2011.
     Booker T. Washington(9-3) is looking for a fifth consecutive Class 4A state title and are two wins away from that happening. They hosted two playoff games as they stopped Glades Central 47-30 in a regional semifinal and topped Edison 44-14 last week in a regional final.
     The Tornadoes can set their offensive plays evenly and will not give any hint if they are going to run or pass. Their backfield consists of quarterback Daniel Richardson along with running backs Craig Nelson and Marcus Barthell. All three can run with the ball and connect via a screen pass. Richardson has several passing options around the field in wide receivers Sharod Johnson, Deandre Williams, Zahir Turner, Quatvon Beckford and Brian Livingston.  
     Cocoa(10-1) enters this contest on an eight-game winning streak. They blanked Bishop Verot 64-0 in the regional semifinal and got by Jones 36-30 in the regional final last week.
     The Tigers main emphasis on offense is to run the ball. Quarterback Bruce Judson is expected to execute the option and pitch it out to running backs Lasedrick King, Timmy Pratt and Javian Hawkins. Look for wide receivers Juwan Armstrong and Javon Spencer to make receptions from Judson.

Atlantic At Deerfield Beach Preview

     The Deerfield Beach Bucks will host the Atlantic Eagles in a Class 8A regional final on Friday night at Butler Stadium. Travelling a long distance will not be involved in this contest as both schools are separated by just 12 miles on I-95.
     Deerfield Beach(9-2) went through two Broward County foes to get where they are. The Bucks were home and defeated Western 27-7 in a regional quarterfinal. They then visited and edged the defending FHSAA Class 8A state champions Flanagan 10-7 in a regional semifinal last week.
     The Bucks use a spread offense and put more emphasis on their passing game. Quarterback Nick Holm, who transferred from Calvary Christian earlier this year, calls the signals for them and looks to connect with a slew of wide receivers. His primary target is Jerry Jeudy, who has committed to the University of Alabama, and he can get open on any part of the field. Leroy Henley, Daewood Davis, Cornelius McCoy and Latavian Laster can also get receptions. Running back Jakari Norwood will take the majority of carries from the backfield.
     Atlantic(9-3) had to go the hard way to get to this point of the playoffs because they were a district runner-up and were victorious in two road games. They slipped by Wellington 28-21 in the regional quarterfinal and beat Palm Beach Gardens 33-21 last week in a regional semifinal.
     The Eagles have quarterback Zavion Thompson to dictate the offense and running back Marquis Waters to rush the ball. Wide receiver Lamar Brewster can be called upon to take the snap on short-yardage situations. Thompson looks to connect with wide receiver Cadarius Gaskin on long passes.

St. Thomas Aquinas At Mater Academy Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders travel to Miami and face the Mater Academy Charter Lions on Friday night in a Class 7A regional final. Both schools met in the same round last year and the Raiders were victorious.
     St. Thomas Aquinas(9-2) had no problems in the FHSAA playoffs this postseason as they were up 27-0 at halftime in their previous two playoff games. They destroyed Palm Beach Lakes 35-0 in the regional quarterfinal and advanced past the regional semifinal for the 13rd consecutive year with a 37-0 victory over Dwyer.
     The Raiders are led on offense by University of Florida commit and quarterback Jake Allen. He has numerous targets to pass the ball to which includes Michael Harley, Joshua Palmer, Jonathan Moore and Jordan Merrell. Running backs Michael Epstein and Kyshaun Bryan will get their opportunities to carry the ball.
     Mater Academy(11-1) have won their last 11 games since they lost their season opener to Miramar. They held off Cooper City with a 35-21 win in a regional quarterfinal and received a scare to barely get by McArthur 14-13 in a regional semifinal.
     Rocco Casullo is the head coach of the Lions and formerly was the head coach for St. Thomas Aquinas for four years. He led STA to two FHSAA Class 7A state championships in 2012 and 2014. Quarterback Kaywon Hanna will look to find wide receivers Travon Roberts and LiQundre Gallimore downfield.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Flyers Outlast Panthers

     Nick Bjugstad made his season debut with the Florida Panthers as they fell to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 at BB&T Center on Tuesday night. The Panthers had won their last three meetings against the Flyers in Sunrise. The Cats returned home following a four-game road trip.
     Wayne Simmonds was able to get an unassisted goal at 11:11 of the first period for Philadelphia(9-8-3). He skated to the right-circle dot and blasted a slapshot by Roberto Luongo for his 10th goal of the year.
     In the second period, the Flyers got their first power play of the contest and they converted it at 13:03. Travis Konecny came in on a 2-on-1 through the left circle and fired a snap shot which Luongo made the save. Dale Weise backhanded in the rebound from the low slot for his first goal as a Philadelphia Flyer to make it 2-0.
     Florida(10-9-1) surrendered another power-play goal at 7:04 of the third period as the Flyers made it 2-for-2 on the man-advantage. Simmonds brought puck in from the left wing and connected a cross-ice pass to Nick Cousins in the slot area. He than lifted a wrist shot over the right shoulder of Luongo for his third tally of the season.
     The Panthers broke the shutout with 1:51 remaining in the game. Jonathan Marchessault released a shot from the left wing which was redirected in by Reilly Smith from the slot past Steve Mason.

Miami Ratings November 2016

     For the fourth consecutive month Miami Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM was on top of all sports format radio stations in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale region. Their margin of victory did shrink in the local market.
     It was the longest streak for WQAM since they were in front from September 2015 until December 2015, even though they slipped from a 1.2 to a 1.1. Miami Hurricanes football game broadcasts bumped the Florida Panthers Radio Network to other less noticeable stations when there was a timing conflict.
     790 The Ticket WAXY-AM stayed flat for the third straight month with a 0.7 in November. They have waited a while for the return of Miami Heat game broadcasts to the airwaves and did not get a positive bump with the departure of Dwyane Wade from the team.
     Miami Sports 940 WINZ-AM remained at a 0.2 to this month. It is the first time since 2009 that the station did not have the Miami Dolphins radio broadcasts to rely on during this ratings period and it showed. They still are the local broadcast affiliate of University of Florida football.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Panthers Weekend Sweep

     The Florida Panthers finished off a four-game road trip as they pulled off a weekend sweep. They beat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 on Saturday night at Canadian Tire Centre and then edged the New York Rangers 3-2 in a shootout at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night. Florida(10-8-1) went 3-1-0 on the road swing and return home for two games this week against Philadelphia and Columbus.
     The Panthers got out to a 2-0 lead in the first period against Ottawa(10-7-1). Jaromir Jagr collected his second goal of the season and his 751st NHL goal 25 seconds into the contest. Jussi Jokinen later added his first tally of the year at the 12-minute mark. Jonathan Marchessault put in his team-high ninth goal with less than five minutes left in the second period.
     In the second game of the weekend, Chris Kreider gave New York(13-5-1) a 1-0 advantage at 13:15 of the first period. Former Rangers player Keith Yandle burned his ex-teammates with his first goal of the season while on the power play with 5:17 left in the second.
     Both clubs exchanged goals during the third by Mika Zibanejad of the Rangers at 1:45 and Aaron Ekblad of the Cats with his fifth tally of the campaign at 7:54. New York missed on their two shootout attempts by Mats Zuccarello and Brandon Pirri while Florida followed and converted on their two opportunities by Vincent Trocheck and Aleksander Barkov for the victory.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Maple Leafs Blast Panthers

     The Florida Panthers went to Toronto for the second time this season and were defeated by the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 on Thursday night at Air Canada Centre. It was the second game of a four-game road swing for the club.
     Toronto(8-6-3) got on the scoreboard as Connor Brown scored at 5:55 of the first period. Florida(8-8-1) tied the contest 1-1 at 10:21. Jared McCann took a shot from the left circle which was saved by Frederik Andersen. Aaron Ekblad followed up the rebound with a one-time slapshot from the low right circle.
     The Maple Leafs responded with five unanswered goals to put the game away. Brown and Mitchell Marner added tallies in the last six minutes of the frame. Leo Komarov and James van Riemsdyk scored during the second period while Jake Gardiner made it 6-1 in the third.

Friday, November 18, 2016

St. Thomas Aquinas Blanks Dwyer

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders shut out the Dwyer Panthers 37-0 in a regional semifinal at Brian Piccolo Stadium on Friday night. It was the second straight year that the Raiders defeated the Panthers in the playoffs. Dwyer was undefeated this season as they entered the contest on a 10-game winning streak. Both schools have combined to win the last four FHSAA Class 7A state championships.
     St. Thomas Aquinas(9-2) scored on their second possession of the game when running back Kyshaun Bryan caught a swing pass on the right side from quarterback Jake Allen and ran it in from 33 yards away at 6:51 of the first quarter.
     The Raiders compiled 20 points during the second quarter as they put up points on four straight drives and had a 27-point lead by halftime. Dwyer(10-1) turned the ball over on the first play of the quarter when a punted ball bounced off a returning blocker at the Panthers 31-yard line. STA capitalized on it as Marco Salani kicked a 34-yard field goal at 8:21. Wide receiver Michael Harley extended their margin to 17-0 when Allen completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to him in the left side of the end zone at the 4:50 mark.
     Salani later added a 40-yard field goal with with 2:04 to go. The Raiders got the ball back in the final minute of the first half as punt returner Tavares Kelly dashed 27 yards to the Dwyer 21-yard line. Allen completed his third touchdown pass of the game as he found wide receiver Joshua Palmer on the right side of the end zone from three yards out with 33 seconds remaining.
     St. Thomas Aquinas continued the momentum in the third quarter. Salani nailed a 29-yard field goal at the 6:47 mark for a 30-0 lead. The Panthers brought in Trevor Omans to replace starting quarterback Toddy Centeio on their next possession. Dwyer tried a reverse on their first play from scrimmage, however the pitch back was out of the reach of wide receiver Oyeh Lurry-Davis. Linebacker Darrell Shelton picked up the loose ball and ran it back seven yards for a touchdown with 6:32 left in the third. A running clock would be implemented for the rest of the game.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Deerfield Beach At Flanagan Preview

     The Flanagan Falcons will host the Deerfield Beach Bucks on Friday night in a regional semifinal. Flanagan are the defending FHSAA Class 8A state champions and look to continue their reign in this classification.
     Deerfield Beach(8-2) are looking to have their best season since 2005 when they made the Class 6A title game in Miami and lost to Palm Beach Gardens. They have been the dominant force in District 11-8A since the start of the decade and topped Western 27-7 in a regional quarterfinal last week.
     The most recognized player from the Bucks roster is wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. He has committed to the University of Alabama and can score from anywhere on the field once he makes a reception. Quarterback Nick Holm has the arm to get him the ball. Running back Jakari Norwood will see most of the carries on offense along with Lafleur Limprevil and Jaylan Knighton. Holm has other wide receivers to connect passes with which includes Leroy Henley, Daewood Davis, Cornelius McCoy and Latavian Laster.
     Flanagan(9-2) lost their season opener to Oxbridge Academy then won eight consecutive games before they fell to St. Thomas Aquinas in the regular season finale. They did knock off Piper 21-7 last week in a regional quarterfinal.
     The Falcons ran a unique style of offense consisting of seven offensive linemen with no tight end and wing back during the middle of the regular season. That changed as they went back to a spread offense with quarterback Desjaun Kearse leading the way. Look for running back Anthony Johnson to get some rushing attempts along with wide receivers Caleb Thomas and Chad Joseph to make receptions.


Dwyer At St. Thomas Aquinas Preview

     It is a Class 7A regional semifinal rematch when the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders host the Dwyer Panthers at Brian Piccolo Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night. The Raiders won 24-7 over the Panthers last year at Blum Stadium.
     Both school have combined to capture the last four FHSAA Class 7A state championships. St, Thomas Aquinas took the title in 2012, 2014 and 2015 while Dwyer got it in 2013. 
     Dwyer(10-0) enters the game undefeated and compiled their fifth shutout of the season last week as they blanked Fort Lauderdale 39-0 in a regional quarterfinal. They have outscored their opponents 372-33 this season. 
     The Panthers are led on offense by quarterback Todd Centeio who looks to finally get a victory over St. Thomas Aquinas in his third try. He was the starting quarterback for Royal Palm Beach in 2014 as they fell to the Raiders 52-7 in a regional final and was with Dwyer when their season ended last year. 
     Most of the carries on offense will be done by running back Jakari Moses. Cedric Tucker and Reginald Gadson can see an occasional carry when necessary. Wide receivers Dy'laan Lee, Wesley Oldham, Luke Tommie, Jordan Mosely and Oyeh Lurry-Davis are targets that Centeio can connect with. 
     St. Thomas Aquinas(8-2) have not had a season end and been eliminated prior to a regional final since 2003. They are currently on a five-game winning streak and have outscored their opponents 213-34 during that span. STA easily defeated Palm Beach Lakes 35-0 last week in a regional quarterfinal as they put up 27 points in the first quarter. 
     The Raiders like to start up their offense with rushes to eventually open up the passing game. Running backs Michael Epstein and Kyshaun share the duties of carrying the ball down the field. Quaterback Jake Allen, who has committed to the University of Florida, looks to take charge of the offense. He has numerous passing options with wide receivers Michael Harley, Jonathan Moore, Jordan Merrell and Joshua Palmer. 

Oxbridge Academy At Chaminade-Madonna Preview

     The Oxbridge Academy Thunderwolves will travel to Broward County and face the Chaminade-Madonna Lions on Friday night in a Class 3A regional final. The game will be played at Cooper City High School instead of the Lions home field because they have the use of overhead lights for the gridiron.
     Oxbridge Academy(10-1) is currently on a four-game winning streak and during that stretch they have outscored their opponents 177-13. They have not given up more than seven points in a game this season with the exception of a loss to IMG Academy.
     The Thunderwolves were home last week and beat Westminster Christian 48-6 in a regional semifinal. Last year in the regional final they fell at home to American Heritage on a last-minute touchdown pass.
     They have Gio Richardson as their quarterback who can pass and run with the ball. The chore of advancing the football belongs to running backs James Meeks and Antwan Burgess. Richardson looks to spread the ball out to a set of wide receivers that includes Carlos Silencieux, Cade Socha, Keidron Smith, Jonathan King and V'Lique Carter.
     Chaminade-Madonna(8-3) ended the regular season with losses to Flanagan and IMG Academy. They bounced back last week with a 42-0 shutout victory over Cardinal Newman in a regional semifinal.
     Running back Shaun Shivers had three touchdown runs in that contest and will be the main focus for the Lions on offense in this game because he can score from any distance on the field. Kyondre White will also see some carries from the backfield. Quarterback Henry Columbi can roll out with the ball at any time and looks to connect short passes to tight end C.J Williams along with wide receivers Xavier Williams and Joshua Ali.

Panthers Stop Habs

     The Florida Panthers came back to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday night at Bell Centre. It was the first game of four straight on the road and the start of a stretch where the Panthers will play 10 of their next 12 games away from South Florida.
     The contest needed an overtime period for it to be decided. Florida(8-7-1) picked up the winning goal at 2:59 when Aaron Ekblad broke his stick while taking a slapshot from the slot area. It slowly went by Carey Price for the Panthers victory. This was the first time this season that Montreal(13-2-2) had lost a game on home ice.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Panthers Slip By Islanders

     The Florida Panthers finished a three-game homestand as they came back from two goals down to defeat the New York Islanders 3-2 in overtime at BB&T Center on Saturday night. It was a rematch of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal playoff series played last season between both clubs played in which the Islanders won in six games.
     The Panthers play their next four games on the road and ten of their 12 games away from Sunrise. The Islanders remained winless on the road this season with a 0-4-1 record.
     New York(5-7-3) waited until 22 seconds left in the first period to get the lead. Calvin de Haan took a slapshot from the high slot that banked off the back glass wall. Brock Nelson was in the low right circle and put in a wrist shot out of the reach of Roberto Luongo.
     The Islanders extended their margin on their second power play of the contest to 2-0 at 9:54 of the second period. Nick Leddy fired a slapshot from the top of the zone which popped up in the air from Luongo's body, over his head and off his back left skate for a goal.
     Doug Rau collected his first NHL goal at 8:56 of the third period to help Florida(7-7-1) pull to within one goal. Michael Matheson snapped a shot from the left point which passed through traffic in front. Rau made two shots from the left of the crease that the second of which got by Jaroslav Halak.
     The Panthers pulled the goalie to get an extra attacker on the ice for the final 90 seconds of regulation time. Aleksander Barkov passed the puck from the side of the Islanders cage to the right circle. Jonathan Marchessault held on to the puck in the top right circle, delayed for second and then released the puck where it trickled between the legs of Halak and barely across the goal line with 14 second remaining.
     The Cats broke the tie with 46 seconds to go in the overtime period. Vincent Trocheck snapped a shot from the high slot and it was deflected by Denis Malgin in the low slot for the game-winning goal.

Friday, November 11, 2016

St. Thomas Aquinas Routs Palm Beach Lakes

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders began their path toward a third straight FHSAA Class 7A state title with a 35-0 victory over the Palm Beach Lakes Rams in a regional quarterfinal at Brian Piccolo Stadium on Friday night. The Raiders will play at home next week against the Dwyer Panthers in a playoff rematch from last season.
     St. Thomas Aquinas(8-2) blasted the Rams with 27 points in the first quarter to put the game out of reach. Palm Beach Lakes punted the ball as they went three-and-out on their first drive. STA scored on the second play of their first possession when running back Michael Epstein stepped to the right sideline and scored from 24 yards away at 9:51.
     The Raiders scored on their next drive as quarterback Jake Allen threw a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Jonathan Moore in the middle of the end zone with 4:00 left to make it 13-0. The Rams later had a punt blocked and Grayson Crozier returned it 22 yards for a score at 2:10.
     Things continued to go wrong for Palm Beach Lakes(8-3) on their first play of their next possession. They threw a lateral pass from the pocket to the left side and defensive back Trenell Troutman returned it 12 yards for a touchdown with 1:50 remaining in the first.
     St. Thomas Aquinas waited until midway through the third quarter to get out to a 35-0 lead. Troutman intercepted a pass from Rams quarterback Armani Edden and returned it 41 yards for a score at 6:00. They picked up a two-point conversion on a pass by Allen to wide receiver Michael Harley. A running clock would be implemented for the remainder of the contest.

Chaminade-Madonna Rips Cardinal Newman

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions easily defeated the Cardinal Newman Crusaders 42-0 on Friday at Vince Zappone Field in a Class 3A regional semifinal. The Lions will host the Oxbridge Academy Thunderwolves next week.
     Chaminade-Madonna(8-3) mounted 28 points during the first quarter. Running back Shaun Shivers began the scoring on a 50-yard rushing play at 10:24. He would add another touchdown run several minutes later.
     They extended their margin on a naked bookleg to the left side from three yards out by quarterback Henry Columbi at the 1:25 mark. Columbi capped the first quarter with 27.1 seconds left when he threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Carlton Williams.
     Cardinal Newman(5-5) surrendered another touchdown at 6:13 of the second quarter. Shivers rambled through the left side and scored from 65 yards away for his third touchdown of the game to make it 35-0.
     A running clock was used for the entire second half. Columbi connected with Williams on a 25-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.

Dwyane Wade Returns And Heat Loss

Florida Panthers Spanish Radio Broadcasts Move

     The Florida Panthers Spanish language radio broadcasts has moved to a different frequency on the radio dial. The broadcasts have been moved from 1210 WNMA-AM to 990 WMYM-AM as of Thursday.
     1210 AM has broadcasts home games of the Florida Panthers since the 2014-15. They did six home games in 2014-15 and all home regular season and playoff games last season. Arley Londano remains as the play-by-play announcer and Octavio Sequera stays as the game analyst.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Sharks Bite Panthers

     The Florida Panthers took on the defending Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks on Thursday night at BB&T Center and lost 4-2. It was the second game of a three-game homestand for the club.
     Jason Demers picked up his first goal as a Florida Panther at 5:09 of the first period. After Jared McCann blasted a shot wide of the net, the puck went around the boards to the right point. Demers executed a slapshot that went by Martin Jones and gave Florida(6-7-1) a 1-0 lead.
     The Cats extended their lead by two goals as Demers scored again at 7:26. Jaromir Jagr was in the right circle and placed a wrist shot toward the net. It went off the body of Aleksander Barkov and bounced into the low crease where Demers got the tally.
     San Jose(8-6-0) narrowed the gap to 2-1 with 3:42 left in the first. Brent Burns picked the puck up in the neutral zone and skated by the blue line on a 2-on-1. He dashed through the left circle and shot it past former teammate James Reimer for his sixth goal of the season.
     The Sharks quickly tied the in the second period at 1:53. Joel Ward was on the left-wing boards and fed the puck to Joe Pavelski. He reached the left-wing dot and lifted in a slapshot to even the
contest.
      In the third period, San Jose notched another goal to go up 3-2 at the 8:53 mark. Chris Tierney won a face-off in the right circle of the Panthers zone. Tommy Wingels skated with the puck to the crease area and flipped in a backhand shot. Logan Couture scored into an empty net with 56.3 seconds remaining.

Palm Beach Lakes At St. Thomas Aquinas Preview

     The two-time defending FHSAA Class 7A champion St. Thomas Aquinas will begin to march toward a third straight state title as they host the Palm Beach Lakes Rams in a regional quarterfinal at Brian Piccolo Stadium on Friday night. The Raiders had won consecutive state championships in 2007 and 2008.
     Palm Beach Lakes(8-2) enters the game on a five-game winning streak. The Rams use a balanced attack on offense. They have a tandem in the backfield to carry the ball with running backs Jalen Wright and Jordan Canady. They have a deep threat if quarterback Armani Edden can get the ball to wide receiver D.J. Edwards.
     St. Thomas Aquinas(7-2) easily captured the District 14-7A title this season. They have lost two games this season to top-level programs Booker T. Washington and Bishop Gorman by a combined five points.
     The Raiders are led on offense by Jake Allen who has committed to the University of Florida. STA will split the rushing attempts between running backs Michael Epstein and Kyshaun Bryan. Even with the loss of wide receiver Trevon Grimes for the rest of the season, Allen can set his sights on connecting passes with Jordan Merrell, Michael Harley, Joshua Palmer and Jonathan Moore.

Fort Lauderdale At Dwyer Preview

     The Dwyer Panthers will host the Fort Lauderdale Flying L's on Friday night at Blum Stadium in a Class 7A regional quarterfinal. It will be the first playoff meeting between both schools.
     Dwyer(9-0) remains undefeated and captured the District 13-7A title. They have compiled four shutouts during the regular season and have not allowed more than eight points in a game. The Panthers have outscored their opponents 333-32 this season.
     Senior quarterback Todd Centeio calls the signals on offense for the Panthers. He made the FHSAA playoffs last year with Dwyer and the previous two seasons while with Royal Palm Beach.
     Running back Jakari Moses will be counted on to carry the ball on most occasions along with Cedric Tucker and Reginald Gadson. Centeio has targets to throw the ball to which includes wide receivers Luke Tommie, Dy'laan Lee, Jordan Mosely, Oyeh Lurry-Davis and Wesley Oldham.
     Fort Lauderdale(4-4) make a rare appearance in the FHSAA playoffs over the past decade and they did show up in the postseason in 2013. They went 0-4 against schools who went to the playoffs this season.

Glades Central At Booker T. Washington Preview

     The Glades Central Raiders and Booker T. Washington Tornadoes will face each other in a Class 4A regional semifinal at Traz Powell Stadium on Thursday night. The Tornadoes have eliminated the Raiders from the FHSAA playoffs in the last three seasons.
     Glades Central(6-4) finished as the runner-up in District 7-4A. They have lost their last two games, which were on the road, entering this contest. They fell to Clewiston to determine the district champion and had their eight-game winning streak at the Muck Bowl snapped by local rival Pahokee last week.
     The Raiders have James Blackmon as their quarterback. Blackmon, who has committed to Florida State University, has the height to easily look over his lineman and opposing lineman to find his receivers all over the entire field. Wide receiver Quntino Allen is his primary target while other receptions will be made by Rodney Porter Jr., Siurpry Rinvil, DeJuan Miller, Jamarian Green and Tyrie Lott. Running back Demetrius Martin is expected to get the bulk of the carries and Cameron Wicks will get spot action.
     Booker T. Washington(7-3) attempts to capture a fifth consecutive FHSAA Class 4A state championship. They enter this game on a three-game winning streak and an opening game victory over two-time defending Class 7A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas.
     The Tornadoes can split their offense evenly between the run and pass. They are led on offense by sophomore quarterback Daniel Richardson. Running backs Craig Nelson and Marcus Barthell will get their share of rushing opportunities. They do have explosive wide receivers with Sharod Johnson, Deandre Williams, Zahir Turner, Brian Livingston and Quatvon Beckford.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Panthers Strike Lightning

     The Florida Panthers hosted their cross-state rivals the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night and defeated them 3-1 at BB&T Center. It was the first of three straight home games for the Cats and the middle of a six-game stretch consisting of five home games.
     Florida(6-6-1) moved out to a fast lead at 3:10 of the first period on the power play. Aleksander Barkov won the face-off in the right circle and drew the puck back to Keith Yandle at the right point. He moved to the top of the zone and fed Jonathan Marchessault on the right wing for him to sail a shot by Ben Bishop. 
     It was the seventh goal this season by Marchessault this season. I matched his total last season while he played with the Lightning.
     Tampa Bay(7-5-1) waited until the third period to mount a comeback and tie the game at 1:15. Ondrej Palat drove the puck to behind the Panthers cage and Alex Petrovic recovered it. He began to skate with the puck until it went off Roberto Luongo's right leg and into the net.
     The Panthers regained the lead 2-1 with 4:28 left in the third period. Reilly Smith stripped Victor Hedman of the puck at the top of the Bolts zone. He angled to the left-wing dot and fired a snap shot over the right shoulder of Bishop for the game-winner. Derek MacKenzie added an open-net goal with 35.5 seconds remaining for his first tally of the year.

Blanche Ely Tops Dillard In Overtime At Soul Bowl

     The Blanche Ely Tigers continued their reign between local rivals as they won the 53rd annual Soul Bowl 13-7 in overtime over the Dillard Panthers on Saturday night at Lockhart Stadium. The Tigers have won seven of the last eight Soul Bowls between both schools. The last time the Panthers were victorious in the Soul Bowl was in 2012.
     Both teams would score a touchdown in the second quarter. Dillard(6-3) running back George Golden sprinted up the middle and scored on a 40-yard run. Blanche Ely(3-6) answered back as wide receiver Stanley Bolden caught a 70-yard pass from quarterback James Wallace on a crossing pattern route to tie it 7-7.
     The Tigers got the victory as they scored in overtime when Wallace connected with Bolden on a 25-yard touchdown reception toward the right sideline.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Capitals Overcome Panthers

     The Florida Panthers made a rare one-game road trip to Washington D.C. and fell to the Capitals 4-2 at Verizon Center on Saturday night. Florida(5-6-1) held a 2-1 advantage early in the third period until Washington(8-2-1) scored three times during the frame to take the victory. The Cats dropped to last place in the Atlantic Division with the defeat.
     The Panthers got ahead 2-1 at 2:52 of the third period on a power-play goal by Reilly Smith. He went around John Karlsson in the left circle, headed for the crease and put a backhand shot by Braden Holtby.
     The Capitals mounted a comeback for the remainder of the period. Alex Ovechkin got his seventh goal of the season when he redirected the puck in the slot area after Brooks Orpik shot the puck from the blue line at 8:42. T.J. Oshie picked up the game-winning goal at 10:58 and Lars Eller added a tally against Roberto Luongo at 13:27.

Friday, November 4, 2016

Pahokee Beats Glades Central In Muck Bowl

     The Pahokee Blue Devils toppled the Glades Central Raiders 27-14 in the Muck Bowl on Friday night at Anquan Boldin Stadium. The Blue Devils have not won the Muck Bowl since 2007 and stopped an eight-game losing streak to the Raiders.
     Pahokee(10-0) marched down the field and scored on their first possession at 4:53 of the first quarter. Quarterback Tyrone Smith threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyron Arnett.
     The Blue Devils continued their success and found the end zone on their second drive. Running back Rodney McKay went around the left end and scored from 13 yards away with nine second left in the first quarter to make it 14-0.
     Glades Central(6-4) answered back to cut the margin to 14-7 at the 9:26 mark of the second quarter. Quarterback James Blackman fired a 39-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Quantino Allen on the right sideline.
     The remainder of the second quarter belonged to Pahokee. Running back Jim Travis Gray scored from one yard out several minutes later on their next possession. They extended their lead to 24-7 when Ezekiel Hernandez kicked a 27-yard field goal with 42 seconds left in the first half.
     In the third quarter, Hernandez added another field goal from 36 yards at 9:37 to increase the Pahokee margin to 27-7. Glades Central got the only score in the fourth quarter as running back Demetrius Martin rushed in for a touchdown from three yards away with 6:37 to go.

Sid Rosenberg Rejoins Imus On WABC

     Former South Florida sports host Sid Rosenberg will rejoin the Imus In The Morning Show as a sports anchor on WABC-AM in New York City beginning Monday. He held that post on the same program while he was at WFAN-AM from 2000 until September 2005. He replaces Warner Wolf who has held the sports anchor position on the show since Don Imus joined WABC in 2007.
     Rosenberg was the morning host on 640 Sports WMEN-AM from August 2012 to December 2015. He has been the late morning show co-host with Bernard McGuirk on WABC since January.
     He had two prior different stints in the South Florida region. He was a co-host in Fort Lauderdale on a sports show at CBS Sportsline with Scott Kaplan in 1999 and 2000. They both moved their program up to WNEW-FM in New York City where they continued it for one year.
     Rosenberg returned to Miami in late 2005 as a fill-in host at 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM and eventually co-hosted a midday show with former Miami Dolphins wide receiver O.J. McDuffie. He was later promoted to the morning host role at that station which he held until May 2009.
     He began with Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM as a midday host in August 2009. Rosenberg was promoted to afternoon drive host spot in June 2010 and stayed there until April 2012.

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Panthers Get By Devils

     The Florida Panthers faced the New Jersey Devils and defeated them 4-3 in overtime on Thursday night at BB&T Center. Jaromir Jagr passed Dave Andreychuk for sixth all-time in NHL history as he played his 1,640 game.
     Florida(5-5-1) scored on their first power-play attempt at 12:58 of the first period. Keith Yandle placed a pass from the top of the zone to Aaron Ekblad at the top left circle and put a one-time slapshot by Cory Schneider for his second goal of the year.
     The Panthers got four shots on their second power play of the contest and eventually scored at 6:44 of the second period. Jason Demers made a slap pass to Denis Malgin at the right circle. He skated in a snapped a shot for his second straight game with a tally.
     New Jersey(4-2-3) broke the shutout on the power play with 1:56 left in the second. Kyle Palmieri received the puck on the left wing and took a slapshot. After it went off a screen in the crease area, Travis Zajac ripped a shot from the slot past James Reimer.
     Both clubs came up strong to begin the third period as Florida extended their margin to 3-1 at 4:29. Mark Pysyk sent a cross-ice pass to Jagr who was entering the Devils zone on the right point. He skated around two players in the right circle and fed Vincent Trocheck at the inner left circle for a quick shot.
     It was a fast response by New Jersey as they scored just twenty seconds later. John Moore got to a loose puck on the end wall and backhanded it out. P.A. Parenteau followed with a wrist shot from the right circle for his second goal against the Cats this season.
     The Devils were able to tie the game 3-3 with 3:55 to go in the third. Beau Bennett was in the right circle and rifled a cross-ice pass to Pavel Zacha in the left circle for a blast and his first goal of the season.
     The Cats picked up the victory after both teams had great scoring chances during the overtime period. Florida came in on a 3-on-1 break into the Devils zone when Reilly Smith angled the puck to Trocheck on the right side. He waited for a second then squeezed a snap shot from the right-circle dot by Schneider for the winning goal with 43.4 seconds to go.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Heat Burn Kings

     The Miami Heat topped the Sacramento Kings 108-96 in overtime at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday night. The Heat won their first home game this season following two losses in Miami earlier this week.
     Both teams were tied 91-91 at the end of the fourth quarter and the contest had to go into overtime. Miami(2-2) scored the first 12 points of the extra frame to put the game away.
     Goran Dragic compiled 25 points, eight assists and eight rebounds for the Heat. Tyler Johnson added 22 points and Hassan Whitside put together 14 points along with 11 rebounds. Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins had 30 points each for Sacramento(2-3) in the loss.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Bruins Bounce Panthers

     The Florida Panthers came home following a four-game road trip and lost to the Boston Bruins 2-1 at BB&T Center on Tuesday night. The Bruins are the only club that the Panthers will host three times this season. The Cats began a stretch in which five of the next six games are at home.
     Boston(5-4-0) got off to a 1-0 start at 3:53 of the first period. Brad Marchand was pulled down by Reilly Smith when he was redirecting a shot in the crease area and was awarded a penalty shot. Marchand skated down, went to the backhand and lifted the puck over the left shoulder of Roberto Luongo. It was the 300th career point for Marchand on that play.
     The Bruins had no shots for the last 16 minutes of the period and were outshot 13-3 in the frame. There were no shots on goal during three combined power plays by both teams in the first.
     In the second period, Florida(4-5-1) surrendered a shorthanded goal on their third power-play attempt at 6:16. Former Panther Dominic Moore scored an unassisted goal in the slot area for his third goal of the year.
     Florida would get on the scoreboard with 4:35 remaining in the third period. Keith Yandle fed the puck from the left point to the slot and Denis Malgin snapped a shot by Tuukka Rask for his first NHL goal.
     Jaromir Jagr tied Dave Andreychuk for sixth all-time in NHL history with 1,639 games played. The Bruins are now 11-2-1 in their last 14 games in Sunrise.