Monday, December 31, 2018

Panthers Overcome Red Wings

     The Florida Panthers played their final game of the 2018 calendar year and came back from three goals down to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in a shootout at Little Caesars Arena on Monday night. It was the first time in Panthers history that the team had overcame a three-goal deficit on the road to win a game.
     It was the second time both clubs met in Detroit in the last nine days. The Panthers have won six of their last eight games. The Red Wings are 1-6-3 in their last 10 games.
     The Red Wings got out in front 1-0 at 5:15 of the first period. Luke Witkowski sent out the puck up the right-wing wall and it was grazed by Justin Abdelkader to center ice. Andreas Athanasiou got the puck on a breakaway, skated through the slot, faked a backhand shot and then put a forehand shot by Roberto Luongo.
     Detroit(15-19-7) expanded the gap to 2-0 with 2:32 left in the first. Dylan Larkin angled a pass from the top of the zone to Gustav Nyquist on the left wing. He carried the puck around Aaron Ekblad into the slot area and scored on a backhand shot.
     They made it a three-goal margin with 1:33 remaining in the period. Tyler Bertuzzi won a faceoff in the left circle to Frans Nielsen. He tapped it back to Thomas Vanek at the top left circle and he released a wrist shot for a tally against his former team. James Reimer replaced in net for the Panthers after the first frame.
     In the second period, Florida(17-15-5) closed it to 3-1 at the 6:19 mark. Jared McCann put in a shorthanded goal as he scored on his own rebound from the crease area. Assists on the play were credited to Juho Lammikko and Mark Pysyk. It was the first shorthanded goal by the Cats this season.
     The Panthers made it 3-2 at 12:11. Ekblad sent a clearing down the ice from behind his own net and Frank Vatrano centered the puck from the red line. Henrik Borgstrom received it in the neutral zone, carried it through the right circle and slipped the puck past Jimmy Howard with a soft backhand shot.
     Florida tied the contest with 4:45 left in the second. Jayce Hawryluk recoved the puck in the Panther zone and made a left-outlet pass to Colton Sceviour at the Red Wings blue line. He skated into the left corner and found Hawryluk on a centering pass in the crease for a one-time shot. It was the third career goal for him.
     In the shootout, the Panthers scored on their first attempt. Jonathan Huberdeau was able put the puck in the Detroit cage for the victory.

2018 FHSAA Football Title Recap

     High schools from South Florida captured three different FHSAA football titles in 2018. It was a step down for South Florida because the region won four state championships last year.
     Two Broward County teams were able to take state titles. Cardinal Gibbons won their first state championship in Class 5A as they defeated North Marion 48-10. The Chiefs along the way ended the two-year title reign of American Heritage.
     Chaminade-Madonna repeated as the FHSAA Class 3A state champions. They were able to beat Kings Academy 38-10. Kings Academy was the only Palm Beach County school to play in a state final game this year.
     St. Thomas Aquinas fell in the Class 7A state championship game to Lakeland 33-20. It was the first time in eight state title games that the Raiders lost in Orlando. They were looking to win their fourth title in five years and 11th overall.
     Only one Dade County team won a state title at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Miami Northwestern won their second straight FHSAA Class 6A state title as they faced Armwood again and blanked them 22-0. The Bulls matched the feat they accomplished back with back-to-back championship in 2006 and 2007.
     The defending FHSAA Class 2A state champions Champagnat Catholic almost repeated, however they lost to North Florida Christian 28-20 in the state title game. Columbus reached the FHSAA Class 8A state championship game, but they were upset by Mandarin 37-35.

South Florida Sports Review 2018

     2018 was a year in which all four professional South Florida sports teams did not have great seasons. Only one club made the postseason this year. It was an improvement over no teams last year.
     The Miami Heat was the only team in the South Florida region to make the playoffs as they captured the Southeast Division title. They finished sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 44-38 record. The Heat lost their first-round series to the Philadelphia 76ers four games to one.
     The Miami Dolphins began the season with a 3-0 and in first place. They slipped, fell out of playoff picture and were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16. The Dolphins finished in second place in the AFC East with a 7-9 record.
     The Florida Panthers started off slow to begin their regular season. They made a tremendous run during the final month of the season, however they were eliminated from entering the NHL playoffs in their second-to-last game of the regular season. The Panthers had a 44-30-8 record (96 points) and finished one point behind the New Jersey Devils for the final playoff spot.
     It was a rebuilding year for the Miami Marlins in the first season with new ownership comprised of Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter. They finished last in the National League East with a 63-98 record. The Marlins ended up 26 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves.

Miami Dolphins Fire Adam Gase

     The Miami Dolphins fired their head coach Adam Gase on Monday. He held that position since the 2016 season. Gase finished with a 23-25 record in three seasons with the team.
     He coached the Fins to the playoff during his first season in 2016 where they were an AFC Wild Card with a 10-6 record. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a first-round game.
     The Dolphins dropped to a 6-10 record in 2017 and finished third in the AFC East. Miami began the 2018 campaign with a 3-0 record and were two games ahead of the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots, however they blew the division lead and ended up with a 7-9 record.

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Manny Diaz New Hurricanes Head Coach

     The University of Miami Hurricanes football team named Manny Diaz as their new head coach on Sunday. Mark Richt announced his retirement as head coach of the team. The Hurricanes were embarrassed in the Pinstripe Bowl by the Wisconsin Badgers 35-3 on Thursday.
     Diaz was the Canes defensive coordinator for the school from 2016 until two weeks ago. He was announced as the new head coach of the Temple University Owls on December 13. The results of the incoming recruitment class for Miami was a disappointment during early national signing day on December 19.
     Richt leaves his post as the head football coach after three seasons with the team and finished his reign with a 26-13 record. He did lead the Hurricanes to the ACC Coastal Division title in 2017 and lost to the Clemson Tigers in the ACC title game. Richt had a 7-6 record this season and finished third in the Coastal Division.

Florida Panthers Trade Alexander Petrovic

     The Florida Panthers traded defensemen Alexander Petrovic to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Chris Wideman and a 2019 third-round draft pick on Sunday. Petrovic was mainly a third-line defenseman with the Cats and was a healthy scratch in the three previous games prior to the contest he played in on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
     Petrovic played with the Panthers for the past seven seasons. He compiled just one assist and one point in 26 games this season with the team. His best season with Florida was in 2015-16 when he had two goals, 15 assists and a +17 plus/minus in 66 games.
     It was the second time in five weeks that Wideman had been dealt. He was with the Ottawa Senators for four seasons. His best season there was in 2016-17 when he had five goals and 12 assists in 76 games. He was traded to the Edmonton Oilers on November 22 and he played five games with them and had two assists.

Bills Bash Dolphins

     The Buffalo Bills outscored the Miami Dolphins 42-17 on Sunday. It was the final game of the 2018 regular season for both teams.

Timberwolves Race Over Heat

     The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped the Miami Heat 113-104 at American Airlines Arena on Sunday night. It was the final game of the year for the Heat. They finished off 2018 winning six of their last eight games.
     Minnesota(17-19) breezed out to a 30-19 lead after one quarter and held a slight margin of 55-54 by halftime. Miami(17-18) trailed 86-77 after three quarters and could not take the lead during the fourth as the Timberwolves had a 17-6 spurt.
     Dwyane Wade led the Heat with a team-high 21 points while Josh Richardson added 17 points. Karl-Anthony Towns had game-high amounts with 34 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists for Minnesota.

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Alabama Beats Oklahoma In National Semifinal

     The #1 Alabama Crimson Tide knocked off the #4 Oklahoma Sooners 45-34 in the CFP National Semifinal game held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Saturday night. Alabama will face #2 Clemson for the CFP National Championship on January 7 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
     The Crimson Tide scored 28 unanswered points to go up four touchdowns by the early stage of the second quarter. The Sooners were able to cut the deficit down to 11 points on three different occasions during the second half.
     One former South Florida high school player who got noticed was former Deerfield Beach Bucks and current Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. He had four receptions for 73 receiving yards. Jeudy caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa midway through the fourth quarter.

Flyers Rocked By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers played their final home game in 2018 and came back on the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Saturday night at BB&T Center. The Panthers have won five of their last seven games.
     Philadelphia(15-17-5) struck early at 1:45 of the first period to go up 1-0. Scott Laughton cleared the Flyers zone with a pass to Jordan Weal at center ice. He carried it into the slot, dropped the puck and South Florida native Shayne Gostisbehere scored on a wrist shot from the top left circle by James Reimer.
     It was the second goal for "The Ghost" in the last 21 games. Gostisbehere compiled his third career goal in 10 games against the Panthers.
     Florida(16-15-5) was able to score a power-play goal with 6:44 left in the third period. Alekander Barkov got a rebound in the crease and passed out to Jonathan Huberdeau in the low left circle. His cross-ice pass went to Mike Hoffman in the right circle and he blasted a slapshot past Carter Hart.
     The Panthers took their first lead with 1:06 remaining in the contest. Evgenii Dadonov dropped a pass from the left circle to Barkov in the slot and he slap-passed to Huberdeau for the goal from the right circle.

Panthers Trade Michael Hutchinson

     The Florida Panthers have traded goalie Michael Hutchinson to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2020 fifth-round draft pick. Hutchinson signed as a free agent during the summer after playing for the Winnipeg Jets last season.
     He appeared in four games with the Panthers this season, had a 1-1-2 record, 4.18 goals-against-average and an .839 save percentage. Hutchinson was used as a backup goalie when Roberto Luongo was on the injured reserve list and James Reimer was upped to the starting position in net.

Friday, December 28, 2018

Heat Leap By Cavaliers

     The Miami Heat continued their home stand and handled the Cleveland Cavaliers 118-94 on Friday night at American Airlines Arena. The Heat have been victorious in six of their last seven games. The defending Eastern Conference champion Cavaliers have the worst record in the NBA.
     Cleveland(8-28) had a 30-29 advantage after one quarter and trailed 56-52 at halftime. Miami(17-17) outscored the Cavs by 11 points in the third quarter and led 82-69.
     Justise Winslow had a game-high line of 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Heat. Bam Adebayo dropped in 18 points and Rodney McGruder added 16 points. Jordan Clarkson put in a team-high 18 points for the Cavaliers.

Canadiens Beat Panthers

     The Florida Panthers returned home following a four-game road trip and lost to the Montreal Canadiens 5-3 at BB&T Center on Friday night. The Habs entered the contest with the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference seven points ahead of the Panthers.
     Montreal(20-13-5) got out to an early 1-0 lead just 35 seconds into the first period. Brendan Gallagher stole the puck from Michael Matheson behind the Panthers cage. He centered it and Tomas Tatar backhanded a shot from the crease past Roberto Luongo.
     The Habs made it 2-0 at the 2:51 mark. Victor Mete sent a wrist shot from the left point which was tipped in by Nicolas Deslauriers in the low slot. Shea Weber was also credited with an assist on the play. It was the fourth shot on goal by Montreal.
     Florida(15-15-6) cut the lead down to 2-1 at 8:01. Mike Hoffman backhanded a pass from the low right circle to the slot and Henrik Borgstrom snapped a shot by Antti Niemi.
     The Panthers tied the contest with 6:07 left in the period. A backhand centering pass from the low left circle by Troy Brouwer bounced off the back of Paul Byron to the low slot and Denis Malgin smacked the puck in for his fourth goal of the season.
     After no scoring in the second period, the Canadiens regained the lead on the power play with 11:06 left in the third. Max Domi made a pass from the low left circle to Jonathan Drouin in the top left circle and he tapped it to his right. Tatar scored on a one-time slap shot from the right circle for his second tally of the game and 14th goal of the season.
     The Habs extended their margin to 4-2 with 4:20 remaining in the period. Andrew Shaw raced around the right corner to the end wall. He found Artturi Lehkonen in the crease area and he roofed in a shot from close range.
     The Cats scored with 1:16 to go when Mike Hoffman blasted a slap shot from the top of the zone. It was his 18th goal of the season. Florida pulled their goalie for an extra attacker, however Drouin put the puck into an empty net with 22.7 seconds left.  

West Palm Beach Ratings December 2018

     The ratings for the West Palm Beach market were announced. ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM saw the end of a disappointing season for the defending Conference USA champions Florida Atlantic University. The Owls football team did not qualify for a bowl game this year.
     640 The Hurricane WMEN-AM stayed at a 0.2 in the period. It was the second month of the new lineup that included local programs with Andy Slater, Kevin's Other Show with Kevin Rolston and Coach K Show with Chris Kokell.
     1230 The Zone WBZT-AM finished with a 0.0 for the fourth consecutive month. They still have CBS Sports Radio for the majority of the day and the University of Florida Gators Radio Network.

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Miami Ratings December 2018

     The Miami/Fort Lauderdale market ratings were released and there was a minor shift by all the local competitors. Miami Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM returned back on top of all sports format radio stations.
     WQAM showed a jump up from a 0.8 to a 0.9 in December. They had a 0.9 rating during three of the four months of the Miami Dolphins regular season. The Big O Orlando Alzugaray was replaced in the midday shift by Alex Donno and Josh Friedman at the tail end of the period.
     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM fell from a 0.9 to a 0.6 in the month. The station surprisingly lost almost one-third of their audience during the period considering that they finished on top alone in November for the first time since April. The Miami Heat were trying to gain ground in the Eastern Conference standings.
     Miami Sports 940 WINZ-AM returned to a 0.2 from a 0.3. They have measured a 0.2 in four of the last five months. They continued to depend on the University of Florida Gators Radio Network.
     640 The Hurricane WMEN-AM also dropped from a 0.2 to a 0.1 this month. They have been at a 0.1 in four of the past five months. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team losing streak had an effect.

Wisconsin Dominates Miami

     The Wisconsin Badgers routed the Miami Hurricanes 35-3 in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night. The Hurricanes have lost in eight of their last nine bowl games that they have appeared in. The Badgers defeated the Canes at Camping World Stadium in Orlando last year in a bowl game.
     Wisconsin(8-5) scored on their first drive at 11:56 of the first quarter. Quarterback Jack Coan threw the ball to the left hashmarks and wide receiver Kendric Pryor scored on a 35-yard touchdown.
     Hurricanes quarterback Malik Rosier tossed an interception, the Badgers reached the end zone of the first play of their next drive. Running back Jonathan Taylor raced up the middle from seven yards out at the 11:30 mark.
     Miami(7-6) got their only points in the contest with 1:15 left in the first. Bubba Baxa was able to boot a 33-yard field goal.
     In the third quarter, Wisconsin made it 21-3 with 3:36 to go. Running back Alec Ingold busted through the middle from two yards away.
     The fourth quarter belonged to the Badgers. Coan scored on a seven-yard touchdown run at 9:59. Running back Taiwan Deal capped the victory on a short one-yard plunge with eight seconds remaining in the game.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Raptors Get By Heat

     The Toronto Raptors edged the Miami Heat 106-104 at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday night. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Heat. The Raptors still have the best record in the NBA.
     Miami(16-17) were up 31-23 after one quarter and had a 58-44 lead at halftime. Toronto(26-10)cut the entire in the third quarter and moved ahead 81-79.
     Justise Winslow got a team-high 21 points while Josh Richardson had 17 points for Miami. Hassan Whiteside added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard dropped a game-high 30 points for the Raptors and Danny Green put in 18 points.

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Panthers Breeze By Blackhawks

     The Florida Panthers finished a four-game road trip as they defeated by the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3 at United Center on Sunday night. The Cats, who have won four of their last five games, now have the holiday break and will play at home on Friday night against the Montreal Canadiens.
     In the first period, Chicago(13-20-6) moved ahead 1-0 at 6:37. Connor Murphy, son of former Panthers defenseman Gord Murphy, got his first goal of the year on assists from Dylan Strome and Brendan Perllni.
     Florida(15-14-6) evened it with 5:39 left in the first. Jayce Hawryluk scored his first NHL goal with Mark Pysyk and  Bogdan Kiselevich credited with assists.
     The Panthers took a 2-1 lead at the 2:35 mark of the second period. Michael Matheson sent a long lead pass from his own defensive zone to Hawryluk at the Hawks blue line. He skated in on a breakaway and scored on a forehand shot by Cam Ward.
     The Blackhawks converted on a power play at 4:56. Alex DeBrincat centered the puck from the low left circle. It deflected off the right skate of Strome along with the left skate of Matheson and off the right post. DeBrincat charged in and put the puck in from the left of the blue paint past James Reimer.
     The Cats scored on a power-play goal with 3:11 to go in the period. MacKenzie Weegar fed the puck from the right point to Mike Hoffman on the right wing. He snapped a shot from the top right circle through traffic for his 17th goal of the season.
     The Panthers made it a two-goal gap 31 seconds later. Weegar intercepted a pass at center ice, brought it to the top of the Blackhawks zone and fired a wrist shot. Ward made the stick save, but Jared McCann roofed in the rebound from the right of the crease.
     The third period came around and Florida extended their lead to 5-2 just 59 seconds in. Denis Malgin put in his third tally of the year on an assist from McCann.
     The Hawks tried to make a comeback like they did in their victory over the Panthers back on November 24. Strome collected his third point in the contest with a goal at 9:35 on assists from Patrick Kane and Murphy.
     Chicago pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 2:21 to go. Alekander Barkov banked the puck off the left-wing wall in the neutral zone and Frank Vatrano scored into an empty net with 1:01 left.

Heat Stop Magic

     The Miami Heat pounded the Orlando Magic 115-91 on Sunday night at Amway Center. The Heat will return Wednesday night at home against the Toronto Raptors. It was the 500th career win for Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra
     Miami(16-16) jumped out to a 28-17 lead after one quarter and stayed ahead 53-44 by halftime. Orlando(14-18) still trailed 90-71 after three quarters.
     Tyler Johnson put in 25 points for the Heat while Josh Richardson nailed a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Justise Winslow also contributed 22 points and six rebounds. Evan Fournier led the Magic with 17 points.

Dolphins Eliminated From Playoff Race

     The Miami Dolphins had their postseason hopes dashed as they lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars 17-7 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins made the playoffs last year as an AFC Wild Card.
     Miami(7-8) made it 7-0 at 9:49 of the first quarter. Quarterback Ryan Tannenhill found running back Brandon Bolden on a four-yard touchdown pass.
     Jacksonville(5-10) tied the contest 7-7 with 2:29 left in the first. Running back Leonard Fournette rushed in the ball from one yard away.
     In the fourth quarter, Kai Forbath kicked a 26-yard field goal to give the Jaguars their first lead 10-7 with 10:59 to go. Telvin Smith capped the victory as he intercepted a pass from Tannenhill and returned it 33 yards with 9:43 remaining.

Saturday, December 22, 2018

Miami Dade County All-Star Game Recap

     The North defeated the South 29-24 at Gerry Curtis Park Stadium in the 23rd annual Miami-Dade High School Football All-Star Game on Saturday night. The contest was held at Gerry Curtis Park Stadium in Miami. Miami Beach linebacker Edgar Harris was named the Most Valuable Player of the contest.

Heat Drive Down Bucks

     The Miami Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks 94-87 on Saturday night at American Airlines Arena. The Heat, who won their 500th game at American Airlines Arena, extended their winning streak to four games and have been victorious in eight of their last 11 contests. The Bucks entered the game with the second best record in the Eastern Conference.
     Miami(15-16) busted out to a 21-8 lead after one quarter. The second quarter belonged to Milwaukee(22-10) as they had a 38-37 edge at halftime. The Heat outscored their opponent 35-20 in the third to go ahead 72-58. The Bucks began the final quarter on a 23-10 run and were down by one point, however they never regained the lead as Miami went on a 10-2 spurt.
     Josh Richardson had a team-high 16 points while Dwyane Wade contributed 13 points and eight rebounds for the Heat. Hassan Whiteside compiled a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Khris Middletown dropped in a game-high 18 points for the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo fell short of a double-double with nine points and 13 rebounds.

Panthers Survive Red Wings

     The Florida Panthers got a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday. The Panthers visit the Chicago Blackhawks to finish a four-game road trip on Sunday.
     Florida(14-14-6) quickly took the lead on the power play at the 3:09 mark. Keith Yandle was on the right point and passed it low to Aleksander Barkov in the right corner. He connected a pass behind the Red Wings net to Jonathan Huberdeau on the goal line. Huberdeau found Mike Hoffman on the inner edge of the left circle and he scored on a one-time slapshot past Jimmy Howard for his 16th goal of the season.
     The Panthers made it 2-0 with 2:29 left in the first. They came in on a 3-on-2 break. Barkov was at the top of the zone when he angled a pass to his right. Huberbeau sent the puck from the top right circle to the slot tp Evgenii Dadonov and he flipped a shot from the low slot to collect his 17th goal of the year.
     Midway through the second period, Detroit(15-17-5) cut the deficit at 10:00. Former Panther Thomas Vanek stripped the puck from Jared McCann from behind the Florida cage, stepped toward the blue paint and got the tally by Roberto Luongo.

Tito Benach Leaves WQAM For ESPN

     Tito Benach is joining ESPN in their digital video department. He is leaving Miami Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM.
     Benach has primarily worked as a producer and board operator at WQAM. He was usually noticed on the Alex Donno evening show with his occasional comments on that program. Benach also reported on several different local teams for the station.

Friday, December 21, 2018

Miami Dade All-Star Game Preview

     The Miami-Dade County High School Football All-Star Game will be held at Gerry Curtis Park Stadium on Saturday. It is the 23rd annual contest. "Uncle Luke" Luther Campbell will be the head coach of the North squad while Pete Marti will guide the South.
     The North team is led by the Class 6A, District 16 powerhouse schools. They are loaded at quarterback with Maurice Underwood(Miami Central), Daniel Richardson(Carol City), Isaiah Velez(Miami Northwestern) and Karon Johnson(Edison).
     The running back core includes Nay'Quan Wright(Carol City), Lexington Joseph(Miami Central), Jacquez Stuart(Miami Northwestern) and Marcus Barthell(Booker T. Washington).
     The group of wide receivers has Amari Johnson(Carol City), Kevin Butler(Booker T, Washington), Jaylin Young(Miami Central), Dwight Jackson(Miami Northwestern), Rayquan Berry(Miami Northwestern), Ricky McKnight(Miami Northwestern), Estmane Lucador(Booker T. Washington), Antwan Brinson(Edison) and Breion Fuller(Edison).
     On the other side of the ball, they have on the defensive line Calijah Kancey(Miami Northwestern) and Malcolm Ray(Carol City). The linebackers include Tatum Bethune(Miami Central), Leslie Smith(Miami Northwestern) and Travis Pittman(Booker T. Washington).  The secondary has Jarvis Brownlee(Carol City), Andrew Bloodsaw(Miami Central), Larry Robbins(Miami Northwestern) and Anthony Frederick(Miami Central).
     The South team has Demetrius Burns(South Dade) and Antwan Anderson(Miami Southridge) at quarterback while at running back will be Courtney Reese(Miami Southridge) and Jermain Thomas(Killian).
     They do have a slew of wide receivers. They include Kalani Norris(Columbus), Najeh Baker(South Dade), Gary Cooper(Columbus) and Rasaas Sawyer(Coral Gables).
     Their squad does have defensive lineman Jeramy Passamore(Columbus), defensive lineman Greg Pruitt(Homestead), linebacker Eddie Williams(Miami Palmetto), defensive back Demetries Ford(Columbus) and defensive back Cornelius Nunn(Miami Palmetto).

Heat Edge Rockets

     The Miami Heat got by the Houston Rockets 101-99 at American Airlines Arena on Thursday night. The Heat returned home after a long six-game road trip. It was a rare occasion this season that the club appeared on national television.
     Houston(16-15) blasted out to a 33-21 lead after one quarter and remained ahead 58-53 at halftime. Miami(14-16) responded in the second half with a 19-6 run and were up 82-76 after three quarters. The Rockets outscored their opponents 23-19, however the Heat held them off.
     James Harden had a game-high 35 points and 12 assists for Houston while Eric Gordon added 20 points. Josh Richardson compiled a team-high 22 points and seven assists for the Heat. Tyler Johnson dropped in 19 points and Dwyane Wade contributed 10 points.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Maple Leafs Pay Back Panthers

     The Toronto Maple Leafs blasted the Florida Panthers 6-1 at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night. It was the second meeting between both teams in the last five days.
      Toronto(23-10-2) scored late in the first period with 1:43 left. Mitch Marner made a cross-ice pass from the right wing to the left circle and Auston Matthews tapped the puck past Roberto Luongo during a power play.
     In the second period, the Maple Leafs added to the lead and moved ahead 2-0 at 3:49. Morgan Rielly carried the puck to the left circle and sent a cross-ice pass. Matthews powered a one-time slapshot from the right circle for his second goal of the contest.
     The Leafs made it a three-goal gap at the 11:14 mark as Nazem Kadri scored his ninth goal of the season. Carter Brown and Rielly were both credited with assists on the play.
     Florida(13-14-6) surrendered a power-play goal at 2:38 of the third period and they trailed 4-0. Kadri was in the slot and backhanded a pass to Matthews at the left-circle dot. His wrist shot was saved, however John Tavares swept in the rebound with a backhand from the edge of the blue paint.
     The Maple Leafs made it a five-goal margin at the 5:41 mark. Marner raced with the puck down the left wing and stopped behind the Panthers cage. He centered it to Tavares and his one-time slapshot from the left circle went in for his second goal of the game and 23rd goal of the season.
     The Cats finally broke the shutout with 9:32 to go. Jared McCann angled the puck from the top point to Henrik Borgstrom in the top right circle. He skated a couple of steps that snapped a shot by Frederik Andersen for his first goal of the year.
     Toronto regained their five-goal gap on the power play with 4:46 remaining. Marner was able to get the tally by James Reimer with the man advantage.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Early National Signing Day Dade County

     Dade County had their share of players make their selections where they will attend college. Many of the top personnel in the county made their decisions.
     The two-time defending FHSAA Class 6A state champions Miami Northwestern had several players. They had linebacker Samuel Brooks(Miami), wide receiver Jacquez Stuart(Toledo), defensive lineman Calijah Kancey(Pittsburgh), defensive back Larry Robbins(Buffalo), linebacker Leslie Smith(Pittsburgh) and former Bulls player/current JUCO linebacker Caliph Brice picked FAU.
     Miami Central had some of their top offensive players decide. They consisted of quarterback Maurice Underwood(Marshall), running back Lexington Joseph(FIU) and offensive lineman Maurice Smith(Florida State).
     Carol City had several players who were part of the Chiefs Class 6A state title team in 2016. They included quarterback Daniel Richardson(Central Michigan), running back Nay'Quan Wright(Florida), wide receiver Amari Johnson(Central Florida), defensive back Jarvis Brownlee(Florida State), defensive lineman Malcolm Ray(Florida State) and offensive lineman Wardrick Wilson(Florida).
     Columbus made it to the Class 8A state title game this year and had an array of players going to the next level. It includes wide receiver Kalani Norris(Georgia Tech), wide receiver Gary Cooper(Indiana), defensive lineman Jeramy Passamore(Indiana) and offensive lineman Luis Cristobal(Georgia State).
      The 2016 Class 8A state champions Miami Southridge had linebacker Diamante Howard choose FAU, South Dade wide receiver Frank Ladson Jr. selected Clemson, Miami Palmetto linebacker Eddie Williams decided FAU, Booker T. Washington wide receiver Kevin Butler picked UT Martin and Miami Palmetto defensive back Cornelius Nunn went with Syracuse.

Early National Signing Day Palm Beach County

     Palm Beach County high school football players made their decisions where they will attend colleges on Wednesday. Many of the top players in the region did not commit.
     Dwyer defensive lineman/linebacker Ishmael Goulbourne decided on Syracuse. Pahokee running back and current JUCO player McArthur Burnett chose South Florida.
     American Heritage defensive lineman/tight end Mike Morris went with Michigan, Park Vista defensive back D'Marco Augustin selected Youngstown State and Forest Hill defensive back/running back Darius McClendon picked Middle Tennessee State.
     There were some top players north of the Palm Beach County area that signed. Martin County wide receiver George Johnson decided on Michigan while Vero Beach defensive lineman Jahfari Havey heads to Miami and Centennial defensive back Dwight Toombs goes to FAU. Vero Beach wide receiver DeMarcus Harris selected Kentucky, Centennial defensive back Dre Grace joins Navy and Centennial running back Cedrick Wilcox moves to Marshall.

Early National Signing Day Broward County

     Broward County high school players selected where which colleges they will attend. A number of playoff teams had their students make decisions.  
     The first place to look in Broward County for the impact of college signings is St. Thomas Aquinas. The Raiders had running back Daniel Carter(Pittsburgh), defensive lineman Braylen Ingraham(Alabama), defensive back Jordan Battle(Alabama), linebacker Anthony Solomon(Michigan), defensive back Jaden Davis(Oklahoma), linebacker Jahmar Brown(South Carolina), linebacker Avery Huff(Miami), defensive back Myles Bell(Connecticut), Semar Melvin(Wisconsin), offensive lineman Vincent Murphy(South Carolina) and offensive lineman Julian Hernandez(Vanderbilt) sign.
     Deerfield Beach had their share of players who made the state semifinal game two of the last three seasons. They included defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus(Oregon), linebacker Ge'mon Eaford(Oregon), defensive lineman Jevon Davis(Georgia State), defensive back Marcus Lafrance(Middle Tennessee State), wide receiver Dashaun Davis(Appalachian State) and wide receiver Donte Banton(Utah).
     The two-time defending FHSAA Class 3A state champions Chaminade-Madonna had several people of their senior class make their selections. They included wide receiver John Dunmore(Penn State), defensive back Keontra Smith(Miami), defensive back Tecory Couch(Miami), defensive back James Williams(Wisconsin), defensive lineman Thomas Armstrong(TCU) and defensive back Ahmaud Jordan(Tennessee State).
     Players from Cardinal Gibbons helped the school capture their first state championship this year. Signees included quarterback Nik Scalzo(Kentucky), defensive back Sidney Porter(Marshall), running back Vincent Davis(Pittsburgh), tight end Nikolas Ognenovic(Kentucky), linebacker Yahweh Jeudy(Iowa) and offensive lineman Jamari Williams(Arizona).
     Fort Lauderdale had their best season since 1968 and sent this core. Offensive lineman Kaleb Boateng(Clemson), defensive lineman Demetris Dorceus(Air Force) and defensive lineman Desmond Dorceus(Air Force).
     University School reached the Class 4A state semifinal game two consecutive years. Their top players going to the next level of competition had running back Kenny McIntosh(Georgia), wide receiver Zay Flowers(Boston College) and wide receiver Christian Wells(Appalachian State).
     Other high profile Broward County players had Plantation defensive back Adrian Cole(Syracuse), American Heritage linebacker Dorian Jones(Louisville) and Coconut Creek defensive back Tiawan Mullen(Indiana).

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Panthers Scratch Sabres

     The Florida Panthers toppled the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center. It was the first game of a four-game road trip for the Cats.
     The first period belonged to Buffalo (20-10-5) as they got up 1-0 at the 3:48 mark. Jeff Skinner scored his 24th goal of the season on assists from Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart.
     Florida(13-13-6) tied the contest 1-1 at 9:17 of the second period as Troy Brouwer put in his sixth goal of the campaign. Jared McCann and Michael Matheson were credited with assist on the play.
     The Sabres responded almost two minutes later at 11:08 and regained the lead 2-1. Eichel won a faceoff in the right circle as Skinner and Reinhart tapped the puck to the right wing. Rasmus Ristolainen carried it to the low right circle and slipped the puck by Roberto Lungo with a wrist shot.
     In the third period, the Panthers scored on the power play 58 seconds in. Jonathan Huberdeau made a short pass to the top of the zone and Keith Yandle released a slapshot that was deflected by Alekander Barkov in the crease area past Carter Hutton. . It was his 15th goal of the season and he has scored 13 goals in the last 21 games.
     The Cats finally got their first lead of the game 3-2 at the 3:30 mark. Evgenii Dadonov blocked a shot in his own zone and went on a breakaway. He was tripped from behind and was awarded a penalty shot. Dadonov snapped a shot that trickled through the legs of Hutton.
     Frank Vatrano made it a two-goal margin at 4:42. Henrik Borgstrom won the faceoff in the left circle, Dadonov raced around the Sabres and fired a wrist shot that was saved. Vatrano backhanded the puck from the right of the crease for the tally. Dadonov added an empty-net goal with 2:30 left in the third.

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Heat Swarm Pelicans

     The Miami Heat got past the New Orleans Hornets 102-96 on Sunday night at Smoothie King Center. The Heat wrapped up a six-game road trip with a 4-2 record. The Pelicans had their only lead in the contest during the first two minutes of play.
     Miami(13-16) had a 33-28 advantage after one quarter and led 57-53 by halftime. New Orleans(15-16) were outscored in the third quarter and trailed 85-75. They chopped the deficit down to six points and lost 102-96.
     Josh Richardson dropped in 22 points for the Heat while Dwyane Wade added 19 points along with six rebounds. Hassan Whiteside put together a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds. The Pelicans were led by Anthony Davis with a double-double of 27 points and 12 rebounds. Jrue Holiday also contributed 22 points.

Vikings Blast Dolphins

     The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Miami Dolphins 41-17 at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins saw their playoff hopes diminish with the loss.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Barkov Hat Trick Brush Maple Leafs

     The Florida Panthers returned home for one game and stopped the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime on a hat trick by Panthers captain Alekander Barkov at BB&T Center on Saturday night. It was the first time that Barkov scored three goals in an NHL game. The Panthers are in the middle of a stretch in which they play six of seven games on the road.
     Jayce Hawryluk made his NHL debut with the Panthers while Henrik Borgstrom was involved in his first game this season and fifth game in his NHL career. The game was broadcast nationally as Florida made a rare appearance on Hockey Night In Canada.
     Florida(12-13-6) scored with 2.6 seconds left in the first period to take the lead. Mike Hoffman made cross-ice pass from low right circle to Evgenii Dadonov in the crease and tapped it to Barkov. He roofed a wrist shot by Frederik Andersen.
     The Panthers made it 2-0 at the 8:03 mark of the second with a power-play goal. Hoffman sent the puck from the right wing to Keith Yandle at the top of the zone. He angled a pass to Jonathan Huberdeau above the left circle. He skated a couple of steps then ripped a wrist shot for his ninth goal of the campaign.
     Toronto(21-10-2) finally got a goal with 9:36 left in the third period. Jake Gardiner fired a shot from the top of the zone that was deflected in by John Tavares in the low slot by Roberto Luongo. It was the 20th goal of the season for Tavares.
     The Maple Leafs tied the game with 3:39 remaining in the third. Mitch Marner received the puck in the high slot. He skated by Frank Vatrano in the right circle and scored on a wrist shot.
     Florida would score just 27 seconds later to take a 3-2 lead. Troy Brouwer passed the puck from the left corner and Barkov in the high slot and he put a shot into the Toronto cage.
     The Leafs pulled their goalie for an extra attacker in the final two minutes. It paid off as Marner snapped a wrist shot from the top of the right circle off a lead pass from Morgan Rielly with 1:39 to go.
     In overtime, Huberdeau took the puck away in the neutral zone and entered the Maple Leafs on a 2-on-1 break. He slid a cross-ice pass to his right. Barkov got the hat trick when he went through the right circle and scored on a backhand shot with 1:36 left.

Palm Beach County All-Star Game Recap

     The American dropped the National 30-6 in the annual Palm Beach County High School All-Star Game on Saturday night. The game was held at Jupiter High School.
     The National team moved ahead in the first quarter. Running back Kenel Beaubrun(Royal Palm Beach) rushed in up the middle from three yards away for a 6-0 lead.
     The American squad answered back and tied it up at the end of the first quarter. Quarterback Kaimyn Castilla(Seminole Ridge) found wide receiver Gen'Taris Oliver(Palm Beach Central) in the back right corner of the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown.
     They took their first lead 13-6 with 2:21 left in the second quarter. Darius McClendon(Forest Hill) intercepted the ball and returned it 45 yards for the score.
     The Americans extended their margin on their next possession with 1:15 remaining in the first half. Oliver was able to make a 24-yard catch from Castilla for his second touchdown of the contest.
     Oliver made his third touchdown catch of the game from 23 yards away on a Castilla toss during the fourth quarter for a 27-6 American lead. The Nationals next possession ended on the first play when Oliver picked the ball off. Tanner Nairn(Palm Beach Central) added a 35-yard field goal later in the fourth.
     The Most Valuable Player awards went to Oliver and Kevon Purnell(Palm Beach Lakes) on offense while McClendon and Arkel Williams(Atlantic) received the honor on defense.

Friday, December 14, 2018

Heat Take Down Grizzlies

     The Miami Heat beat the Memphis Grizzlies 100-97 on Friday night at FedEx Forum. The Heat stopped a two-game losing streak and are 3-2 on the road trip.
     Miami(12-16) had a 29-28 edge after one quarter and were ahead 51-49 at halftime. Memphis(16-12) had a slight lead 73-71 after three quarters. The Heat went on a 14-6 run midway through the fourth quarter and held off the Grizzlies down the stretch.
     Josh Richardson and Kelly Olynyk both had a team-high 18 points for Miami. Tyler Johnson also added 17 points for the team. Mike Conley compiled a game-high 22 points and eight assists for Memphis.

New FHSAA Football Classifications

     The FHSAA released the realigned classifications of all Florida high school football teams. It will be used for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
     The biggest news of the change is that the toughest district in South Florida and maybe the entire state involving some of the top football programs is no more. The teams from District 16 in Class 6A have been separated.
      The defending two-time FHSAA Class 6A state champions Miami Northwestern will be moving to Class 5A and be in a district that includes Jackson, Killian, Miami Springs and Key West. The new District 16 in Class 6A will now have Miami Central, Norland, Miami Southridge, South Miami and Belen Jesuit. Carol City, who won the Class 6A state title in 2016, shifts to Class 4A.
     Another state champion that will be changing classifications is 2018 FHSAA Class 5A state champions Cardinal Gibbons. They leave their district rival for the last couple of years American Heritage and drop down to Class 4A in Region 4. Their competition for the playoff spots in the region will include Booker T. Washington, University School, Glades Central and Carol City.
     Palm Beach County saw some modifications. Kings Academy and Cardinal Newman goes from the north bracket of Region 2 to the south bracket of Region 3 in Class 3A. American Heritage leaves Class 3A and jumps up to Class 4A. Boynton Beach breaks away from longtime district foes Dillard, Boyd Anderson and Northeast in Class 6A and heads to Class 5A. They will be in District 14 with Coconut Creek, Suncoast and Jensen Beach.
     There were adjustments in Class 8A as the South Florida territory expanded. Schools north of Palm Beach County like Vero Beach, Centennial, Fort Pierce Central and Treasure Coast changed regions and districts to the south bracket in District 9 of Region 3. District 10 has Palm Beach Central, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, Jupiter and adds Forest Hill. District 11 keeps together Park Vista, Santaluces, John I. Leonard and Lake Worth. District 12 looks new with a two-county mix of Boca Raton, Spanish River, Deerfield Beach and Monarch.
     Region 4 has North Broward County squads in District 13 without longtime rival Deerfield Beach that consists of Coral Springs, Taravella, Stoneman Douglas and Coral Glades. Piper goes back to southwest Broward in District 14 as they join Cypress Bay, Western, West Broward and Flanagan. Dade County has Columbus, Coral Gables, Braddock, Miami and Miami Coral Park in District 15 while Miami Palmetto, South Dade, Coral Reef and Southwest Miami are in District 16.
     Class 7A in South Florida had a complete makeover. Five schools move to Region 3 in District 12 with Dwyer, Palm Beach Lakes, Royal Palm Beach, Seminole Ridge and Martin County. Atlantic fell from Class 8A to Class 7A and joins Blanche Ely, Olympic Heights and West Boca Raton in District 13 in Region 4. St. Thomas Aquinas will be in the forefront in District 14 with their returning rival Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, South Plantation and Nova.
     The rest of Region 4 looks the same. District 15 has McArthur, Miramar, South Broward, Cooper City, Everglades and American. District 16 includes Mater Academy, Doral Academy, North Miami, Miami Beach, Hialeah and Homestead.

Palm Beach County All-Star Game Preview

     The Palm Beach County High School Football All-Star Game will be held in Jupiter on Saturday. The contest had been held over the past decade at John I. Leonard.
      Some of the top senior prospects will be participating. Olympic Heights head coach Baz Alfred will head up the American squad while Cardinal Newman head coach Joe Molina will lead the National squad.
      The American team will have Kaimyn Castilla(Seminole Ridge) and Mike Moreland(Palm Beach Central) at quarterback. Running backs Nick King(Park Vista), Bobby Armes(Dwyer) and Dallis Small(American Heritage) will share the backfield. Odieu Hilaire(Glades Central), Jack Coulson(Olympic Heights), Bryan Antoine(Olympic Heights), Connor Hindsley(American Heritage), Mike Robinson(Jupiter) and Ryan Cameron(Jupiter) will be the wide receivers.
     Some of the players on the other side of ball are defensive lineman includes Vernon Padgett(Dwyer), Brandon Holcomb(Boca Raton) and Kortney Ware(Glades Central). They have Nick Ely(Boca Raton), Peter Sinoyiannis(Seminole Ridge), Julian Rincon(Dwyer) and Brandon Bentacourt(John I. Leonard), Secondary players includes Tyrell Coleman(Forest Hill), D'Marco Augustin(Park Vista), Davion Maxwell(Boca Raton) and Ty'Korian Brown(Seminole Ridge).
     There are other players who can see action. They include Palm Beach Central wide receiver Gen'Taris Oliver, Forest Hill running back Darius McClendon, Dwyer wide receiver Reggie Gadsen, Forest Hill running back Chaz Eaton and Park Vista quarterback Tyler Thomas.
     The National team has quarterbacks Kalani Ilimaleota(Atlantic), Justin Wake(Kings Academy) and Ethan DiBerardino(Cardinal Newman). Jadien Durant(Wellington), Kevon Purnell(Palm Beach Lakes) and Kenel Beaubrun(Royal Palm Beach) are their running backs. Their wide receivers include Deante Nelson(Pahokee), Jeremiah Scroggins(Kings Academy), Chris Nelson(Atlantic), Dane Stratton(Wellington), Blake Goldberg(Spanish River) and Balatin Celestin(Wellington).
    Defensive players for them can have an impact. Zach Cecil(Atlantic), Cornelius Mann(Palm Beach Lakes) and Arkel Williams(Atlantic) will guide the defensive line. They have linebackers Omari Burgess(Wellington), Wendy Francois(Palm Beach Gardens) and Andy St. Hillaire(Santaluces). Defensive backs includes Leroy Love(Pahokee), Cory Croteau(Kings Academy), Jerson Jacques(Santaluces) and Drew Luchey(Kings Academy).
     Others players who are expected to play for the National team. They have Palm Beach Gardens quarterback David Studstill, Tommy St. Julien(Cardinal Newman), Frankey Augustave(Lake Worth), Palm Beach Lakes quarterback Jalen Hall and Santaluces defensive lineman Angelyns Julceus.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Dan Le Batard Adds Second Podcast Show

     Local and national sports radio host Dan Le Batard will add a second podcast called South Beach Sessions. It will be a weekly podcast that will be rolled out on January 8. His new podcast will have a preview episode on December 18. It is part of the new Le Batard And Friends Podcast Network.
     Le Batard has been a sports talk co-host with Jon Weiner, a.k.a. Stugotz, on Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM since August 2004. They were added to ESPN Radio in September 2013. The program has been simulcast on ESPNU.
     He has hosted Dan Le Batard Is Highly Questionable for several years with his father Gonzalo and different co-hosts for several years. Le Batard is a former longtime sports columnist for the Miami Herald.

Wild Ride By Panthers

     The Minnesota Wild beat the Florida Panthers 5-1 at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday night. The Panthers have not won in Minnesota since the 2009-10 season. The Cats, who are 0-3-1 in their last four games, return home on Saturday and face the Toronto Maple Leafs.
     Florida(11-13-6) got on the scoreboard just once at the 2:20 mark of the first period. Denis Malgin compiled his first goal of the year on assists from MacKenzie Weegar and Frank Vatrano.
     The Wild tied it up 1-1 with 4:38 left in the first. Nino Niederreiter put the puck in the cage with assists from Ryan Suter and Mathew Dumba. Niederreiter got his second goal of the contest at 11:54 of the second period from Suter to move ahead.
     Minnesota(17-12-2) extended their gap with 4:31 remaining in the period as Eric Staal scored his 11th goal of the campaign. Mikael Granlund and Jared Spurgeon were credited with assists on the play.
     They made it 4-1 just 1:02 into the third period as Zach Parise placed his 14th goal of the season. Niederreiter and Suter both got their third points of the game on assists. Jonas Brodin put in a tally several minutes later at 3:51.

Marlins Select Riley Ferrell In Rule 5 Draft

     The Miami Marlins have selected pitcher Riley Ferrell as the fourth overall pick in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft in Las Vegas. He was pitching in the Houston Astros organization.
     Ferrell has never pitched in the majors. He split his time in 2018 between Fresno in the Pacific Coast League(AAA) and Corpus Christi in the Texas League(AA).

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Jazz Pound Heat

     The Utah Jazz smashed the Miami Heat 111-84 on Wednesday night at Vivint Smart Home Arena. It was the fourth game of a long road trip for the Heat as Miami never led the contest once.
     Utah(14-15) dominated and blasted out to a 40-15 lead after one quarter. They still had the lead 60-33 at halftime. Miami(11-16) was outscored 32-20 in the third quarter and trailed 92-53.
     Kelly Olynyk had 14 points along with eight rebounds for the Heat while Rodney McGruder got a team-high 16 points. Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz with a game-high 21 points and Kyle Korver contributed 16 points.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Blues Blow By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers were unable to hold on to a third-period lead and fell to the St. Louis Blues 4-3 on Tuesday night at Enterprise Center. It was the first game on the road for the Panthers since they finished a season-high, eight-game home stand.
     In the first period, Florida(11-12-6) got the only tally and had just five shots on goal. Aleksander Barkov tapped the puck up to Jonathan Huberdeau at the blue line. His lead pass got to Evgenii Dadonov in low right circle and he scored on a forehand shot from close range with 4:31 left for his 14th goal of the season.
     St. Louis(11-14-4) rallied back early in the third period with two goals in an 11-second span. Robert Thomas carried the puck from the right corner across the end wall and behind the Panthers net. His centering pass to slot went to Ivan Barbashev and he scored on a wrist shot at 18:32.
     The Blues took the lead at the 18:21 mark. A clearing pass around the boards was stopped by Jaden Schwartz on the right-wing wall.  He found David Perron for a one-time slapshot from the top right circle that beat Roberto Luongo.
     They made it 3-1 with 8:48 left in the third. Schwatz raced down the left side and behind the Panthers cage. He sent the puck to Perron in the right circle and his slap-pass went off Frank Vatrano for a goal.
     The Panthers answered back 32 seconds later and were down 3-2. Mark Pysyk pinched in and backhanded the puck to Jared McCann in the left corner. He sprinted around the Blues cage and fed MacKenzie Weegar for his first goal of the year on a one-time slapshot from the right-circle dot.
     Florida tied the game at 3-3 with 6:46 remaining. Barkov made a cross-ice pass behind the net to Huberdeau to the right goal line. He centered to the low slot and Mike Hoffman tapped the puck by Jake Allen.
     St. Louis came back to go in front with 3:55 to go. Perron moved the puck back to Vince Dunn on the left point. His slapshot was saved by Luongo, however Brayden Schenn slipped in a backhand shot from the crease area for the go-ahead tally.

Marlins Send Yadiel Rivera And Brett Graves To Minors

     The Miami Marlins have sent infielder Yadiel Rivera and pitcher Brett Graves to their Triple-A minor league affiliate in New Orleans. The Marlins roster dropped from 40 players to 38.
     Rivera got some considerable time with the Marlins in 2018. He had a .173 batting average with one home run and nine RBI in 111 games last season. He previously played three seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2015 to 2017.
     Graves made his major league debut with the Fish this year. He pitched 21 games in relief which amounted to 33-1/3 innings, had a 1-1 record, 21 strikeouts and one save.

Monday, December 10, 2018

LeBron James And Lakers Top Dwyane Wade And Heat

     Dwyane Wade faced former teammate LeBron James for the final time in an NBA game as the Los Angeles Lakers outscored the Miami Heat 108-105 at Staples Center on Monday. Wade and James helped the Heat win two NBA championships and four Eastern Conference titles in their four seasons together in Miami. James won the all-time head-to-head matchup against Wade 16-15.
     The Lakers have won six of the last 20 meetings between both clubs. LA swept the Heat in the season series for the first time since the 2007-08 regular season.
     Los Angeles(17-10) had a 27-23 advantage after one quarter. Miami(11-15) went on a 17-4 run that ran between both quarters and moved ahead 34-29 three minutes into the second quarter. They were in front 58-55 by halftime.
     The Lakers began the second half with a 6-2 spurt and had a 84-83 lead after three quarters. The Heat led 96-90 with 7:18 left in the fourth. Los Angeles went on a 13-2 run and moved ahead 103-98 with 3:55 to go. The contest was tied 103-103 with 2:56 remaining. In the final seven seconds, Wade and Justise Winslow both missed three-point shots to tie the game.
     Wade ended up with a double-double with 15 points, which all of them were in the second half, and 10 assists for Miami. Winslow got a team-high 28 points while Kelly Olynyk added 15 points.
     James finished short of a triple-double for the Lakers against his former team with 28 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Kyle Kuzma had a game-high 33 points for Los Angeles.

Dwayne Wade Versus LeBron James For Final Time

     Former Miami Heat teammates Dwyane Wade and LeBron James will face each other for the final time in a National Basketball Association game. The Miami Heat visit the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Monday night. Wade announced earlier this year that this would be his last season.
     Both James and Wade came into the NBA at the same time. James was picked first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Wade was selected fifth overall by the Heat at the 2003 NBA Draft. Wade and James became teammates in 2010 and played four seasons together with the Miami Heat. They compiled two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013 along with four consecutive Eastern Conference titles.

Sunday, December 9, 2018

South Florida High School Football State Champions

     Three South Florida high schools were able to win a state championship at Camping World Stadium in Orlando this past week. There were seven representatives from the South Florida tri-county area in six state title contests.
     Dade County ended up with one state champion. Miami Northwestern repeated as Class 6A state champions as they defeated Armwood for the second straight year by the score of 22-0. Columbus was upended by Mandarin 37-35 in the Class 8A state title clash. Defending Class 2A state champions Champagnat Catholic had their title reign stopped by North Florida Christian 28-20.
     Broward County finished with the other two state champions from South Florida. Cardinal Gibbons won their first state title as they beat North Marion in Class 5A. Chaminade-Madonna won their second straight Class 3A state title as they topped the only Palm Beach County high school Kings Academy 38-10. St. Thomas Aquinas fell to Lakeland 33-20 in the Class 7A state title game.

Dolphins Stun Patriots

     The Miami Dolphins pulled off a miracle final play to defeat the New England Patriots 34-33 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. The Patriots would have clinched their 10th consecutive AFC East Division title if they had held on to win the game.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Heat Handle Clippers

     The Miami Heat took down the Los Angeles Clippers 121-98 at Staples Center on Saturday night. It was the second game of a six-game road trip for the Heat.
     Miami(11-14) had a 34-30 advantage after one quarter and still led 65-62 at halftime. Los Angeles(16-9) slightly closed the gap to 91-90 after the third quarter. The Heat went on a 28-7 run to begin the fourth quarter and never looked back.
     Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 25 points and Justise Winslow fell short of a double-double with 21 points along with nine assists. Two players almost combined double-double as Kelly Olynyk compiled 15 points and nine rebounds while James Johnson put together 18 points and nine rebounds. Tobias Harris had a team-high 20 points for the Clippers.

Mandarin Shocks Columbus To Win 8A Title

     The Mandarin Mustangs surprised the Columbus Explorers 37-35 in the FHSAA Class 8A state championship game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Saturday night. It was the first state title in school history for Mandarin.
     Columbus(14-1) got the first and they scored on their first possession. Quarterback Brandon McDuffey fired a 71-yard pass to wide receiver Xzavier Henderson for a touchdown at 10:05.
     Mandarin(11-4) came back on their first drive and tied the contest 7-7. Quarterback Carson Beck connected a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demario Douglas at the 7:27 mark.
     The Mustangs moved ahead 14-7 with no time left in the first quarter. Wide receiver Kris Mitchell caught a 23-yard strike from Beck. In the second quarter, they added a 27-yard field goal from Hudson Levine at with 7:10 left for a 17-7 lead.
     The Explorers cut the deficit to 17-14 with 4:52 remaining. McDuffey tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Kalani Norris.
     Mandarin regained a 10-point left with 1:50 to go in the first half. Beck threw another touchdown pass to Douglas from 11 yards away.
     In the third quarter, Columbus scored on the first play of their second possession at 6:43. Henderson caught a 45-yard touchdown reception from McDuffey and made it 24-21.
     The Mustangs answered back just over a minute later with 5:37 left in the third. It was the same connection from Beck to Douglas from 39 yards out.
     Beck would compile his fifth touchdown pass of the game early in the fourth quarter. Douglas make his fourth touchdown catch in the contest which was for 29 yards with 10:48 remaining for a 37-21 lead.
     There would be one more surge for Columbus later in the fourth. McDuffey threw a 32-yard strike to Norris with 9:23 to go. Running back Henry Parrish ran in a two-point conversion and they were down 37-29.
     McDuffey got his fifth touchdown pass of the contest with 1:17 left. Henderson made it to the end zone for the third time on a nine-yard reception. They fell short and missed on the two-point conversion run by Parrish to tie the game.

Panthers End Home Stand And Lose To Rangers

     The Florida Panthers finished their season-high, eight-game home stand as they were edged by the New York Rangers 5-4 in a shootout at BB&T Center on Saturday night. The Panthers had a 3-2-3 record during their two-week stint in South Florida. It was the only appearance by the Rangers in Sunrise this season.
     New York(14-12-3) scored at the 3:37 mark of the first period. Tony DeAngelo fired a slapshot the left point that was saved by Roberto Luongo. Kevin Hayes tapped the rebound slightly to his left in the crease and Mika Zibanejad swept in the puck.
     The Blueshirts added a shorthanded goal with 1:50 left in the first. Hayes centered the puck from the end wall to the low slot. Vladislav Namestnikov was all alone, skated a couple of steps and scored on a forehand shot.
     In the second period, Florida(11-11-6) converted on the power play 57 seconds in to cut it to 2-1. Keith Yandle rocketed a slapshot from the right point through traffic by Henrik Lundqvist. Mike Hoffman and Jonathan Huberdeau were credited with assists on the play.
     The Panthers evened it up 2-2 at 4:14. Following a Yandle feed in the neutral zone, Huberdeau carried the puck into the Rangers zone on the left side, went to the top left circle and placed a soft wrist shot through the legs of Lundqvist. It was the 300th point for Huberdeau in his NHL career.
     The Rangers regained the lead 6:28 into the second. DeAngelo cycled the puck from the left point to Brady Skjei on the left point. His sailing snap shot went off of Matt Beleskey in the left circle for the tally.
     The Cats tied it up 3-3 with 1:40 remaining in the period. The Rangers turned it over at their own blue line. Aleksander Barkov tapped the puck to Huberdeau on the left side and he sent a cross-ice pass. Aaron Ekblad scored on a wrist shot from the inner right circle.
     New York moved out in front 4-3 just 1:32 into the third period. The puck slide up to the left point and Fredrik Claesson blasted a slap shot for the go-ahead goal.
     Florida put in a goal with the man advantage with 9:09 left in the third to make it 4-4. Yandle angled a pass from the top of the zone to the left wing Barkov scored on a snap shot from the top left circle.
     In overtime, the Rangers thought they won the game with 8.7 seconds left, but the goal was disallowed. Namestnikov went though the right circle and shoveled a shot which Luongo saved, however his left hand moved forward and put the puck in the Panthers net.
     The game went into a shoutout and New York prevailed. Zibanejad scored on their first attempt as he lifted a backhand shot. Kevin Shattenkirk put in a snap shot during the second attempt for the Blueshirts. Huberdeau kept the Panthers in it as he put in a snap shot on the second attempt. Kevin Hayes wrapped it up on the Rangers third attempt with a forehand shot.

Florida Panthers Radio Split Studio Host Duties

     The Florida Panthers Radio Network studio hosts for the remainder of the regular season will be split between Kevin Rogers and Chris Wittyngham. Alex Donno was promoted from the evening host position and started his new midday show with Josh Friedman on Thursday. Donno had been hosting Florida Panthers games since the 2014-15 season.
     Rogers returned at the beginning of the 2017-18 season to be the studio host for weekend games while Donno did the weekday contests. Chris Wittygham was used as an emergency backup in the past two seasons when both Donno and Rogers had a commitment as the studio host of the Miami Hurricanes Radio Network.

Miami Northwestern Repeats Over Armwood For 6A Title

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls captured their second straight FHSAA Class 6A state championship as they blanked the Armwood Hawks 22-0 on Saturday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The Bulls won the title game in 2017 and edged the Hawks 21-16. Miami Northwestern matched its two consecutive state title reign that they had accomplished in 2006 and 2007.
     After a scoreless first quarter, Miami Northwestern(10-5) was able to get on the scoreboard first. Defensive back Timothy Burns intercepted a pass and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 5:08 left in the second quarter.
     The Bulls took control in the third quarter. Quarterback Isaiah Velez connected a 65-yard touchdown pass to running back Nathaniel Noel at the 9:56 mark for a 14-0 lead.
     They increased their margin to 20 points just 34 seconds later. Hawks quarterback Cam'ron Ransom fumbled the ball and Bulls linebacker Samuel Brooks returned it 56 yards for a score. Armwood(13-2) surrendered a safety with 8:12 left in the third when Ransom was sacked in the end zone and they trailed 22-0.

Chaminade-Madonna Drops Kings Academy For 3A Crown

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions beat the Kings Academy Lions 38-10 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Saturday. It was the second straight state title for Chaminade-Madonna.
     The first quarter belonged to Kings Academy(12-2). Defensive back Jayvon Lynn intercepted a pass at midfield and returned it 37 yards to the CM 13-yard line. Three plays later, quarterback Justin Wake threw a 14-yard pass to wide receiver Cory Croteau for a touchdown at the 7:25 mark.
     TKA made it 10-0 on the first play of the second quarter. Bernie Cueto was able to kick a 37-yard field goal just four seconds in.
     Chaminade-Madonna(12-2) would then compile 38 unanswered points for the rest of the contest. Defensive back Te'cory Couch intercepted a pass and returned it to the TKA 48-yard line. It led to running back Willie Davis IV scoring on a 14-yard touchdown run with 5:26 left in the quarter. They took their first lead of the game 14-10 when Davis rushed the ball in from 13 yards away with 1:05 remaining.
     The CM Lions struck on their first offensive play of the third quarter 27 seconds in. Quarterback Daelen Menard connected a 71-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Elijah Canion. Menard made it 28-10 as he found wide receiver John Dunmore in the end zone on a 16-yard pass with 2:09 to go in the third.
     In the fourth quarter, Kings Academy lost the ball on downs at their own 34-yard line with nine minutes left. Chaminade-Madonna finished their next possession on a 27-yard field goal from Carter Davis at the 6:05 mark for a 21-point margin. Deidrick Stanley would score on a 36-yard punt return with eight seconds remaining in the game to make it 38-10.

Friday, December 7, 2018

Heat Slam Suns

     The Miami Heat got a 115-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena. It was the first game of a long road trip out west for the Heat. The Suns currently have the worst record in the NBA.
     Phoenix(4-22) had a 36-34 edge after one quarter, however Miami(10-14) overtook them and were up 60-50 at halftime. The Heat pulled away 89-73 after three quarters.
     Bam Adebayo composed a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds for Miami. Goran Dragic also had a double-double as he contributed 11 points along with 10 assists. Deandre Ayton got a team-high 16 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix.

Lakeland Takes St. Thomas Aquinas And 7A Title

     The Lakeland Dreadnaughts stopped the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders 33-20 in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Friday night. Lakeland had previously won three consecutive Class 5A state titles against St. Thomas Aquinas from 2004 to 2006. STA attempted to capture their 11th state title in school history.
     The Raiders tried to open the scoring, however Logan Lupo missed a 30-yard field goal wide left at 10:20 of the second quarter. Lakeland(15-0) took over and running back Demarcus Bowman raced 80 yards on the first play for a touchdown to give them a 7-0 lead just 12 seconds later.
     The Dreadnaughts added more points on their next possession with 15 second left in the second. Jace Hohanthaner kicked a 38-yard field goal and they led 10-0.
     Both offenses fumbled the ball away in the first minute of the second half. STA would score on their second possession. Quarterback Curt Casteel rambled in on a 15-yard touchdown run at the 10:30 mark of the third quarter to make it 10-7.
     Lakeland regained their 10-point margin only 17 seconds later. Fenley Graham returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a score.
     St. Thomas Aquinas(13-2), who entered the game with a 7-0 record in state title games held in Orlando, answered back quickly at 9:18. Running back Daniel Carter was able to rush the ball in from five yards out and they trailed 17-14.
     The Dreadnaughts responded on their next possession to make it 20-14 with 6:25 left in the third. Hohanthaner booted a 25-yard field goal.
     They got the ball back on the first play of the next drive when Carter fumbled at the Raiders 12-yard line and it was recovered by defensive lineman Latrell Jean. Four plays later, Lakeland fullback Jaharie Martin busted in from one yard away to put them ahead 26-14 with 4:16 remaining in the quarter.
     The Raiders needed a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but they lost the ball on downs near the Dreadnaughts 14-yard line at the 11:11 mark. Two possessions later, Lakeland put the game out of reach on a Martin two-yard touchdown run with 5:01 left for a 33-14 lead.
     St. Thomas Aquinas reached the end zone one more time with 1:57 to go. Casteel connected a 13-yard pass to wide receiver The'Andris Freeman, however they failed on the two-point conversion pass and STA was down 33-20.

Cardinal Gibbons Tops North Marion For 5A Title

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs finally reached the top of the mountain as they defeated the North Marion Colts 48-10 for the FHSAA Class 5A state championship on Friday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The Chiefs captured their first football state title and finished the season winning their last 13 games.
     North Marion(12-3) got the ball first and put up points in their first possession. Tyler Stopford kicked a 38-yard field goal at the 7:52 mark to give them a 3-0 lead.
     Cardinal Gibbons(13-2) responded quickly on their first drive. They finished their first possession with a 20-yard field goal from Daton Montiel with 3:51 left in the first quarter.
     The Colts retook the lead with no time remaining in the first. Quarterback Quintin Gross rushed in from 11 yards away and they were up 10-3.
     The Chiefs special teams unit would have an impact midway through the second quarter. Sidney Porter blocked a punt and returned it six yards for a touchdown to tie the score 10-10 at 6:55. They got their first lead of the contest 13-10 with 2:04 to go when Montiel booted a 19-yard field goal and they led 13-10.
     Cardinal Gibbons expanded the gap with 50 seconds remaining in the first half. Quarterback Brody Palhegyi connected a 52-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jake Harrington for a 20-10 lead.
     In the third quarter, the Chiefs continued their momentum during their second possession. Running back Vincent Davis sprinted 49 yards up the middle into the end zone for a touchdown at 8:04 and extended their lead to 27-10.
     On the third play of the next North Marion drive, Wright intercepted a Gross pass at the Colts 34-yard line. It led to running back Coleman Bennett rushing in from three yards away with 5:06 left in the third for a 24-point margin.
     In the fourth quarter, Cardinal Gibbons extended the gap to 41-10 at the 9:57 mark. Palhegyi kept the ball and scored from six yards out.
     North Marion surrendered another touchdown with 6:10 left in the contest. Davis broke into the end zone on a three-yard touchdown run to make it 48-10. A running clock was implemented for the remainder of the game.

Champagnat Catholic Falls To North Florida Christian For 2A Title

     The Champagnat Catholic Lions lost to the North Florida Christian Eagles 28-20 in the FHSAA Class 2A state championship game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Friday. Champagnat Catholic were the defending state champions and played in their third straight state title game. It was the first state title for North Florida Christian since 2011 and their eighth overall.
     Things did not start off right for Champagnat Catholic(9-6) on the first play of their first possession. Quarterback Christopher Vidal tossed the ball on a bubble screen and it was intercepted by North Florida Christian(9-4) linebacker T.J. Ward for a 35-yard touchdown just 18 seconds into the contest.
     The Lions bounced back on their next drive. Vidal took the ball in from two yards away and cut the lead to 7-6 at the 7:22 mark of the first.
     In the second quarter, the Lions failed to take the lead when Emile Bien Aime missed a 24-yard field goal wide right at 7:37. The Eagles extended their lead with three seconds left in the first half. Quarterback J.D. Jerry plunged in from one yard out and they had a 14-6 halftime lead.
     A bad snap by the Lions over the head of their punter was recovered by Deandrae McCray in the end zone to give NFC a 21-6 lead with 5:47 left in the third quarter.
     Champagnat Catholic answered back on their next possession at the 4:15 mark. Running back Justin Payoute raced in from four yard away and running back Daryn Duke Jones followed with a two-point conversion run and closed the gap to 21-14.
     The Eagles put up another score with 38 seconds to go in the third. Jerry sprinted in on a 12-yard touchdown run for a 14-point margin.
     In the fourth quarter, the Lions were able to keep up. Jones ran in from three yards out at 10:12 and they trailed 28-20.
     Jerry fumbled the ball with 3:36 left at the Lions 44-yard line and it was recovered by linebacker Walter Phillips to give Champagnat Catholic one more shot to tie it. The Lions got as close as the Eagles 33-yard line before they turned the ball over on downs with 1:24 remaining.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Avalanche Storm By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers lost to the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 at BB&T Center on Thursday night. It was the seventh game of an eight-game home stand for the Panthers who have a 3-3-1 record during that stretch. The Avalanche won for the seventh time in their last eight road games.
     Colorado(17-7-5) got the lead first with 9:20 left in the first period. Nathan McKinnon made a pass from the left wing to the blue line. Patrik Nemeth made a wrist shot from the top of the zone and it grazed off Mikko Rantanen in the low slot and past Roberto Luongo. It was the 12th goal this season by Rantanen.
     Florida(11-11-5) evened up the contest with 2:07 remaining in the first. Borgan Kiselevich passed the puck back-and-forth with MacKenzie Weegar at the blue line. Kiselevich snapped a shot from the left point which was deflected in by Colton Sceviour in the slot area.
     The Avs got a shorthanded goal at 5:44 of the second period. Carl Soderberg went through the neutral zone and stopped in the high slot. His snap shot rolled off the left arm of Luongo and into the Cats cage.
     The Panthers still were able to score a power-play goal at the 6:19 mark. Jared McCann sent a diagonal pass from the right-circle dot to the bottom left circle and Aaron Ekblad scored his sixth goal of the year on a wrist shot by Phillipp Grubauer.
     In the third period, Florida could not clear their own zone during a long shift and the Avalanche took advantage of it. J.T. Compher stopped the puck at the right point and his snap shot was redirected by Gabriel Landeskog at the edge of the right circle with 13:38 left.
     Colorado added another tally 43 seconds later to make it 4-2.  Colin Wilson dropped the puck from the low left circle and Soderberg fired a slapshot for his second goal of the contest and 11th goal of the campaign. The Avs picked up an empty-net goal by Landeskog with 1:34 left for a three-goal margin.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

ESPN West Palm Broadcasting Class 3A Title Game

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM in West Palm Beach will be broadcasting the FHSAA Class 3A championship game between The Kings Academy Lions and the Chaminade-Madonna Lions on Saturday morning. The broadcast team will consist of Ken LaVicka as the play-by-play announcer and Jimmie Bell as the game analyst.
     The station had broadcast a state title game when a Palm Beach County high school was involved in 2014 and last year. ESPN West Palm had the Class 8A championship game with Atlantic and the Class 3A championship game with Oxbridge Academy in 2017.
     None of the eight FHSAA football state championship games will be broadcast on South Florida television. The contests will be streamed on BoxCast by Spectrum Sports for a fee.

Alex Donno And Josh Friedman New WQAM Midday Show

     Miami Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM has named Alex Donno and Josh Friedman as their new midday show and their program will begin on Thursday. Both Donno and Friedman worked as evening hosts on the two different sports radio stations in the Miami market owned by Entercom Communications.
     Donno, a 2007 University of Miami grad, begin his professional broadcasting career with Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM as an intern, producer and reporter. He was later elevated to Sunday morning MMA weekend host and afternoon sports anchor.
     He left The Ticket and joined WQAM in July 2012. Donno first worked as a Saturday morning MMA host and midday sports anchor. He was promoted to the evening host spot in August 2014 following seven months as a midday co-host with Brandon Guzio. Donno was named the studio host of the Florida Panthers Radio Network just prior to the 2014-15 regular season. He was named the studio host for the Miami Hurricanes Radio Network last year.
     Friedman, an Indiana University grad, makes his return to WQAM after a 15-year absence. He joined The Ticket in December 2005. He began as a reporter for the station covering the Florida Marlins, Miami Dolphins and Miami Heat. He later hosted a weekend show until March 2014.
     After The Ticket lost the radio broadcast rights to the Miami Marlins following the 2013 season, Friedman was named the evening host in April 2014 and picked up Chris Wittyngham as a co-host in July 2014. They were the interim afternoon co-hosts for one month in August 2015 and then returned to the evening shift. Wittyngham left the evening program in May 2016 and Friedman has co-hosted the evening show with guest co-hosts until this week.
     Friedman had a tenure with a Chicago sports radio station during the 1990s as a reporter, producer and board operator. He moved to Miami in 1996 and was the morning show producer at WQAM. He became the Florida Marlins reporter in 1998. He left that station in May 2003 and worked the next two years as a Miami sports reporter for Metro Networks.

FHSAA Football Finals Not On South Florida Television

     The FHSAA football state championship games will not be broadcast on South Florida local television for the sixth consecutive year. The eight high school state title contests will be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando from Thursday until Saturday.
     Spectrum Sports has the exclusive television rights to the FHSAA football championship games. Local South Florida residents who may not go up to Orlando can pay a fee to see each individual contests on an internet stream from BoxCast on Spectrum Sports.
     Only one game will be broadcast on local radio. ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM will have the FHSAA Class 3A state championship game on Saturday morning. Florida Atlantic University radio voice Ken LaVicka will be the play-by-play announcer while Jimmie Bell is the game analyst.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Magic Elude Heat

     The Miami Heat fell to the Orlando Magic 105-90 at American Ailines Arena on Tuesday night. The Heat had their two-game winning streak snapped.
     Orlando(12-12) had a 27-25 edge after one quarter, however Miami(9-14) moved ahead 50-46 by halftime. The Magic outscored the Heat 30-12 in the third quarter and had a 76-62 lead.
     Hassan Whiteside fell short of a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds for Miami. Justice Winslow placed 14 points and Dwyane Wade added 11 points. Aaron Gordon of Orlando had game-highs with 20 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

Panthers Jump Bruins

     Roberto Luongo made his return and compiled his 77th career shutout as the Florida Panthers hammered the Boston Bruins 5-0 on Tuesday night at BB&T Center. Luongo is now ninth all-time in NHL history with victories. It was the sixth game of an eight-game home stand for the Panthers.
     After a scoreless first, Florida(11-10-5) took the lead in the second period at 4:21. Colton Sceviour made a wrist shot that Jaroslav Halak saved and the puck laid inside the blue paint. Mike Hoffman came racing in through the crease and poked it into the Bruins cage. It was the 13rd goal for Hoffman this season which leads the club.
     The Panthers increased their lead to 2-0 with 6:47 left in the second. Mike Matheson skated the puck down the right side of the neutral zone. He squeezed by Torey Krug at the Bruins blue line, skated to the right circle and scored on a snap shot.
     The Cats made it a three-goal margin on a 4-on-4 situation with 4:46 remaining. Keith Yandle fed a cross-ice pass from the right point to Jonathan Huberdeau on the top left circle. His wrist shot squeaked between the legs of Halak for the tally. Aleksander Barkov was credited with an assist on the play.
     Florida capped the second period on a power-play goal with just 3.7 seconds to go for a 4-0 lead. Barkov made a pass from the top of the zone to the right wing and Hoffman smacked in a slapshot.
     In the third period, Boston(14-9-4) surrendered a goal on the Panthers power play. Barkov got the puck to the right of the net, went around and backhanded a centering pass. Evgenii Dadonov put in a one-time shot from the crease. It was the 5,000th NHL goal in Florida Panthers history.

Columbus And Mandarin Title Preview

     The Columbus Explorers challenge the Madarin Mustangs on Saturday night for the Class 8A state championship at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
     Columbus(14-0) is undefeated and have outscored their opponents 419-105 this season. The Explorers got by Coral Gables 38-21 in the regional quarterfinal, shut out Miami Palmetto 42-0 in the regional semifinal and outscored South Dade 54-28 in the regional final. They went on the road last week for the state semifinal and topped Deerfield Beach 49-21. The Explorers will depend on their rushing attack with running backs Henry Parrish Jr. and Demetries Ford.
     Mandarin(10-4) has got to the state title game for the first time and they have won their last four games. The Mustangs shut out DeLand 35-0 in a regional quarterfinal, defeated Winter Park 41-8 in a regional semifinal,  beat Wekiva 19-7 in a regional final and upended Riverview Sarasota 45-31 last week in a state semifinal.

Miami Northwestern And Armwood Title Preview

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls take on the Armwood Hawks in the FHSAA Class 6A state championship at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Saturday. Both schools have won their share of state titles over the past 12 years.
     Miami Northwestern(9-5) are the defending Class 6A state champions. They will try and match their two straight title runs from 2006 and 2007. The Bulls have played all their postseason games on the road and are use to the travel. They disposed of Mainland 31-16 in the regional quarterfinal, defeated Heritage 31-19 in the regional semifinal, shocked Miami Central 19-15 in the regional final and smashed Naples 40-7 in the state semifinal. They have averaged 29 points in their last six games.
     Isaiah Velez is expected to start at quarterback for the Bulls and Kemani Brown can fill in depending on the circumstance. Running back Nathaniel Noel will get the majority of carries from the backfield while Javas Jackson and Timothy Burns could see some action. Wide receivers Jacquez Stuart, Romello Brinson, Sean Delaughter, Dwight Jackson and Rayquan Berry look to catch passes downfield from Velez.
     Armwood(13-1) enters the game on a 13-game winning streak. The Hawks have outscored their last 10 opponents 437-84 and compiled four shutouts. They shut out South Lake 54-0 in a regional quarterfinal, pounded Lake Weir 65-7 in a regional semifinal, handled Vanguard 31-6 in a regional final and beat Crestview 35-22 in a state semifinal. Quarterback Cam'ron Ransom will lead the Hawks offense.

St. Thomas Aquinas And Lakeland Title Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders will clash with the Lakeland Dreadnaughts in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship on Friday night at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Both schools met each other in the Class 5A state title game three consecutive years from 2004 to 2006.
      St. Thomas Aquinas(13-1) has never lost a championship game in Orlando and won titles there in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016. STA looks to win their fourth state title in the last five seasons and 11th overall. The Raiders have won nine straight games and outscored their opponents 666-110 this season. They outlasted South Miami 77-20 in the regional quarterfinal, pounded district rival Fort Lauderdale 51-0 in the regional semifinal, blanked Dwyer 35-0 in the regional final and beat Venice 38-18 in the state semifinal.
     The Raiders have quarterback Curt Casteel to call the signals. He will look for wide receivers Marcus Rosemy, Xavier Restrepo, Jamal Cooney, Jahvante Royal and The'Andris Freeman down the field on passes. Running backs Daniel Carter and Nigel White are expected to split the rushing opportunities from the backfield.
     Lakeland(14-0) has compiled five shutouts and have outscored their opponents 660-115 this season. The Dreadnaughts scrambled Wiregrass Ranch 43-7 in a regional quarterfinal, knocked off crosstown rival Kathleen 29-7 in a regional semifinal, topped Plant 49-30 in a regional final and outscored Edgewater 56-21 in a state semifinal. Running back Demarcus Bowman will get the majority of carries while quarterback Dywonski McWilliams can pass the ball.

Cardinal Gibbons And North Marion Title Preview

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs challenge the North Marion Colts in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Friday.
     Cardinal Gibbons(12-2) is on a 12-game winning streak entering this contest. The Chiefs have outscored their last 12 opponents 380-113. They routed Merritt Island 49-14 in a regional quarterfinal, downed district rival American Heritage 35-7 in a regional semifinal, got by Jones 30-27 in a regional final and stopped Jesuit 14-3 in a state semifinal.
     The Chiefs can rely on their rushing attack with running backs Vincent Davis and Tajae Davis in the backfield splitting the opportunities. Brody Palhegyi has stepped in at quarterback for an injured Nik Scalzo and will connect passes to wide receivers Dimon Stewart, Dijon Senior, Troy Stellato, Nicholas Ogneneovic, Majon Wright, Jake Harrington and Chris Benestad.
     North Marion(12-2) has won their last nine games. The Colts have outscored their last nine opponents 352-148. They eased by Menendez 27-22 in the regional quarterfinal, defeated Zephyrhills 40-21 in the regional semifinal, beat Nature Coast Tech 29-22 in the regional final and surprised Trinity Christian Academy 29-25 in the state semifinal. Quarterback Corey Wilsher will led the Colts on offense.

Chaminade-Madonna And Kings Academy Title Preview

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions take on the Kings Academy Lions on Saturday morning in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Both teams won their state semifinal games on the road last week.
     Chaminade-Madonna(11-2) is the defending Class 3A state champions and are playing in the state title for the third straight year. The Lions have won seven consecutive games and allowed just three points in their last five games. They have outscored their opponents 447-119 this season. They pounded Palmer Trinity 62-0 in the regional semifinal, got by American Heritage 14-3 in the regional final and last week blanked Clearwater Central Catholic 16-0.
     The Lions intends the rush the ball with running backs Thaddius Franklin and Willie Davis IV. Quarterback Daelen Menard will look for wide receivers John Dunmore, Rory Bourdeau and Jordan Cash for pass receptions.
     Three of the last four victories for Kings Academy(12-1) have been by one point and they have outscored their last opponents by just 12 points. The Lions have outscored their opponents 487-190 this year. TKA beat Holy Trinity Episcopal 16-7 in a regional semifinal, edged First Academy 23-22 in a regional final and outscored Florida State University High 49-48 in a state semifinal.
     Lions quarterback Justin Wake will guide the team and can throw passes to wide receivers Cory Croteau, Jeremiah Scroggins, Drew Luchey, Isaac Scroggins, Mark Witzen and Milton Bayonne. Running backs Pressley Almond and Dillon Larson are expected to get rushing opportunities from the backfield.

Champagnat Catholic And North Florida Christian Title Preview

     The Champagnat Catholic Lions face the North Florida Christian Eagles in the FHSAA Class 2A state championship at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Friday morning.
     Champagnat Catholic(9-5) is the defending Class 2A state champions and had to win four straight playoff games on the road. They are making their third consecutive appearance in the state title game. The Lions edged Miami Christian 20-19 in the first round, defeated Moore Haven 29-16 in the regional semifinal, beat Neumann 21-10 in the regional final and handled Admiral Farragut 24-20 in the state semifinal.
     Quarterback Christopher Vidal will look for wide receivers Malik Richardson, Shedrick Ursery and Johnqual Lewis downfield. Linebacker Daryn Duke Jones leads the Lions defense. He will also be used in the rushing attack along with running backs Donovan Jones and Calvin Montgomery.
     North Florida Christian(8-4) outscored their last three opponents 106-47. They blasted Florida A&M 38-6 in a regional semifinal, took down University Christian 45-21 in a regional semifinal and slipped by Victory Christian Academy 23-20 last week in a state semifinal. Quarterback J.D. Jerry will guide their offense.

Monday, December 3, 2018

Marlins Sign Free Agents

     The Miami Marlins signed several players with some major league experience to minor league contracts. All of them will be invited to spring training camp held in Jupiter.
     The Marlins signed first baseman Pedro Alvarez. He played the last three seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and first made the majors as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Middle infielder Dixon Machado also signed with the Fish. He spent the last two seasons with the Detroit Tigers. They signed Devan Marrero who was an infielder last year with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
     Marlins catcher Bryan Holaday resigned and was given a minor league deal. The Fish also signed outfielder Gabriel Guerrero, who is the nephew of Baseball Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. He played 14 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 2018.

Caron Butler Added To SiriusXM Radio

     Former Miami Heat player Caron Butler has joined the NBA Radio channel on SiriusXM Radio as a rotating host for the early afternoon program No Look Pass. He was a Sunday midday host with Chris Mannix on Fox Sports Radio from late March 2018 until just before the NFL season.
     Butler was selected 10th overall by the Miami Heat in the 2002 NBA Draft. He played his first two seasons with the club alongside Dwyane Wade. Butler was traded to the Los Angels Lakers with Lamar Odom and Brian Grant for Shaquille O'Neal after the 2003-04 season. He was later with the Dallas Mavericks when they defeated Miami in the 2011 NBA Finals.

West Palm Beach Ratings November 2018

     There was a shift in the landscape among sports talk format staions in the West Palm Beach market. All three competitors in the region did not gain any audience.
     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM had the Florida Atlantic University football team near the end of their regular season with a .500 record. The baseball playoff broadcasts piped in from ESPN Radio, along with FAU football not played on Saturdays, caused less high school football game broadcasts.
     640 The Hurricane WMEN-AM dropped from a 0.4 to a 0.2 in November. The station added Andy Slater as the new weekday afternoon show host at the start of the period and reintroduced Kevin's Other Show with Kevin Rolston and Steve Diener for afternoon drive on Mondays.
     1230 The Zone WBZT-AM remained at a 0.0 for the third consecutive month. They still have the Defo Show with Jeff DeForest from Miami during the morning shift and 20 hours of CBS Sports Radio Network daily. The University of Florida football team came up with a good regular season.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

The Amigo Begins SiriusXM Radio Show

     Larry Milian, a.k.a. The Amigo, will begin his new national morning show for SLAM Radio at SiriusXM Radio on Monday. He is also the program director for that station.
     SLAM stands for the Sports Leadership Arts and Management charter school network and it is based in Miami. Music entertainer Pitbull is a co-founder and brand ambassador of the organization.
     Milian was last heard on local radio at 880 WZAB-AM. He co-hosted a Saturday late morning show with former WTVJ-TV Channel 6 and current ESPN sportscaster Stefano Fusaro from August 2016 to February 2017.
     He had previous stints on South Florida radio. He began at Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM along with Alan Strauss as weekend co-hosts on The Dos Amigos program in late 2005. They were later elevated to late nights and worked there until 2009.
     Milian then landed at 640 Sports WMEN-AM in late 2009 as a weekend afternoon co-host with Andy Slater. He joined the morning shift in July 2010 where he partnered with Armando Salguero and later Chris Perkins until Milian left the station in December 2011.
     His next stop was at Miami Sports 940 WINZ-AM in January 2012. He co-hosted a mid-afternoon show with first Phil Domanic and later Troy Stradford until August 2013.
     The Amigo would work the next couple of years on internet websites. He joined StateOfTheU.com in August 2013 as a writer and Wednesday night podcast host. Milian added duties as a Saturday late morning sports host at SoFloRadio.com in April 2014. He later became a part of SportsOvertime.com in 2015 as their morning show host.

Heat Swing Jazz

     The Miami Heat barely beat the Utah Jazz 102-100 on Sunday night at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won their second straight contest.
     The first quarter belonged to Utah(11-13) as they pulled ahead 35-27. The Heat then went on a 28-10 run ane trailed by just two points 55-53 at halftime. Miami(9-13) took over in the second half and were up 80-77 after three quarters.
     Hassan Whiteside compiled a monster double-double with 23 points and 20 rebounds for the Heat. Dwyane Wade had 15 points and eight assists while Josh Richardson along with Kelly Olynyk both contributed 16 points each. Ricky Rubio put in a team-high 23 points for the Jazz.