Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Blue Jackets Trick Panthers

     Zach Werenski nailed a hat trick as the Columbus Blue Jackets took the Florida Panthers 4-1 at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday night. It was the last game for the Panthers this calendar year and this decade.
     The Florida Panthers began a four-game road trip which is their longest road swing since late October. The Blue Jackets increased their point streak to 11 games with a 7-0-4 record.
     In the first period, Columbus(18-14-8) leaped up to a 1-0 lead at 4:54. Werenski got the goal on a feed from Alexander Wennberg.
     Florida(20-14-5) evened it up 1-1 at the 3:39 mark. Mark Pysyk backhanded the puck from the right corner to Anton Stralman on the right point. His slap shot was redirected in by Colton Sceviour in the low slot past Elvis Merzlikins for his fourth goal of the year.
     A power-play goal helped for the Blue Jackets to regain the lead 2-1 with 4:26 left in the second. Boone Jenner powered his eighth goal of the campaign by former Blue Jacket Sergei Bobrovsky while Gustav Nyquist picked up the primary assist and Wennberg got his second assist in the contest.
     It became a 3-1 lead for Columbus at 4:13 of the third period. David Savard sent a cross-ice pass from the right circle to the left circle. Werenski snapped a shot through traffic for a two-goal margin.
     Werenski completed the hat trick with his 11th goal of the campaign at the 8:04 mark for a 4-1 lead. Nick Foligno cycled the puck around the right corner to Nyquist on the end wall. His centering pass went off the left skate of Mike Matherson to the high slot and Werenski scored on a wrist shot.

2019 FHSAA Football Title Recap

     South Florida high schools showed their dominance in 2019 as they captured seven FHSAA state championships in the eight classifications. It was giant increase for South Florida where they won three state titles in 2018. It was the best performance by high schools from South Florida in the FHSAA playoffs since 2013 when they won six state titles.
     The eight FHSAA championship games were held in two different locations for the first time since 2005 when it was split between Dolphin Stadium and FIU Stadium in Miami. Small school classifications from Class 3A to Class 1A were held at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee. Large school classifications from Class 8A to Class 4A were played the following weekend at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach.
     Two Broward County schools ended up winning state championships this year. St. Thomas Aquinas won their first Class 7A state title since 2016 with a 28-23 victory over Edgewater. The Raiders captured their fourth state title in six seasons, eighth title in the last 13 years and tied a Florida high school state record with their 11th overall championship.
     Chaminade-Madonna picked up their third consecutive Class 3A state title. The Lions were able to defeat Florida State University High 35-20. Running back Thaddius Franklin set FHSAA state championship game records of 47 carries for 333 rushing yards.
     Five Dade County schools swept their way to state titles. Columbus captured their first state title in school history as they topped Apopka 21-20 in the Class 8A state title game. The Explorers, who were a state finalist in 2018, won the contest with eight seconds left when wide receiver Jahvar McSween caught a two-point conversion pass from quarterback Brandon McDuffey.
     Miami Central returned to the top of Class 6A as they outscored Escambia 62-27. The Rockets had a state championship game record 498 rushing yards for their first state title since 2015.
     Miami Northwestern joined Class 5A in 2019 and defeated Jones 34-17 to captured their third straight state championship and seventh overall. The Bulls won the Class 6A state title game in 2017 and 2018.
     Booker T. Washington got by Bolles 25-21 for their first Class 4A state title since 2015. It was the sixth overall state title for the Tornadoes.
     Champagnat Catholic bounced back with the Class 2A state title as they topped Victory Christian Academy 35-14. It was their second state championship in the last three years.

South Florida Sports Review 2019

     2019 turned out to be a bad year just like it was for all four South Florida professional sports teams back in 2017. All four clubs did not make an appearance in the postseason.
     The Miami Heat finished tied for ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 39-43 record and finished two games behind to make the NBA playoffs. It was the final season for guard Dwyane Wade as he retired from the NBA after playing 15 of his 16 seasons with the Heat.
     The Miami Dolphins began the 2019 season losing their first seven games. They won five of their last nine games to finish with a 5-11 record and had the worst record in the AFC East.
     The Florida Panthers had a 36-32-14 record for 86 points and missed the postseason. The team finished fifth in the Atlantic Division and tenth in the Eastern Conference.
     The Miami Marlins faded quickly as they ended up with a 57-105 record and finished last in the National League East behind the Atlanta Braves by 40 games. It was just the third time in franchise history that they lost at least 100 games in a season.

Florida Wins Orange Bowl Over Virginia

     The University of Florida Gators beat the University of Virginia Cavaliers 36-28 in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night. Running back Lamical Perine led the Gators with 13 carries for 138 yards and three touchdowns.

Monday, December 30, 2019

Wizards Roll Down Heat

     The Miami Heat were defeated by the Washington Wizards 123-105 at Capital One Arena on Monday night. It was the final game of the calendar year and the decade for the Heat and Wizards. The Heat return to Miami and host the NBA champion Toronto Raptors on their 20th anniversary in American Airlines Arena on Thursday.
     Miami(24-9) got out to a 39-29 advantage after one quarter. It disappeared as Washington(10-22)  surpassed them and moved ahead 71-63 by halftime. Both clubs stayed even during the third, but the Wizards outscored the Heat 33-24 in the fourth quarter.
     The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler as he had 27 points. Bam Adebayo added 14 points and 15 rebounds for a double-double. Duncan Robinson drained in 16 points and Kendrick Nunn put in 14 points. Jordan McRae scored a game-high 29 points for the Wizards and Garrison Mathews contributed 28 points.

Jonathan Huberdeau Named All-Star

     Florida Panthers left wing Jonathan Huberdeau has been named to the Atlantic Division squad for the NHL All-Star Game. It is the first time that Huberdeau was selected. The skills competition will occur on January 24 and the game will be held in St. Louis at Enterprise Center on January 25.
     Huberdeau leads the Florida Panthers this season with 15 goals, 37 assists, 53 points, 18 power-play points and 35 even-strength points. He has put up 16 points in the last six contests. Huberdeau is sixth in the NHL with 53 points and tied for fourth in the league with 37 assists.

West Palm Beach Ratings December 2019

     The ratings for sports talk format radio stations in the West Palm Beach region were released. ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM did not participate because they do not subscribe.
     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM remained at a 0.4 during the month. Florida Atlantic University captured a Conference USA title on their new flagship station and the Florida Panthers continued their strong start this season.
     Sports Radio 1230 The Zone WBZT-AM stayed at a 0.1 for the third straight period. The University of Florida football team finished their regular season.

WQAM To Cut Daytime Signal Power

     560 The Joe WQAM-AM will soon have their daytime transmission signal dropped in wattage. Their daytime signal will fall from 5,000 watts to 4,100 watts while their nighttime signal will remain the same at 1,000 watts. The lower amount of power during the daytime will have no impact on the ability of South Florida residents to hear the signal.
     WQAM was notified that their lease of a tower site on Virginia Key just southeast of Miami will not be renewed. They are expected to use their auxiliary tower site on NW 71st Street in Little River as their primary tower site sometime in 2020.

Miami Dolphins 2020 Opponents

     The Miami Dolphins ended their 2019 regular season on Sunday with a victory over the New England Patriots. The Dolphins finished in last place among teams in the AFC East Division.
     Their opponents for the 2020 regular season have been decided. They will play one game home and one game away against their divisional opponents the New England Patriots, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills
     The Fins will face clubs from the AFC West. They visit Las Vegas for the first time ever and take on the Raiders and go to Denver against the Broncos. They will host the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.
     Miami will see teams from the NFC West Division. They stay home for the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks and fly out to the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals.
     The Dolphins will challenge two non-divisional AFC opponents. They host the Cincinnati Bengals while they go up I-95 and face the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Panthers Hound Habs

     The Florida Panthers downed the Montreal Canadiens 6-5 at BB&T Center on Sunday night. Florida finished off a stretch in which they played 16 of their last 20 games at home.
     The Panthers have won five of their last six games. It was the final home game for the Panthers in the calendar year and this decade.
     Florida(20-13-5) moved ahead 1-0 at the 4:34 mark. Mike Matheson released a shot from the top left circle that went off Brett Connolly to the left of the crease. Noel Acciari put in a forehand shot from the top edge of the blue paint for his 13th goal of the season.
     The Cats expanded it to 2-0 at 6:33.  Ben Chiarot attempted to make a backhand clearing pass in the left corner that went off the right skate of Jonathan Huberdeau. It slid to the low slot and Aleksander Barkov banged in a one-time shot.
     Montreal(18-15-6) cut the deficit to 2-1 on the power play with 6:29 left in the first. Nick Suzuki passed it from the right circle to Jeff Petry at the top of the zone. He angled the puck to the left circle and Tomas Tatar snapped a shot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his 16th goal of the year. Suzuki extended his point streak to five games.
     The Habs tied up the game at 1:20 of the second period on a 4-on-4 situation. Suzuki took the puck from Aaron Ekblad on the left-wing boards and softly backhanded it to the high slot. Petry got his fifth goal of the season on a high wrist shot.
     The Canadiens got their second goal during the 4-on-4 circumstance just 52 seconds later and gained a 3-2 lead. Brett Kulak skated the puck through the slot and to the right goal line. He passed to Max Domi and got the tally on a snap shot from the slot area to expand his goal-scoring streak to five games. Suzuki compiled his third assist on the play.
     The Panthers answered back to even it 3-3 at the 3:41 mark. Evgenii Dadonov passed from the left circle to Huberdeau in the high slot. He advanced it ahead to Barkov in the low slot and he snapped a shot for his second goal of the game along with his 13th of the campaign.
     The Cats reclaimed the lead 4-3 with 6:30 left in the second. Dadonov skated down the right side and behind the Canadiens cage. Huberdeau then flicked the puck from the left goal line into the crease and it went off the left skate of Chiarot for the goal.
     Huberdeau would score on the same shift 25 seconds later and increased the Florida gap to 5-3. Barkov forwarded the puck from the neutral to Huberdeau on the left side. He skated into the left circle and blasted a slap shot for his second tally of the contest and 16th goal of the season. It was his third four-point game this regular season.
     In the third period, they scored 45 seconds in to give the Panthers a 6-3 lead. Barkov dropped the puck back to Matheson on the left point and his slap shot through traffic found the back of the net for his third goal this year.
     The Habs make it 6-4 at 4:11 with the man advantage. A Domi shot from the right circle was blocked and made it back to Jordan Weal at the blue line. He fired a slap shot that was saved, however Jesperi Kotkaniemi placed the puck into the Panthers net from close range.
     Montreal pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and cut it to 6-5 with 1:52 remaining. Petry fed the puck from the top of the zone to Shea Weber on the top left circle and he smashed in a slap shot.

Dolphins Upend Patriots In Season Finale

     The Miami Dolphins shocked the New England Patriots 27-24 at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. The Patriots defeated the Dolphins 43-0 back in Week 2.
     Miami(5-11) scored first at 1:38 of the opening quarter. Jason Sanders booted a 27-yard field goal to get a 3-0 lead.
     The Dolphins extended their lead to 10-0 at the 10:31 of the first quarter. Defensive back Eric Rowe intercepted a pass from quarterback Tom Brady and returned it 35 yards for the score.
     The Patriots got on the scoreboard with 4:25 left in the second. Nick Folk was able to kick a 25-yard field goal and they trailed 10-3.
     New England(12-4) tied the contest on their next possession with 2:05 to go in the first half. Former American Heritage player and running back Sony Michel rushed in through the left side from four yards away.
     In the third quarter, the Fins regained the lead 17-10 at 7:42. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick scrambled up the middle and scored from four yards out.
     The Pats once again evened it up 17-17 with 4:26 left in the third. Brady completed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Roberts on the right side.
     Miami scored in the fourth quarter at the 8:29 mark to go ahead 20-17. Sanders converted on a fueld goal from 32 yards.
     New England would be able to leap ahead 24-20 with 3:53 remaining. Former St. Thomas Aquinas player and running back James White caught a 13-yard swing pass on the right side from Brady and raced untouched into the end zone.
     It would come down to the Dolphins final drive of the contest. Fitzpatrick tossed a five-yard pass to the middle of the end zone where tight end Mike Gesicki was with 24 seconds left and they led 27-24.

Saturday, December 28, 2019

Miami Heat Miami Arena Finale 20th Anniversary

     Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of the final Miami Heat home game ever held at Miami Arena. The Heat defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 89-78 on December 28, 1999.
     The Miami Heat played their next home game several blocks east of Miami Arena at American Airlines Arena against the Orlando Magic on January 2, 2000. They prevailed in that contest 111-103 in overtime.

Marlins To Sign Corey Dickerson

     The Miami Marlins are about to sign outfielder Corey Dickerson. The length of the deal is expected to be for two years.
     Dickerson split his time in 2019 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. He had a .304 batting average with 12 home runs and 59 runs batted in last season.

Heat Outduel 76ers

     The Miami Heat held off the Philadephia 76ers 117-116 in overtime at American Airlines Arena on Saturday night. The Heat improved their home record to 15-1 this season. It was the final home game to be played by the Heat this calendar year and this decade.
     Philadelphia(23-12) bolted out to a 33-28 lead after the first quarter and led 59-54 at halftime. Miami(24-8) outscored the Sixers 31-20 in the third to go up 85-79, but the clubs were tied 108-108 at the end of the fourth. The Heat outscored the 76ers 9-8 in overtime for the win.
     The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler as he had 25 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Goran Dragic contributed 19 points and seven assists while Duncan Robinson along with Tyler Herro both added 16 points each. Joel Embiid had a game-high 35 points and 11 rebounds for Philadelphia. Ben Simmons also had a double-double of 15 points and 11 assists.

Panthers Break Red Wings

     The Florida Panthers returned from the four-day holiday break and beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 at BB&T Center on Saturday night. The Cats will host the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday for their final home game of the calendar year and this decade. Riley Stillman played in his first game this season for the Panthers while the Red Wings lost their fifth straight game.
     Florida(19-13-5) moved ahead 1-0 on a power-play goal at the 2:46 mark. Mike Hoffman had the puck on the blue line and passed to Jonathan Hubedeau on the left wing. He centered it to the slot area where Evgenii Dadonov snapped a shot past Jimmy Howard for his 14th goal of the season.
     Detroit(9-27-3) tied it up 1-1 at 9:29. Hoffman turned the puck over at the right point to Filip Zadina and he advanced the puck to Darren Helm at the red line. He went on a breakaway through the left circle and scored on a wrist shot by Chris Driedger.
     The Red Wings took the lead 2-1 just 38 seconds later. Trevor Dailey had it at the top of the zone and angled a pass to Andreas Athanasiou in the low left circle.  He moved it to the middle where Dylan Larkin put the puck in from the top of the crease for his ninth goal this year.
     In the second period, Detroit made it a two-goal margin 46 seconds in on a shorthanded goal. Patrik Nemeth blocked a Hoffman slap shot in the right circle and it trickled to Frans Nielsen. He skated down the left side of the neutral zone and eventually scored on a snap shot from the left circle.
     The Panthers responded on a goal with the man advantage at the 1:58 mark. Vincent Trocheck sent the puck to Alekander Barkov in the right circle. Barkov fed Brett Connolly and he blasted a slap shot for his 15th goal of the campaign.
     The Cats evened it up 3-3 at 6:39. Frank Vatrano connected a pass from the left wing to Brian Boyle at the edge of the blue paint and he flipped a shot between his legs which was saved. Hoffman swept in for the he rebound and roofed a forehand shot 13th tally of the season.
     Florida was able to score nine seconds later and reclaimed the lead 4-3. Nielsen lost a handle of the puck in the low slot area and Dominic Toninato fired a shot from close range for his fourth goal.
     It became 5-3 for the Panthers on a 4-on-4 situation with 6:36 left in the third period. Barkov made a diagonal pass from the top left circle to Hoffman at the right goal line. He backed it and Anton Stralman scored on a wrist shot from the edge of the right circle.
     The Red Wings cut it to 5-4 with 4:11 remaining. Filip Hronek shot the puck from the left circle which was saved, but Luke Glendening easily scored on the rebound into a half-empty cage from the blue paint.

Friday, December 27, 2019

Heat Edge Pacers

     The Miami Heat got by the Indiana Pacers 113-112 at American Airlines Arena on Friday night. The Heat have won four straight and eight of their last 10 games. 
     Indiana(21-11) had a 27-25 advantage after one quarter, however Miami(23-8) bounced to take a 58-55 lead by halftime. The Heat were up 84-82 at the end of three quarters and held off the Pacers in the final seconds in the contest.
     Miami was led by Jimmy Butler as he compiled a double-double of 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Bam Adebayo also had a double-double of 18 points and 15 rebounds. Duncan Robinson dropped in 18 points while Kendrick Nunn scored 17. Aaron Holiday fell short of a double-double for the Pacers with 17 points and nine assists. 

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Miami Ratings December 2019

     The ratings for sports talk radio stations in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale region were released. 560 The Joe WQAM-AM was on top for the fifth straight month in the area. It was a general surprise that all four competitors did not show an improvement in ratings.
     WQAM moved from a 1.4 to a 1.3 in the month. It was the first time since June that the station had a downward trend. Perhaps the main reason has been the mediocre seasons for both the Miami Dolphins and University of Miami Hurricanes football. They have been stable with the switch to ESPN Radio for a portion of the day.
     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM went from a 0.7 to a 0.6 in the period. The Miami Heat continued to be near the top of the Eastern Conference. The station continued with 16 hours of local weekday programming and moved on with Brian London no longer on the morning show.
     Miami Sports 940 WINZ-AM fell from a 0.3 to a 0.2 in the month. They had the conclusion of the University of Florida football regular season and aired 18 hours of Fox Sports Radio on weekdays.
     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM remained with a 0.2 and tied a local sports talk radio format competitor in the Miami ratings for the first time ever with the Andy Slater mid-afternoon program leading the way. Florida Atlantic University football finished up strong in Conference USA with a championship in their first season on that station. The Florida Panthers continued with their strong start this year.

Louisiana Tech Shocks Hurricanes

     The University of Miami Hurricanes were surprised and lost to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 14-0 in the Walk-On's Independence Bowl on Thursday in Shreverport, Louisiana. The Bulldogs won a bowl game for the sixth straight season.
     It was the second time this season that Miami(6-7) lost a contest to a Conference USA team. They fell to FIU earlier this year. Prior to this season, the Canes had not been defeated by a Conference USA school since 1999.
     Louisiana Tech(10-3) got ahead 7-0 with 9:35 left in the second quarter. Quarterback J'mar Smith connected a 26 yard swing pass on the left sideline to running back  Israel Tucker.
     The Bulldogs capped off the victory with 1:16 remaining in the final quarter. Smith rushed up the middle and scored from eight yards away.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Heat Handle Jazz

     The Miami Heat beat the Utah Jazz 107-104 on Monday night at American Airlines Arena. It was the final game for the Heat prior to the holiday break. They play their next game on Friday against the Indiana Pacers.
     It started with Miami(22-8) ahead 32-28 after one quarter and 53-52 by halftime. Utah(18-12) got ahead 81-76 after three quarters, however the Heat outscored them 31-23 in the final frame.
     Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 20 points along with eight rebounds for Miami. Bam Adebayo completed a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds while Tyler Herro dropped in 17 points. Joe Ingles had a game-high 27 points for the Jazz and Rudy Gobert contributed a double-double of 18 points with 19 rebounds.

Lightning Blitz Panthers

     The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Florida Panthers 6-1 at Amalie Arena on Monday night. The Panthers had scored 17 goals in their three-game winning streak prior to this contest and have not won in Tampa Bay since March 2016.
     It the last game of the four-game season series between both teams which the Lightning won 3-1. It was also the final game for both clubs before the holiday break.
     It took 41 seconds for Tampa Bay(18-13-4) to go up 1-0. Erik Cernak released a wrist shot that was deflected in by Brayden Point in the crease for his 14th goal of the season.
     The Lightning made it 2-0 at the 15:06 mark. Ondrej Palat sent a cross-ice pass from the slot area to Point on the left circle. A pass went to Victor Hedman at the top of the zone and he blasted in a slap shot.
     The Bolts made it a three-goal lead on a power-play goal with 1:57 left in the first period. Palat chipped the puck from the low right circle and Mikhail Sergachev scored on a snap shot from the high slot.
     In the second period, Florida(18-13-5) cut it to 3-1 at 2:47 with a power-play tally. Jonathan Huberdeau put in his 14th goal of the years on assists from Aaron Ekblad and Vincent Trocheck.
     It was a fast response by the Lightning on the power play at the 5:53 mark. Steven Stamkos took a slap shot from the left circle which was saved, however Alex Killorn put in the rebound.
     Tampa Bay extended it to 5-1 on the man advantage with 10:08 remaining in the second. Stamkos passed it from the left circle to the slot and Point pushed a backhand pass to the right circle where Nikita Kucherov snapped a shot into the cage for his 13th goal of the campaign.
     It became 6-1 for the Bolts with 1:55 left in the third period. Point won a faceoff in the right circle and drew it back to Kucherov. He connected a cross-ice pass to the top left circle and Hedman blistered a slap shot for his second goal of the contest.

Marlins To Ink Francisco Cervelli

     The Miami Marlins are expected to sign catcher Francisco Cervelli to a one-year contract. The 12-year veteran has played for the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves.
     Cervelli helped the Yankees win their last World Series in 2009 as a backup catcher and was their for seven seasons. He joined the Pirates as a free agent in 2015 and helped them make the National League playoffs as a wild card that year.
     He spent the 2019 season with the Pirates and Braves. Cervelli played in a combined 43 games for both clubs and had a .213 batting average with three home runs and 12 runs batted in. He contributed for the Braves to make the postseason in 2019 as a backup catcher.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Dolphins Escape Bengals

     The Miami Dolphins survived with a 38-35 overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The Bengals will have the first overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft due to the loss.

St. Thomas Aquinas Wins In Las Vegas

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders played one final game in 2019 as they defeated St. Louis Crusaders(Hawaii) 35-19 at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The nationally televisted event was part of the Geico Bowl Series involving state championship football teams. The undefeated Raiders snapped the Crusaders 38-game winning streak.
     St. Louis(13-1) quarterback Jayden de Laura fumbled the ball away on the first play of the contest. St. Thomas Aquinas(15-0) scored on their first play of the drive 13 seconds into the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Zion Turner threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to the front left side of the end zone to tight end Anthony Johnson.
     The rest of the first quarter would belong to the Crusaders. They were up 13-7 on two touchdown passes by de Laura to wide receivers Roman Wilson and Koali Nishigava.
     The Raiders regained the lead 14-13 in the second quarter as wide receiver Marcus Rosemy caught a touchdown pass from Turner. On their next possession, running back Travis Dixon carried the ball, hopped several times and dove into the end zone for a 21-13 lead.
     St. Louis added one more touchdown before the end of the first half. de Laura scrambled in from 22 yards away and they trailed 21-19.
     The second half belonged to the St. Thomas Aquinas defense as they held the Crusaders scoreless in the final two quarters. The Raiders picked up two touchdowns during the third quarter rushed by running backs Anthony Hankerson and Jaedon Henry.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Panthers Top Hurricanes

     The Florida Panthers escaped with a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on Saturday. It was the first road game for the Panthers following a nine-game home stand that lasted three weeks. Their last contest away was in Washington against the Capitals on November 27.
     Evgenii Dadonov gave Florida(18-12-5) a 1-0 lead at 7:07 of the first period. Brian Boyle was able to make the only assist.
     The Panthers made it 2-0 in the second period with 8:26 left on a power-play goal. Aaton Ekblad took a shot from the top of the zone and Boyle deflected it from the crease area.
     In the third period, the Cats had a three-goal margin 26 seconds in with the man advantage. Jonathan Huberdeau chalked up his 13th goal of the season from the creass following a backhand pass by Aleksander Barkov from the end wall.
     Carolina(22-12-2) broke the shutout at the 9:16 mark. Nino Neiderreiter got a tally on assists by Teuvo Teravainen and Dougie Hamilton.
     Noel Acciari scored his 12th goal of the year at 10:41 for Florida on a feed from Huberdeau to give them a 4-1 lead. Acciari got his seventh goal in the last three games.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Heat Ease By Knicks

     The Miami Heat took the New York Knicks 129-114 on Friday night at American Airlines Arena.  The Heat came off a three-game road trip.
     Miami(21-8) rocketed out to a 39-20 lead after one quarter and were ahead 70-47 by halftime. New York(7-22) was unable to cut into the lead and they trailed 98-74 after three quarters.
     Bam Adebayo guided the Heat with 20 points and eight rebounds. Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic both contributed 18 points. Bobby Portis had a game-high 30 points for the Knicks and Mitchell Robinson added 18.

Panthers Push Stars

     Noel Acciari compiled his second consecutive hat trick as the Florida Panthers downed the Dallas Stars 7-4 at BB&T Center on Friday night. The Panthers completed a franchise record nine-game home stand where they had a 5-4-0 record during that span.
     Keith Yandle of the Panthers played in his 831st consecutive game to pass Andrew Cogliano for fourth all-time in NHL history. Joe Pavelski of the Stars played in his 1,000th NHL game.
     Florida(17-12-5) made it 1-0 on the power play at 4:37 of the first period. Mike Hoffman centered the puck from the right circle and Evgenii Dadonov placed it across the crease. It was pushed slightly by Aleksander Barkov and then Jonathan Huberdeau lifted a forehand shot from the left of the crease past Ben Bishop for his 12th goal of the season.
     Dallas(20-13-4) evened it up 1-1 with 6:50 left in the first. Denis Gurianov passed the puck from the right corner to Corey Perry on the right goal line. Perry returned it to Gurianov in the low slot and he scored on a wrist shot by Sergei Bobrovsky.
     It became a 2-1 lead for the Panthers with 5:12 remaining. Anton Stralman picked up his third tally of the campaign when he fired a snap shot from the right point that went off the left skate of Gurianov and into the Dallas cage. Frank Vatrano and Barkov were credited with assists on the play.
     The Cats increased the gap to 3-1 just 1:21 into the second period. Noel Acciari tried a wraparound shot and the puck entered the crease area. Huberdeau tapped the puck to his right and Vincent Trocheck scored his fifth goal of the season.
     Florida expanded their lead to 4-1 at the 2:52 mark. Dominic Toninato connected a pass to Colton Sceviour in the left circle and he snapped a shot for his third goal this year.
     The momentum continued for the Cats to make it a four-game margin at 7:26. Huberdeau moved the puck from the end wall to Trochek in the left corner. He sent it to the left circle where Acciari pivoted and scored on a wrist shot.
     The same line scored again 32 seconds later. Huberdeau made an outlet pass from the high slot to Trocheck in the right circle. His cross-ice pass found Acciari for a one-time slap shot and his 10th tally of the year.
     The Panthers were shorthanded and awarded a penalty shot with 8:35 to go in the second period when Acciari was pulled down by John Klingberg. He got the natural hat trick and 11th goal of the season as he slipped the puck by Anton Khudobin on a forehand shot for a 7-1 lead. Acciari had a three goals in the Panthers last game on Monday night against the Ottawa Senators. It was the fastest natural hat trick in Panthers franchise history. He was able to tie Pavel Bure who had consecutive games of hat tricks for Florida back in 2001.
     The Stars finally stopped the bleeding on the man advantage with 3:22 left in the second and they trailed 7-2. Tyler Seguin the goal on assists from Esa Lindell and Roope Hintz.
     In the third period, Seguin scored his second goal of the contest and 10th of the season at the 7:03 mark. Pavelski got the primary assist on the play. Seguin now has 19 points in his last 18 games.
     Dallas cut the deficit to 7-4 with 6:58 remaining. Perry made a short pass in the left circle to Miro Heiskanen and he moved the puck across the slot area. Jamie Benn blasted a slap shot from the right circle for his eighth goal of the season.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Dan Sileo Syndicated Radio Show

     Former South Florida sports radio host Dan Sileo is expected to launch a nationally syndicated radio show sometime in 2020. It will be called the Dan Sileo Radio Network.
     Sileo had stints earlier this decade locally at 560 WQAM-AM and 640 WMEN-AM as a sports talk host from 2012 to 2013. He spent the past five years as a sports host at XEPRS-AM and KWFN-FM in San Diego. Sileo has been hosting a sports show on Twitch since September.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Heat Pay Back Sixers

     The Miami Heat slipped by the Philadelphia 76ers 108-104 on Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Center. It was the final contest of a three-game road trip for the Heat as they reached second place in the Eastern Conference with the victory. The 76ers lost their first home game of the regular season and dropped to fifth in the conference.
     Philadelphia(20-9) stormed out to a 29-19 lead after one quarter. Miami(20-8) raced back to outscore the Sixers 37-19 in the second to go up 56-48 at halftime. The Heat maintained an eight-point lead at the end of three quarters and stretched it to a 16-point margin during the fourth.
     Kendrick Nunn scored a game-high 26 points for Miami while Bam Adebayo fell short of a double-double with 23 points and nine rebounds. Former Sixer Jimmy Butler had 14 points and seven rebounds. Joel Embiid compiled a double-double of 22 points and a game-high 19 rebounds for the 76ers. Former Heat player Josh Richardson and Ben Simmons both dropped in 17 points each.

Early National Signing Day Dade County

     Dade County high school football players made their selections for colleges they will attend. The county won five FHSAA state football championships earlier this month.
     The three-time defending state champions Miami Northwestern had wide receiver Marcus Fleming and defensive back Ronald Delancy head to Nebraska. Palmetto wide receiver Kentron Poitier shifted to Florida State. Gulliver Prep defensive end Donell Harris choose Texas A&M.
     FHSAA Class 8A champion Columbus sends offensive lineman Andre Lamas up to Florida Atlantic while defensive end Elijah Roberts remains in Miami.
     South Dade had several players make their decisions. It included defensive back Jaiden Francois(Nebraska), defensive back Keshawn Washington(Miami), offensive lineman Jonathan Denis(Oregon) and offensive lineman Jose Mirabal(FIU).
     Two players who won state titles this year will be heading to the same school. Class 6A state champion Miami Central running back Kejon Owens and Class 4A Booker T. Washington wide receiver Theodore Richardson are both going to attend FIU.
     Other top players in Dade County included Carol City wide receiver Thaiu Jones-Bell(Alabama), Southridge defensive lineman Emmanuel Belgrave(Pittsburgh), Norland defensive lineman Kendrick Wilson(Central Florida), Booker T. Washington defensive back Corey Thornton(Central Florida), South Miami linebacker Khaya Wright and Monsignor Pace defensive lineman Skykieim Gloster(FIU).
     Small schools in Dade County were also noticed. Champagnat Catholic wide receiver Jonhquai Lewis moved to Kansas, linebacker Jesus Machado jumped to Tulane and defensive back Jalen Harrell signed with Miami. Belen Jesuit running back Don Chaney Jr. remains in the region at Miami.

Early National Signing Day Broward County

     Broward County had many high school players select where they will attend college. Many of the powerhouse high school football programs in the area made the 2019 FHSAA playoffs.
     The FHSAA Class 7A state champions St. Thomas Aquinas had a large class as usual with numerous players making their decisions. People moving on included linebacker Derek Wingo(Florida), offensive tackle Marcus Dumervil(LSU), Marlon Martinez(LSU), wide receiver Marcus Rosemy(Georgia), wide receiver Jahvante Royal(Pittsburgh), linebacker Devon Betty(North Carolina State), defensive end Riyad Wilmot(Maryland), defensive lineman Bobby Washington(FIU) and running back Brian Brewton(Connecticut).
     Deerfield Beach had a bunch of players decide on their selections. They included running back Jaylan Knighton(Miami), wide receiver Xavier Restrepo(Miami), quarterback Michael Pratt(Tulane), wide receiver Deajaun McDougle(Maryland), wide receiver Bryce Gowdy(Georgia Tech), defensive end Kervins Choute(Central Florida), wide receiver Alex Henningham(Pittsburgh), defensive back Anthony Prospere(UT-Martin), defensive back Christopher Tonwsel(South Florida), offensive tackle Woody Jean(Arizona), offensive lineman Jahmari Slyvester(FIU) and offensive lineman Bryce McNair(Ohio).
     American Heritage had several people go to the next level. Patriots players included quarterback Edwin Rhodes went with (Tennessee State), defensive back Daryl Porter Jr.(West Virginia) wide receiver Douglas Emilien(Minnesota), defensive back Devonte Brown(Central Florida), defensive back Andrew Volmar(FIU), offensive lineman Khristopher Love(Maryland) and former linebacker Willie Hampton(Western Carolina).
     The three-time depending FHSAA Class 3A champions Chaminade-Madonna had wide receiver Elijah Canion join former Lions teammate Shaun Shivers at Auburn while offensive lineman Joseph Habinowski is off to Ohio.
     Former Class 5A champions Cardinal Gibbons had several players make decisions. Wide receiver Majon Wright signed with Arizona and defensive back Micahal Antoine with Iowa State. Defensive back Roman Parodie goes to Ohio and offensive lineman Gerald Mincey moves to Florida.    
     Plantation quarterback Gerard Nesbitt leaves for UT-Martin. McArthur wide receiver Damian Alford goes to Syracuse and linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II to Maryland. Weston cornerback Justin Hodges moves to Central Florida and defensive lineman Larry Johnson ends up at UT-Martin. Miramar defensive back Josiah Gauues next stop is South Dakota and former offensive lineman Sebastien Dolcine lands at Florida Atlantic.
     Blanche Ely defensive back Jashon Prophete selected Northern Illinois and former wide receiver Yanez Rogers will transfer from Cincinnati to FAU.
     Westminster Academy wide receiver Donovan Lassiter shifted to Lehigh while Calvary Christian defensive lineman Samuel Willams inked with Pittsburgh. University School defensive lineman Jalen Reeves stops at Rice and Stranahan defensive back Dave Herard picked Virginia.

Early National Signing Day Palm Beach County

     Palm Beach County high school football players made their selections where they will go to college. Just like early national signing day last year, several of the top players in the county held off from making any decisions.
     Two of the top players in Palm Beach County did make a selection. Palm Beach Central wide receiver Bryan Robinson made the decision to go with Florida State. Atlantic defensive tackle Henry Bryant III signed with Louisville.
     Several players from the Muck are going to the same college. Glades Central wide receiver Ja'Vontae Williams and Pahokee defensive end Latarie Kinsler choose Syracuse. Pahokee linebacker Frankie Burgess moves to Maryland and linebacker Tamarick Best leaves for FIU.
     Palm Beach Lakes sends two players to the same school. Llinebacker Vincent Starling and defensive back Jalien Holman head to South Dakota.
     Seminole Ridge defensive back Reyan Blake selected Connecticut. Benjamin defensive back Joshua Pierre-Louis signed with North Carolina State. Wellington defensive end Stephen Passeggiata landed at Appalachian State. Park Vista offensive lineman Dylan Lacroix went with Dartmouth. Former Boynton Beach linebacker Abraham Beauplan ended up in Marshall while former Palm Beach Gardens defensive lineman Jarrett Jackson landed at Florida State.
     A major player was from north of the Palm Beach County area. Jensen Beach defensive lineman Manny Rogers picked Florida State.

The Ticket Extends Amber Wilson

     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM midday co-host Amber Wilson has signed a contract extension with Entercom Communications. She will continue to co-host a program with Jonathan Zaslow.
     Wilson, a University of Florida and University of Miami grad, joined The Ticket in March 2016 to replace Joy Taylor as a morning co-host with Zaslow and Brett Romberg. She was moved along with Zaslow to the midday shift at that station in August.
     She previously was at SNY in New York City as the host of Beer Money from 2010 to 2011. Wilson then was a studio co-host at WFOR-TV Channel 4 in Miami for the weekend show Sports Bang with Steve Goldstein and Jon Weiner.
     Wilson also worked for several other South Florida media organizations. She was employed at CBS Sports Interactive from 2006 until 2008 and at Open Sports with Sid Rosenberg from 2008 to 2009.

Marlins Sign Matt Kemp

     The Miami Marlins have signed outfielder Matt Kemp to a minor-league deal. He played last season with the Cincinnati Reds as he compiled a .200 batting average with one home run and five RBI in 20 games.
     Kemp has played in the majors for 14 seasons. He had two stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and also played for the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves. His best season was in 2011 with the Dodgers when he led the National League with 39 home runs, 126 runs batted in and 115 runs scored.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Panthers Acquire Ryan Haggerty

     The Florida Panthers made a trade on Tuesday as they picked up forward Ryan Haggerty from the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward Kevin Roy. Haggerty had three goals and three assists in 23 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season. He will report to the Panthers AHL affiliate in Springfield.
     He has played in 308 AHL regular season games and recorded 156 points. Haggerty had a team-high 23 goals along with 21 assists in 68 games during 2018-19.

Monday, December 16, 2019

Heat Fall To Grizzlies

     The Miami Heat continues their three-road trip as they lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 118-111 at FedExForum on Monday night. The Heat have lost two of their last three games. The Grizzlies have the third worst record in the Western Conference.
     Memphis(10-17) was ahead 36-32 at the end of one quarter and were up 73-58 at halftime. Miami(19-8) cut the gap to 95-86 after three quarters and could not come closer.
     Jimmy Butler had a game-high 25 points for the Heat with eight assists while Tyler Herro put in 22 points. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds. Jonas Valaciunas of Memphis placed a team-high 21 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double

Noel Acciari Hat Trick And Panthers Snap Senators

     Noel Acciari scored three goals as the Florida Panthers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night at BB&T Center. The Panthers finish their franchise record nine-game home stand against the Dallas Stars on Friday night. Jonathan Huberdeau played in his 500th NHL game with the Cats and had a career-high four assists in the contest for his 400th career point.
     Florida(16-12-5) got up on a power-play goal to make it 1-0 at the 9:42 mark. Huberdeau scooted  the puck through the right circle to the slot area where Keith Yandle was. He pushed it ahead and Noel Acciari backhanded a shot from the top of the crease by Anders Nilsson.
     The Panthers made it a two-goal margin at 1:18 of the second period. Huberdeau picked up the loose puck in the high slot and carried it to the low slot. He angled a pass to his left and Acciari put in a forehand shot from the left of the crease for his second tally of the game.
     Ottawa(14-18-2) responded 47 seconds later and they were down 2-1. Logan Brown centered it from the right-wing board to Tyler Ennis in the top right circle. He passed ahead and Antem Anisimov scored on a wrist shot from the right of the crease past Sergei Bobrovsky for his fifth goal of the year.
     The Cats regained a two-goal gap at the 5:41 mark with the main advantage. Huberdeau backhanded a pass across the blue paint from the left side and Aleksander Barkov slid in a forehand shot for his 11th goal of the season.
     Acciari complete the hat trick with 9:27 left in the second period when he backhanded the puck in the cage from the blue paint for a 4-1 lead. MacKenzie Weegar and Aaron Ekblad were credited with assists on the play.
     It became a 5-1 gap for the Panthers with 4:54 remaining in the frame. Huberdeau carried the puck around the Sens net and backhanded it from the end wall. Mike Matheson smashed a one-time slap shot from the left circle for his second goal of the season. Huberdeau picked up his fourth assist in the game nnd 400th NHL point on the assist.
     Florida expanded their lead to 6-1 with 31.7 seconds remaining in the second. Ekblad fired a shot from the right corner below the goal line and it was redirected in by Dominic Toninato. The Panthers scored five goals in a period for the 10th time in franchise history.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Giants Jam Dolphins

     The New York Giants stomped the Miami Dolphins 36-20 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. It was the second straight game that the Dolphins played in East Rutherford, New Jersey. They faced the New York Jets last week and lost.
     Miami(3-11) scored first at 9:03 of the second quarter. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a 20-yard touchdown pass up the middle to wide receiver DeVante Parker.
     New York(3-11) quickly answered back at the 8:01 mark. Quarterback Eli Manning was able to connect a 51-yard pass to wide receiver Golden Tate for a score to tie it 7-7.
     The Fins reclaimed the lead 10-7 with 44 seconds left in the first half. Jason Sanders, who kicked a franchise-record seven field goals last week, booted a 24-yard field goal.
     In the third quarter, the Giants moved ahead 14-10 at the 11:53. Wide receiver Darius Slayton caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Manning.
     Sanders added another field goal for the Dolphins from 47 yards out at 8:44. The Giants got a safety as they tackled running back Patrick Laird in the end zone with 6:20 to go in the third. Running back Saquon Barkley plunged in from one yard away on their ensuing drive with 5:17 to give them a 23-13 lead.
     Barkley added another touchdown six seconds into the fourth quarter as he rushed to the left side for a 17-point lead. New York reached the end zone again with 4:41 remaining when running back Javorius Allen busted in from one yard out and they led 36-13.
     Miami got one last scoring drive with 1:54 left. Parker received a 29-yard pass on the left sideline from Fitzpatrick.

South Florida Undefeated In FHSAA Title Games

     Seven South Florida high school football teams played in the 2019 FHSAA football championships. It was a perfect 7-for-7 as all seven teams were victorious in championship game matchups over the past two weekends.
     Dade County sent five representatives to the title games and improved from one champion in 2018 to five champions this season. Champagnat Catholic got their second Class 2A title in three years with a 35-14 win against Victory Christian Academy. Booker T. Washington won their first Class 4A state title since 2015 as they edged Bolles 25-21. Miami Northwestern moved down to Class 5A and won their third straight championship and Dade County record seventh overall as they defeated Jones 34-17. Miami Central outscored Escambia 62-27 in the Class 6A title game to win their first state championship since 2015. Columbus got their first state title and they barely beat Apopka 21-20 in Class 8A.
     Broward County ended up with two championship squads like they did last season. Chaminade-Madonna won their third consecutive Class 3A title as they topped Florida State University High 35-20. St. Thomas Aquinas captured a record-tying 11th FHSAA championship with a victory over Edgewater 28-23 in the Class 7A contest. It was their eighth state title in the last 13 years.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Heat Move On Mavericks

     The Miami Heat bounced back after their 11-game home winning streak was snapped yesterday as they topped the Dallas Mavericks 122-118 at American Airlines Center on Satruday night . It was the first game of a three-game road swing for the Heat.
     The first half belonged to Miami(19-7). They rocketed out to a 37-23 lead after one quarter and had a 23-point lead at halftime 73-50. Dallas(17-8) crawled back into the contest as they outscored the Heat 31-18 in the third quarter and were down 91-81. It would eventually go into overtime where the Heat scored the last eight points in the extra quarter.
     Bam Adebayo compiled a triple-double for the second time in three games with Miami as he had 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 27 points while Tyler Herro dropped in 19 points. The Mavericks were led by Tim Hardway Jr. as he had a game-high 28 points.

St. Thomas Aquinas Defeats Edgewater For 7A Title

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders overcame the Edgewater Eagles 28-23 for the FHSAA Class 7A state championship on Saturday night at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach. The Raiders won their 11th state title which ties the Florida high school record with Bolles. St. Thomas Aquinas captured their eight title in the last 13 years.
     Edgewater(13-2) took a 7-0 lead at 8:33 of the first quarter. Running back Christian Leary dashed down the field for a 54-yard touchdown.
     The Raiders lost the ball on downs at the Eagles two-yard line midway through the second quarter. The Eagles capped the ensuing drive five plays later as Leary sprinted in from 75 yards away with 4:42 remaining for a 14-0 lead.
     St, Thomas Aquinas(14-0) answered back quickly with a four-play, 80-yard drive at the 3:41 mark. Running back Anthony Hankerson bolted on a touchdown run from 63 yards out and cut it to 14-7.
     In the third quarter, defensive back Blaine Anderson intercepted a ball from Eagles quarterback Canaan Mobley and the Raiders started at their 44-yard line. STA quarterback Zion Turner rushed out of the pocket and scored on a 13-yard run with 2:42 left to tie the contest 14-14.
     The Raiders got their first lead of the game with one second left in the third. Turner again scrambled and ran the ball in from 13 yards away to give them a 21-14 lead.
     Edgewater drove deep into Raiders territory on their next possession. They had to settle with a 25-yard field goal by Joey Ruggiero at 9:22 of the fourth quarter and trailed 21-17.
     St. Thomas Aquinas moved out to a 28-17 lead with 6:04 remaining as they scored on their third straight drive. Turner connected an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide Marcus Rosemy.
     The Eagles stayed in the game with 4:18 to go and they were down 28-23. Mobley found wide receiver Tommi Hill on a 26-yard pass play on the front right side of the end zone for a touchdown.
     Edgewater had a chance on the final play of the game at the Raiders 23-yard line. Mobley threw a pass that was intercepted by Rosemy in the back right corner of the end zone with no time remaining.

Bruins Stop Panthers

     The Boston Bruins topped by the Florida Panthers 4-2 at BB&T Center on Saturday night. The Panthers have lost three straight games and are 3-4-0 on their franchise record nine-game home stand. The Bruins are currently first in the Atlantic Division.
     Boston(21-7-6) got out to a 1-0 lead with 5:19 left in the first period. Charlie McAvoy forwarded the puck in the neutral zone to Jake DeBrusk. He flipped it over the stick of Anton Stralman at the blue line and put in forehand shot from the low slot past Sergei Bobrovsky.
     In the second period, the B's increased their lead to 2-0 at the 3:14 mark. Torey Krug picked the puck up on the right-wing boards and handed it to DeBrusk. He centered it and David Krejci one-timed a slap shot from the high slot that trickled into the Panthers cage.
     The Bruins added a power-play goal for a three-goal margin at 7:30. Krug angled a pass from the top of the zone to Brad Marchand at the top left circle. His diagonal pass was redirected in by David Pastrnak from the right edge of the blue paint for his NHL-leading 27th goal of the season.
     Florida(15-12-5) closed it to 3-1 at 2:47 of the third period. Keith Yandle guided a cross-ice pass to Aaron Ekblad in the high slot and he placed a snap shot on net. Tuukka Rask made the initial save, however Mark Pysyk backhanded the puck in from the top of the crease for his second goal of the year.
     The Panthers made it 4-2 at the 9:13 mark. Ekblad took a shot from the top right circle that went high. Vincent Trocheck passed it from the left corner and Yandle cranked a one-time slap shot from the left point.
     The Cats pulled their goalie for an attacker with 2:16 to go. Patrice Bergeron won a faceoff draw in his own left circle, Marchand sent an outlet pass up the middle and Pastrnak put in a wrist shot from the red line into an empty-net for his second goal of the contest.
   

Miami Northwestern Takes Jones And 5A Title

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls held off the Jones Tigers 34-17 in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship game at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach on Saturday. The Bulls captured their third consecutive state title and seventh overall. They won the Class 6A state championship in 2017 and 2018.
     Jones(13-2) scored on their opening possession at 7:19 of the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. Running back Avarius Sparrow pounded in from two yards away.
     Miami Northwestern(13-2) recovered a fumble during a punt return at the Tigers 15-yard line. Four plays later, running back Nathaniel Noel dashed in from six yards out to tie the game 7-7 at the 4:05 mark.
     The Bulls took their first lead 14-7 just 13 seconds into the second quarter. Quarterback Taron Dickens connected a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marcus Fleming.
     The Tigers answered back and evened it up 14-14 on their next drive. Sparrow got the ball and scored on a six-yard touchdown run with 7:15 left in the first half.
     In the third quarter, Miami Northwestern took a 21-14 lead on their first possession at 6:57. Noel sprinted for a touchdown from eight yards away.
     Jones responded on their next drive and cut the gap to 21-17 with 1:46 to go in the third. Jeffrey Saint-Louis was able to kick a 27-yard field goal.
     It became a ten-point margin for the Bulls at 8:24 of the fourth quarter. Noel compiled his third touchdown of the contest as he busted in on a one-yard run.
     After the Tigers lost the ball on downs at their 40-yard line, Miami Northwestern expanded their lead to 34-17 with 3:59 left in the fourth. Wide receiver Romello Brinson caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Dickens on the right side of the end zone.

Friday, December 13, 2019

Columbus Edges Apopka For 8A Title

     The Columbus Explorers defeated the Apopka Blue Darters 21-20 for the FHSAA Class 8A state title at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach on Friday night. The Explorers took their first lead of the game with eight seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to win their first state championship.
     Apopka(12-2) opened the scoring at 4:15 of the first quarter. Quarterback Jaquan Lowman moved out of the pocket and scored from three yards away to give them a 7-0 lead.
     Columbus(11-4) reached the end zone on their ensuing drive. Wide receiver Xzavier Henderson was able to rush around the left end from two yards out at the 11:14 mark of the second quarter to tie the contest 7-7.
     It was a quick response by the Blue Darters as they scored on their next possession with 8:29 left in the second and led 13-7. Lowman connected a 29-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jalen Williams. It would be the only pass Lowman completed in the game.
     The Blue Darters expanded the gap to 20-7 at 9:21 of the third quarter. Running back Tramar Jackson busted in on a 10-yard touchdown run.
     In the fourth quarter, the Explorers mounted a comeback. Henry Parrish Jr. caught a 15-yard toss from quarterback Brandon McDuffey with 3:21 remaining and cut the deficit to 20-13.
     It came down to the final seconds on the clock. McDuffey found Parrish again out the backfield on a six-yard pass with eight seconds left and they trailed 20-19. Following a timeout, they jumped ahead 21-20 with a two-point conversion pass as wide receiver Jahvar McSween received the ball on the front right side of the end zone from McDuffey.

Lakers Leap Heat

     The Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the Miami Heat 113-110 at American Airlines Arena on Friday night. The Heat lost their first home game of the 2019-20 regular season after being victorious in their first 11 contests. The Lakers have the best record in the Western Conference.
     Los Angeles sweep the season series as they won back on November 8. The Lakers have won eight of the last 22 meetings between both teams.
     It was a slight Los Angeles(23-3) lead after one quarter 30-29. Miami(18-7) outscored the Lakers 30-21 in the second and held a 59-51 lead at halftime. The Lakers took over in the second half and were up 88-95 after three quarters. They held the Heat in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
     LeBron James fell short of a triple-double for the Lakers with 28 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Anthony Davis also got a double-double with a game-high 33 points along with 10 rebounds. Jimmy Butler dropped in 23 points for Miami. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds while Derrick Jones Jr. scored 17 points.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Islanders Sweep Panthers

     The Florida Panthers lost to the New York Islanders 3-1 at BB&T Center on Thursday night. It was the sixth game of a franchise record nine-game home stand for the Panthers. The Islanders finished a stretch in which they played 10 of their last 13 games on the road.
     The Islanders swept the season series against the Panthers for only the second time in this rivalry. They won all the games back in the 2012-13 season.
     After no scoring in the first, New York(21-7-2) scored a power-play goal 49 seconds into the second period. Jordan Eberle moved the puck back from the top left circle. Devon Toews sent a forehand shot from the top of the zone by Sergei Bobrosky. It was the first goal by Toews in 24 games.
     The Islanders got another goal with the man advantage at the 4:40 mark to make it 2-0. Anders Lee released a shot from the blue line that was stopped by traffic. Josh Bailey teed the puck in the low slot. A cross-ice pass by Eberle went to Mathew Barzal and he snapped a shot from the left circle into a half-empty net for his 13th goal of the season. It was only the third time this season that the Isles scored multiple power-play goals in a game.
     Florida(15-11-5) closed it to 2-1 at 9:36. Mark Pysyk came into the offensive zone down the right side on a 2-on-1 breakaway. He slid the puck across to the left circle and Mike Hoffman finished the play with a snap shot past Thomas Greiss for his 12th goal of the campaign.
     New York held off the Panthers in the final frame of the contest. Lee added an empty-net goal from the slot area with three seconds left in the third period.

Miami Central Slams Escambia For 6A Title

     The Miami Central Rockets pounded the Escambia Gators 62-27 in the FHSAA Class 6A state championship contest on Thursday night at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach. The Rockets won their first state title since 2015. They broke the FHSAA state championship game record with 498 rushing yards.
     Miami Central(12-3) scored on the first play of their first possession of the game. Running back Amari Daniels sprinted 76 yards into the end zone to give them a 7-0 lead at the 10:35 mark.
     Things got bad for Escambia(14-1) as they turned the ball over on their next drive. Quarterback A.V. Smith fumbled it at his own 25-yard line and the Rockets took over. Daniels capped the drive on a run from 27 yards away at 9:55 for a 14-0 lead.
     The Rockets made it a 21-point margin with 2:14 left in the first. Daniels rushed in from six yards out for his third touchdown run of the quarter.
     The Gators answered back on their next drive. Running back Frank Peasant was able to dash into the end zone on a four-yard touchdown run with 1:28 to go and they trailed 21-7.
     It became a scorefest in the second quarter as both teams interchanged scoring results. Miami Central expanded their lead to 28-7 at 8:06 as running back Kejon Owens rambled in from four yards out.
     Escambia cut it to 28-13 with a six-yard touchdown run by wide receiver D.T. Gideon with 3:59 to go.
     The Rockets got another rushing touchdown by Owens as he plunged into the end zone from one yard for a 35-13 lead at the 1:59 mark.
     The Gators responded on their next possession as Smith connected a 56-yard touchdown pass to Gideon with 1:09 left in the quarter and trailed 35-19. They reached the end zone on their third straight drive.
     Miami Central finished off the first half as they scored on their fourth consecutive possession with 18 seconds left. Wide receiver Yulkeith Brown caught a 30-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Katravis Marsh and they had a 41-19 gap.
     The second half started with Rockets being stopped at their own 15-yard line on a fourth-and-one play. The Gators capitalized as Peasant scored on a touchdown run from 14 yards out at 9:09 of the third quarter. Gideon rushed in on a two-point conversion run and they were down 41-27.
     Daniels reached the end zone for the fourth time on the ensuing possession by Miami Central. He was able to race it in from 29 yards away at the 6:35 mark to give them a 21-point margin again.
     The Rockets added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Marsh had a 15-yard touchdown run at 10:16 and Owens compiled his third touchdown on a 38-yard run with 5:00 left for a 62-27 lead. A running clock was used for the remainder of the game due to the 35-point margin rule.

Willie Taggart Joins Florida Atlantic University

     Florida Atlantic University hired Willie Taggart as their new head football coach on Wednesday. He replaces Lane Kiffin who left the position on December 7 to become the head coach at Ole Miss.
     Taggart recently was the head coach of the Florida State University Seminoles until November. He had a two-year record of 9-12 with FSU.
     He was first noticed in the state of Florida as the University of South Florida head coach and was there from 2013 until 2016. Taggart guided the Bulls to a 24-25 record. Taggart then took the helm at the University of Oregon in 2017 and had a 7-5 record.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Booker T. Washington Tops Bolles For 4A Title

     The Booker T. Washington Tornadoes edged the Bolles Bulldogs 25-21 in the FHSAA Class 4A state championship on Wednesday night at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach. The Tornadoes won their sixth overall state championship and last won a state title in 2015. The Bulldogs were attempting to win a FHSAA record 12th overall football state championship.
     The Tornadoes fumbled the ball away at their own 47-yard line two minutes into the contest and Bolles(11-2) capitalized on their first drive. Wide receiver Davis Ellis made a five-yard catch from quarterback Ben Netting and fumbled it. Running back Kade Frew picked up the loose ball at the nine-yard line and went into the left side of the end zone for a Bulldogs 7-0 lead at 6:58.
     Booker T. Washington(13-2) bounced back on the next possession and scored at the 4:24 mark to even it up 7-7. Quarterback Torey Morrison connected a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jacorey Brooks in the back right corner of the end zone.
     The Bulldogs responded and reclaimed the lead 14-7 with 12 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Nutting tossed the ball to Frew on the right sideline. He cut to the right hash marks and got into the end zone from 24 yards away.
     In the second quarter, the Tornadoes closed it down to 14-10 at the 9:14 mark. Jose Mejia was able to kick a 23-yard field goal.
     Bolles extended their lead to 21-10 with 6:17 left in the second. Frew caught a swing pass from Netting and raced down the middle of the field for a 46-yard score.
     Neither team scored in the third quarter. Booker T. Washington cut the deficit on their fifth possession of the second half with 5:25 to go in the fourth quarter. Morrrsion connected a four-yard touchdown pass to Brooks in the corner of the end zone. Morrison threw to the left side to wide receiver Adam Moore on the two-point conversion and they trailed 21-18.
     The Bulldogs committed their first turnover of the contest with 4:26 left when Nutting fumbled the ball at his own 30-yard line. The Tornadoes drove down the field and capped it on a 15-yard run by Morrison to the right side with 2:50 remaining for a 25-21 lead.

St. Thomas Aquinas And Edgewater Title Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders challenge the Edgewater Eagles in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship game on Saturday night. It is the final state title contest to be played this week at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach.
     St. Thomas Aquinas(13-0) looks for redemption after losing the Class 7A title game against Lakeland 33-20 in Orlando last year. The undefeated Raiders have compiled seven shutouts and outscored their opponents 547-108 this season. STA has made an appearance in the championship game in 12 of the last 16 years. They clobbered South Broward 52-0 in the regional quarterfinal, defeated Plantation 59-19 in the regional semifinal, blanked Atlantic 26-0 in the regional final and shut out Venice 42-0 in the state semifinal. Quarterback Zion Turner can race out of the pocket at any time. He can connect passes to wide receivers Marcus Rosemy, Jahvante Royal, The'Andris Freeman and Ethan Corbijn. Running backs Jaedon Henry and Anthony Hankerson will see their share of rushing opportunities from the backfield.
     Edgewater(13-1) has been victorious in their last seven games. They have outscored their last seven opponents 286-98. The Eagles defeated Crestview 31-14 in the regional quarterfinal, survived double overtime against Lincoln 23-17 in the regional semifinal, dropped Niceville 28-20 in the regional final and upset Armwood 38-27 on the road in the state semifinal. Quarterback Canaan Mobley looks to find wide receivers Davin Martin, Christian Leary, Tommi Hill. Jeremiah Connelly and Anthony Weeden downfield for pass receptions. Running backs Isaiah Connelly, Treveon Bouie and Cedric Baxter are expected to carry the ball.

Miami Northwestern And Jones Title Preview

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls take on the Jones Tigers on Saturday at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach for the FHSAA Class 5A state championship.
     Miami Northwestern(12-2) is looking to win their third consecutive state championship. They captured the Class 6A state title for the last two years and were moved to a new classification this season. The Bulls, who have compiled five shutouts, are on an eight-game winning streak and have outscored their last eight opponents 362-64. They crushed Stranahan 63-0 in the regional quarterfinal, powered by Killian 47-3 in the regional semifinal, got by American Heritage 23-20 in the regional final and topped Jesuit 42-21 in the state semifinal. Running back Nathaniel Noel is expected to get the majority of carries from the backfield. The offense can go with quarterbacks Taron Dickens and Kamari Brown on any snap. They have a core of wide receivers that includes Kahill Brantley, Marcus Fleming, Romello Brinson, Jalen Rogers, Baron Grant and Zaylan Reese-Pittman.
     Jones(13-1) have won 11 consecutive contests and hosted four postseason games. The Tigers have outscored their opponents 550-172 this season. They beat Bishop Moore 32-16 in the regional quarterfinal, downed Nature Coast Tech 35-14 in the regional semifinal, defeated Vanguard 37-14 in the regional final and edged Wakulla 21-20 in the state semifinal. Quarterback Tysan Robbins can pass the ball to wide receivers Jadan Robinson, Mendez Jean-Baptiste, Dacarri Allen-Johnson, Aramoni Rhone and tight end Anthony Rucker. Running back Avarius Sparrow will get the bulk of the rushing attempts along with Trumon Latimer, A'ceon Cobb and Daquan Harris.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Heat Bounce Hawks

     The Miami Heat scored 22 unanswered points through the fourth quarter and overtime and topped the Atlanta Hawks 135-121 at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday night. It was the first time in franchise history that two Heat players put together triple-doubles in a game. Miami will host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
     Miami(18-6) jumped out with a 25-10 spurt and held a 36-30 advantage after one quarter. They were still ahead 66-64 by halftime. Atlanta(6-18) moved ahead 96-93 at the end of three quarters. The Heat scored the final six points of the fourth to make it 117-117 and put the contest into overtime. Miami scored the first 16 points of extra quarter before the Hawks got a field goal.
     Kendrick Nunn dropped in 36 points and Duncan Robinson pumped in 34 points for the Heat. Bam Adebayo compiled 30 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists while Jimmy Butler gathered 20 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. De'Andre Hunter had a team-high 28 points for the Hawks.

Lightning Burn Panthers

     The Florida Panthers were stopped by the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Tuesday night at BB&T Center. The Lightning have won three of their last five games and now trail the Cats by two points in the Atlantic Division standings.
     In the first period, Tampa Bay(15-11-3) went up 1-0 at the 6:42 mark. Alex Killorn knocked the puck away from Josh Brown in the low left circle. Steven Stamkos carried the puck through the crease, delayed a shot and finally put a forehand shot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 11th goal of the season. It was his fourth goal in the last three contests.
     The Lightning made it 2-0 at 4:51 of the second period. Killorn passed the puck from the right circle to Anthony Cirelli in the slot area. His close-range shot was saved, however Killorn put in a wrist shot from the right of the crease for his ninth goal of the campaign.
     Florida(15-10-5) thought they broke the shutout with 8:51 left in the third period. Vincent Trocheck won a faceoff in the left circle and drew the puck back to MacKenzie Weegar on the left point. His slap shot was deflected in with a high stick by Brett Connolly in the crease area.
     The Panthers pulled the goalie from their net for an extra attacker with three minutes to go. It worked as Evgenii Dadonov poked in a rebound from the blue paint following a Mike Hoffman wrist shot from the right circle and a redirection by Jonathan Huberdeau.

Monday, December 9, 2019

Columbus And Apopka Title Preview

     The Columbus Explorers challenge the Apopka Blue Darters for the FHSAA Class 8A state championship on Friday night at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach. It is a rematch of the 2014 Class 8A title game where the Blue Darters topped the Explorers 30-23.
     Columbus(10-4), the 2018 Class 8A state finalist, are riding a six-game winning streak and hosted four playoff games at Tropical Park. The Explorers have outscored their last six opponents 218-91. They handled Coral Gables 50-14 in the regional quarterfinal, routed Miami 35-2 in the regional semifinal, defeated Weston 36-21 in the regional final and got by Deerfield Beach 28-21 in the state semifinal. Running back Henry Bryant Jr. will get the majority of carries from the backfield followed by Maykel Solis and Vershod Quinn. Quarterback Brandon McDuffey intends to find wide receivers Xzavier Henderson, Christopher Gilbert, Trynyty Conway, Jahvar McSween and Ken Moore on passing attempts. Fernando Mendoza can be used as a backup quarterback.
     Apopka(12-1) has won eight straight games and compiled five shutouts this season. They have outscored their last eight opponents 253-64. The Blue Darters downed Flagler Palm Coast 42-25 in the regional quarterfinal, stopped Bartram Trail 34-13 in the regional semifinal, blanked Seminole 20-0 in the regional final and dropped Steinbrenner 41-15 in the state semifinal. Their offense is led by quarterback Jaquan Lowman. He can run with the ball and connect passes to wide receivers Jalen Williams, Jamarie Jackson and tight end Christian Bevelle. Their rushing attempts will be split between running backs Reshard Sibley, Curtis Spivey, Tramar Jackson, Akeem Brown and Eric Wright.

Miami Central And Escambia Title Preview

     The Miami Central Rockets face the Escambia Gators in the FHSAA Class 6A state title game on Thursday night. It is being held at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach.
     Miami Central(11-3), who are on a four-game win streak, have scored at least 32 points in every victory this season. The team has compiled two shutouts in their last four games. They hosted Dunbar in the regional quarterfinal and shut them out 38-0. The Rockets went on the road as they upset Naples 56-23 in the regional semifinal, blanked Dillard 35-0 in the regional final and got by Palmetto 34-30 in the state semifinal. Running backs Kejon Owens, Amari Daniels and Juan Henry will get their share of rushing opportunities from the backfield. Quarterback Katravis Marsh can find wide receivers Shamar Zaragoza, Chamon Metayer, Geovanni Ribalta and Yulkeith Brown down the field on passing attempts.
     Undefeated Escambia(14-0) has outscored their opponents 535-138 this season and shut out four teams this year. The Gators have rolled through in their four home playoff contests. They bashed New Smyrna Beach 44-0 in the regional quarterfinal, defeated Mainland 27-7 in the regional semifinal, outscored Lee 39-13 in the regional final and beat Gaither 45-21 in the state semifinal. Running back Frank Peasant will be given the majority of carries followed by Decoveny Shine and Deyonte Betties. Quarterback A.V. Smith can run out of the pocket and pass to wide receivers D.T. Gideon, Tony Broadnax, Jojo Blackmon and Chris Hale.

Booker T. Washington And Bolles Title Preview

     The Booker T. Washington Tornadoes take on the Bolles Bulldogs in the FHSAA Class 4A state championship game on Wednesday night. It will be the first of five state title contests to be held at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach. The state championships games were held in Orlando from 2007 until 2018.
     Booker T. Washington(12-2) looks to win their first state championship since 2015 and their sixth overall. They won the Class 4A crown four consecutive years from 2012 to 2015. After they knocked off local rival Carol City 35-14 at Traz Powell Stadium in the first round, they won three playoff games on the road. The Tornadoes edged Gulliver Prep 34-31 in the second round, dropped Cardinal Gibbons 31-21 in the regional final and beat Lakewood 9-7 in the state semifinal. Quarterback Torey Morrison intends to guide their offense down the field. He can scramble out of the pocket at anytime and pass the ball to wide receivers Theodore Richardson, Jacorey Brooks, Macho Arza, Ternard Summerall and Corey Stanley. Their rushing attack consists of running backs Shemar Paul and Nijeh Bethel.
     Bolles(11-1) has won the most FHSAA football state championships than any other Florida high school with 11 titles. Following a season-opening loss to University Christian, they have won 11 consecutive contests. They have outscored their last 11 opponents 395-103. The Bulldogs hosted all their postseason games at home as they pounded South Walton 62-6 in the second round, defeated Bradford 16-6 in the regional final and stopped Cocoa 20-14 in the state semifinal. They have several options at running back with Kade Frew, Andre Parker, Landen Frazier, Jeremiah Johnson and Azeh Kani. Wide receivers Davis Ellis and Gunner Boree along with tight end Simon Brackin look to make pass receptions from quarterback Ben Netting. Johnson can also be used in the quarterback position.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Heat Hold Off Bulls

     The Miami Heat outscored the Chicago Bulls 110-105 in overtime at American Airlines Arena on Sunday night. The Heat, who remained undefeated at home this season with a 10-0 record, have won five of their last six games.
     Chicago(8-16) moved up ahead 25-16 at the end of one quarter and had a slight 49-47 lead at halftime. Miami(17-6) would get the lead 74-73 at the end of three quarters. Both clubs exchanged the lead several times in the final minute of the fourth and it went into overtime. The Heat had a 13-8 spurt in the extra frame.
     Tyler Herro dropped in a game-high 27 points for Miami. Jimmy Butler pumped in 23 points while Bam Adebayo put together a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds. The Bulls were led by Lauri Markkanen as he delivered 22 points.

Panthers Shake Down Sharks

     The Florida Panthers breezed by the San Jose Sharks 5-1 at BB&T Center on Sunday. It was the fourth contest of a franchise record nine-game home stand for the Cats. The Sharks are winless in their last four games.
     Florida(15-9-5) scored on their first power-play attempt at 4:31 of the first period. Alekander Barkov pushed the puck from the left corner to Jonathan Hubedeau and he backhanded a pass from the left-wing wall to Keith Yandle on the left point. His slap shot went past Martin Jones for his third goal of the campaign. Yandle extended his point streak to five games.
     The Panthers made it 2-0 at the 8:15 mark. Huberdeau cleared the puck out of the zone. Evgenii Dadonov carried it through the neutral zone and toward the top right circle. He angled a pass to his left and Barkov swept in a forehand shot from the left circle for his 10th goal of the season. Barkov tied Stephen Weiss for fourth place in Florida Panthers franchise history with his 145th career goal. Huberdeau passed Weiss for second place in club history with his 395th point on that play.
     The 0-for-23 drought for the San Jose(15-15-2) power-play unit finally ended with 9:47 left in the first. Erik Karlsson passed the puck from the top of the zone to Kevin Lebanc and he released a wrist shot from the top right circle that got by Sergei Bobrovsky. It was the first tally for them with the man advantage in 11 games.
     In the second period, the Cats made it a two-goal gap at 6:32. Frank Vatrano passed it from the low right circle to Aaron Ekblad on the right point and he sent a cross-ice pass. Mike Matheson backpedaled from the left point along the blue line and snapped a shot from the top of the zone for his first goal of the year.
     The Cats added another goal on the power play for a 4-1 lead with 9:41 remaining in the third period. Hoffman sent a wrist shot from the right point which was saved. Brett Connolly pounced on the rebound in the crease and scored his 14th goal of the season. Vatrano made it 5-1 on an empty-net goal with 1:23 to go.

Jets Outboot Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins were edged by the New York Jets 22-21 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins got their first win of the 2019 season against the Jets. 
     Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders set a franchise record with seven field goals in one game. He broke the record held by Olindo Mare when he booted five field goals in a contest against the New England Patriots back in 1999.

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Panthers Power By Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers moved by the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Saturday night at BB&T Center. It was the first time that Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky faced his former team. Aleksi Saarela made his NHL debut with Florida. Parkland native and Blue Jackets defenseman Andrew Peeke played in his second NHL game.
     Florida(14-9-5) got on the scoreboard 18 seconds into the first period for a 1-0 lead. The puck went around the boards and Keith Yandle blasted a one-time slap shot from the left point. It was deflected by Aleksander Barkov in the slot area and then redirected by Evgenii Dadonov in the crease area for his 11th goal of the season.
     In the second period, the Panthers made it 2-0 at the 8:53 mark. Barkov waited with the puck on the left-wing boards. He connected a cross-ice pass through the low slot and Josh Brown snapped a shot by Elvis Merzlikins for his second goal of the campaign. Jonathan Huberdeau was credited with the secondary assist on the play.
     Columbus(11-14-4) surrendered a power-play goal at 6:09 of the third period. Mike Hoffman passed it from the right-wing wall to Keith Yandle on the right point. His slap shot was deflected by Brett Connolly in the top of the crease for his team-high 13rd goal of the year.
     The Blue Jackets broke the shutout with 9:26 left in the frame and they trailed 3-1. Alexandre Tesier curled in the right circle and sent the puck to Vladislav Gavrikov at the top of the zone. He fired a slap shot that went through traffic and past Bobrovsky
     Columbus pulled their goalie with under three minutes to go. It did not work as Hoffman backhanded a shot from the red line into an empty net with 2:23 left.

Lane Kiffin Leaving Florida Atlantic University

     Florida Atlantic University head football coach Lane Kiffin is leaving the school and joining Ole Miss as their new head coach. An announcement was made following the Owls 49-6 victory over UAB Saturday in Boca Raton to win the Conference USA championship game.
     Kiffin joined FAU back in 2017. He helped the school win two Conference USA titles in 2017 and 2019. Kiffin finished with a 26-13 record coaching the Owls.

Friday, December 6, 2019

Heat Strike Wizards

     The Miami Heat handled the Washington Wizards 112-103 at American Airlines Arena on Friday night. The Heat, who have won four of their last five games, were coming off a three-game road trip. 
     Washington(7-14) had a slight lead 28-27 after one quarter and stayed ahead 65-61 by halftime. Miami(16-6) would have an 86-85 advantage at the end of three quarters and outscored the Wizards 26-18 in the final frame.
     Jimmy Butler compiled a triple-double for the Heat with 28 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes of play. Bam Adebayo nailed a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds. Tyler Herro dropped in 22 points while Kendrick Nunn added 14. Bradley Beal put together 23 points along with eight assists. 

Chaminade-Madonna Class 3A Title Three-Peat

     Chaminade-Madonna running back Thaddius Franklin had a FHSAA state championship game record 47 carries for 333 rushing yards as the Lions captured their third consecutive FHSAA Class 3A state championship with a 35-20 victory over the Florida State University High Seminoles on Friday night at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee. The Lions reached the state title game for the fourth straight year.
     Chaminade-Madonna(12-2) scored on their first two possessions of the contest. Franklin finished the opening drive with a run through the right side from four yards out at 7:00.
     They added another score with 4:34 left in the first quarter. Franklin busted up the middle with a three-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0.
     Florida State University High(12-2) answered back on the first play of the ensuing drive 13 seconds later. Quarterback Willie Taggart Jr. connected an 80-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ahmari Harvey and they trailed 14-7.
     The Lions moved it back up to a 14-point margin at 10:23 of the second quarter. Franklin plowed through the left side of the line from one yard away. He had 223 yards rushing on 28 carries by halftime.
     In the third quarter, Chaminade-Madonna reached the end zone on their first possession. Franklin sprinted up the middle on a 14-yard touchdown run at the 9:22 mark and increased the gap to 28-7.
     The Seminoles scored on the first play of the fourth quarter seven seconds in. Wide receiver George Henderson caught a 14-yard pass from Taggart and they were down 28-14.
     FSU High scored on their second straight possession and closed it to an eight-point lead at 8:31. Running back Alfred Menjor was able to race over the left tackle from one yard out.
     Franklin scored his fifth touchdown of the game for the Lions with 4:28 remaining in the fourth. He rushed up the middle from five yards away to give them a 35-20 lead.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Champagnat Catholic Gets Class 2A Title

     The Champagnat Catholic Lions defeated the Victory Christian Academy Storm 35-14 for the FHSAA Class 2A championship on Thursday night at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee. The Lions captured their second state title in the last three years and got to the state title game for the fourth consecutive season.
     Victory Christian Academy(11-2) jumped out to a 7-0 lead at 6:29 of the first quarter. Quarterback Jeremiah Byrd sprinted down the left side from 23 yards away.
     Champagnat Catholic(10-3) answered back quickly on their next possession and scored with 4:24 left in the first. Running back Donovan Jones caught a 10-yard touchdown screen pass to the left from quarterback Ryle Aguila. Everett Bradley would get into the end zone on a two-point conversion run to give them an 8-7 lead.
     In the second quarter, the Lions increased their lead to 15-7 at the 7:58 mark. Aguila connected a 69-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Malik Rutherford. Eathan Moncada added a 28-yard field goal with 2:32 to go in the first half.
     Moncada booted another 28-yard field goal at 5:54 in the third quarter for a 14-point lead. Champagnat Catholic made it 28-7 on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Aguila to wide receiver Johnquai Lewis with 3:42 left in the third.
     The Storm cut the deficit to 28-14 with 4:09 left in the fourth quarter. Running back Cornelius Shaw rushed around the right end from 16 yards out.
     The Lions capped it with 1:32 remaining in the contest. They got a one-yard run from running back Calvin Montgomery off-left tackle for a 35-14 lead.

FHSAA Title Games Not On Local Television And Radio

     The FHSAA football state championship games will not be broadcast on local television in the South Florida region for the seventh consecutive year. Three championship games will be played Thursday to Saturday at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee. Five championship games will be played from December 11 to December 14 at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach.
     Spectrum Sports, based in Central Florida, has the exclusive rights to the FHSAA football championship games since 2013. Local South Florida residents can pay a fee to see each individual contest streamed from Spectrum Sports.
     There will also be no local South Florida radio broadcasts of any of the eight championship games. ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM had done at least one football title game since 2013. There were no Palm Beach County schools that made the championship round this year.

Chaminade-Madonna And Florida State University High Title Preview

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions challenge the Florida State University High Seminoles for the FHSAA Class 3A state championship. The game will be played at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee on Friday night.
     Chaminade-Madonna(11-2) are the defending two-time Class 3A state champions and have appeared in the last four state title contests. They blanked Somerset Silver Palms 56-0 in the second round, shut out Calvary Christian 35-0 in the regional final and knocked off Clearwater Central Catholic 28-7 in the state semifinal. The Lions have outscored their last four opponents 171-7. The focal point of their offense will be running back Thaddius Franklin as he can rush out of the backfield by taking a direct snap. Alexander Law and Brady Kelly can both play at the quarterback position. Wide receivers Elijah Canion, Joshua Jenkins. Rony Bourdeau, Bralon Brown, Brian Dilworth and Donovan Desir can make pass receptions.
     Florida State University High(12-1) will be playing the championship game in their hometown and will not need to travel far. They are currently on an eight-game winning streak. The Seminoles lost to Kings Academy in the state semifinal last year. They took Episcopal School of Jacksonville 49-18 in the second round, edged Pensacola Catholic 21-14 in the regional final and handled Lakeland Christian 42-10 in the state semifinal. Quarterback Willie Taggart Jr. can help them march down the field. Running back Alfred Menjor will get the majority of carries followed by Emory Layerd and Taylor Gilley. Their core of wide receivers include Ahmari Harvey, Logan Brooks, George Henderson and Jahaz Morgan.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Celtics Cover Heat

     The Boston Celtics held off the Miami Heat 112-93 at TD Garden on Wednesday night. The Heat, who had their three-game winning streak stopped, finished off a three-game road trip.
     Miami(15-6) had a 28-20 advantage after one quarter, however they were down 52-44 at halftime. Boston(15-5) went on an 11-3 spurt to end the third quarter up 82-69. The C's outscored the Heat 30-24 in the final quarter.
     Miami was led by Jimmy Butler as he dropped in a game-high 37 points. Kelly Olynyk added 12 points and Justise Winslow had 10. Jaylen Brown got 31 points and Kemba Walker put in 28 points for the Celtics.

Champagnat Catholic And Victory Christian Academy Title Preview

     The Champagnat Catholic Lions take on the Victory Christian Academy Storm in the FHSAA Class 2A state championship contest on Thursday night at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee.
     Champagnat Catholic(9-3) is making their fourth consecutive state championship game appearance and last won the championship in 2017. They fell in the title game last year to North Florida Christian 23-20. The Lions hosted three playoff games as they defeated Miami Christian 35-7 in the second round, blanked Moore Haven 42-0 in the regional final and topped Seffner Christian 30-21 in the state semifinal. Running back Calvin Montgomery and Donovan Jones will get their rushing opportunities from the backfield. Quarterback Ryle Aguila can connect passes to wide receivers Johnquai Lewis, Malik Rutherford, Cur'mari Dopson, Shayon Walton and James Herard.
     Victory Christian Academy(11-1), who last won the Class 2A state title in 2014, played all their postseason games at home. They beat Orangewood Christian 33-7, shut out Foundation Academy 35-0 in a regional final and got by University Christian 20-7 in a state semifinal. The Storm have outscored their opponents 329-112 this season. Their only loss this year was to Trinity Catholic by three points. The Storm will depend on their rushing attack with running backs Cornelius Shaw and Kiaun Lockett. The main targets of quarterback Jeremiah Byrd on passing attempts are wide receivers Preston Smith and Keyshawn Covington.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Heat Stop Raptors In Overtime

     The Miami Heat faced the NBA champion Toronto Raptors and were victorious 121-110 in overtime on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena. The Heat, who have won three straight, are in the middle of a three-game road swing. The Raptors had their nine-game winning streak snapped.
     Miami(15-5) was in front 32-23 after one quarter and were up 58-53 by halftime. Toronto(15-5) began the second half with seven straight points, however they still trailed the Heat 83-81 after three quarters. The contest was tied 108-108 at the end of the fourth and it went into overtime. Miami outscored the Raptors 13-2 in the extra session.
     Jimmy Butler compiled a triple-double for the Heat with 22 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. Duncan Robinson dropped in 22 points while Bam Adebayo had 18 points and seven rebounds. Justise Winslow fell short of a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds. Norman Powell put in a game-high 23 points for Toronto.

Panthers Frozen By Wild

     The Florida Panthers were defeated by the Minnesota Wild 4-2 at BB&T Center on Tuesday night. It was the second game of a nine-game home stand for the team. The Wild, who played in their league-high 18th road game this season, are now 7-0-3 in their last 10 games.
     Florida(13-9-5) got a power-play goal at 9:54 of the first period. Keith Yandle placed the puck from the top of the zone to Aleksander Barkov above the top left circle. He skated in a couple of steps and snapped in a shot from the top left circle for his ninth goal of the season. Jonathan Huberdeau was credited with an assist on the play.
     The Panthers extended the gap to 2-0 with 5:34 left in the first. Frank Vatrano took the puck away from Brad Hunt in the left corner. He centered it to the slot area where Huberdeau scored on a wrist shot past Kaapo Kahkonen for his 11th goal of the campaign.
     Minnesota(13-11-4) cut the lead to 2-1 at 9:26 of the second period. Jason Zucker poked the puck away from Mike Hoffman at the top of the Wild zone. He skated through the neutral zone on a breakaway and lifted a backhand shot by Chris Driedger. It was the first goal given up by Driedger this season.
     The Wild evened it up 2-2 with 7:04 to go in the second. Brad Hunt popped the puck in the air while in the right corner. Mats Zuccarello curled in the right circle and scored on a forehand shot for his fifth goal of the campaign.
     In the third period, Minnesota jumped to their first lead of the contest at 4:49. Victor Rask handed it off to Zach Parise on the right-wing wall. He connected a cross-ice pass to the low slot and Carson Soucy released a shot from close range. Luke Kunin put in an open-net goal with 1:01 remaining in the third for a 4-2 lead.

Bruce Logan Fox Sports 640 Operations Manager

     Bruce Logan has been named the operations manager for Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM. He takes over the position that was held by Leo Baldwin. Logan has been the operations manager, program director and content director of WIRK-FM and WEAT-FM since June 2019.
     He arrived earlier this year from Houston. Logan was the vice president of programming and operations manager at Entercom Houston along with its predecessor CBS Radio Houston. He was also the program director for KILT-FM and KKHH-FM.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Miami Marlins Make Acquisitions

     The Miami Marlins made several acquisitions on Monday. They received infielder Jonathan Villar from the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Easton Lucas. The Fish also picked up first baseman Jesus Aguilar on waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays.
     Villar has played the last couple of seasons with the Orioles. He was in all 162 games for Baltimore in 2019 and chalked up 24 home runs, 73 runs batted in and a .274 batting average. Villar was with the Milwaukee Brewers until he was traded to the Orioles in a four-player deal on July 31, 2018.
     Aguilar was best known for helping Milwaukee win the National League Central Division in 2018. He had 35 home runs, 108 runs batted in and a .274 batting average with the Brewers that season. Aguilar was traded from Milwaukee to Tampa Bay on July 30, 2019. He had 12 home runs and 50 runs batted in last season with the combined two clubs.

West Palm Beach Ratings November 2019

     The sports talk radio ratings in the West Palm Beach market was issued. ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM does not participate because they do not subscribe.
     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM went down from a 0.5 to a 0.4 in the period. The New York Yankees ended their playoff run while the Florida Panthers and Florida Atlantic Unversity football had good starts to their seasons.
     Sports Radio 1230 The Zone WBZT-AM remained at a 0.1 for the second straight month. The station continued their positive momentum with the Defo Show in the mornings and University of Florida football broadcasts.