West Palm Beach Ratings November 2020

     The ratings for West Palm Beach sports format radio stations were issued. The time span goes from the first week of October to the first week of November.

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM stayed at a 0.4 in the month. Weekend host Chris Kokell left the station and reunited with competitor ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM while producer Parker Starson joined Onside Radio during the period. Florida Atlantic University Owls football returned to the airwaves after the coronavirus pandemic prevented the original start of the regular season. The New York Yankees were eliminated in the American League Division Series by the Tampa Bay Rays. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Zone WBZT-AM remained at a 0.0 for the ninth consecutive month. The Miami Marlins concluded their first postseason appearance since 2003 as they fell to the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series. The University of Florida Gators football team begin their 2020 campaign well in the SEC. 

Dolphins Outlast Jets

     The Miami Dolphins beat the New York Jets 20-3 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins swept the Jets as they outscored them 44-3 in their two meetings this season. The Fins have won six of their last seven games. 

     New York(0-11) scored initially on their first possession at the 9:45 mark of the first quarter. Sergio Castillo was able to kick a 38-yard field goal. 

     Miami(7-4) matched it to make it 3-3 with 1:12 left in the first. Jason Sanders kicked a 54-yard field goal. 

     The Dolphins took the lead 10-3 at 8:56 of the second quarter. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick found tight end Mike Gesiki on the left side on a 13-yard touchdown pass. Sanders added a 51-yard field goal with 5:23 to go in the first half. 

     There was only one scoring play in the entire second half. Fitzpatrick connected a seven-yard pass to tight end Adam Shaheen in front of the end zone for a 20-3 lead with 6:54 remaining in the fourth. 

FHSAA South Florida Playoff Results

     South Florida high school football teams played in the middle rounds of the 2020 FHSAA Playoffs. A major surprise was that the visiting squad won seven of the eight contests that involved at least one tri-county team. The large schools were in the regional semifinals while the smaller schools competed in the regional finals. 

     Miami Palmetto travelled to Fort Pierce and barely got by Treasure Coast 22-21 in overtime. The Panthers will next take on Vero Beach on the road in a Class 8A clash. 

     The reigning Class 7A state champions St. Thomas Aquinas was on the road for the second straight week and pounded Manatee 45-0. The Raiders will be home next week and face Venice for the fifth consecutive year in the postseason. Homestead fell to Venice 50-13 in Miami on the other side of the bracket.  

     Miami Central, the defending Class 6A state champions, went out west and handled Naples 31-21. The Rockets will leave South Florida again in the next round, return to southwest Florida and face Dunbar. 

     American Heritage visited Rockledge and got by 26-14 in Class 5A. The Patriots head back up the east coast for their next game at Eau Gallie. 

     Cardinal Gibbons defeated American Heritage 26-14 in Delray Beach to eliminate the last school from Palm Beach County in the postseason. The Chiefs will play on the road for the third straight week versus Cocoa in Class 4A. 

     Chaminade-Madonna continued their passage for a fourth consecutive Class 3A state title as they blanked Miami Edison 28-0. The Lions next travel to Tampa and take on Berkeley Prep. 

     The defending Class 2A state champions Champagnat Catholic destroyed Community School of Naples 67-7. The Lions head up to Central Florida and play Seffner Christian in the next round. 

Chaminade-Madonna Blanks Miami Edison

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions shut out the Miami Edison Red Raiders 28-0 at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami on Friday night. It was a FHSAA Class 3A regional final contest between both schools. The Lions are two wins away from capturing their fourth consecutive state championship. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(7-1) took the lead 7-0 at 6:09 of the first quarter. Quarterback Jaylon Tolbert fired a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Edwin Joseph on the left side. 

     It became 14-0 for the Lions late in the second quarter. Running back Devion Gause scored from nine yards away using the wildcat formation. 

     In the third quarter, Chaminade-Madonna made it 21-0 at the 7:30 mark. Gause pulled off the same wildcat play up the middle from one yard out. 

     Miami Edison(4-2) surrendered another touchdown with 4:11 left the fourth quarter. Defensive back Torrie Cox Jr. intercepted a pass and returned it 80 yards for the score. 

Cardinal Gibbons Tops American Heritage

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs defeated the American Heritage Stallions 26-14 at the Corral in a Class 4A regional final clash on Friday night. The Chiefs are two victories away from their first state since 2018. The Stallions were the final Palm Beach County team to be eliminated from the postseason. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(6-1) got up 7-0 at 8:10 mark of the first quarter. Quarterback Mason Polivka threw a bubble screen to the left side and Davon Kiser raced through the middle of the field from 25 yards out. 

     In the second quarter, American Heritage(4-4) evened it up at 10:25. Wide receiver Matthew Smiciklas caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dylan Rizk on the front left side of the end zone. 

     The Chiefs moved ahead on their next possession with 5:05 left in the second. Adrien Alfieri was able to kick a 28-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead. 

     The Stallions regained the lead 14-10 just one minute later with 4:05 to go in the quarter. Rizk found wide receiver Brandon Schabert behind the Chiefs secondary for a 64-yard score. 

     Cardinal Gibbons would reclaim the lead again 17-14 with 11 seconds remaining in the first half. Polivka connected a swing pass to the left sideline and A.J. Jenkins scored from 11 yards. 

     The Chiefs extended the gap to 24-14 with ten seconds left in the third quarter. Running back Torrence Miller sprinted up the middle from 14 yards away. They added a safety at the 8:34 of the fourth quarter when defensive end Mason Thomas sacked Rizk in the middle of the end zone. 

Miami Heat 2020-21 Preseason Schedule

      The National Basketball Association has released the preseason schedule for the 2020-21 campaign. It will go from December 11 to December 19. 

      The defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat will only participate in just two preseason contest. They will host the New Orleans Pelicans on December 14 and visit Tampa to challenge the Toronto Raptors at Amalie Arena on December 18. 

FHSAA Football Championships In Tallahassee

     The Florida High School Athletic Association announced on Friday that the organization has named Doak Campbell Stadium on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee as the host of the 2020 FHSAA Football Championships. The venue will have all eight classification contests. Tallahassee had previously hosted the FHSAA title games in 2001 and 2002. 

     Daytona Beach held five championships last year from Class 4A up to Class 8A. Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee held the Class 3A, Class 2A and Class 1A title games in 2019. Orlando was the host city for all the FHSAA Football Championships at the Citrus Bowl and Camping World Stadium from 2007 until 2018. 

American Heritage At Rockledge Preview

     The Rockledge Raiders host the American Heritage Patriots in a Class 5A regional semifinal on Friday night. The Patriots topped the Raiders 31-14 in a 2018 regional semifinal for their only meeting between both schools. 

     American Heritage(7-2) ended the three-year title reign of the FHSAA Class 5A state champions Miami Northwestern last week with a 12-3 victory. They drilled Palm Bay 49-0 in a play-in contest prior to that. The Patriots, who last captured a state title in 2017, have outscored their opponents 214-95 this season. They will use running backs Mark Fletcher and Jerry Dinkins on rushing opportunities. Quarterback Blake Murphy can toss the pass to wide receivers Orande Gadsden II, Nicholas Whitton, Vinson Davis III, Michael Watkins III and Emory Clemons. 

     Rockledge(7-1) won their first five games of the 2020 campaign and then lost their regular season finale to Cocoa. They got a forfeit win over DeSoto County in a play-in game and a 62-0 blowout victory over Estero in the regional quarterfinal last week. The Raiders have outscored their opponents 309-77 this season. Running backs Avery Smith, Jalen Housey and Bryce Norton can carry the ball. Wide receivers Raheim Sanders, Rian Black and James Lowder look to make catches from quarterback Elias Allen. 

Miami Central At Naples Preview

     The Miami Central Rockets travel west and face the Naples Golden Eagles in a Class 6A regional semifinal. Both schools played against each other in the same round last year with the Rockets winning 56-23. They have won all three playoff meetings against the Golden Eagles going back to 2012. 

     Miami Central(4-1) is the defending FHSAA Class 6A state champions and only participated in just two games during the regular season. They won two play-in games by forfeit against Immakolee and Archbishop McCarthy. The Rockets defeated Lely 42-16 last week in a regional quarterfinal contest. Running back Amari Daniels will get the bulk of the rushing attempts. Quarterback Keyone Jenkins can connect passes to wide receivers Yulkeith Brown and Robert McMinn down the field. 

     Naples(7-1) currently on a seven-game winning streak. The Golden Eagles lost their season opener to Palmetto Ridge, however they rolled off victories over teams like Immokalee, Lehigh and Lely. They edged North Fort Myers 17-7 in a play-in game and blanked Barron Collier 37-0 in a regional quarterfinal. Naples can get yardage from running backs Kendrick Raphael, Dustin McGill Jr. and Jackson Tuberville. Quarterback Dominiq Ponder will look for wide receivers Merle Exilhomme and Keylijah Williams on passing plays. 

St. Thomas Aquinas At Manatee Preview

      The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders take on the Manatee Hurricanes in Bradenton on Friday night in a Class 7A regional quarterfinal. Both schools met each other five times in the postseason between 2005 and 2012. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(4-1) will be playing a second straight road playoff game to begin the postseason. The team has not been in that situation in over 20 years. The Raiders are the defending FHSAA Class 7A state champions and have outscored their opponents 149-74. STA defeated Lehigh 50-14 last week in a regional quarterfinal. Dual quarterback Zion Turner can run with the ball and pass to wide receivers Bralon Brown and Quincy Skinner Jr. Running backs Anthony Hankerson and Corey Reddick will get their rushing opportunities. 

     Manatee(8-1) was undefeated for six games until they were upset by Southeast in their regular season finale. The Hurricanes took Lakewood Ranch 51-14 in a play-in contest and topped Martin County 35-21 in a regional quarterfinal. They have outscored their opponents 307-193 this season. Quarterback Jayce Berzowski intends to find wide receivers Jayden Corbett, Ty Nevels, Irone Jackson and Erion Neri down the field. Manatee has several options at running back with Kyree Jones, Jabari Dunbar and Roy Butchett. 

Miami Palmetto At Treasure Coast Preview

     The Miami Palmetto Panthers travel north to challenge the Treasure Coast Titans in a Class 8A regional semifinal game. It will be played at Lawnwood Stadium in Fort Pierce. 

     Miami Palmetto(4-1) picked up victories over Booker T. Washington and Homestead before losing to Miami Northwestern in the regular season finale. Their emphasis has been on their defense and the team has not given up more than 17 points in a contest. They shut out Dr. Phillips 10-0 in a play-in game and edged Lake Nona 9-6 in a regional quarterfinal. The Panthers main offensive weapon is wide receiver Brashard Smith. He can make catches anywhere on the field and score on any occasion. Wide receiver Mike Jackson can also get open for some pass receptions. 

     Treasure Coast(9-0) has been undefeated this season and have outscored their opponents 370-93. Their more impressive victory this year was when they knocked off Vero Beach 28-20 and ended the Indians state record home winning streak in Week 5. The Titans have shown their dominance during the postseason. They blanked Cypress Creek 55-0 in a play-in game and routed Olympia 49-8 in a regional quarterfinal. Quarterback Jonius Watkins can run the ball out of the pocket and can occasionally throw the ball to tight ends Keegan Davis and Juahni Williams. Running backs Eden James, Marvin Watkins Jr., Jadyn Azereedo-Dematthews, Rico Porcha and Gueldy Charles will get their rushing attempts.

Cardinal Gibbons At American Heritage Preview

     The American Heritage Stallions host the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs at The Corral in Delray Beach on Friday. It is a Class 3A regional final between both teams with winner taking on Cocoa or Tampa Catholic in the next round. The Chiefs had won the only two meetings between both schools in 2017 and 2019. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(5-1) are looking for their first state title since 2018. They won their first three games, including an upset road win over St. Thomas Aquinas, before losing their regular season finale to the American Heritage Patriots. The Chiefs handled Clewiston 37-17 and Gulliver Prep 29-7 in the first two rounds of the playoffs. They have outscored their opponents 163-62 this season. Quarterback Mason Polivka will get the starting assignment and lead their offense down the field. Running backs Torrence Miller and Kamari Moulton can carry the ball past the line of scrimmage. Wide receivers Troy Stellato, Bryson Williams, Davon Kiser, Gabriel Morgan and Luke Dean are expected to make pass receptions from Polivka. 

     American Heritage(4-3) is over the .500 mark for the first time this season. The team had to go through the passing of head coach Brian Sheridan following their first game of the year. The Stallions are currently on a three-game winning streak. They prevailed over Avon Park 42-0 in the regional quarterfinal and Lemon Bay 49-7 in the regional semifinal. American Heritage have outscored their opponents 185-91 this year. Quarterback Dylan Rizk can guide their offense with passes to wide receivers Brandon Schabert, Bradyn Butler, Mathew Hall and Matthew Smiciklas. Running back Trey Rainey will get the majority of rushing opportunities from the backfield.

Chaminade-Madonna At Miami Edison Preview

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions go into Dade County and face the Miami Edison Red Raiders at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami on Friday night. It is a Class 3A regional final matchup between both schools. The Lions won their only meeting against the Red Raiders during the 2004 regular season. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(6-1) are the defending three-time FHSAA Class 3A state champion and are three wins away from a fourth consecutive state title. The Lions won their home opener against Champagnat Catholic, lost to American Heritage and are currently riding a five-game winning streak. They have outscored their opponents 226-74 this season. Chaminade-Madonna had impressive playoff victories over Somerset Academy Silver Palms 52-0 and Calvary Christian Academy 38-6. Running back Thaddius Franklin will get the majority of rushing opportunities from the backfield and is the focal point of the Lions offense. Running back Davion Gause is also expected to get some handoffs. Quarterback Jaylon Tolbert can connect passes to wide receivers Joshua Jenkins and Michael Edwards. 

     Miami Edison(4-1) split their first two contests stopping Homestead and falling to Miami Central. They have been victorious in their last three games. It included playoff home wins against Palm Beach County schools Benjamin 54-14 and St. John Paul II 41-0. The Red Raiders have outscored their opponents 188-55 this season. Wide receivers Nathaniel Joseph, Roscoe Gibson and Alvin Roberts look to make catches downfield. Running backs Darius Chester and Livingston Benoit will split the rushing attempts. 

Venice At Homestead Preview

     The Venice Indians head to Miami and play the Homestead Broncos at Traz Powell Stadium on Friday afternoon in a FHSAA Class 7A regional semifinal contest. The winner will take on St. Thomas Aquinas or Manatee in the next round. 

     Venice(9-3) is attempting to reach the state semifinal round for the fifth consecutive season. The Indians are 3-1 in their last four road playoff games. After a season opening loss to IMG Academy, they were victorious in six consecutive contests. Venice fell to playoff-bound teams American Heritage and Manatee then won three straight. They have outscored their opponents 489-188 this year. The Indians have options in the backfield with running backs Steffan Johnson, Damarion Escort, Dylan Turner and Carson Smith. Quarterback Colin Blazek will guide the offense and his main targets on passes are wide receivers Weston Wolff, Jashawn Platt, Myles Weston and Keyon Sears. 

     Homestead(3-2) lost their first two games of the season, however they have bounced back with wins over North Miami, Gulf Coast and Doral Academy. They are even with point differential against opponents this season at 103-103. Quarterback Joshua Townsend will lead their offense down the field. The Broncos rely on their rushing attack with a slew of running backs which includes Armoni Hall-McCants, Daron Williams and Quadrin Jones. Wide receivers Adrian Harris, Mark Evans, Tequevious Welch and Fraquan Warren can make pass receptions from Townsend. 

NBC Sports Bay Area Adds Dorell Wright

     Former Miami Heat player Dorell Wright has joined  NBC Sports Bay Area. He will be a pregame and postgame studio analyst for Golden State Warriors broadcasts. 

     Wright was selected by Miami in the first round at 19th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft. He played the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Heat and helped them win their first NBA championship in franchise history over the Dallas Mavericks in 2006. Wright had a second stint with the Miami Heat during the 2015-16 NBA playoffs and participated in five games. 

South Florida High Schools In Middle Rounds

     South Florida high school football schools teams advanced in the 2020 FHSAA Playoffs. Large schools were in regional quarterfinal contests while small schools played in regional semifinal games. The South Florida tri-county area fell from 16 schools down to 10 schools. 

     Palm Beach County dropped from two schools to one school. American Heritage survived while St. John Paul II lost. 

     Broward County moved from six representatives down to four. St. Thomas Aquinas, Cardinal Gibbons, American Heritage and Chaminade-Madonna prevailed while Calvary Christian Academy and Westminster Academy fell. 

     Dade County went from eight schools to five. Miami Palmetto, Miami Central, Miami Edison, Homestead and Champagnat Catholic won. Miami Northwestern, Gulliver Prep and Doral Academy were defeated. 

Miami Heat Signs Precious Achiuwa

     The Miami Heat have signed rookie forward Precious Achiuwa to a contract. It is a four-year deal worth $12.51 million. 

     Achiuwa was selected by the Heat 20th overall in the first round in the NBA Draft last week. He was the AAC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year last season with Memphis. Achiuwa averaged 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in 31 contests. 

Bam Adebayo Receives Contract Extension

     Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo has agreed to a contract extension from the club. It is for five years worth a minimum $163 million.

     Adebayo helped the Heat win the Eastern Conference title and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. He averaged 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 blocks per game during the 2019-20 regular season with the team. 

Florida Panthers Ink Juho Lammikko

     The Florida Panthers are bringing back forward Juho Lammikko. He has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $725,000. 

     Lammikko did play 40 games with the Panthers during the 2018-19 season and had six assists in 40 games played. He spent 22 games with Metallburg Magnitogorsk in the Kontinental Hockey League in 2020-21 as he compiled six goals and two assists. 

Miami Ratings November 2020

     The ratings were issued for sports format radio stations in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale market. The time span was from the first week of October until the first week of November. 

     560 The Joe WQAM-AM went from a 1.0 to a 0.8 in the period. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team continued to roll in the Atlantic Coast Conference for a place in the conference championship game. The Miami Dolphins saw improvement since the start of the season. Fill-in afternoon co-host Alex Donno left the station at the beginning of the time span to join Onside Radio. 

     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket fell from a 0.6 to a 0.4 in the month. The Miami Heat were to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. They fell to :LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers in six games during the championship series. 

     Miami Sports 940 WINZ-AM dropped from a 0.3 to a 0.2. The Miami Marlins continued their first playoff run since 2003. It ended when they were swept by the Atlanta Braves in the best-of-five National League Division Series. 

Scott Ferrall And Craig Mish Back At SiriusXM Radio

     Former Miami sports talk hosts Scott Ferrall and Craig Mish will be returning to satellite radio. SportsGrid Radio will be added to SiriusXM Radio as of January 7. 

     Ferrall was once a mid-morning host on 560 WQAM-AM in 2003 and 2004. He did work at SiriusXM Radio as the evening host on the Howard Stern Channel from 2006 until 2012. Ferrall has been employed at SportsGrid Radio since January 2020 as an afternoon host and evening host. He was added to SB Nation Radio, which is now known as SportsMap Radio Network, in April.

     Mish was first noticed on 1700 The Fan WAFN-AM as a sports producer, sports anchor and sports host. He later became a weekend host on 560 WQAM-AM and Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM. Mish was at SiriusXM Radio as a fantasy sports host from 2010 until May 2019. He joined Fantasy Sports Network/SportsGrid Radio in June 2019. Mish has been the podcast co-host of Swings and Mishes for the past couple of years. 

Toast Joins Onside Radio

     Longtime Miami radio personality Toast has joined Onside Radio as a morning co-host with Marsh. He began his new morning show 4th & 20 with that organization on Monday. He currently works as a podcast co-host on Orange Bowl Boys. 

     Toast was recently with Big 105.9 WBGG-FM as the morning sidekick and morning producer on the Paul Castronovo Show. He was part of the job cuts nationally by iHeartMedia earlier this month. Toast worked at many different stations in the local market which included WBGG-FM, WHYI-FM, WRFX-AM, WAXY-AM, WQAM-AM, WINZ-AM, WMEN-AM and WSFS-FM. 

South Florida FHSAA Playoff Results

     South Florida high school football continued to perform in the 2020 FHSAA Playoffs. The large schools from Class 8A performed in regional quarterfinals while small schools from Class 4A to Class 1A participated in regional semifinals. 

     Miami Palmetto is the only team left from the South Florida tri-county area in Class 8A. The Panthers slipped by Lake Nona 9-6 and will head north to Treasure Coast in the regional semifinal.

     The defending Class 7A state champions St. Thomas Aquinas were in a rare regional quarterfinal contest on the road and pounded Lehigh 50-14. The Raiders will play on the road for the second straight week against longtime playoff rival Manatee. Homestead defeated Doral Academy 12-9 in a Dade County clash and next hosts Venice at Traz Powell Stadium. 

     Miami Central finally were in a playoff game after winning by forfeit in the past two weeks. The Rockets handled Lely 42-16 and next challenge Naples on the road. 

     American Heritage dethroned the defending Class 5A state champions Miami Northwestern 12-3. The Bulls ended a tenure of three consecutive state titles. The Patriots will next visit Rockledge in the following round.

     Cardinal Gibbons visited Miami and knocked off Gulliver Prep 29-7 at Riccardo Silva Stadium on the campus of Florida International University in a Class 4A battle. The Chiefs will face American Heritage in Delray Beach for a regional final. The Stallions had no problems against Lemon Bay with a 49-7 victory. 

     The three-time defending Class 3A state champions Chaminade-Madonna beat Calvary Christian Academy 38-6 in Hollywood while Miami Edison blanked St. John Paul II 41-0. Both schools will meet in the regional final at Traz Powell Stadium. 

     Class 2A had two regional semifinal games in Miami. Champagnat Catholic smashed Moore Haven 55-12 and will remain home in the next round. Westminster Academy lost to Community School of Naples 23-12. 

Dave Lowry Joins Winnipeg Jets

      Former Florida Panthers left wing Dave Lowry has been named an assistant coach with the Winnipeg Jets. His son Adam Lowry has been with that club for the past six seasons. He spent last season as the head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League.         

     He was an assistant coach for the Calgary Flames from 2009 to 2012 . Lowry last stint in the National Hockey League was with the Los Angeles Kings as an assistant coach from 2017 until 2019. 

     Lowry was known locally for playing for the Florida Panthers during their first five seasons. He helped the team win an Eastern Conference title in 1995-96 and they participated in the Stanley Cup Finals that year against the Colorado Avalanche. 

Shane Churla Panthers Director Of Amateur Scouting

     The Florida Panthers have named Shane Churla as their new director of amateur scouting. Churla spent the last seven seasons with the Montreal Canadiens organization. His roles there included director of amateur scouting and chief of amateur scouting. 

     He was an amateur scout with the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes from 2000-01 to 2004-05 and with the Dallas Stars from 2005-06 to 2012-13. Churla played in the National Hockey League with five different teams from 1986-87 until 1996-97. 

Broncos Snap Dolphins Winning Streak

     The Denver Broncos defeated the Miami Dolphins 20-13 from Empire Field at Mile High on Sunday. The loss snapped the Dolphins five-game winning streak. 

     Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was benched by head coach Brian Flores during the game. He was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was on top of the team depth chart at the start of the season. Former Deerfield Beach Bucks and current Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy had three pass receptions for 37 yards. 

Dillard Takes Blanche Ely In Soul Bowl

     The Dillard Panthers shut out the Blanche Ely Tigers 38-0 in the Soul Bowl held at Otis Gray Jr. Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. This contest is usually the final Broward County high school football game played during the regular season. 

     Dillard(3-0) won the Soul Bowl for the fourth consecutive year. Blanche Ely(2-2) had won this rivalry contest four straight times prior to that. The Panthers have outscored the Tigers 171-36 in the last four meetings. 

     The Soul Bowl was originally to be played this year at a neutral site which was Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. It was held at Lockhart Stadium until 2016. 

Jae Crowder Heading For Phoenix

     Jae Crowder will not be returning to the Miami Heat for next season. He is about to ink a three-year contract for almost $30 million. 

     Crowder was acquired in a three-team trade by the Heat from the Memphis Grizzlies on February. He helped Miami win their first Eastern Conference championship since 2014 and reach the NBA Finals. Crowder averaged 11.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Heat during his short time with the club. 

Miami Heat To Sign Avery Bradley

     The Miami Heat are about to sign guard Avery Bradley. It is expected to be two-year, $11.6 million deal that he will receive.  

     Bradley played last season with the Los Angeles. He averaged 8.6 points in 49 regular season games with the club. Bradley helped the Lakers win their first NBA championship since 2010. 

Heat Re-Sign Meyers Leonard

     The Miami Heat have re-signed center Meyers Leonard. He played last season with the Heat and averaged 6/1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. 

      Leonard spent the first seven seasons of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was acquired by the Heat in a four-team trade in July 2019. 

Miami Heat Signing Maurice Harkless

     The Miami Heat has make an agreement to sign Maurice Harkless. It is expected to be one-year deal worth $3.6 million. 

     Harkless played with two clubs during the 2019-20 regular season. He was with the Los Angeles Clippers for 50 games and was traded at the deadline to the New York Knicks. Harkless averaged 5.9 points along with 3.9 rebounds per game last season. 

Udonis Haslem Remaining With Miami Heat

     Udonis Haslem with be remaining with the Miami Heat for an 18th NBA season. He and the team has agreed to a one-year contract for the veteran minimum salary. 

     Haslem first joined the club back in 2003-04. He has helped the Miami Heat win three NBA championships and six Eastern Conference titles. 

Inter Miami CF Lose First MLS Playoff Game

     Inter Miami CF were eliminated by Nashville SC 3-0 at Nissan Stadium in an Eastern Conference play-in contest on Friday night. The defeat ends the inaugural MLS season for Inter Miami CF. It was the first Major League Soccer playoff game ever for both clubs. 

     Nashville FC got out in front 1-0 in the 14th minute of play. Randall Leal blasted a right-footed shot from 28 yards away into the top left corner of the cage. 

     They were awarded a penalty kick during the 24th minute. Hany Mukhtar shot the ball into the middle of the net for a 2-0 lead. 

     In the second half, Inter Miami CF were down 3-0 in the 57th minute. Dax McCarty dribbled the ball from the midfield stripe to above the box and released a 19-yard shot with his right foot. 

Goran Dragic Staying With Miami Heat

     Goran Dragic has agreed to remain with the Miami Heat. He is expected to sign a two-year deal worth $37.4 million with the club. The team will have the option to sign him for a second season. 

     Dragic has been with the Heat since he was acquired from the Phoenix Suns during the 2014-15 season. He helped the club last season win the Eastern Conference championship for the first time since 2014. They reached to the NBA Finals and fell to the Los Angeles Lakers. Dragic averaged 16.5 points and 5.1 assists per game last season. 

Derrick Jones Jr. Going To Portland

      Derrick Jones Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. It will end his tenure with the Miami Heat. 

     Jones played 133 regular season games for the Heat in the last three seasons. He had his best season in 2019-20 as he averaged with 8.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. 

American Heritage Ends Miami Northwestern Title Run

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls fell to the American Heritage Patriots 12-3 at Heritage Field in a Class 5A regional quarterfinal on Friday night. It was a playoff rematch between both teams from last year. 

     Miami Northwestern had their Class 5A championship reign ended by American Heritage. The Bulls also had their three-year championship run, which included two Class 6A titles in 2017 and 2018, stopped by the Patriots.  

     Points went up on the scoreboard just once in the first half. Miami Northwestern(3-2) moved ahead 3-0 on a field goal with 2:05 to go in the first quarter.

     American Heritage(7-2) took over in the third quarter at the 8:23 mark of the third quarter to go up 6-3. Quarterback Blake Murphy plunged up the middle from one yard away. 

     The Patriots added a field goal by Chris Maron with 6:24 remaining in the third and led 9-3. Maron booted a 40-yard field goal with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter to put the game away. 

Cardinal Gibbons Drops Gulliver Prep

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs knocked off the Gulliver Prep Raiders 29-7 in a FHSAA Class 4A regional semifinal. The contest was played at Riccardo Silva Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami. 

     Gulliver Prep(5-1) attempted to take the early lead on their first possession midway through the first quarter. Will Bettridge missed on a 42-yard field goal. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(5-1) got on the scoreboard with 1:04 left in the first quarter. They scored on a two-yard touchdown run as running back Kamari Moulton busted up the middle to make it 6-0. 

     The Chiefs pulled ahead 12-0 at 8:36 of the second quarter. Quarterback Brody Palhegyi scrambled out of the pocket to the left side and tossed an eight-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bryson Williams in the front of the end zone. 

     They extended it to a 19-point margin with 2:16 remaining in the first half. Running back Torrence Miller sprinted down the left sideline and scored from 50 yards away. 

     In the third quarter, Cardinal Gibbons got a 24-yard field goal from Chris Silverstein at the 3:10 mark. The Raiders eventually scored as wide receiver Jalen Brown made a one-handed catch in the middle of the end zone on a 36-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Carson Haggard and they trailed 22-7 with 1:13 left in the third. 

     The Chiefs picked up another score with 4:50 remaining of the fourth quarter to make it 29-7. Backup quarterback Mason Polivka raced to the left side, broke three tackles and reached the end zone from 16 yards out. 

Jake Scott Passes Away

     Former Miami Dolphins safety Jake Scott passed away on Thursday. He was part of the only two Super Bowl champions in Dolphins franchise history. 

     Scott played for Miami from 1970 to 1975. He was on the Dolphins roster when the club went undefeated and had a perfect 17-0 record in 1972. Scott was named Most Valuable Player in Super Bowl VII as they defeated the Washington Redskins. The team won another title the following year as they beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VIII. Scott had 35 interceptions in 84 games with the Dolphins. 

Greenville New Florida Panthers ECHL Affiliate

     The Florida Panthers have named Greenville, South Carolina as their ne East Coast Hockey League affiliate. It is a multi-year agreement with the minor league club known as the Swamp Rabbits. The ECHL 2020-21 season is expected to begin on December 11. 

     The last time the Panthers organization was the main client of an ECHL affiliate was 2015 with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Florida has been the secondary team that allowed their players to participate with an ECHL squad. 

     It will be the first season for the Panthers to be based in Greenville. Florida placed their new AHL affiliate in Charlotte on September 10. Greenville and Charlotte were both minor league affiliates of the Carolina Hurricanes last season. 

Soul Bowl 2020 Preview

     The Blanche Ely Tigers face the Dillard Panthers in the annual Soul Bowl at Otis Gray Jr. Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. The Panthers have won the last three Soul Bowls while the Tigers were victorious in seven of the last 11 meetings in the rivalry. The Soul Bowl has usually been the final Broward County high school football game to be played during the regular season. 

     Dillard(2-0) opened up their 2020 campaign as they played the first high school football game ever on the Inter Miami CF Stadium training field and defeated Fort Lauderdale. The Panthers knocked off McArthur two weeks later and have outscored their opponents 100-26.

     Blanche Ely(2-1) will play one of their longtime local rivals for the second straight week. The Tigers were stunned last week by Deerfield Beach 34-0 in the McDougle Bowl. They did get home victories over Boyd Anderson and Stranahan to begin the year. 

Glades Central And Park Vista Preview

     The Glades Central Raiders and the Park Vista Cobras will face each other on Saturday at Wellington High School. Both Palm Beach County teams are undefeated heading into this contest. 

     Glades Central(3-0) blasted Pahokee 38-0 in the Muck Bowl last week. Their first two victories were over Palm Beach Central and Royal Palm Beach. They have outscored their opponents 125-6 this season. Quarterback Zomarion Harper will led their offense and he get the ball to wide receivers Carjuan Perkins, Antavious Tarver and Ro'Quan Porter, Jamaree Bryant, Aaron Davis and Robert Luckas. The Raiders are loaded in the backfield with running backs Jaheim Humphries, Desmond Washington and Jamari Steward. 

     Park Vista(3-0) compiled wins this season against Santaluces, Seminole Ridge and Forest Hill. Their toughest game was last week when they won by seven points. The Cobras outscored their three opponents during the campaign 80-21. Look for quarterback Brock Hansel to find wide receivers Woodlife Alminord and Courtney Carter on passing plays. Running back Markel King will get the majority of carries for the team. 

St. Thomas Aquinas At Lehigh Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders go across the state and challenge the Lehigh Lightning on Friday night in a Class 7A regional quarterfinal. It is a rare occasion for St. Thomas Aquinas to play a first-round playoff game on the road. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(3-1) is the defending FHSAA Class 7A champions and look toward capturing a state-record 12th title in 2020. The Raiders had their regular season finale on national television and they defeated American Heritage 33-23. STA also picked up victories over TRU Prep Academy and DeLand while they lost to Cardinal Gibbons this season. Zion Turner is a dual quarterback with the capability to throw the ball and run it out of the pocket. Running back Anthony Hankerson will get the majority of rushing attempts along with Corey Reddick. Wide receivers Bralon Brown and Quincy Skinner Jr. are the main targets for Turner on pass receptions. 

     Lehigh(5-4) held off Sarasota 42-21 in a play-in game last week. The Lightning have interchanged wins and losses on their schedule throughout the entire 2020 campaign. Quarterback Durand Bundy will guide the team down the field. Running back Richard Young is expected to carry the ball from the backfield. Wide receivers Tar'varish Dawson, Alex Gonzalez, Xavier Cavazos and Willie McCray can make catches from Bundy. 

Miami Northwestern At American Heritage Preview

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls clash with the American Heritage Patriots at Heritage Field in Plantation on Friday night in a FHSAA Class 5A regional quarterfinal. It is a playoff rematch from last year where the Bulls edged the Patriots 23-20 in a regional final at the same venue. 

     Miami Northwestern(3-1) continue to strive for their fourth consecutive state championship and their second straight title in the Class 5A classification. They went down to the Florida Keys and defeated Key West 28-20 in a play-in game last week. The Bulls had wins against Miami Central along with Miami Palmetto and lost to IMG Academy during the regular season. Wide receiver Romello Brinson and tight end Khalil Brantley can get pass receptions from quarterback Taron Dickson. The team can go with running attempts by Zuberi Mobley and Siddiq Jackson. 

     American Heritage(6-2) pounded Palm Bay 49-0 last week in a play-in game. The Patriots have piled up victories in the regular season over Chaminade-Madonna, Clearwater, Bartram Trail, Venice and Cardinal Gibbons. Their only losses in the campaign were to two strong teams which were Trinity Christian Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas. They have outscored their opponents 202-92 this year. Running backs Mark Fletcher and Jerry Dinkins will get their rushing opportunities from the backfield. Wide receivers Orande Gadsden II, Jacolby Spells and Michael Watkins III look to make catches down the field. The team has gone through several quarterbacks which includes Vinson Davis III and Blake Murphy. 

Cardinal Gibbons At Gulliver Prep Preview

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs face the Gulliver Prep Raiders in Miami on Friday night. Both schools clash in a Class 4A regional semifinal at Riccardo Silva Stadium on the Florida International University campus. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(4-1) bounced back from their regular season finale loss to American Heritage and returned home to knock off Clewiston 37-7 in a regional quarterfinal. The Chiefs won their first three contests of the season over Monsignor Pace, Doral Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas. Quarterback Brody Palhegyi will take charge of their offense and can connect passes to wide receivers Troy Stellato, Bryson Williams, Gabriel Morgan, Davon Kiser and Luke Dean. Running backs Torrence Miller and Kamari Moulton will get their rushing attempts. 

     Gulliver Prep(5-0) has not lost a game this year. They were able to handle Monsignor Pace 43-13 last week in a regional quarterfinal. The Raiders were victorious over Belen Jesuit, Somerset Academy South Homestead, Benjamin and Dade Christian this season. They have outscored their opponents 238-54 in 2020. Quarterback Carson Haggard looks to send the ball to wide receivers Jalen Brown, De'Carlo Donaldson and Travious Lathan. Running back Sedrick Irvin Jr. intends to have the majority of rushing opportunities along with Jack Whitehouse. 

Lemon Bay At American Heritage Preview

     The American Heritage Stallions hosts the Lemon Bay Manta Rays at The Corral in Delray Beach. It is a FHSAA Class 4A regional semifinal between both schools. 

     Lemon Bay(6-1) hosted Lake Placid last week in a regional quarterfinal and prevailed 42-6. The Manta Rays lost their season opener to King's Academy, however they have put together a six-game winning streak since then. Running backs Jason Hogan and Jacob Sekach will split the amount of rushing opportunities from the backfield. 

     American Heritage(3-3) went on the road and was able to blank Avon Park 42-0 in a regional quarterfinal last week. The Stallions did have wins during the regular season versus two playoff bound teams Benjamin and Cardinal Newman. Running back Trey Rainey will get the majority of carries to advance the ball. Quarterback Dylan Rizk has numerous targets with wide receivers Bradyn Butler, Mathew Hall, Brandon Schabert and Matthew Smicklas. 

Calvary Christian Academy At Chaminade-Madonna Preview

     The Calvary Christian Academy Eagles travel to Hollywood and challenge the Chaminade-Madonna Lions on Friday night. It is a battle between two schools in a Class 3A regional semifinal at Vince Zappone Field. 

     Calvary Christian Academy(6-0) is undefeated with regular season wins over Cardinal Newman, Everglades Prep, Clewiston and American. The Eagles blanked King's Academy 36-0 in a play-in game and outscored Palm Glades Prep 50-6 in a regional quarterfinal. They have been dominant and outscored their opponents 213-27 this season. They will rush the ball with running backs Isaiah Joseph, Marquette Cozart, Ashton Redman and Eric Trowbridge. Quarterback Gabe Contento can run and make passes to wide receivers Brandon Chatman and Tugg Hollandworth. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(5-1) is the three-time defending state champions in Class 3A. Last week they routed Somerset Academy Silver Palms 52-0 in a regional quarterfinal. The Lions are currently on a four-game winning streak with road victories over Bishop Verot, Clearwater Academy International and Benjamin. They have outscored their opponents 188-68 this year. Running back Thaddius Franklin will get the bulk of the rushing opportunities and some handoffs will be given to running back Davion Gause. Quarterback Jaylon Tolbert looks to find wide receivers Joshua Jenkins and Michael Williams on passes. 

St. John Paul II at Miami Edison Preview

     The St. John Paul II Eagles take on Miami Edison Red Raiders in a Class 3A regional semifinal game. The contest will be played at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami on Friday afternoon. 

     St. John Paul II(6-2) has already been in two playoff games over the past week as they slammed Everglades Prep 49-0 in a play-in game and topped Cardinal Newman 20-3 in a regional quarterfinal. The Eagles are on a four-game winning streak. Quarterback Andrew Sheridan will connect passes to wide receivers Jamal Crawford, Joshua Davis, Benjamin Laurore and Michael Milanese. Running backs Clay Thevenin and Matthew Wilson are expected to get rushing opportunities. 

     Miami Edison(3-1) hammered Benjamin 54-14 in a regional quarterfinal last week. The Red Raiders had wins over Homestead and Miami Norland while they fell to Miami Central during the regular season. They have outscored their opponents 147-55 this year. Wide receivers Nathaniel Joseph, Roscoe Gibson and Alvin Roberts can make catches down the field. Running backs Darius Chester and Livingston Benoit could see some carries. 

Vernon Carey Jr. Drafted By Hornets

     Former South Florida high school basketball player Vernon Carey Jr. was selected in the NBA Draft on Wednesday night. He was taken by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round with the 32nd overall pick. 

     Carey played high school basketball with the University School Sharks. He moved on to Duke University and compiled 17.8 points and 8..8 rebounds in 31 games as a freshman last season. His father Vernon Carey Sr. once played with the Miami Dolphins as an offensive tackle from 2004 to 2011. 

Miami Heat Draft Precious Achiuwa

     The annual National Basketball Association Draft occurred on Wednesday night. It was done through videoconferencing and held at ESPN Studios in Bristol, Connecticut. 

     The event had been held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York since 2013. The NBA Draft has been done every June since 1975 until this year. 

     The Miami Heat had the 20th overall selection in the first round and they picked Memphis power forward Precious Achiuwa. He was the AAC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year last season. Achiuwa was the only Division 1 freshman to average a double-double during the 2019-20 season. He went on to average 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in 31 games for Memphis. 

NBA Sets 2020-21 Season

     The National Basketball Association has set the dates for the 2020-21 season. It will be the 75th season in league history for the NBA. 

     The regular season will be comprised of 72 games for each club. They will play each team in their conference three times and each team in the opposite conference twice. The Miami Heat will therefore face each Eastern Conference club on three occasions. The Heat will take on each Western Conference team two times with one game at home and one game on the road. 

     The preseason will run from December 11 to December 19. The first half of the NBA regular season will go from December 22 to March 4. The league will have a short break from March 5 to March 10. The second half of the regular season will happen from March 11 to May 16. 

     A play-in tournament, just like last season, will be set up from May 18 to May 21. The NBA Playoffs will go from May 22 until the last possible day which is July 22. 

South Florida High Schools In Next Round

     South Florida high school football teams advanced to the next round of the 2020 FHSAA football playoffs. Large schools were involved in play-in games while small schools showed up in play-in games and regional quarterfinal contests in the past two weeks. 

     25 representatives entered the postseason this year with most of them being private schools. Many public schools opted out from participating in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic that held up preseason training. There were 49 teams that were in the FHSAA playoffs from the tri-county area in 2019. 

     Palm Beach County went from five schools down to two. American Heritage and St. John Paul II survived while Cardinal Newman, Benjamin and King's Academy fell. 

     Broward County dropped from seven teams to six. American Heritage, Cardinal Gibbons, St. Thomas Aquinas, Chaminade-Madonna, Calvary Christian Academy and Westminster Academy advanced. Archbishop McCarthy was the only school to lose. 

     Dade County moved from 13 down to eight representatives. Miami Palmetto, Miami Central, Miami Northwestern, Gulliver Prep, Miami Edison, Champagnat Catholic, Homestead and Doral Academy are still around. Palm Glades Prep, Somerset Academy Silver Palms, Everglades Prep, Westminster Christian and Miami Christian were eliminated. 

Panthers Name Brett Peterson Assistant General Manager

     The Florida Panthers have named Brett Peterson as assistant general manager. He joins general manager Bill Zito and assistant general manager Paul Krapelka at the top of their hockey operations department. 

     Peterson was the vice president of hockey for Wasserman Media Group. He has been a certified NHL player agent since 2009.  Peterson once played college hockey for the Boston College Eagles and won an NCAA championship in 2001. 

Three Miami Hurricanes Games Rescheduled

     The three remaining regular season games for the University of Miami Hurricanes football team have been rescheduled. It is due to the recent breakout of coronavirus on the team. The squad will have the next two weekends off before they tangle with an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. 

     The Hurricanes will be at Wake Forest on December 5. The Canes will host their final two games at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami will play North Carolina on December 12 and Georgia Tech on December 19. The final contest will only occur if the University of Miami is eliminated from participating in the ACC Championship Game. 

Leo Baldwin Enters St. Louis

     Former West Palm Beach radio executive Leo Baldwin has joined Entercom Communications in St. Louis. He will be the brand manager for KYKY-FM and KEZK-FM. 

     Baldwin first came to West Palm Beach as the program director of WRMF-FM and later was the operations manager for Digity Media in November 2014. He added duties as the program director for WMEN-AM, WFTL-AM and WEAT-FM.

     The cluster of radio stations were sold in February 2017 and he became the operations manager for Alpha Media. They were sold again in January 2019 and he joined Hubbard Broadcasting as their operations manager. He was able to hold that post until November 2019. 

Miami Dolphins Release Jordan Howard

     The Miami Dolphins have released running back Jordan Howard. It is general surprise of him leaving the team considering that he signed a two-year deal during the offseason with Miami. 

     Howard had just 28 carries for 33 yards and four touchdowns in five games with the Dolphins this season. He previously played with the Chicago Bears from 2016 until 2018 and for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019. 

South Florida FHSAA Early Round Playoff Results

     South Florida high school football teams played in the 2020 FHSAA Playoffs this past weekend. Seven of the eight classifications had local high schools involved. 

     Miami Palmetto topped Dr. Phillips 10-0 in a Class 8A play-in game defensive clash. They now make a long trip to Lake Nona for a regional quarterfinal. 

     The defending Class 7A state champions St Thomas Aquinas had the week off last week and will play Lehigh on Friday in a regional quarterfinal. Homestead defeated Gulf Coast 25-13 in a play-in game and will visit Doral Academy in the next round. 

     Miami Central won by forfeit, this time over Archbishop McCarthy, in their second straight play-in game. The Rockets will next face Lely on Saturday. 

     Class 5A defending champion Miami Northwestern went south and handled Key West 28-20. American Heritage was at home and pounded Palm Bay 49-0. It set up a big regional quarterfinal clash on Friday as the Bulls challenge the Patriots in Plantation. 

     In Class 4A, Cardinal Gibbons dropped Clewiston 37-7 while Gulliver Prep knocked off Monsignor Pace 43-13. Both schools next face each other in Miami on Friday in a regional semifinal. American Heritage went on the road and routed Avon Park 42-0 in a regional quarterfinal. The return home to Delray Beach and play Lemon Bay in the following round. 

     The most local high school teams were involve in Class 3A regional quarterfinal contests. The three-time defending champions Chaminade-Madonna shut out Somerset Academy Silver Palms 52-0 and Calvary Christian Academy defeated Palm Glades Prep 50-6. They both face each other this week in Hollywood. Miami Edison outscored Benjamin 54-14 while St. John Paul II was victorious over Cardinal Newman 20-3. Traz Powell Stadium will host a regional semifinal game between both schools on Friday afternoon.     

     Class 2A saw the defending champions Champagnat Catholic blank First Baptist Academy 42-0 and will next host Moore Haven in a regional semifinal. Westminster Academy won by forfeit against Miami Christian in a regional quarterfinal and stay home this week versus Community School of Naples. 

Florida Panthers Add Reverse Retro Jersey

     The Florida Panthers will be adding a reverse retro jersey made by adidas. It will be worn by the team during the 2020-21 NHL season for selected games. 

     The uniform has the same logos and design as the original team jersey when they first entered the National Hockey League in 1993-94. It will have the leaping cat logo with navy blue as the dominant color and a red top above the shoulders. It also has a cross palm tree/hockey stick logo over two gold suns on the shoulder panel and pointed-down angled lines on the lower sleeves. A '96 on the collar is to honor the 1995-96 team that became Eastern Conference champions. 

Bob McKay Passes Away

     Former 560 WQAM-AM executive Bob McKay passed away late last week. He was known mostly as the program director for Kiss County 99.9 WKIS-FM from 1985 to 2000. He eventually became the program director for WXTU-FM in Philadelphia from 2000 to 2009. 

     McKay worked in several positions at WQAM when it was owned by Sunshine Wireless Company. He was the operations manager at that station in the early 1990s. McKay was the program director there when they started to implement a talk and sports format in January 1992.  It included general talk shows with Joey Reynolds in morning drive and Rush Limbaugh in the midday slot along with sports talk shows with John Moynihan in afternoon drive and Ed Kaplan in late nights. WQAM had other on-air talent during that time which included Phil Latzman, Ed Berliner, Phil Schoen and producer Stu Opperman. They also were in the flagship radio station of the Miami Heat and had University of Florida football broadcasts. 

     The station progressed and launched a new brand Sports Radio 560 WQAM in 1993. They began to transmit Florida Marlins radio game broadcasts in their inaugural season and Florida State Seminoles football. WQAM brought in Hank Goldberg for their afternoon show along with launching The First Team morning program with Jimmy Cefalo and Dave Lamont. Jon "Boog" Sciambi and Bob Wischusen were hired as producers and later became on-air talent.

Dolphins Strike Chargers

      The Miami Dolphins beat the Los Angeles Chargers 29-21 on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins improved their record to 6-3 and remain in one of the top seven AFC playoff spots.

Deerfield Beach Blanks Blanche Ely In McDougle Bowl

     The Deerfield Beach Bucks pounded the Blanche Ely Tigers 34-0 in the seventh annual McDougle Bowl at Butler Stadium on Saturday night. It was a battle between two Broward County local rivals. 

     Deerfield Beach(1-0) defeated Blanche Ely(2-1) for the seventh straight time since this game has been called the McDougle Bowl. The Bucks have outscored the Tigers 207-11 in the last five contests between both high schools. 

     Bucks wide receiver Jamarion McDougle made a 17-yard catch to give them a 7-0 lead with 43 seconds left in the first quarter. It became 13-0 when running back Jaziun Patterson sprinted to the sideline on a 28-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Wide receiver Fred Eaford caught a 13-yard pass reception with 3:39 to go in the second and expanded their lead to 20-0. 

     Deerfield Beach backup quarterback Michael Merdinger would connect a 12-yard toss to Eaford at the 5:19 mark of the third quarter to make it a 27-point margin. Merdinger found wide receiver Michael Jordan on a 14-yard strike with 1:35 remaining in the third for a 34-0 lead. 

Miami Palmetto Shuts Out Dr. Phillips

     The Miami Palmetto Panthers blanked the Dt. Phillips Panthers 10-0 on Saturday night at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami. It was a FHSAA Class 8A play-in game between both teams. 

     Miami Palmetto(2-1) got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter. Brashard Smith, who stepped in as quarterback for an injured Kevin Smith during the first quarter, bounced off the middle of the line to around the left end and scored on a 22-yard touchdown run. 

     Dr. Phillips(5-2) surrendered more points in the third quarter. Miami Palmetto was able to get a 40-yard field goal at the 7:50 mark to make it 10-0. 

Glades Central Tops Pahokee In Muck Bowl

     The Glades Central Raiders defeated the Pahokee Blue Devils 38-0 in the annual Muck Bowl at Wellington High School on Saturday night. It was the first time that the big Palm Beach County rivalry game was not held in Belle Glade or Pahokee. This also was not the last game of the regular season for both schools. 

     The Raiders won the Muck Bowl for the second time in three years and the tenth time in the last 13 occasions. The Blue Devils had been victorious in the Muck Bowl three of the last four years entering this contest. 

     Glades Central(3-0) came out strong in the first quarter to go out in front 7-0. Running back Jaheim Humphries went through the right side of the line to reach the end zone from two yards out at the 7:16 mark. 

     The Raiders expanded their lead to 14-0 at 9:46 of the second quarter. Running back Jamari Steward went around the right end and down the right hash marks from 39 yards away. Jose Garcia added a 37-yard field goal later in the quarter and they had a 17-point margin. 

     It became 24-0 for Glades Central over Pahokee(1-2) with 2:30 remaining in the second. Wide receiver Carjuan Perkins rushed for an eight-yard gain into the end zone. 

     In the third quarter, the Raiders increased it to 31-0 at the 4:39 mark. Running back Desmond Washington angled to the left sideline and scored from seven yards out. 

     Glades Central got another score just 49 seconds into the fourth quarter to lead 38-0. Quarterback Zomarion Harper found wide receiver Antavious Tarver on the left sideline for a touchdown. A running clock was implemented for the rest of the game. 

Hurricanes Escape Virginia Tech

     The Miami Hurricanes slipped by the Virginia Tech Hokies 25-24 at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia on Saturday. This is the only time this season that the Hurricanes play two straight road games. The Hokies had an upset loss to Liberty University last week. 

     Virginia Tech(4-4, 4-3) moved in front 7-0 at the 6:01 mark of the first quarter. Quarterback Hendon Hooker raced up the middle untouched and scored from 53 yards away.

     The Hurricanes got on the scoreboard with 37 seconds left in the first. Jose Borregales was able to kick a 42-yard field goal to make it 7-3. 

     The Hokies extended their lead to 14-3 at 8:47 of the second quarter. Running back Jalen Holston surged through the middle of the line from eight yards out. 

     Miami(7-1, 6-1) scored on their next possession. Quarterback D'Eriq King rushed around the right end from 10 yards and they trailed 14-10 with 5:11 to go. Borregales added a 40-yard field goal with four seconds remaining in the first half. 

     In the third quarter, Virginia Tech made it 21-13 at 9:29. Holston went off-left guard to reach the end zone from one yard out. They got a 38-yard field goal from Brian Johnson at the 6:14 mark. 

     The Hurricanes put up a touchdown with 1:27 to go in the third and they were down 24-19. Running back Cam'Ron Harris sprinted up the middle from six yards away. 

     The Canes finally got their first lead of the game 25-24 with 5:59 remaining in the fourth quarter. King fired a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Pope on the right hash marks. Former Chaminade-Madonna cornerback Te'Cory Couch intercepted a pass for the Hurricanes on the Hokies first play of the next drive. 

Park Vista And Forest Hill Preview

     The Park Vista Cobras challenge the Forest Hill Falcons on Saturday. Both teams come into this Palm Beach County game undefeated. 

     Park Vista(2-0) began the 2020 campaign with two easy victories on a neutral field in Wellington with victories over Santaluces and Seminole Ridge. The Cobras have outscored their two opponents 59-7. Running back Markel King is expected to carry the ball from the backfield. Quarterback Brock Hansel intends to find wide receivers Courtney Carter and Woodlife Alminord for pass completions. 

     Forest Hill(1-0) has played in just one contest this year. They were able to get by Palm Beach Lakes 27-26 last week. Quarterback Jalen Jeter leads the Falcons offense as he can run out of the pocket anytime and pass the ball. Wide receivers Dmitry Peters and Donovan Draper along with tight end Nicholas La Mattina can make catches from Jeter.

Muck Bowl 2020 Preview

      The annual Muck Bowl between the Glades Central Raiders and the Pahokee Blue Devils will be played on Saturday night. Glades Central versus Pahokee is considered to be the biggest rivalry in Palm Beach County football. 

     It will be held at the neutral site of Wellington High School instead of in Belle Glade or Pahokee. The Muck Bowl is usually slated as the regular season finale for both teams, however it won't happen this year. 

     The Blue Devils have won three of the last four Muck Bowls. The Raiders have taken nine of the last 12 Muck Bowl contests since 2008. 

     Glades Central(2-0) had no trouble in their first two games of the 2020 season. The Raiders blanked Palm Beach Central 41-0 and trounced Royal Palm Beach 46-6. Quarterback Zomarion Harper can find wide receivers Antavious Tarver, Carjuan Perkins, Ro'Quan Porter, Aaron Davis, Robert Luckas and Jamaree Bryant on passing plays. Running backs Desmond Washington, Jaheim Humphries and Jamari Steward will get their rushing attempts. 

     Pahokee(1-1) came back from 16 points down in the fourth quarter and beat Wellington 22-16 in double overtime last week. The Blue Devils lost their season opener to Dwyer 25-22. Running back Geoffrey McKelton Jr. will see plenty of rushing opportunities. 

Ottawa Senators Sign Micheal Haley

     The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Micheal Haley. It is a two-way, one-year contract worth $700,000. 

     Haley was once with the Florida Panthers for almost two seasons from 2017-18 to 2018-19. He compiled four goals and eight assists in 99 games. Haley played for the New York Rangers last season. 

Somerset Academy Silver Palms At Chaminade-Madonna Preview

     The Somerset Academy Silver Palms Stallions head to Broward County and face the Chaminade-Madonna Lions at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood on Friday night. Both teams clash in a Class 3A regional quarterfinal contest. 

     Somerset Academy Siler Palms(3-4) have interchanged wins and losses throughout the 2020 season. The Stallions do have wins over Florida Christian, Belen Jesuit and Palm Glades Prep Academy. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(4-1) are the three-time defending FHSAA Class 3A state champions. The Lions began the season with two home games. They beat Class 2A state champion Champagnat Catholic and were edged by American Heritage. The team is currently on a three-game winning streak with road victories over Bishop Verot, Clearwater Academy International and Benjamin. Running back Thaddius Franklin will get the majority of rushing opportunities from the backfield along with Davion Gause. Wide receivers Joshua Jenkins and Michael Edwards can make pass receptions from quarterback Jaylon Tolbert. 

Benjamin At Miami Edison Preview

      The Miami Edison Red Raiders hosts the Benjamin Buccaneers at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami on Friday afternoon. It is a FHSAA Class 3A regional quarterfinal between both schools. 

     Benjamin(2-3) may have to adjust after playing just night games this season. They did play a strong schedule with all of their 2020 opponents making the FHSAA postseason which included American Heritage, Archbishop McCarthy, Chaminade-Madonna and Gulliver Prep. The Buccaneers got by Westminster Christian 20-13 last week in a play-in game. The Bucs offense will be guided by quarterback Tyler Aronson. He can toss passes off to wide receivers Micah Mays, Darrell Sweeting and Trakwon Harris. 

     Miami Edison(2-1) has been rebuilt over the last two seasons thanks to head coach Luther Campbell. The Red Raiders had a season-opening victory over Homestead and a season-closing win versus Miami Norland. They were shut out in their only loss to Miami Central. Miami Edison have outscored their opponents 93-41 this year. Their quarterback is expected to pass the ball to wide receivers Nathaniel Joseph and Roscoe Gibson. 

Atlantic At Boca Raton Preview

     The Atlantic Eagles make the short trip down I-95 and take on the Boca Raton Bobcats on Friday night. It is a heated local rivalry between both schools that were once district foes. 

     Atlantic(1-1) was up by 14 points in the first quarter against West Boca Raton when they had their first contest stopped and postponed due to a weather delay. They fell to TRU Prep Academy last Saturday. Their offense will revolve around running back Montahj Joseph. Quarterback Guenson Alexis can get the ball to wide receivers Tyler Burke, Rashawn Faustine and Antoine Williams. The Eagles defense has been known for holding opponents to low scores with defensive back Jeremiah McClendon, safety Marquise Lymon and linebacker Nygil Shannon. 

     Boca Raton(2-0) will play their entire four-game slate of regular season games on their home field. The Bobcats defeated Boynton Beach along with Olympic Heights and outscored their two opponents 62-9. Running back Trotsky Horton will get most of the carries from the backfield. Expect quarterback Jacob Cashion to find wide receivers Hunter Mack, Collin Bender, Sebastien Saint-Louis and Samuel Bach on passing plays. 

Kim Ng New Miami Marlins General Manager

     The Miami Marlins have hired Kim Ng as their new general manager. She becomes the first women to hold a general manager position in Major League Baseball history and the first to hold a general manager post for a men's team in North America top-level professional sports. 

     Ng had prior experience in baseball operations for several MLB teams. She was the assistant general manager with the New York Yankees from 1998 until 2001. Ng became the vice president and assistant general manager with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2001 to 2011. She has been the senior vice president of baseball operations with Major League Baseball since 2011. 

Miami Northwestern At Key West Preview

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls go south and challenge the Key West Conchs at Tommy Roberts Memorial Stadium on Friday night in a Class 5A play-in game. The winner will take on either American Heritage or Palm Bay next week. 

     Miami Northwestern(2-1) are the current Class 5A state champions and have won three consecutive FHSAA state titles. They topped local rival Miami Central, lost to IMG Academy and handled Miami Palmetto during the regular season. Quarterback Taron Dickson can connect passes to wide receiver Romello Brinson and tight end Khalil Brantley. Running back Zuberi Mobley and Siddiq Jackson will both get some carries from the backfield. 

     Key West(4-1) have outscored their last three opponents 146-15 this season. After splitting their first two games in 2020, they won their next three contests over Archbishop McCarthy, Surge Academy and Somerset Academy Silver Palms. The Conchs are loaded in the backfield with running backs Jason Jeudy, Preston Hence and Jeremiah Osbourne. 

American Heritage At Avon Park Preview

     The American Heritage Stallions visit the Avon Park Red Devils at Joe Franza Stadium in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal on Friday night. It is a rarity to find two schools with losing regular season records face each other in a FHSAA postseason contest. 

     American Heritage(2-3) have attempted to bounce back following the passing of their head coach Brian Sheridan earlier this season  All of the Stallions opponents during the regular season made the FHSAA Playoffs. They had wins over Benjamin and Cardinal Newman while they had losses to Biship Verot, Champagnat Catholic and Clewiston. Quarterback Dylan Rizk will call the signals for the Stallions and running back Trey Rainey can carry the ball. Wide receivers Brandyn Butler, Brandon Schabert, Mathew Hall and Matthew Smicklas can make pass receptions from Rizk. 

     Avon Park(3-4) began the season winning two of their first three games. The Red Devils then lost three straight games before winning their regular season finale. They have players that are lineman on offense and defense with Clay Vanderpool, Tariq Williams and Zach Love. Look for quarterback Ja'marion Davis and running back Dylan Page to advance the ball. 

Clewiston At Cardinal Gibbons Preview

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs host the Clewiston Tigers at Dr. Bud Tight Field on Friday night in Fort Lauderdale in a FHSAA Class 4A regional quarterfinal game. The entire gridiron at The Furnace was completely flooded over the weekend due to a tropical storm, however that has been resolved and the field is back to normal. 

     Clewiston(6-1) will be playing just their second game on the road this year and travel far from Hendry County. The Tigers have outscored their opponents 217-57 and have four shutouts this season. They have victories over LaBelle, DeSoto County, Archbishop McCarthy, Cardinal Newman, American Heritage and Doral Academy. Their only loss was to Calvary Christian Academy by five points. The primary target on passes for quarterback Michael Holmes is wide receiver Oran Singleton Jr. Expect running back Dawnya Washington to get some of the carries from the backfield. 

     Three of four opponents that Cardinal Gibbons(3-1) faced this season made the FHSAA Playoffs. The Chiefs won their first three games in the campaign versus Monsignor Pace, Doral Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas. They were edged by American Heritage by six points in their final game. Quarterback Brody Palhegyi gets to lead the Chiefs offense down the field. He has numerous targets to find with wide receivers Troy Stellato, Bryson Williams, Davon Kiser, Gabriel Morgan and Luke Dean. Running back Torrence Miller and Kamari Moulton will see their share of rushing opportunities. 

South Florida Schools In FHSAA Playoffs

     There will be less South Florida high schools to play in the FHSAA Playoffs in football this year. Schools had a deadline in late September to give notice that they would participate in the postseason. South Florida high schools won seven of the eight FHSAA classifications in 2019.

     Class 8A has only one local tri-county school with Miami Palmetto hosting Dr. Phillips for a play-in game at Traz Powell Stadium on Saturday night. The classification mainly has high schools north of Palm Beach County. The winner of the Fort Pierce Central and Centennial play-in game on Friday will take on Vero Beach in a regional quarterfinal next week. Treasure Coast goes to Orlando and takes on Cypress Creek this week. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas will get to defend their Class 7A state championship and be at home for a regional quarterfinal game on October 20. Homestead will host Gulf Coast on Friday and the winner will challenge Doral Academy next week in a regional quarterfinal. 

     The reigning Class 6A state champions Miami Central got a forfeit victory over Immokalee and a forfeit win over Archbishop McCarthy in their play-in contests. They will face the winner of the Ida Baker and Lely game on October 20 at Traz Powell Stadium in a regional quarterfinal match. 

     There will be three Class 5A play-in games to be played in the South Florida region on Friday. Palm Bay will be in Plantation to take on American Heritage while Key West hosts defending state champion Miami Northwestern. Jensen Beach will stay at home in Martin County against Sebring. 

     Class 4A has three regional quarterfinal clashes. Clewiston heads to Cardinal Gibbons, Gulliver Prep is at Monsignor Pace and American Heritage travels to Avon Park. 

     The three-time defending Class 3A state champions Chaminade-Madonna tangles with Somerset Academy Silver Palms at home in a regional quarterfinal. Calvary Christian Academy defeated King's Academy last week in a play-in game and takes on Palm Glades Prep this week. Benjamin downed Westminster Christian in a play-in game and challenges Edison at Traz Powell Stadium on Friday afternoon. St. John Paul II handled Everglades Prep Academy last week in a play-in game and next takes on Cardinal Newman. 

     Defending Class 2A state champion Champagnat Catholic pounded Glades Day last week in a play-in game and now heads for First Baptist Academy in Naples for a regional quarterfinal contest. Westminster Academy got by Evangelical Christian in a play-in game and won by forfeit against Miami Christian this week. Class 1A will have no local high schools participate in the postseason. 

FHSAA Football Playoffs

     The FHSAA Playoffs for high school football started last week with play-in games. Regional quarterfinal contests along with play-in games will be played this week.

     There will be less high schools in the postseason this season. There was a cut-off day for teams to opt in to the FHSAA Playoffs back in September. A delay to the start of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic prevented South Florida high schools to prepare for the upcoming season. 

     Almost all of the private high schools in Palm Beach County, Broward County and Dade County did opt in. Most of the public high schools tri-county area choose not to enter and will not participate in the FHSAA postseason. 

      South Florida high schools did win seven of the eight classifications for FHSAA state championships in 2019. It was the biggest dominance ever by local high schools against the entire state of Florida. 

Chris Cote Back On Dan Le Batard Show

     Chris Cote is back on the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. Le Batard said that he will pay Cote out of his own pocket for him to return to the program. 

     Cote was released by ESPN last week from his position as a producer/on-air commentator on the Dan Le Batard Show. Dan Le Batard was never notified by ESPN of this decision. There has been a large public response toward ESPN for letting go Cote.  

Don Mattingly Manager Of The Year

     Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly has been named the National League Manager of the Year by the BBWAA. He is the third manager in Marlins history to receive that honor. Jack McKeon won it in 2003 and Joe Girardi got it in 2006 when the club was known as the Florida Marlins. 

     He became the fifth person in Major League Baseball history to be voted Most Valuable Player and Manager of the Year joining Frank Robinson, Joe Torre, Don Baylor and Kirk Gibson.  

     Mattingly was named the Marlins manager back in 2016 and led them to a 31-29 record during the 2020 regular season. He helped the club reach the postseason for the first time since 2003 and the third time in franchise history. They knocked off the Chicago Cubs in the National League Wild Card Playoff Series and were swept by the the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Playoff Series. 

Florida State League Moving To Low-A Baseball

     The Florida State League will be moving their status from high Single-A baseball to low Single-A baseball for the 2021 season. It is part of a new designation system set up by Major League Baseball as they take over Minor League Baseball operations. 

     It will effect several minor league teams based in South Florida. They include the Jupiter Hammerheads(Miami Marlins), Palm Beach Cardinals(St. Louis Cardinals) and the St. Lucie Mets(New York Mets). All these clubs will now have low Single-A baseball status.

NBA Sets 2020-21 Season Calendar

     The National Basketball Association has set dates for the 2020-21 calendar year. They also set up parameters for the salary cap and player salaries. 

     The 2020-21 season will begin on December 22 and all 30 NBA teams will play in 72 games to satisfy being paid by all regional cable networks for their television rights. 

     The salary cap for the upcoming season will be the same as last season with a $109,140, 000 salary cap and a $132, 627, 000 luxury tax threshold. The lowest yearly salary for a rookie player with no years of experience will be $898,310 while the maximum salary for a player with five years or less left on their contract is $29,467, 800. 

     The NBA Draft will be held on November 18. The NBA free agency period starts on November 20 with a moratorium and signing can be announced as of November 22. 

Mark Jones Sacramento Kings Television Voice

     Mark Jones has been named the new television play-by-play announcer of the Sacramento Kings on NBC Sports California. Jones has worked as an ESPN play-by-play announcer of college football, college basketball, NBA and WNBA games for 30 years and will still continue to work there. 

     Jones appeared on Miami Heat television broadcasts for three seasons from 2000-01 to 2002-03. He worked as a studio host for broadcasts on Sunshine Network, WBFS-TV Channel 33 and WFOR-TV Channel 4. Jason Jackson took over his television studio host role in 2003-04 and has maintained that position for the past 17 years. 

Ulf Samuelsson New Panthers Assistant Coach

     The Florida Panthers have named Ulf Samuelsson as an assistant coach. He will be on the Panthers bench alongside head coach Joel Quenneville. 

     Samuelsson had previously worked under Quenneville with the Chicago Blackhawks as an assistant coach from 2017-18 to 2018-19. They were teammates with the Hartford Whalers for six seasons from 1984-85 until 1989-90. Samuelsson won two Stanley Cup titles while with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992. 

     He did work as an assistant coach in the National Hockey League going back to the 2006-07 season. Samuelsson had stints with the Phoenix Coyotes and the New York Rangers. 

Chris Cote No Longer At ESPN

     Chris Cote is no longer employed with ESPN due to their job cuts implemented by that organization last week. He was a producer/on-air contributor of the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on ESPN Radio and simulcast on numerous ESPN television stations over the last five years. 

     Cote, son of longtime Miami Herald sports columnist Greg Cote, was also heard on several different podcasts. He was part of a group of people behind the scenes on the Dan Le Batard Show named The Shipping Container. Cote will continue as the producer of the Greg Cote Show podcast on the Miami Herald website. 

Dolphins Bury Cardinals

     The Miami Dolphins dropped the Arizona Cardinals 34-31 at State Farm Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins now have a winning record at the midway point of the 2020 regular season. 

     The Dolphins have their first four-game winning streak in four years. It was their first victory in Arizona since 1996. 

     Miami(5-3) had their defense score for the second straight game. Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah knocked the ball from quarterback Kyler Murray and defensive end Shaq Lawson returned the ball 36 yards for a touchdown at the 10:37 mark of the first quarter. 

     Arizona(5-3) responded and tied it up 7-7 at 6:51. Tight end Max Williams caught his first touchdown pass of the season as Murray tossed a four-yard pass to the left side. 

     The Dolphins regained the lead with 55 seconds left in the first. Running back Jordan Howard blasted through the right side of the line on a two-yard touchdown run. 

     The Cardinals matched it 14-14 just 37 seconds into the second quarter. Wide receiver Christian Kirk went on a fly pattern and caught a 56-yard touchdown pass from Murray in the middle of the field. 

     It became 21-14 for the Fins at the 10:18 mark. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sent the ball to the right hash marks and wide receiver Preston Williams leaped into the end zone on a nine-yard pass play. 

     Both teams traded field goals late in the first half. Zane Gonzalez kicked a 37-yard field goal with 5:10 to go for the Cards and Jason Sanders nailed a 56-yard field goal with nine seconds left. 

     In the third quarter, Arizona evened it 24-24 at 12:!3. Murray angled a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darrell Daniels on the right side of the end zone. 

     Murray gave the Cardinals a 31-24 lead with 2:34 remaining in the third. He scrambles out of the pocket and down the left hash marks from 12 yards away. 

     The Fins made it 31-31 at 11:24 of the fourth quarter. Tagovailoa released an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Mack Hollins for a touchdown. 

     Miami pulled ahead 34-31 with 3:30 remaining as Sanders booted a 50-yard field goal. He set a Dolphins franchise record with his 20th consecutive field goal made. The Cardinals had a chance to tie, however Gonzalez missed a 49-yard field goal with 1:53 left. 

Inter Miami CF Make MLS Playoffs

     Inter Miami CF played their regular season finale of the 2020 campaign as they edged FC Cincinnati 2-1 at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The club will make the MLS Playoffs in their inaugural season. 

     They finished in ninth place among teams in the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami CF will visit and take on Nashville SC on November 20 in a first-round game. 

     Inter Miami CF waited until the 19th minute to take the lead 1-0. They took a corner kick and eventually Mikey Ambrose blasted a left-footed, half-volley shot from 25 yards out into the low right corner of the cage. 

     They got a two-goal margin during the 23rd minute. Lewis Morgan booted a corner kick from the left side and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez  put in a header high into the net from seven high away. 

     In the second half, FC Cincinnati closed the gap to 2-1. Joseph-Claude Gyau nailed a left-footed shot in the 66th minute of play. 

Zack Duarte On Dolphins Radio Pregame Show

     Zack Duarte co-hosted the Miami Dolphins Radio Network pregame show alongside Channing Crowder on Sunday afternoon. He substituted for Chris Wittyngham who was working as the audio play-by-play announcer for the Inter Miami CF MLS game against FC Cincinnati. Wittyngham will be back on the Miami Dolphins Radio Network next week. 

     Duarte has been noticed in the last couple of months on 560 The Joe WQAM-AM. He has worked as the postgame studio host on the Miami Dolphins Radio Network and University of Miami Hurricanes Radio Network. Duarte was part of the job cuts made by Entercom Communications back in April when he occupied the evening host position at Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM. 

NBA Season Returns December 22

     The National Basketball Association and the NBAPA have agreed on a starting date for the start of the 2020-21 regular season. It will begin on December 22. 

     The end the recent NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles happened on October 11. It will be one of shortest offseason breaks in league history. The NBA will start their regular season before the National Hockey League, who have targeted January 1. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Holds Off American Heritage

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders handled the American Heritage Patriots 33-23 at Brain Piccolo Stadium on Friday night in Fort Lauderdale. There are now no private high schools in Broward County that are undefeated. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(3-1) lost the ball on downs at the Patriots one-yard line. Raiders linebacker Christian Gonzalez then recovered a fumble in the end zone as the Patriots tried to advance the ball at 7:02 for a 6-0 lead. 

     STA extended their lead to 13-0 with 1:13 left in the first. Quarterback Zion Turner scrambled to the right zone and leaped into the end zone from three yards away. 

     The Raiders made it a 20-point margin 17 seconds into the second quarter. Defensive lineman Kylan Stephens intercepted a pass and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. 

     American Heritage(5-2) broke the shutout on their next possession. Running back Mark Fletcher sprinted down the left hash marks and scored from 58 yards out at the 9:15 mark. 

     The Patriots continued to chop and the deficit late in the first half. Fletcher got an option pitchout to the right side and raced in for a 12-yard touchdown with 1:10 remaining in the second. 

     In the third quarter, American Heritage still had the momentum. Chris Maron converted on a 23-yard field goal at the 6:37 mark and they were down 20-17. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas woke up and made it 26-17 with 3:36 to go in the third. Running back Anthony Hankerson bounced out to the right side and went in untouched from 21 yards. 

     The Raiders rallied with another touchdown on a turnover, their third of the contest, on the first play of the fourth quarter and increased their lead to 33-17. Linebacker Derrien Craig picked up the ball and ran it back 23 yards. 

     The Patriots blocked a punt at midfield and took over deep in Raiders territory. Davis ran the ball in the wildcat formation and went around the right end with 3:20 remaining and they trailed 33-23. 

Hurricanes Overtake North Carolina State

     The University of Miami Hurricanes came back on the North Carolina State University Wolfpack 44-41 on Friday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. The contest involved two schools that do not play in the same division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. 

     North Carolina State(4-3, 4-3) scored on their first possession at the 12:44 mark of the first quarter. Quarterback Bailey Hockman received a pass from running back Thayer Thomas and raced down the left sideline from 31 yards away. 

     Miami(6-1, 5-1) answered back on their drive with a touchdown at 9:21. Quarterback D'Erq King tossed a three-yard pass to tight end Will Mallory to tie it 7-7. 

     The Wolfpack reclaimed the lead with 6:31 left in the first. Hockman fired an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Devin Carter on the left side of the end zone. 

     The Canes evened it up 14-14 with 3:11 remaining in the opening quarter. Wide receiver Dee Wiggins caught a 39-yard touchdown pass on the left sideline from King. 

     In the second quarter, the Hurricanes moved ahead 21-14 at 13:34. King found wide receiver Mike Harley on a 20-yard strike in the back right corner of the end zone. 

     N.C. State closed the gap to 21-17 at the 9:35 mark. Christopher Dunn was able to boot a 42-yard field goal. 

     North Carolina State regained the lead 24-21 with 2:49 left in the second. Hockman released a nine-yard pass up the middle to tight end Cary Angeline. 

     Miami got the first opportunity to score in the second half. Jose Borregales kicked a 36-yard field goal at 11:26 to make it 24-24. 

     The Wolfpack came back and took the lead 31-24 at the 7:17 mark. Running back Zonovan Knight marched through the left side of the line from one yard out. 

     Both teams exchanged scores later in the quarter. Wide receiver Mark Pope caught a 17-yard touchdown pass for the Canes with 5:00 left while Knight retuned a kickoff 100 yards for N.C. State 15 seconds later. Both squads also put out field goal in the first four of minutes in the fourth and Wolfpack still led 41-34. 

     The Hurricanes got the ball to the Wolfpack one-yard line midway through the fourth. They had to settle with a Borregales 22-yard field goal at 6:12 and trailed 41-37. 

     The U pulled ahead 44-41 with 2:43 remaining. King launched a 54-yard touchdown pass to Harley for his fifth of the game.

Miami Northwestern Tops Miami Palmetto

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls got by the Palmetto Panthers 17-7 on Thursday night at Traz Powell Stadium. Both defensive squads performed well in this low-scoring contest. 

     Miami Palmetto(2-1) got their only points of the game on the first play of the game. Mike Jackson returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. 

     Miami Northwestern(2-1) make it 7-3 at the 6:10 mark of the first quarter. They were able to kick a 37-yard field goal. 

     In the second quarter, the Bulls overtook the Panthers for their first lead 10-7. Defensive end Pat Payton intercepted a pass and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown. It was the second time in three games this season that he made an interception and reached the end zone.

     The Bulls expanded it to 17-7 with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter. Running back Zuberi Mobley blasted through the middle and scored from three yards away.