2020 FHSAA & South Florida Football Title Recap

     South Florida high school football teams won five state championship games in 2020. It was hard to compare when the region swept in seven classifications that they played in last year. 

     The coronavirus pandemic prevented many South Florida schools from participating this year. Most public schools in the tri-county area opted out from the FHSAA Playoffs by the late September deadline. The South Florida Tri-County Football Championships was created for them left out of the state tournament. 

     The FHSAA football state title contests were all held at Doak Campbell Stadium on the Florida State University campus in Tallahassee. Class 8A to Class 4A were held at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach while Class 3A to Class 1A occurred at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee last year. 

     Three Broward County schools ended up winning state championships this year. St. Thomas Aquinas captured a state-record 12th FHSAA football state championship as they won their second straight Class 7A over Edgewater 31-21. It was the Raiders fifth state title in the last seven seasons and ninth state title since 2007. 

     Cardinal Gibbons reached the top of Class 4A with their second championship in the last three seasons. The Chiefs mounted a 21-point gap late in the game to knock off Bolles 35-21 and prevented them from matching STA with a 12th state title. 

     American Heritage picked up the Class 5A state title over hometown team Rickards 24-6. It was the Patriots first state championship since 2017 and their fifth state title since 2013. 

     Chaminade-Madonna is the only local team that did not win in the state finals and failed to win their fourth consecutive Class 3A title. The Lions were unable to hold a 16-point halftime lead against Trinity Christian Academy and lost 25-22. 

     Dade County finished up with two state championships in 2020. Miami Central easily dominated Lake Minneola 46-0 in the Class 6A state championship game for their second straight title. It was the seventh state championship for the Rockets. 

     Champagnat Catholic pulled away from University Christian for a 41-27 victory. It was the Lions second straight Class 2A title and third in the last four years.

     The South Florida Tri-County High School Football Championships had six local title games held at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami. It involved three classifications that consisted of three gold brackets and three silver brackets. 

     Columbus got by Deerfield Beach 27-24 in the Class 8A gold bracket. They both met in the FHSAA Class 8A state semifinal last year. 

     Boca Raton defeated Palm Beach Gardens 24-17 in the Class 8A silver bracket. It was the only title game that had two Palm Beach County high schools clash. 

     The Class 7A gold bracket had Atlantic down Plantation 44-6. Both teams met in the 2017 FHSAA Class 8A regional quarterfinal. 

     It was an upset in the Class 7A silver bracket when Fort Lauderdale beat South Broward 35-6. It was the only championship contest that involved two Broward County teams. 

     The last two title games had high schools from Class 6A down to Class 1A. Dillard handled North Miami Beach 32-6 in the gold bracket while Miami Norland topped Coconut Creek 41-28 in the silver bracket. 

South Florida Sports Review 2020

     It was a good year for all professional sports teams in South Florida for 2020. Almost all four longtime professional sports clubs made the postseason for just the second time in local sports history. 

     The Miami Heat won the Southeast Division with a 44-29 record and ended up fifth in the Eastern Conference. They got playoff series victories over the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics to capture the Eastern Conference title. The Heat made the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 and fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. 

     The Miami Marlins appeared in the National League Playoffs for the third time in franchise history as a wild card. They reached the postseason for the first time since 2003 with a 31-29 mark. They stunned the Chicago Cubs in the National League Wild Card Series and were swept by the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series. 

     The Florida Panthers got to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second time in five seasons and third time since 2001. The Cats ended up 35-26-8 for 78 points and in tenth place by percentage in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers were eliminated in four games by the New York Islanders in a Stanley Cup Qualifier Series.

     The Miami Dolphins had a 10-6 record and finished second in the AFC East Division. They missed an American Football Conference wild-card spot in the final week of the regular season when they lost to the Buffalo Bills along with being surpassed by the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts. 

     Inter Miami CF also made it to the postseason in their inaugural season in Major League Soccer as the team finished ninth in the Eastern Conference. They lost in a play-in contest against Nashville SC 3-0. 

Heat Handle Bucks

     The Miami Heat defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 119-108 on Wednesday night at American Airlines Arena. Both clubs had a rare circumstance and faced each other in the same venue on consecutive nights.

     Miami(2-2) had a 25-19 advantage after the first quarter, however Milwaukee(2-3) bounced back to go ahead 56-51 by halftime. The Bucks had a slight lead 93-88 after three quarters. The Heat went on an 20-6 run to begin the fourth and never looked back. 

     Goran Dragic came off the bench and scored 26 points for Miami. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with 22 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds while Tyler Herro had 21 points along with 15 rebounds. Avery Bradley dropped in 16 points and Kelly Olynyk put in 15 points. 

     Giannis Antetokounmpo came back with a better stats than the previous night with a triple-double of 26 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Donte DiVincenzo drained in 15 points and Jrue Holiday had 13 points. 

Greyhound Racing Ending In Florida

     Greyhound racing will no longer be held in the state of Florida as of 2021. An election was held back in November 2018 and voted upon to eliminate dog racing altogether. 

     Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach will have their final day ever of greyhound racing after 88 years on December 31. The last race will occur at 11:59PM on New Year's Eve. Palm Beach Kennel Club has held dog races since 1932 and owned by the Rooney family since 1970.

Steve Shapiro Retires

     Longtime Miami television sportscaster Steve Shapiro retired on Wednesday. Shapiro leaves his position as sports director and lead sports anchor at WSVN-TV Channel 7 in Miami. He became a part of that organization as a sportscaster in 1997 and was elevated to lead sports anchor in 2003. 

     Shapiro worked in the Roanoke, Boston and Albany markets before arriving in South Florida. He joined WCIX-TV Channel 6 as a sportscaster in 1990. Shapiro shifted to WFOR-TV Channel 4 when their signal was exchanged for WTVJ-TV in the mid-1990s. 

     He did have a stint as a late morning co-host with Joe Zagacki and Dave O'Brien at 560 WQAM-AM until September 1995. Shapiro was also a sports contributor on Miccosukee Sports Rap at Fox Sports Net Florida in the 2000s. 

Bucks Pay Back Heat

     The Milwaukee Bucks extracted revenge as they topped the Miami Heat 144-97 at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday night. The Heat pulled off a playoff upset of the Bucks in five games during the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season. 

     The Bucks set an NBA record with 29 three-point shots made in a game. The Heat surrendered the most points in a home game ever in franchise history. The 47-point loss tied for the second worst defeat in Heat history. 

     Both teams will meet each other on Wednesday night in a back-to-back set in the same venue. It is a rare scheduling concept to save clubs from traveling more for the shortened 2020-21 regular season.

     Milwaukee(2-2) scored the first 12 points of the contest and ripped out to a 46-26 lead after one quarter. The Bucks scored the first nine points of the second quarter and led 83-51 at halftime. Miami(1-2) was unable to cut the deficit and were down 115-75 at the end of three quarters. 

     Tyler Herro had a team-high 23 points and seven assists for the Heat. Kendrick Nunn added 15 points and Avery Bradley dropped in 14 points. 

     Khris Middleton put up a game-high 25 points for the Bucks. Jrue Holiday compiled 24 points and seven assists while Donte DiVincenzo scored 17 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to nine points, six rebounds and six assists in 24 minutes. 

Oklahoma State Drops Hurricanes

     The Oklahoma State Cowboys stopped the Miami Hurricanes 37-34 in the Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Tuesday night. It was just the second game this season that the Hurricanes played a contest outside of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Canes have lost 10 of their last 11 bowl game appearances. 

     Oklahoma State(8-3) broke out to a 7-0 lead at the 11:39 mark of the opening quarter. Quarterback Spencer Sanders connected a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receive Brennan Presley on the left side. 

     The Cowboys extended it to 14-0 with 5:25 left in the first. Running back L.D. Brown busted up the middle from two yards away. 

     It became a 21-point margin for Oklahoma State with 56 seconds to go. Pressley caught a pass from Sanders on the left numbers, cut to the left hash marks and sprinted in on a 32-yard score. 

     Miami(8-3) got on the scoreboard 46 seconds into the second quarter to make it 21-7. Quarterback D'Eriq King fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brevin Jordan in the middle of the zone. The Canes added a 22-yard field goal by Jose Borregales with 3:55 remaining in the first half. 

     The Hurricanes got some points on their first possession of the third quarter. Borregales booted a 40-yard field goal at 13:25.

     Miami pushed closer at the 8:45 mark and were down 21-19. Running back Cam'Ron Harris sprinted down the right hash marks from 42 yards out for a touchdown. The Canes tried to tie it, however they missed on a two-point conversion. The Cowboys moved it to 24-19 when Brady Pohl kicked a 26-yard field goal with 2:56 to go in the third. 

     In the fourth quarter, Oklahoma State extended their lead to 31-19 at 14:19. Sanders threw a five-yard pass to wide receiver Dillon Stoner near the left hash marks. 

     The Canes kept up with their opponent over two minutes later. Backup quarterback N'Kosi Perry came in and send a one-yard pass to Jordan. 

     Sanders had his fourth touchdown pass of the contest at the 9:55 mark to make it 37-26 for the Cowboys. He found Pressley on a 16-yard pass in the front of the end zone. 

     Miami answered back with 5:39 left in the fourth. Perry threw a swing pass to the left side and wide receiver Mike Harley raced in from five yards. They got the two-point conversion when wide receiver Marshall Few took a handoff on a reverse and they trailed 37-34. 

Sunny Mehta Joins Florida Panthers

     The Florida Panthers have added to their hockey operations department. They have named Sunny Mehta as their new vice president of hockey strategy and intelligence. 

     Mehta had previously worked in the National Hockey League. He was the director of hockey analytics with the New Jersey Devils from 2014-15 until 2017-18. Mehta spent last season as a consultant for the Washington Capitals. 

West Palm Beach Ratings December 2020

     West Palm Beach sports talk format radio stations were issued their monthly ratings. The time span went from the first week of November to the first week of December. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM moved from a 0.4 to a 0.2 in the period. The station has been at a 0.2 in five of the last seven months. They made an emphasis on Florida Atlantic University football broadcasts as they won four straight games. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Zone WBZT-AM remained at a 0.0 for the tenth consecutive month. The station relied on University of Florida football and nationally syndicated CBS Sports Radio. 

Panthers Sign Kevin Connauton To PTO

     The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Kevin Connauton to a professional tryout agreement. He will be invited to the Panthers training camp. 

     Connauton participated in four games last season with the Colorado Avalanche. He mainly was with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League in 2019-20. Connauton has played in seven NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche.  

Blues Give Mike Hoffman Professional Tryout

     Right wing Mike Hoffman will not be back with the Florida Panthers. He has signed a professional tryout agreement with the St. Louis Blues and will be invited to their training camp. 

     Hoffman participated in 69 regular season games last season with the Panthers and compiled 29 goals along with 30 assists. He joined Florida for the 2018-19 season and put together a career-high 36 goals and 34 assists in 82 games. 

Dolphins Edge Raiders

     The Miami Dolphins knocked off the Las Vegas Raiders 26-25 at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night. Miami eliminated the Raiders from postseason contention in the American Football Conference. 

     It was the first time that the Dolphins ever played a game in Las Vegas. The Raiders moved to that city from Oakland prior to the start of the 2020 NFL season. 

     Las Vegas(7-8) took a 7-0 lead at the 8:25 mark. Quarterback Derek Carr jumped over the top of the line and scored from one yard away. 

     Miami(10-5) and the Raiders exchanged two field goals for the remainder of the first half. Jason Sanders had field goals from 37 and 39 yards while Daniel Carlson made field goals from 23 and 38 yards. The Fins trailed 13-6 at halftime. 

     Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw a short 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Myles Gaskin in the middle of the field to even it up 13-13 at 10:31 of the third quarter. Carlson kicked a 20-yard field goal with 2:30 to go in the quarter and reclaimed the lead 16-13. 

     In the fourth quarter, both teams combined for 22 points in the final four minutes of the contest. Sanders booted a 22-yard field goal at the 4:01 mark to tie it for the Dolphins 16-16. 

     Carr connected a long pass on the right sideline to wide receiver Nelson Agholor. He cut to the inside to the right numbers and scored on a 85-yard pass play with 3:37 left to give the a 22-16 lead. Carlson missed the extra point wide right and that later became critical. 

     Miami responded back with 2:55 remaining and reclaimed the lead 23-22. Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick came in and replaced Tagovailoa. He fired a pass to Gaskin on the right hash marks and he raced down the right sideline for a 59-yard touchdown. 

     Las Vegas went up 25-23 when Carlson made a 22-yard field goal with 19 seconds to go. Sanders converted on a 44-yard field goal with one second left in the fourth quarter and gave them a 26-25 victory. 

Heat Top Pelicans In Home Opener

     The Miami Heat played their home opener and defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 111-98 on Friday at American Airlines Arena. The Heat played on Christmas Day for the first time since 2015. 

     They now have a NBA best 11-2 record on Christmas Day and have won eight straight games on December 25. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is now 8-0 on Christmas Day. 

     It was the first time that the Heat played a regular season game at the venue since March 11. The NBA suspended the 2019-20 season that night due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

     Miami(1-1) had a 20-9 spurt at the end of the first quarter and were up 29-26. The Heat outscored the Pelicans 27-9 to start the second quarter and led 66-53 by halftime. Duncan Robinson set an NBA record with six three-pointers in one half of a Christmas Day contest. The 13 three-point shots made by the team in the half tied a franchise record. 

     New Orleans(1-1) cut at the lead and trailed 88-79 after three quarters. They chopped it down to six points 91-85 with 7:43 left in the fourth, however Miami answered back with a 18-7 run. 

     Robinson led the Heat with 23 points and tied an NBA record with seven three-pointers in a Christmas Day game. Bam Adebayo dropped in 17 points while Goran Dragic had in 18 points and nine assists. Avery Bradley got 12 points and Tyler Herro drained in 11 points. 

     Zion Williamson delivered a double-double for the Pelicans with 32 points and 14 rebounds. Brnadon Ingram added 28 points and Josh Hart had 12 points. 

Jose Urena Joins Detroit Tigers

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Urena has signed with the Detroit Tigers. It is a one-year contract worth $3.25 million. 

     Urena was with the Marlins from 2015 until 2020. He had a career record of 32-46 with a 4.60 earned-run-average of 4.60 in 142 games. Urena was 0-3 with the Miami in five starts last season. 

Heat Lose Season Opener To Magic

     The Miami Heat opened up the 2020-21 regular season with a 113-107 defeat to the Orlando Magic at Amway Center on Tuesday night. The Heat played the rest of the 2019-20 regular season and had their long playoff run at venues in Lake Buena Vista, which is 18 miles away from Orlando. Miami is now 18-15 in season openers. 

     The next game for Miami is Christmas Day as they host the New Orleans Pelicans. The Heat will play five of their next six games at home. 

     Miami(0-1) had a slight 29-27 advantage after one quarter, however Orlando(1-0) had a 56-53 lead at halftime. The Heat reclaimed the lead and were in front 83-79 at the end of three quarters. The Magic went on a 16-6 run late in fourth quarter to get the victory. 

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a club-high 25 points and 11 rebounds. Goran Dragic added 20 points along with seven assists while Jimmy Butler compiled 19 points, seven assists and seven steals. Duncan Robinson put in 14 points and Tyler Herro dropped in 13 points. 

     Evan Fournier had a game-high 25 points for the Magic. Aaron Gordon poured in 20 points and Terrence Ross came off the bench with 19 points. Nikola Vucevic put together a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. 

Florida Panthers 2020-21 Schedule

     The National Hockey League has released their 2020-21 regular season schedule. It will be a different outlook for the Florida Panthers in the upcoming season being in a different division and playing only 56 games.

     Florida will be realigned to the Central Division for only this season with seven other clubs. They consist of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets.

     The Panthers will play only these seven teams during the regular season. They will host each team four times and visit each club four times. 

     The top four teams in the Central Division standings will make the NHL postseason. They will face other in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The eventual winner will play outside of the Central Division for the first time in the Stanley Cup Semifinals.

     The Florida Panthers will open up the campaign with home contests against the Western Conference Champion Dallas Stars on January 14 and January 15. The Cats will finish their first homestand versus the Chicago Blackhawks on January 17 and January 19. They conclude the regular season with home games against the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning on May 6 and May 8. 

Erik Haula Joining Nashville Predators

     Erik Haula will not be back for the 2020-21 season with the Florida Panthers. He has signed a one-year deal with the Nashville Predators worth $1.75 million.

     Haula was acquired by the Panthers in a five-player deal from the Carolina Hurricanes for Vincent Trocheck on February 20. He compiled two assists in seven contests with Florida. 

Michael Frolik Signs With Canadiens

     Former Florida Panthers left wing Michael Frolik has a deal with the Montreal Canadiens. It is a one-year contract at $750,000. 

     Frolik was with the Florida Panthers at the beginning of his NHL career from 2008-09 until the middle of the 2010-11 season. He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks and eventually won a Stanley Cup with them in 2013. Frolik was later with the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres. 

Miami Ratings December 2020

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

     560 The Joe WQAM-AM went from a 0.8 to a 0.7 in the month. The Miami Dolphins continued momentum toward a winning record. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team saw them drop to third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. 

     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM remained at a 0.4 in the period. It will be the only complete month where the Miami Heat will not participate in a 12-month span. 

     Miami Sports 940 WINZ-AM stayed at a 0.2. The station stuck with University of Florida football broadcasts and nationally syndicated Fox Sports Radio with the end of Miami Marlins broadcasts this year.

Dolphins Waive Antonio Callaway

     The Miami Dolphins have waived wide receiver Antonio Callaway. He compiled two catches for 20 yards in five games this season. Callaway was suspended by the NFL for violating the league substance-abuse policy earlier this year and was not eligible to play until Week 8. 

     Callaway previously played with the Booker T. Washington Tornadoes and the University of Florida Gators. He was with the Cleveland Browns in 2018 and 2019. 

Sam Montembeault Re-Signs With Panthers

     Florida Panthers goalie Sam Montembeault has re-signed with the Florida Panthers. It is a one-year, two-way deal with the club.

     Montembeault has played the last two seasons with the Panthers. He compiled a 9-8 record with a 3.20 goals-against-average in 25 games. 

NHL 2020-21 Calendar Set

     The National Hockey League calendar for the entire 2020-21 campaign has been announced. The seven teams who failed to make the 2019-20 postseason will launch their training camps on December 31 and the 24 other teams will start their training camps on January 3. 

     The NHL regular season will begin on January 13 and conclude on May 8. The trade deadline will occur on April 12. The Stanley Cup Playoffs will start May 11 and the last possible day that the Stanley Cup Final can end is on July 9. 

     There are several dates of importance following the postseason. All 30 clubs, except for the Vegas Golden Knights, will submit their protected players on July 17 and the Seattle Kraken will make their expansion draft selections of unprotected players on July 21. The first round of the NHL Draft will happen on July 23 and rounds 2 through rounds 7 on July 24 while the free agency period will begin on July 28. 

Dolphins Eliminate Patriots

     The Miami Dolphins outlasted the New England Patriots 22-12 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. The Patriots were eliminated from postseason contention and will not play in the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2008. Miami will end the 2020 campaign with a winning record. 

     There would be no scoring until the second quarter. New England(6-8) made it 3-0 at the 8:55 when Nick Folk kicked a 45-yard field goal. Folk added another field goal from 36 yards with 4:15 to go in the first half. 

     In the third quarter, Miami(9-5) leaped to the lead 7-6 at the 10:32 mark. Running back Salvon Ahmed rushed the ball in from one yard away. The Pats got a 45-yard field goal by Folk with 4:20 left in the third. 

     The Dolphins extended their lead to 15-9 at 12:55 of the fourth quarter. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa scrambled up the middle of the field and scored from three yards out. They made a two-point conversion when Ahmed got a lateral from a downfield wide receiver, following a Tagovailoa pass, and dashed into the end zone. 

     Folk compiled his fourth field goal on the contest. It was from 42 yards with 9:03 remaining. Tagovailoa completed the scoring for Miami when he sneaked in from one yard with 3:17 left. 

South Florida Football Playoffs Championship Results

     The South Florida Tri-County Championships had six title games occur this weekend. All six contests were held at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami. Palm Beach County, Broward County and Dade County won two titles each. 

     #1 Columbus edged #3 Deerfield Beach 27-24 in the Class 8A gold bracket. Both schools met each other in the FHSAA Class 8A state semifinal last year with the Explorers prevailing. 

     #2 Boca Raton upended #1 Palm Beach Gardens 24-17 in the Class 8A silver bracket. It was the only championship contest that had two Palm Beach County schools compete against each other. 

     #1 Atlantic handled #2 Plantation 44-6 in the Class 7A gold bracket. Both teams met back in the 2017 Class 8A regional quarterfinal and the Eagles won.

     #5 Fort Lauderdale upset #3 South Broward 35-6 in the Class 7A silver bracket. It was the only title game with two Broward County schools and that did not have a top-two seed in it. 

     #1 Dillard defeated #4 North Miami Beach 32-6 in the Class 6A-1A gold bracket game. #4 Miami Norland topped #2 Coconut Creek 41-28 in the Class 6A-1A silver bracket game. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Wins 12th State Title

     The St. Thomas Aquinas captured a state-record 12th FHSAA football state championship as they defeated the Edgewater Eagles 31-21 on Saturday night in the Class 7A game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. The Raiders surpassed the Bolles Bulldogs who have won 11 state titles. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas won their second straight Class 7A state title over Edgewater. STA now have five state championships in their last seven seasons and nine in the last 14 years.

     The Raiders moved out in front 7-0 at 6:21 of the first quarter. Running back Anthony Hankerson raced around the right end and scored from four yards away. 

     Edgewater(8-3) evened it up 7-7 at the 6:52 mark of the second quarter. Running back Cedric Baxter went to the left and then cut down the left hash marks for a nine-yard touchdown. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(8-1) regained the lead 14-7 with 2:52 left in the second. Hankerson blasted through two tackles down the right hash marks and reached the end zone from 12 yards. 

     It became a 14-point lead for the Raiders with 1:32 remaining. Edgewater quarterback Canaan Mobley threw an interception and Raiders linebacker Ja'Den McBurrows returned it for a touchdown. 

     The Eagles got a score with 13 seconds to go in the first half and they trailed 21-14. Baxter rushed to the right side of the end zone from three yards out. 

     In the third quarter, STA made it 24-14 at 3:11. They were able to get a 33-yard field goal from Max Larson. 

     Edgewater closed the gap to 24-21 with 1:31 remaining in the third. Running back Jeremiah Connelley pounded up the middle four yards to reach the end zone

     The Raiders extended it at 31-21 at the 9:15 mark of the fourth quarter. Hankerson compiled his third touchdown of the contest as he scored from nine yards. 

2020-21 NHL Season Set

     The 2020-21 National Hockey League season has been set. There is a agreement between the NHL and National Hockey League Players Association. The regular season will start on January 13 and conclude on May 8. Each NHL club will play 56 games during the 2020-21 regular season. 

     The four divisions will be realigned and look different for the upcoming campaign. The NHL will revert back to the original four division alignment of Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific for the 2021-22 season. 

     The Florida Panthers will be placed in the Central Division. Other teams are the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets. The top four teams in the division will reach the NHL postseason. 

     Florida will play all 56 regular season games only in their division in 2020-21. The Panthers will host four games against every team in visit each team for four contests. 

     There are three other divisions for the 2020-21 season. The North Division will have all seven clubs based in Canada. The East Division consists eight teams form the northeastern United States. The West Division has eight clubs from western United States and off the Mississippi River. 

St. Thomas Aquinas And Edgewater Title Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders challenge the Edgewater Eagles in the FHSAA Class 7A state title contest on Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. It is a rematch of the championship game last year between both teams where the Raiders edged the Eagles 28-23. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(7-1) look to capture a state-record 12th football championship. They have won four state championships in the last six seasons and eight titles in the last 13 years. STA have outscored their opponents 260-96 this season and won six straight games. The Raiders pounded Lehigh 50-13 in the regional quarterfinal, blanked Manatee 45-0 in the regional semifinal, defeated Venice 29-8 in the regional final and knocked off Bloomingdale 37-14 in the state semifinal. Running backs Anthony Hankerson and Corey Reddick will get their rushing attempts. Quarterback Zion Turner can run out of the pocket when necessary and pass the ball to wide receivers Bralon Brown, Quincy Skinner Jr. and Antonio Spencer. 

     Edgewater(8-2) have outscored their opponents 290-192 this year. The Eagles beat Forest 47-14 in a play-in game, won by forfeit over St. Cloud in a regional quarterfinal, shut out Viera 59-0 in a regional semifinal, downed Mitchell 28-21 in a regional final and got by Niceville 30-28 in a state semifinal. They can go with running backs Cedric Baxter, Khalil Washington and Kye Rivers on rushing opportunities. Quarterback Canaan Mobley is expected to complete passes to wide receivers Tommi Hill, Christian Leary, and Jeremiah Connelley.

Palm Beach Gardens And Boca Raton South Florida 8A Preview

     The Palm Beach Gardens play the Boca Raton Bobcats for the South Florida Tri-County Class 8A Championship in the silver bracket on Saturday. The contest is being held at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami. It is the only South Florida title game that involves two Palm Beach County schools facing each other.

     Palm Beach Gardens(4-2) have a 141-108 scoring advantage against opponents this season. The Gators got by Wellington 24-10 in the first round and knocked off Miami 28-14 in the second round. Quarterback Lynden Moss intends to find wide receivers Chris Presto, Michael Wright, Jacobe Hines and Wisler Phillipe down the field. Running back Jacory Brown and Adrian Santiago will get their rushing opportunities. 

     Boca Raton(5-1) have outscored their opponents 167-76 this year. The Bobcats handled Coral Springs 28-13 in the first round and shut out Coral Gables 24-0 in the second round. Quarterback Jacob Cashion looks to guide their offense with passes to wide receivers Collin Bender, Hunter Mack, Tyrese Simon and Sebastien Saint-Louis. Running back Trotsky Horton can generate some yardage on carries along with tight end Ashton Gillotte. 

Heat Step On Raptors

     The Miami Heat got by the Toronto Raptors 117-105 at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Friday night. It was the second and final preseason contest for the Heat. 

     Toronto had a slight 24-23 advantage after one quarter and they trailed 58-56 at halftime. Miami expanded their lead to 91-83 at the end of three quarters and held off the Raptors in the fourth. 

     KZ Okpala led the Heat with 23 points while Bam Adebayo added 13 points. Kyle Lowry had a game-high 25 points for Toronto and Pascal Siakam dropped in 14 points. 

American Heritage Defeats Rickards For 5A Title

     The American Heritage Patriots beat the Rickards Raiders 24-6 in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship contest at Doak Campbell Stadium on Friday night. The Patriots captured their first state title since 2017 and their fifth overall in school history. Rickards was playing the game in their hometown of Tallahassee. 

     American Heritage(11-2) jumped out in front 7-0 with 5:55 left in the first quarter. Running back Mark Fletcher rushed the ball in from two yards away. 

     The Patriots expanded their lead to 14-0 with 19 seconds to go in the first. Quarterback Blake Murphy connected a 49-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nicholas Whitton. 

     It became a 21-point margin for American Heritage at the 5:37 mark of the second quarter. Wide receiver Orande Gadsden II caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Murphy. 

     Rickards(9-2) reached the end zone at 10:53 of the third quarter. Quarterback Michael Townsend raced in for the score from two yards out. 

     In the fourth quarter, the Patriots made it 24-6 with 2:42 remaining. Chris Maron was able to boot a 29-yard field goal. 

Miami Central Pounds Lake Minneola For 6A Title

     The Miami Central Rockets blasted the Lake Minneola Hawks 46-0 in the FHSAA Class 6A state title game at Doak Campbell Stadium on Friday. The Rockets won their second straight Class 6A state championship and their seventh state title overall. 

     Miami Central(7-1) scored at the 6:36 mark of the first quarter to go up 6-0. Quarterback Keyone Jenkins fired a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Zaylan Reese in the middle of the field. 

     The Rockets increased their lead to 12-0 with 3:55 to go in the first. Jenkins connected a 24-yard pass to wide receiver Robert McMinn in the back right corner of the end zone. 

     It became an 18-point margin for Miami Central late in the first quarter. Running back Amari Daniels raced around the right end from 14 yards away. 

     In the second quarter, the Rockets made it 24-0 at the 8:51 mark. Jenkins found wide receiver Yulkeith Brown on the right side of the end zone on an eight-yard toss.

     Lake Minneola(11-2) surrendered another score with 3:58 left in the second and they trailed 32-0. Running back Ghana Oboh busted through the left side of the line from three yards out for a touchdown and then reached the end zone on a two-point conversion run.

     Miami Central extended their lead to 40-0 at the 9:40 mark of the third quarter and a running clock was implemented for the rest of the contest. Daniels walked in untouched up the middle from one yard out. 

Deerfield Beach And Columbus South Florida 8A Title Preview

     The Deerfield Beach Bucks face the Columbus Explorers at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami for the South Florida Tri-County Class 8A Championship in the gold bracket on Saturday night. Both schools met each other last season in the FHSAA Class 8A state semifinal game and Columbus prevailed 28-21. 

     Deerfield Beach(4-0) is the third seed in the gold bracket. They have outscored their opponents 153-35 this season. The Bucks blanked Jupiter 41-0 in the first round and got by Western 34-27 in the second round. Running back Jaziun Patterson will get a ton of carries from the backfield. Wide receivers Jamarion McDougle, Deion Small, Fred Eaford and Michael Jordan can make catches down the field.

     Columbus(7-0) is the defending FHSAA Class 8A state champions and the top seed in the gold bracket. The Explorers have outscored their opponents 180-25 and have not given up more than 12 points in any contest this year. They won by forfeit over Stoneman Douglas in the first round and Monarch in the second round. Columbus has not played in any game since November 20. Leaders on the team are offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez and defensive back Branden Coleman. 

Atlantic And Plantation South Florida 7A Title Preview

     The Atlantic Eagles challenge the Plantation Colonels for the South Florida Tri-County Class 7A Championship in the gold bracket at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami on Friday night. They previously met only one time in a 2017 Class 8A regional quarterfinal where the Eagles won 29-14. 

     Atlantic(5-1) is the top seed in the gold bracket. The Eagles pounded North Miami 54-7 in the first round and breezed by Miramar 46-21 in the second round. They have outscored their opponents 239-73 this season. Quarterback Guenson Alexis will lead their offense down the field with passes to wide receivers Tyler Burke, Rashawn Faustine, Kavoris Dean, Reece Dobard and Medro Sainclair. Running backs Montahj Joseph, Marquis Lymon, Omari Mitchell and Ja'ques Jonas are expected rushing opportunities. 
     Plantation(4-1) is the second seed in the gold bracket. They hammered American 45-9 in the first round and handled Dwyer 41-27 in the second round. The Colonels have scored at least 41 points per contest and outscored their opponents 225-103 this year. Wide receivers Jacolby Geroge, Deion Scott and Devin Howard can make pass receptions from quarterback Cedquan Smith. Running backs Xavier Bolden and Carlinton Armstong will get the majority of the rushing attempts. 

Florida Panthers Sign Anthony Duclair

     The Florida Panthers have signed left wing Anthony Duclair. to a one-year deal worth $1.7 million. Duclair has played in the National Hockey League for the past six seasons. 

     Duclair was with the Ottawa Senators last season where he compiled a career-high 23 goals and 17 assists in 66 games. He has previously played for the New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators. 

Cardinal Gibbons Takes Bolles And 4A Title

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs knocked off the Bolles Bulldogs 35-21 in the FHSAA Class 4A state title game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Thursday. The Chiefs won their second state championship in the last three seasons. The Bulldogs failed to capture their state-record 12th state championship in their second straight title game. 

     Bolles(10-3) reached the end zone on the second play of the contest 45 seconds into the first quarter. Running back Kade Frew rushed through the middle of the line on a 60-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(8-1) evened it up 7-7 at 11:54 of the second quarter. Quarterback Brody Palhegyi quickly threw a four-yard pass to wide receiver Jesse Anderson in the front right corner of the end zone. 

     The Chiefs got a 14-7 lead with 6:33 left in the second. Wide receiver Troy Stellato broke two tackles on the right hash marks to score on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Palhegyi.

     In the third quarter, Cardinal Gibbons extended their lead to 21-7 on their first drive at the 8:41 mark. Palhegyi tossed a screen pass to the left side and running back Kamari Moulton sprinted 32 yards down the left sideline. 

     The Chiefs made it a 21-point margin with 4:52 left in the fourth quarter. Moulton rushed the ball in from four yards out. 

     The Bulldogs gave up another score with 2:25 remaining and they trailed 35-7. Palhegyi connected a nine-yard touchdown pass to Stellato on the right side of the end zone. 

      Bolles answered back on the ensuing kickoff 13 seconds later. Wide receiver Davis Ellis ran the ball back 65 yards and scored a touchdown. 

      After a Chiefs punt was blocked, the Bulldogs closed the gap to 35-21 with 47 seconds to go. Frew busted through and reached the end zone from one yard away. 

Early National Signing Day Dade County

     Dade County high school football players selected where they will go and participate in college football. Many of them have won a FHSAA state championship. 

     Some top players decided to stay local and play for the University of Miami. Miami Northwestern had several with wide receiver Romello Brinson, tight end Kahlil Brantley and defensive back Kamren Kinchens. Other profile players heading for the Hurricanes were Miami Palmetto wide receiver Brashard Smith, Miami Palmetto defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, Columbus offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez. Champagnat Catholic kicker Andres Borregales, Miami Central offensive lineman Lawrence Seymore and Miami Killian linebacker Tyler Johnson.

     Miami Central wide receiver Yulkeith Brown and running back Amari Daniels will both be going to Texas A&M while their teammate defensive back Travis McNichols Jr. is heading for Appalachian State. 

     A number of players will be going elsewhere. They include Miami Northwestern linebacker Patrick Payton(Florida State), Champagnat Catholic wide receiver Malik Rutherford(Georgia Tech), Miami Northwestern running back Zuberi Mobley, Columbus defensive back Branden Coleman, Miami Northwestern linebacker Ja'Corey Hammett, Miami Palmetto defensive back Derrick Edwards(Louisville), Booker T. Washington defensive back Rance Connor Jr.(Louisville), North Miami tight end Chamon Metayer(Cincinnati) and Champagnat Catholic linebacker Deondrick Spreight(Connecticut). 

     FIU picked up some players from Dade County in Miami Northwestern linebacker A'mahri McCray, Miami Carol City running back Katravis Geter, Miami Springs defensive back Demetrius Hill and North Miami defensive back D'mor Jean-Baptiste. 

     UAB got two defensive backs from Miami Northwestern which are Tim Burns Jr. and Antwan Massie while Gulliver Prep defensive back Gabe Nealy selected South Florida. 

Early National Signing Day Broward County

     Broward County high school football players made their announcements where they will play college football. Many of them have participated in the FHSAA postseason. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas had a bunch of players make their selections. Linebacker Dallas Turner selected Alabama while wide receiver Bralon Brown picked Ole Miss. Linebacker Jaydon Hood and defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows choose Michigan. Wide receiver Quincy Skinner Jr., defensive back Tyson Russell and offensive lineman Gunnar Hansen all went with Vanderbilt.

     Defensive end R.J. Sorensen ended up in Louisville and defensive lineman Tyreak Sapp selected Florida. Other Raiders moving on are defensive end Allan Baugh(Colorado), tight end Antonio Johnson  (Villanova) and offensive lineman Joshua Sauickie(Air Force). 

     Chaminade-Madonna had a couple of players staying local for college. Running back Thaddius Franklin and defensive lineman Allan Haye will be going to the University of Miami. Plantation wide receiver Jacolby George, American Heritage defensive back James Williams and Stoneman Douglas offensive lineman Michael McLaughlin will also play for the Hurricanes. 

     Cardinal Gibbons wide receiver Troy Stellato signed with Clemson, defensive end Jah-Mal Williams headed to Cincinnati and defensive lineman Anthony Earle stayed local with FAU. 

     University School/Tru Prep Academy defensive lineman Marcus Tate decided on Clemson, defensive back Ricardo Hallman choose Wisconsin, quarterback Nick Vattiato landed at Middle Tennessee and running back Max Balthazar agreed to Coastal Carolina. 

     American Heritage wide receiver Orande Gadsden II signs with Syracuse, Monarch wide receiver Jaden Alexis heads to Texas, Chaminade-Madonna quarterback Jaylon Tolbert goes to Howard, Chaminade-Madonna defensive back Torrie Cox Jr. travels to Ohio while Deerfield Beach linebacker Justice Cross and Fort Lauderdale wide receiver Jahmal Edrine selects FAU. 

Early National Signing Day Palm Beach County

     Palm Beach County high school football players made their decisions where they will attend college. Many players from Palm Beach County held off from signing on the first day of the early signing period like they did last year. 

     Former Pahokee and current IMG Academy cornerback Markevious Brown signed with Ole Miss. Palm Beach Lakes running back Antonio Outler and American Heritage defensive lineman Earl Miller Jr. both land at South Dakota, 

     Boca Raton defensive end Ashton Gillotte is going to Louisville, Suncoast defensive back William Wells is moving up to Central Florida and Benjamin offensive lineman Andrew Weisz is headed for Yale. 

Chaminade-Madonna Falls To Trinity Christian Academy For 3A Crown

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions fell the Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors 25-22 on Wednesday night in the FHSAA Class 3A state title game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. The Conquerors won their first state title since 2016 and eighth overall. The Lions tried to capture their fourth consecutive Class 3A state championship.

     Chaminade-Madonna(8-2) got the early lead at 8:42 of the first quarter. A high snap went over the head of the Conquerors punter Caleb Stevenson and out of the back of the end zone. 

     The Lions made it a 9-0 lead with 2:25 to go in the first. Running back Thaddius Franklin took a direct snap, rushed around the right end and scored from two yards away. 
     It became 16-0 for Chaminade-Madonna with 1:49 remaining in the second. Conquerors quarterback Ja'Cory Jordan had the ball taken away from him by linebacker Dylan Reid and he ran it back for a Lions score. 

     In the third quarter, Trinity Christian Academy(12-1) broke the shutout at the 8:43 mark and were down 16-7. Running back Kaleb Killian ran out of the wildcat formation and raced to right side for a two-yard touchdown. 

     The Conquerors compiled three more points at 10:33 of the fourth quarter. Stevenson added a 19-yard field goal and made it 16-10. 

     Trinity Christian Academy completed erasing the deficit with 6:56 remaining and moved ahead 17-16. Jordan connected a 55-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marcus Burke.

     Chaminade-Madonna reclaimed the lead 22-17 with 3:03 left in the fourth. Franklin busted in on a one-yard touchdown run for his second time in the end zone. 

     The Conquerors scored on their final possession with 48 seconds to go. Burke was able to catch a 26-yard touchdown pass from Jordan on a 4th-and-7 play. They made the two-point conversion and led 25-22.

Champagnat Catholic Tops University Christian For 2A Title

     The Champagnat Catholic Lions defeated the University Christian Christians 41-27 in the FHSAA Class 2A state championship game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Wednesday. The Lions captured their second straight state title and third in the last four years. 

     Champagnat Catholic(11-2) scored on their first possession 27 seconds into the contest. Quarterback Tyous Taylor made a swing pass to his left and wide receiver Benson Prosper went down the left sideline on a 51-yard touchdown for a 7-0 lead.

     The Lions extended it to a 14-point margin with the same connection at the 6:44 mark. Taylor released an 18-yard pass to the left sideline, Prosper cut to the left numbers and reached the end zone. 

     University Christian(8-5) cut the lead to 14-7 with 2:32 left. Running back Joe Carter went around the left end and scored from 12 yards away. 

     In the second quarter, the Christians took the lead 15-14 with 3:29 remaining. Running back Orel Gray slowly surged up the middle of the field from ten yards out. They were also able to get the two-point conversion on a run by Gray.  

     The third quarter would belong to Champagnat Catholic. They regained the lead at 9:08 of the third quarter to make it 20-15. Running back Donovan Jones raced in on a 47-yard touchdown run. 

     The Lions expanded it to 26-15 with 2:23 to go in the third. Prosper caught his third touchdown pass reception of the game from Taylor on a 14-yard pass play. 

     University Christian answered back with 23 seconds left in the third and they trailed 26-21. Quarterback Desirrio Riles found wide receiver Ja'won Grey on the left hash marks for a 66-yard touchdown. 

     It became 34-21 for Champagnat Catholic at the 9:33 mark of the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Malik Rutherford went off-left tackle to score an eight-yard touchdown and they made a two-point conversion when Taylor zipped a pass to wide receiver Kelvin Blount. 

     The Christians made it 34-27 with 6:23 remaining in the fourth. Gray was able to rumble in from nine yards away. 

     The Lions scored with 2:33 left and they had a 41-27 lead. Rutherford made a one-handed catch in the back right corner of the end zone on a ten-yard touchdown pass by Taylor. 

No FHSAA Title Games On Local Television

     The FHSAA football state championship contests will not be broadcast on local television in the South Florida region for the eighth consecutive year. There will also be no local radio broadcasts of the eight title games. 

     Spectrum Sports, which is based in Central Florida, has carried the exclusive rights to the FHSAA football state title games since the 2013 season. Local South Florida residents can pay a fee to see each individual contest streamed from Spectrum Sports.

American Heritage And Rickards Title Preview

     The American Heritage Patriots take on the Rickards Raiders in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship on Friday night. It will be an advantage for the Raiders as they play in their hometown at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee while the Patriots have to travel all the way from Plantation.

     American Heritage(10-2) are looking for their first state title since 2017 and their fifth championship in school history. The Patriots dismantled Palm Bay 49-0 in the play-in game, defeated Miami Northwestern 12-3 in the regional quarterfinal, slipped by Rockledge 26-14 in the regional final, ousted Eau Gallie 38-18 in the regional final and edged Jesuit 16-13 in the state semifinal. They have outscored their opponents 294-140 this season. Running backs Mark Fletcher and Jerry Dinkins will share the rushing opportunities for them. Quarterback Blake Murphy looks to throw the ball to wide receivers Orande Gadsden II, Michael Watkins III, Nicholas Whitton, Vinson Davis III and Emory Clemons. 

     Rickards(9-1) is on a seven-game winning streak and have outscored their opponents 231-151 this year. The Raiders got by Ed White 21-14 in a play-in contest, knocked off West Florida 38-16 in a regional quarterfinal, beat Ribault 44-26 in a regional semifinal, squeezed by Baker County 14-10 in a regional final and topped Dunnellon 26-24 in a state semifinal. Quarterback Michael Townsend can toss the ball to wide receivers Torey Walker, Rico Watkins, Greg Turner Jr. and Caleb Acoff. Running back Andrevious Robinson will get the majority of rushing attempts from the backfield. 

Miami Central And Lake Minneola Title Preview

     The Miami Central Rockets play the Lake Minneola Hawks in the FHSAA Class 6A state championship contest on Friday. It is a clash between the two teams at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. 

     Miami Central(6-1) is attempting to win their second straight Class 6A state title and have outscored their opponents 192-78 this season. They won two play-in games by forfeit against Immakolee and Archbishop McCarthy. The Rockets beat Lely 42-16 in a regional quarterfinal, rolled by Naples 31-21 in a regional semifinal, routed Dunbar 40-0 in a regional final and outlasted Palmetto 47-20 in a state semifinal. Quarterback Keyone Jenkins can connect passes to wide receivers Yulkeith Brown, Robert McMinn and Zaylan Reese. Running back Amari Daniels will get the majority of handoffs in the backfield. 

     Lake Minneola(11-1) currently have a ten-game winning streak. They outscored their opponents 524-133 this year. The Hawks blanked Land O' Lakes 54-0 in the play-in game, defeated Boca Ciega 42-14 in the regional quarterfinal, shut out Largo 56-0 in the regional semifinal, stopped Gaither 35-14 in the regional final and edged St. Augustine 49-48 in triple overtime during the state semifinal. Dual quarterback Ronnie Sanders can run out of the pocket and throw to wide receivers Isaiah Shannon, Jojo Smiley, Wyatt Watson and Tyler Fordham. Running back Sidarius Walker is expected to get the bulk of the rushing attempts. 

Cardinal Gibbons And Bolles Title Preview

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs face the Bolles Bulldogs in the FHSAA Class 4A state title game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Thursday. Both schools have been title contenders in the last couple of years. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(7-1) look to win their second state title in the last three years. They have outscored their opponents 234-91 this season. The Chiefs dropped Clewiston 37-7 in the regional quarterfinal, stopped Gulliver Prep 29-7 in the regional semifinal, held off American Heritage 26-14 in the regional final and upended Cocoa 45-15 in the state semifinal. Quarterback Brody Palhegyi, who returned to action after missing one contest, will guide their offense down the field. They have Mason Polivka as a capable backup for him. Wide receivers Troy Stellato, Bryson Williams, Davon Kiser, Jesse Anderson, A.J. Jenkins, Gabriel Morgan and Luke Dean can make pass receptions from Palhegyi. Running backs Torrence Miller and Kamari Moulton look to get their rushing attempts. 

     Bolles(10-2) will attempt to capture a state-record 12th football championship after falling to Booker T. Washington in the 2019 title game. The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 373-148 this year. They topped The Villages Charter 44-14 in a regional quarterfinal, knocked off Fernandina Beach 35-7 in a regional semifinal, hammered South Sumter 42-7 in a regional final and got by Gadsden County 10-7 in overtime during the state semifinal. Running backs Kade Frew, Myles Johnson, Caden Fordham, Azen Kani and John Mann can get some rushing opportunities from the backfield. Quarterback Gunner Boree can complete passes to wide receivers Davis Ellis, Keaton Thomas, Brett Stambaugh and tight ends Jack Mulvey and Justin Cayenne. 

Chaminade-Madonna And Trinity Christian Academy Title Preview

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions challenge the Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors on Wednesday night at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee for the FHSAA Class 3A state championship. The title game in this classification last year was played in the same town at Gene Cox Stadium. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(8-1) is the defending three-time Class 3A state championships and are playing in their fifth consecutive state title game. They have outscored their opponents 277-95 this season. The Lions smacked Somerset Academy Silver Palms 52-0 in a regional quarterfinal, topped Calvary Christian Academy 38-6 in a regional semifinal, blanked Miami Edison 28-0 in a regional final and edged Berkeley Prep 23-21 in a state semifinal. Running backs Thaddius Franklin, Davion Gause and Jonathan Harris will get rushing attempts from the backfield. Quarterbacks Jaylon Tolbert can connect passes to wide receivers Joshua Jenkins, Edwin Joseph and Michael Edwards.

     Trinity Christian Academy(11-1) is looking to capture their first state championship since 2016. The Conquerors have outscored their opponents 338-132 this year. They downed Baldwin 20-3 in the regional quarterfinal, shut out Episcopal School of Jacksonville 35-0 in the regional semifinal, defeated Florida State University High 45-14 in the regional final and outscored Trinity Catholic 56-33 in the state semifinal. Quarterback Ja'Cory Jordan intends to find wide receivers Marcus Burke, Fred Highsmith, L.J. Kelley, Xander Ross and Runye Norton down the field. They have a strong rushing attack with running backs Treyaun Webb, Kaleb Killian, Christina Ellis, Darnell Rogers and Thomas Fryer.

Champagnat Catholic And University Christian Title Preview

     The Champagnat Catholic Lions take on the University Christian Christians in the FHSAA Class 2A title game on Wednesday. It will be the first of eight football championship games to be played this week at Doak Campbell Field on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee.

     Champagnat Catholic(10-2) is the defending Class 2A state champions and have outscored their opponents 508-168 this year. They are looking for their third title in the last four years and will be playing in their fifth consecutive state title game. The Lions have been dominate in the postseason as they pounded Glades Day 65-7 in the play-in game, blanked First Baptist Academy 42-0 in the regional quarterfinal, beat Moore Haven 49-18 in the regional semifinal, smashed Community School of Naples 67-7 in a regional final and squashed Seffner Christian 56-14 in the state semifinal. Running back Donovan Jones, Walter Phillips and Curmary Butts will get the bulk of the rushing attempts. Quarterback Tyous Taylor can connect passes to wide receivers Malik Rutherford, Benson Prosper, Keshawn Brown, Jaylin Terzado and Kelvin Blount. 

     University Christian(8-4) have won six straight games and averaged 42 points in those contests. They have outscored their opponents 397-230 this season and look to get their first state title since 2016. The Christians shut out Munroe 42-0 in a play-in game, took Aucilla Christian 41-16 in a regional quarterfinal, routed St. John Paul II 41-7 in a regional semifinal. handled North Florida Christian 35-20 in a regional final and topped Foundation Academy 28-14 in a state semifinal. Quarterback Desirro Biles intends to find his primary target wide receiver Ja'won Grey on passing plays. Running backs Orel Gray, Joe Carter and Alan Woods look to get rushing opportunities. 

Pelicans Push By Heat

     The Miami Heat lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 114-92 at American Airlines Arena on Monday night in a preseason contest. The Heat have one more preseason game on their slate versus the Toronto Raptors in Tampa on Friday. 

     It was the first time that the Heat participated an NBA game in Miami since the coronavirus pandemic stopped league play. The last time Miami hosted a game at home was during the 2019-20 regular season against the Charlotte Hornets on March 11. 

     New Orleans was ahead 32-30 after one quarter and led 60-53 at halftime. Miami could not cut into the lead and trailed 85-72 at the end of three quarters. 

     Tyler Herro led the Heat with 17 points while Duncan Robinson added 14 points. Zion Williamson compiled a double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans. Brandon Ingram dropped in 22 points in the victory. 

Ryan Maguire Chicago White Sox Radio Producer

     Ryan Maguire has been named the new executive producer for the Chicago White Sox Radio Network at WMVP-AM and will join that organization on January 4. He recently was associated with the digital audio company SpokenLayer in New York City since April and had been a part of Barrett News Media as a columnist. 

     Maguire had worked in Miami as the program director of 560 WQAM-AM from May 2015 until February 2018. He left for Seattle to become the director of news programming for KIRO-FM from March 2018 to August 2019. 

     He was a program director for several radio stations prior to arriving in South Florida. They included WQSN-AM(Kalamazoo), WLBY-AM(Ann Arbor), WTKA-AM(Ann Arbor), WSSP-AM(Milwaukee), KCSP-AM(Kansas City) and KDKA-FM(Pittsburgh). 

Chiefs Defeat Dolphins

     The defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs got by the Miami Dolphins 33-27 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. The Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in 50 years on the same field back in February over the San Francisco 49ers. 

     Miami(8-5) took the lead 7-0 with 1:35 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa rolled out to his right and tossed a seven-yard pass to tight end Mike Gesicki. 

     The Dolphins expanded it to a 10-0 at the 10:14 mark. Jason Sanders was able to kick a 31-yard field goal. 

     Kansas City(12-1) got on the scoreboard at 8:10 of the second and they were down 10-7. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes gave a reverse handoff to wide receiver Tyreek Hill and he sprinted down the right sideline for a 31-yard score. 

     The Chiefs moved in front 14-10 with 37 second remaining in the first half. Mahomes ran to the right sideline and found tight end Travis Kelce in the front right side of the end zone for a seven-yard pass.

     Kansas City extended their lead when Mahomes connected a 44-yard touchdown pass to Hill at 13:50 of the third quarter. Mecole Hardman added a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown just over a minute later. Tagovailoa was later sacked in the end zone by Chris Jones for a safety and the Chiefs had a 30-10 lead with 6:52 remaining in the third. 

     In the fourth quarter, Miami cut into the deficit. Tagovailoa fired a 29-yard touchdown pass to Gesicki on the left side of the end zone at the 12:03 mark. Tagovailoa then plunged in with a one-yard quarterback sneak with 4:15 remaining in the fourth and they trailed 30-24. 

     Both teams exchanged field goals down the stretch. Harrison Butker hit one from 46 yards for Kansas City with 1:08 to go and Sanders booted one for the Dolphins from 44 yards out with 16 seconds left. 

Osceola Ends Miami Palmetto

     The Osceola Kowboys came back to defeat the Miami Palmetto Panthers 9-3 at Traz Powell Stadium on Saturday night in a FHSAA Class 8A state semifinal. The Kowboys will play Seminole for the state title next week in Tallahassee. 

     Miami Palmetto(6-2) was able to get a 22-yard field goal from Diego Navia with 6:49 to go in the first quarter for a 3-0 lead. It would be their only points of the contest. 

     The Panthers attempted a 37-yard field goal during the fourth quarter to extend their lead. It was blocked by Osceola(9-2) and returned 81 yards by defensive back Bo Mascoe for a touchdown with 5:15 remaining. 

     The Kowboys added a safety with 4:33 left in the fourth to go up 9-3. Defensive back Kaylon Walters sacked running back Brashard Smith in the front of the end zone. 

North Carolina Slams Hurricanes

     The University of North Carolina Tar Heels upended tthe University of Miami Hurricanes 62-26 at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. Both schools usually play in the ACC Coastal Division. 

     Miami(8-2, 7-2) had to be shocked down 21-3 after one quarter and trailing 34-10 at halftime. North Carolina(8-3, 7-3)  continued to roll and extended their lead up 30 points ahead. 

Joe Frisaro Retiring From MLB.com

     MLB.com Miami Marlins beat writer Joe Frisaro is retiring from the organization on December 28. He has covered the Marlins on a daily basis for the Major League Baseball website since March 2002. 

     Frisaro had covered many of the Miami sports teams since the 1990s. He did freelance work and wrote for the Associated Press along with other national organizations.

Former Marlins Players Going To Asia

     Two former Miami Marlins pitchers are leaving Major League Baseball. Josh A. Smith has signed a one-year deal worth $500,000 with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization. Adam Conley is going to Japan and has agreed to a deal with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. 

     Josh A. Smith joined the Marlins as a free agent in December 2019. He had a 1-1 record with a 6.84 earned-run-average in 16 appearances last season. 

     Conley did not pitch in the majors last season and had been with the Marlins since the 2015 season. He had 25-30 record and a 4.82 earned-run-average in 174 games during his five seasons with Miami.

Jim Rodriguez Joins Onside Radio

     Talk radio host Jim Rodriguez has joined Onside Radio. He will host the Jim Rodriguez Experience on Saturdays from noon to 2PM. Rodriguez filled in for Alex Donno for several days on his show earlier this week. 

     Rodriguez was part of 1210 The Man WNMA-AM as a show co-host with The Boss Lady. They started as a late evening program in March 2019 and were elevated to the evening slot in May 2019. Both stayed with that station until July 2019 and then launched a podcast together that month. 

     He once did a national syndicated late morning show called The Sports Bosses with Sean Stanley on SB Nation Radio from June 2017 to July 2018. The program was streamed on the internet prior to that. 

     Rodriguez was a sports producer at Univision until early 2018. He became a coordinating producer for DAZN. 

South Florida Football Playoffs Championship Round

     The South Florida Tri-County High School Football championship games have been set. All title games will be held at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami. 

     12 teams remain in the six brackets. Dade County has three teams, Broward County has six teams and Palm Beach County has three teams.  

     The Class 8A gold bracket will have #1 Columbus and #3 Deerfield Beach next Saturday night. It is a rematch of the 2019 FHSAA Class 8A state semifinal contest between both of them. 

     The Class 8A silver bracket has #1 Palm Beach Gardens and #2 Boca Raton next Saturday afternoon. It is the only contest that will involve Palm Beach County schools against each other. 

     The gold bracket in Class 7A matches #1 Atlantic and #2 Plantation on Friday night. They met only once in a Class 8A regional quarterfinal in 2017. 

     Class 7A in the silver bracket will see #5 Fort Lauderdale and #3 South Broward next Saturday morning. It is the only game with two Broward County teams and that it will not have one of the top two seeds participating.

     The gold bracket for small schools in Class 6A to Class 1A consists of #2 Dillard and #4 North Miami Beach on Thursday night. The silver bracket has #2 Coconut Creek and #4 Miami Norland on Friday afternoon. 

South Florida Football Playoffs Second Round Results

     The South Florida Tri-County High School Football Playoffs continued with action in the second round. 24 high school teams participated with five from Palm Beach County, 12 from Broward County and seven from Dade County. 

     In the Class 8A gold bracket, #1 Columbus won via forfeit over #5 Monarch. #3 Deerfield Beach went on the road and topped #2 Western 34-27. 

     Class 8A silver bracket had #1 Palm Beach Gardens defeat #5 Miami 28-14. #2 Boca Raton were able to shut out #3 Coral Gables 24-0. 

     The gold bracket in Class 7A saw #1 Atlantic outscored #4 Miramar 46-21. #3 Dwyer went to #2 Plantation and fell 41-27. 

     The Class 7A silver bracket found two upsets. #5 Fort Lauderdale took #1 Blanche Ely 26-10 while #3 South Broward blanked #2 Everglades 35-0. 

     The small schools from Class 6A down to Class 1A competed. The gold bracket resulted in #2 Dillard knocking off #3 Glades Central 33-6 and #4 North Miami Beach surprising #1 Killian 34-16. The silver bracket had #2 Coconut Creek stop #3 Miami Springs 34-20 and #4 Miami Norland drop #1 Hallandale 34-7.

American Heritage Overcomes Jesuit

     The American Heritage Patriots overcame a 13-point deficit and got by the Jesuit Tigers 16-13 at Heritage Field in a FHSAA Class 5A state semifinal in Plantation on Friday night. The Patriots advanced to the state title game for the first time since 2017. 

     Jesuit(14-1) got up 6-0 at the 4:27 mark of the first quarter. Wide receiver Junior Vandeross returned a punt return 52 yards for a touchdown. 

     The Tigers made it 13-0, following a turnover by the Patriots, just 19 seconds later. Quarterback Joe Pesansky threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Vandeross on the left hash marks. 

     American Heritage(10-2) chipped at the lead at 9:18 of the second quarter when Chris Maron kicked a 41-yard field goal. He was able to boot a 28-yard field goal with 6:38 left in the third quarter and they trailed 13-6. 

     The Patriots tied the contest 13-13 with 3:15 to go in the third. Running back Mark Fletcher busted through the left side of the line and scored from 39 yards away. American Heritage won the game with no time remaining in the fourth quarter when Maron made a 40-yard field goal to pull out the victory. 

FHSAA South Florida State Semifinal Results

     South Florida large high schools played in the state semifinals of the 2020 FHSAA Playoffs. It ended up that three of the four local teams prevailed. 

      St. Thomas Aquinas were the only local school on the road and they handled Bloomingdale 37-14. The defending FHSAA Class 7A state champions advanced to the state title game for the 13th time in the last 17 years and 15h time since 2000. The Raiders will be looking to capture their FHSAA state-record 12th championship in next week against Edgewater.

     American Heritage was able to get by Jesuit 16-13 in Plantation and reached the Class 5A state title game for the first time since 2017. The Patriots will try to win their fifth football title in school history versus Rickards. 

     Miami Central outscored Palmetto 47-20 in the Class 6A state semifinal at Traz Powell Stadium. The Rockets will go for their second straight title against Lake Minneola next week in Tallahassee. 

     The only local participant to fall in the state semifinal round was Miami Palmetto. They hosted Osceola and lost 9-3.

       

Josh Moser New WSVN-TV Sportscaster

     Josh Moser joined WSVN-TV Channel 7 as their new sportscaster on November 30. He will be replacing Steve Shapiro who will be retiring from the television station at the end of the year. 

     Moser, a University of Southern California 2010 grad, left his position as sports director and sports anchor at WLUK-TV in Green Bay. He did work as a sportscaster at KREX-TV in Colorado Springs and KUSA-TV in Denver prior to that. 

Glades Central At Dillard Preview

     The Glades Central Raiders head to Fort Lauderdale and challenge the Dillard Panthers at Otis Gray Jr. Memorial Stadium on Friday night. It is a second-round game in the Class 6A-1A gold bracket of the South Florida Tri-County football tournament between #3 Glades Central and #2 Dillard. 

     Glades Central(5-0) had smashed through their competition during the 2020 season and have outscored their opponents 176-26 this year. The Raiders shut out Palm Beach Central 41-0, routed Royal Palm Beach 46-6, shut out Pahokee 38-0 in the Muck Bowl and knocked off Park Vista 35-7 during the regular season. They hosted their first home game this season in Belle Glade last week and edged Booker T. Washington 16-13 in the first round. Quarterback Zomarion Harper intends to connect passes to wide receivers Carjuan Perkins, Antavious Tarver, Ro"Quan Porter, Aaron Davis, Robert Luckas, Deiondre Scott and Jamaree Bryant. Running backs Desmond Washington, Jaheim Humphries and Jamari Steward will get their share of rushing opportunities. 

     Dillard(4-0) easily handled Pahokee 49-6 last week in the first-round clash. The Panthers defeated Fort Lauderdale 42-20 in the first game ever played at the Inter Miami CF Stadium complex, dismantled McArthur 58-6 and smashed Blanche Ely 38-0 in the Soul Bowl during the regular season. They have outscored their opponents 187-32 this season. 

Dave Dombrowski Joining Philadelphia Phillies

     Former Marlins baseball executive Dave Dombrowski will be joining the Philadelphia Phillies. He will hold the title as president of baseball operations with them.  

     Dombrowski was the general manager of the Florida Marlins from 1992 until 2001. He guided the club to their first World Series title in 1997. 

     He has make several stops as a general manager during his career. Dombrowski started with the Montreal Expos prior to arriving in South Florida. He landed with the Detroit Tigers from 2002 to 2015 and helped that franchise win the American League title in 2006 and 2012. The last stop for Dombrowski was with the Boston Red Sox and they won the 2018 World Series, before he was released in September 2019. 

Jesuit At American Heritage Preview

     The Jesuit Tigers challenge the American Heritage Patriots at Heritage Field in Plantation on Friday night. It is a FHSAA Class 5A state semifinal contest between both schools. 

     Jesuit(14-0), who enter their fifth state semifinal in the last six years, will play in their state-high 15th game of the 2020 campaign. They have fallen in the state semifinal game during the past two years to eventual Class 5A state champions Cardinal Gibbons in 2018 and Miami Northwestern in 2019. The Tigers have outscored their opponents 547-180 this season. They slammed River Ridge 50-7 in the play-in game, stopped Chamberlain for the second time this year 35-7 in the regional quarterfinal, held off Bishop Moore 43-23 in the regional semifinal and defeated Jones 40-24 in the regional final. Running backs Joquez Smith will get the majority of the carries along with Myles Coates. Quarterback Joe Pesansky can fire the ball to wide receivers Junior Vandeross, Jaydin Girard, Carter French, Jarriett Buie Jr. and tight end Michael Leonardo. 

     American Heritage(9-2) is looking for their first state title since 2017. They return home after two straight games in Central Florida. The Pats have outscored their opponents 278-127 this year. The Patriots blanked Palm Bay 49-0 in a play-in game, knocked off defending Class 5A state champion Miami Northwestern 12-3 in a regional quarterfinal, defeated Rockledge 26-14 in a regional semifinal and prevailed over Eau Gallie 38-18 in a regional final. Quarterback Blake Murphy looks to find wide receivers Orande Gadsden II, Nicholas Whitton, Michael Watkins III, Emory Clemons and Vinson Davis III down the field on pass receptions. Running backs Mark Fletcher and Jerry Dinkins will get their rushing opportunities from the backfield. 

St. Thomas Aquinas At Bloomingdale Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders make the long trip to Valrico and face the Bloomingdale Bulls in a FHSAA Class 7A state semifinal. The winner will play in the state title game two weeks from now in Tallahassee. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(6-1) is the defending Class 7A state champions and will play their third road game of the postseason. STA is looking for a state-record 12th FHSAA football state title. The Raiders routed Lehigh 50-13 in the regional quarterfinal, shut out Manatee 45-0 in the regional semifinal and defeated recent playoff rival Venice 29-8 in the regional final. They have outscored their opponents 223-82 this season. Quarterback Zion Turner will guide the team down the field with his running and passing. Running backs Anthony Hankerson and Corey Reddick will get their share of rushing attempts. Turner can complete passes to wide receivers Bralon Brown and Quincy Skinner Jr. down the field. 

     Bloomingdale(12-0) is undefeated and have outscored their opponents 409-164 this season. The Bulls got by Plant City 35-21 in a play-in game, knocked off Pinellas Park 25-10 in a regional quarterfinal, beat Armwood for the second time this year in a regional semifinal 24-14 and edged Tampa Bay Tech 36-33 in a regional final. Quarterback Tre Simmons can connect passes to wide receivers Agiye Hall, Dinero McClendon, Jac'son Boone, D.J. McQueen and Jayden Segarra. Look for running backs Brycnn Bennett, Unique Lewis and Desmond Daniels to get rushing opportunities. 

Osceola at Miami Palmetto Preview

     The Osceola Kowboys come down from Kissimmee and play the Miami Palmetto Panthers in a Class 8A state semifinal at Traz Powell Stadium on Saturday night. The winner will play for the state championship in two weeks. 

     Osceola(8-2) has made another long run in the postseason like they previously have several times in the past decade. They have outscored their opponents 328-115 this year. The Kowboys slammed Palm Harbor University 46-3 in the regional quarterfinal, beat Riverview Sarasota 24-20 in the regional semifinal and handled Newsome 17-7 in the regional final. Quarterback Chad Mascoe can toss the ball to wide receivers Izaiah Jean-Baptiste, Massimo Rubera, Ja'keem Jackson Jr. and Malachi Rennie. Running backs Ja'randy Swint and Jamison Jones look to rush the ball. 

     Miami Palmetto(6-1) escaped with a 10-7 road victory over Vero Beach last week in a regional final. The Panthers shut out Dr. Phillips 10-0 in a play-in game, edged Lake Nona 9-6 in a regional quarterfinal and got by Treasure Coast 23-22 in overtime during a regional semifinal. Brashard Smith will be the main focus on their offense and he can take a direct snap in the wildcat formation. He along with wide receiver Mike Jackson intend to make catches down the field. 

Palmetto At Miami Central Preview

     The Miami Central Rockets host the Palmetto Tigers on Friday night at Traz Powell Stadium in a state semifinal game. The Rockets defeated the Tigers 34-30 in the state semifinal contest last year. The victor will go to Tallahassee in two weeks for the FHSAA Class 6A state title game. 

     Palmetto(9-3) are currently on a five-game winning streak. They have outscored their opponents 332-190 this season. The Tigers playoff path included smashing Blake 50-8 in a play-in contest, winning by forfeit over Brandon in a play-in game, knocking off Fort Pierce Westwood 31-21 in the regional quarterfinal, slipping by Hillsborough 26-20 in the regional semifinal and edging Lake Gibson 28-24 in the regional final. Dual quarterback Josh Siplin can throw and carry the ball. Running backs Sagel Hickson, Robert Gavin and Cleve Benson will get their rushing opportunities. Wide receivers Zorian Geathers, Quay Smith and Alzavien Houston are expected to make catches from Siplin. 

     Miami Central(6-1) is riding a six-game win streak and they are two wins away from capturing their second straight Class 6A state championship. The team had two forfeit play-in wins against Immakolee and Archbishop McCarthy. The Rockets downed Lely 42-16 in a regional quarterfinal and defeated Naples 31-21 in a regional semifinal and blanked Dunbar 40-0 in a regional final. Running back Amari Daniels will get the bulk of the carries from the backfield. Wide receivers Yulkeith Brown and Robert McMinn can make pass receptions from quarterback Keyone Jenkins. 

Bernie Rosen Passes Away

      Longtime WVTJ-TV sports director Bernie Rosen has passed away at the age of 93. The station implemented the first sports department in Florida television in 1949 to compliment the local news department led by news anchor Ralph Renick. 

     Rosen was head of the sports department at WTVJ-TV when it was located on Channel 4 from 1949 to 1995. It was shifted to Channel 6 in 1995 and he remained there until 2014. 

     Many sportscasters had worked under him during his reign. Some went on to national organizations like Roy Firestone, Chris Myers, Suzi Kolber, Hank Goldberg, Jane Chastain, Lindsay Czarniak, Kristina Pink, Courtney Fallon and Andrea Brody. 

     Some of his on-air staffers had long reigns on the Miami television airwaves. They included Tony Segreto, Ned Smith, Karie Ross, Joe Rose, Craig Minervini, Guy Rawlings, Adam Kuperstein and Chris Fischer. 

South Florida Football Playoffs Second Round

     The South Florida High School Football Playoffs continue with the second round this week. 24 tri-county high schools in Palm Beach County, Broward County and Dade County remain. 

     There are 12 teams left in Broward County. Dade County has seven schools remaining while Palm Beach County has five. 

     The Class 8A gold bracket will have #5 Monarch at #1 Columbus and #3 Deerfield Beach at #2 Western. The silver bracket has #5 Miami at #1 Palm Beach Gardens and #3 Coral Gables at #2 Boca Raton. 

     The Class 7A gold bracket consists of #4 Miramar heading to #1 Atlantic and #3 Dwyer going to #2 Plantation. The silver bracket slate is #5 Fort Lauderdale visiting #1 Blanche Ely while #3 South Broward going to #2 Everglades. 

     The Class 6A-1A gold bracket has # 2 Dillard hosting #3 Glades Central while #4 North Miami Beach is at #1 Killian. The silver bracket has #4 North Miami Norland at #1 Hallandale and #3 Miami Springs at #2 Coconut Creek. 

Miami Dolphins Sign Isaiah Ford

     The Miami Dolphins have signed wide receiver Isaiah Ford for another stint. He will be assigned to their practice squad. 

     Ford was traded by the Dolphins to the New England Patriots for 2022 sixth-round draft pick on November 3. He was cut by the Patriots on December 7.

     He was originally acquired by the Fins from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in April 2017. Ford played 16 games over the last three seasons for Miami and had 41 catches for 428 receiving yards.

Florida Panthers Form Goaltending Department

     The Florida Panthers have established a goaltending excellence department. It will be part of hockey operations for the club. 

     Former Panthers goalie and current special advisor to the general manager Roberto Luongo will oversee the department. Francois Allaire has been hired as a goaltending consultant. He has been part of three Stanley Cup champions with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986 and 1993 along with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 as a goaltending coach. 

     Current Florida goaltending coach Rob Tallas will also be part of the department. He has held the post as Panthers goaltending coach for the last 12 years. Their Charlotte Checkers AHL goaltending coach Leo Luongo will be included in the group. Luongo has worked with the Panthers AHL affiliate in Springfield for the past four seasons. 

Marlins Lose Robert Dugger

     The Miami Marlins have lost pitcher Robert Dugger from their 40-man team roster. He was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners. Dugger was the Mariners previously and was traded to Miami for Dee Strange-Gordon on December 7, 2017. 

     Dugger has played for the Marlins for the past two seasons. He participated in four games in the shorterned 2020 season with the Fish. Dugger had a 0-4 record with 25 strikeouts and a 5.77 earned-run-average in seven starts with Miami in 2019. 

South Florida High Schools Near Title Games

     South Florida high schools in the 2020 FHSAA Playoffs stayed at the same number of teams last weekend. All seven tri-county schools left in the postseason prevailed with six of them winning on the road. Small schools played in the state semifinals while large schools were involved in the regional finals.

     Four Broward County teams were able to advance. They included defending Class 7A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas, defending Class 3A state champion Chaminade-Madonna, Cardinal Gibbons and American Heritage. 

     Three Dade County schools went to the next round. Teams that remain are defending Class 2A state champion Champagnat Catholic, Miami Central and Miami Palmetto. 

Dolphins Breeze By Bengals

     The Miami Dolphins took care of the Cincinnati Bengals 19-7 on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins still have a wild card position in the American Football Conference and are second in the AFC East Division. 

     Cincinnati(2-9-1) opened up the scoring 7-0 with 3:20 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Brandon Allen connected a 72-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyler Boyd. 

     Miami(8-4) was able to cut the deficit during the second quarter. Jason Sanders booted a 25-yard field goal at 11:42 and nailed a 48-yard field goal with time remaining. 

     In the third quarter, the Dolphins moved ahead 13-7 at the 11:35 mark. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa found tight end Mike Gesicki in the end zone on a five-yard pass play. 

     Sanders had short field goals later in the second half. He hit from 23 yards with 5:33 to go in the third and from 19 yards at 13:21 left in the fourth. 

Hurricanes Slam Duke

     The University of Miami Hurricanes shut out the Duke University Blue Devils 48-0 on Saturday night in Durham, North Carolina. The Hurricanes remained in third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. 
     Miami will not participate in the ACC Championship Game in a couple of weeks. Clemson defeated Virginia Tech and wrapped up second place in the ACC standings. The Tigers will face Notre Dame for the conference title. 

South Florida Football Playoffs First Round Results

     The inaugural South Florida high school football playoffs opened up this week. It consisted of 48 high school teams throughout the tri-county area. Dade County has 15, Broward County has 19 and Palm Beach County has 14. 

     There is six separate three-round tournaments with eight participant each. There are two different brackets with gold and silver designations. The three classifications for brackets are Class 8A schools, Class 7A schools only and Class 6A-1A schools. 

     The Class 8A gold bracket had several forfeited game with #1 Columbus over #8 Stoneman Douglas and #2 Western over #7 Park Vista. #3 Deerfield Beach shut out #6 Jupiter 41-0 while #5 Monarch blanked #4 South Dade 35-0.  

     The silver bracket in Class 8A saw #1 Palm Beach Gardens defeat #8 Wellington 24-10 and #2 Boca Raton beat #7 Coral Springs 28-13. #3 Coral Gables pounded #6 Flanagan 40-3 and #5 Miami edged #4 Coral Glades 42-40. 

     Class 7A gold bracket had #1 Atlantic dominate #8 North Miami 54-7,  #2 Plantation rout #7 American 45-7 and #4 Miramar shut out #5 South Plantation 41-0. #3 Dwyer won by forfeit against #6 Seminole Ridge. 

     In the silver bracket for Class 7A, #1 Blanche Ely got a forfeit win over #8 Miami Beach. #2 Everglades blanked #7 Hialeah 24-0, #3 South Broward outscored #6 Olympic Heights 29-6 and #5 Fort Lauderdale got by #4 Royal Palm Beach 34-27. 

     The small schools from Class 6A down to Class 1A had their share of games. The gold bracket resulted in #1 Killian getting by #8 Stranahan 46-14, #2 Dillard over #7 Pahokee 49-6, #3 Glades Central knocking off #6 Booker T. Washington 16-13 and #4 North Miami Beach breezing by #5 Miami Carol City 28-13. 

     The silver bracket had #1 Hallandale top #8 Coral Springs Charter 19-7, #2 Coconut Creek outscore #7 Suncoast 34-20, #3 Miami Springs take #6 Boynton Beach 29-7 and #4 Miami Norland defeat #5 South Miami 44-15. 

Miami Heat 2020-21 Schedule

     The first half of the Miami Heat 2020-21 regular season schedule was released by the National Basketball Association. It consists of dates from December 22, 2020 to March 4, 2021. The length of the entire 2020-21 NBA campaign is 72 games instead of the usual 82 games. 

     The Miami Heat will open the regular season in Orlando against the Magic on December 23. They will then play their home opener two days later at noon om Christmas Day against the New Orleans Pelicans. It is the first time that the Heat will play on December 25 since 2015. 

     The Heat has their longest road trip since 2009. It is a seven-game slate from February 11 to February 21 which includes stops in Houston, Utah, Los Angeles(Clippers), Golden State, Sacramento, Los Angeles(Lakers) and Oklahoma City. 

     Miami stays at home in five of the first seven contests of the regular season. Their longest homestand is six games from January 27 until February 5. 

David Dwork Added By Onside Radio

     David Dwork has joined Onside Radio as their Saturday mid-morning host. He is hosting the Chirping The Cats program from 10AM to 11AM.

     Dwork currently works for WPLG-TV Channel 10 in Miami as a website sports writer since August 2019. He also covers the Florida Panthers team on a regular basis. 

     He has been at several Miami media organizations. Dwork started as an intern at Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM. Dwork held different positions at 560 WQAM as a sports producer, sports anchor and weekend host. He recently was at WFOR-TV Channel 4 as a website news writer and sports writer from 2014 until August 2019.  

FHSAA South Florida Playoff Game Results

     South Florida high school football teams played in the later rounds of the 2020 FHSAA Playoffs. The small schools were involved in the state semifinals while the large schools participated in the regional finals. 

     All seven representatives from the tri-county region won this weekend. The big surprise was that six of the teams were victorious on the road. 

     Miami Palmetto was able to edge Vero Beach 10-7 in Class 8A. The Panthers return home to Traz Powell Stadium next week and will take on Osceola. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas was the only local team that played at home this week and they handled Venice 29-8. The Raiders will return to the road to challenge Bloomingdale in Class 7A. 

     Miami Central was back in southwest Florida for the second straight week in Class 6A and blanked Dunbar 40-0. The Rockets will again be on the road and visit Palmetto. 

     American Heritage traveled up the east coast again and beat Eau Gallie 38-18 in Class 5A. The Patriots will return home to Plantation and play Jesuit next week. 

     Cardinal Gibbons went up to Cocoa and won 45-15. The Chiefs, who look to win their second state title in three years, will participate in the Class 4A state championship game in Tallahassee against Bolles in two weeks. 

     Chaminade-Madonna held on to defeat Berkeley Prep 23-21 in Tampa this week. The Lions will attempt to capture their fourth consecutive Class 3A state championship in a couple of weeks versus Trinity Christian Academy. 

     Champagnat Catholic was on the road and routed Seffner Christian 56-14. The Lions look to repeat as Class 2A state champions against University Christian in Tallahassee.