Marlins Trade Jorge Alfaro

     The Miami Marlins have traded catcher Jorge Alfaro to the San Diego Padres. The Marlins will receive back either cash considerations or a player to be named later. 

     Alfaro was with the Marlins for the past three seasons. He contributed to Miami reaching the postseason for the first time since 2003. Alfaro had a .244 batting average with four home runs and 30 runs batted in last season. 

Panthers Come Back On Capitals

     The Florida Panthers overcame the Washington Capitals 5-4 on Tuesday night at FLA Live Arena. It was the fourth time in Panthers history that they won after coming back from three or more goals during the third period. The Panthers entered the contest not first in the Atlantic Division for the first time since their first game of the 2021-22 regular season. 

     Washington(14-4-5) scored two goals in an 11-second span to go up 2-0. Connor McMichael shot the puck from behind the cage off the left leg of Sergei Bobrovsky at 5:52 for his third goal of the year. It was the second time that McMichael scored in Sunrise this season. Beck Malenstyn got his first NHL goal at the 6:03 mark on a snap shot from the left of the crease. 

     Florida(15-4-3) answered back 52 seconds later and closed it to 2-1. Jonathan Huberdeau passed from the right wing and Aaron Ekblad fired a slap shot from the top of the zone. Ilya Samsonov made the initial save, however Joe Thornton guided the puck in from the blue paint for his second goal in a Panthers uniform. Thronton tied Mark Recchi for 12th all-time with 1,533 career points. 

     In the second period, the Capitals added two more goals and led 4-1. Lars Eller skated through the left circle into the crease and scooped in a backhand shot at the 6:40 mark. Nick Jensen would later release a wrist shot from the high slot area and scored his third tally of the campaign with 7:20 remaining. 

     The Panthers pulled off a comeback in the third period. They cut the deficit to 4-2 at 3:23. Patrick Hornqvist snapped a shot from the low right circle which was saved and Ryan Lomberg put in a forehand shot from the low slot for his second goal this season. Eetu Luostarinen was credited with his first assist of the year on that play.  

     The Cats made it 4-3 at the 6:09 mark. Lomberg flipped the puck out of his zone and Luostarinen scored a shorthanded goal on a breakaway. 

     Florida evened it up 4-4 on a power-play goal with 7:59 left in the third. Ekblad fired a slap shot from the top of the zone and it was deflected in by Sam Bennett in the crease for his eighth goal of the season. 

     The Panthers picked up another power-play opportunity in the final minute of the third period. They converted on it as Sam Reinhart ripped a snap shot from the left circle with 14.4 seconds to go for his fifth tally of the campaign. Florida did set a new franchise record with 27 third-period shots.

Marlins Get Joey Wendle

     The Tampa Bay Rays have traded infielder Joey Wendle to the Miami Marlins for outfielder Kameron Misner. He is expected to play at second base, shortstop and third base for the Fish. 

     Wendle has player six seasons in the majors, which included the last four years with the Rays. He helped Tampa Bay to an American League championship in 2020. Wendle had 11 home runs, 54 runs batted in and a .265 batting average last season. 

Marlins Acquire Jacob Stallings

     The Miami Marlins have acquired catcher Jacob Stallings from the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Zach Thompson, pitcher Kyle Nicolas and outfielder Connor Scott. Stallings was the National League Gold Glove Award winner for the first time with the Bucs in 2021.

     Stallings has played his entire major league career of eight seasons with the Pirates. He set career-highs with eight home runs and 53 runs batted in during 112 contests last season. 

Nuggets Pile On Heat

     The Miami Heat fell to the Denver Nuggets 120-111 at FTX Arena on Monday night. The Heat were coming off a three-game road trip. 

     Denver(10-10) rocketed out to a 32-23 lead at the end of one quarter and had a commanding 63-43 advantage at halftime. Miami(13-8) slightly cut into the lead and trailed 95-78 after three quarters. 

     Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with a team-high 24 points and 13 rebounds for the Heat. Kyle Lowry also had a double-double of 17 points and 14 assists. Max Strus added 19 points and Caleb Martin contributed 18 points. 

     Nikola Jokic put together 24 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists for the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon dropped in 20 points while Bones Hyland scored 19 points. 

John Henry Buys Pittsburgh Penguins

     Former Florida Marlins owner John Henry has become the new owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He along with Fenway Sports Group will officially take over when the National Hockey League Board of Governors gives their approval. 

     Henry once owned the Florida Marlins from 1999 to 2001. He and Fenway Sports Group also owns other sports properties which includes the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club and Roush Fenway Racing in NASCAR.

Marlins Signing Avisail Garcia

     The Miami Marlins will be signing outfielder Avisail Garcia to a contract. It is a four-year deal worth $53 million. 

     Garcia played the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers and helped them to the National League Central Division title in 2021. He compiled 29 home runs, 86 runs batted in, a .262 batting average and an .820 OPS last season. 

Marlins To Extend Sandy Alcantara

     The Miami Marlins and pitcher Sandy Alcantara have agreed to a contract extension. It is expected to be for five years at $56 million. 

     Alcanatara was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals along with several other players for Marcell Ozuna in December 2017. He has played with the Marlins over the last four seasons with a 20-34 record with a 3.49 earned run average. 

Dolphins Tame Panthers

     The Miami Dolphins defeated the Carolina Panthers 33-10 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins won their fourth consecutive game. 

Scott Mellanby Resigns From Canadiens

     Former Florida Panthers right wing and captain Scott Mellanby has resigned his assistant general manager position with the Montreal Canadiens. He held that post for the past eight years and been a part of that organization for 10 years.   

     Mellanby played for the Florida Panthers during the first eight seasons in their franchise history. He compiled 157 goals and 197 assists in 552 games with the Panthers. 

Heat Knock Off Bulls

     The Miami Heat beat the Chicago Bulls 107-104 at United Center on Saturday night. The Heat completed a three-game midwestern road trip. 

     Miami(13-7) had a 27-20 advantage after the first quarter and stayed ahead 49-46 at halftime. Chicago(13-8) pulled ahead 74-72 at the end of three quarters, however the Heat picked up an eight-point lead with 58.9 seconds left in the fourth. 

     Gabe Vincent came off the bench with a club-high 20 points for Miami. Kyle Lowry added 19 points while Jimmy Butler contributed 18 points. Duncan Robinson was able to drop in 16 points. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with a game-high 28 points along with seven rebounds. 

Kraken Ends Panthers Home Winning Streak

     The Seattle Kraken made their first appearance ever in Sunrise and upset the Florida Panthers 4-1 at FLA Live Arena on Saturday night. Former Panthers goalie Chris Driedger made his return to Sunrise, started in net for the Kraken and picked up the victory. 

     The loss snapped the Panthers 11-game home winning streak to begin the regular season. Florida will share the all-time NHL record along with the 1963-64 Chicago Blackhawks winning 11 consecutive contests at home to start a season. 

     Seattle(7-13-1) raced out to a 1-0 lead at the 2:22 mark of the first period. Jordan Eberle lit the lamp with a power-play tally. 

     Florida(14-4-3) evened it up 1-1 at 6:59. Patric Hornqvist got his third goal of the year on assists from MacKenzie Weegar and Joe Thornton.

     The Kraken reclaimed the lead 2-1 with 9:20 left in the first. Ryan Donato was able to collect his third goal of the campaign. 

     It became 3-1 for Seattle at the 5:57 mark of the third period. Eberle collected his second goal of the game and 11th goal this season. Jamie Oleksiak scored his first goal in a Kraken uniform into an empty net and made it a three-goal margin with 3:25 remaining in the third. 

Hurricanes Demolish Duke

     The Miami Hurricanes played their regular season finale and smashed the Duke Blue Devils 47-10 on Saturday. The Hurricanes scored some points in nine of their first 10 possessions of the contest. 

     Miami(7-5, 5-3) finished in second place inside the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference behind the Pittsburgh Panthers. The Canes are expected to wait for an announcement later next week which bowl game they will participate in. 

2021 FHSAA Playoffs Regional Final Results

     The regional finals of the 2021 FHSAA Playoffs were played over the weekend. There were 16 South Florida high schools that entered the regional finals and seven teams advanced to the state semifinals.

     Class 8A in Region 4 had #5 Columbus upset #1 Miami Palmetto 22-14. Columbus leaves the area next week for Central Florida to take on Venice. In Region 2, #1 Palm Beach Central lost their first game in 2021 as they were shut out by #2 Treasure Coast 34-0. Treasure Coast will host Apopka next week in a state semifinal. 

     #1 St. Thomas Aquinas hammered #2 Homestead 56-7 in Region 4 and reached the Class 7A state semifinal round for the eighth consecutive year. The Raiders remain at home and will be challenged by Buchholz from Region 1 in the next round. 

     In Region 4 of Class 6A, #3 Miami Northwestern was able to rout #8 Plantation 57-14 in the regional final. The Bulls head on the road for a long trip to Tampa and challenge Jesuit. 

     Class 5A in Region 4 saw #3 Miami Central down undefeated #1 Miami Killian 39-13. The Rockets will host Baker County from Region 1 in the state semifinal. 

     Class 4A locally had #2 Cardinal Gibbons slip by #1 Gulliver Prep 36-33 in Region 4. The Chiefs return home and face Lakewood of Region 3 next week. 

      Class 3A in Region 4 saw #Chaminade-Madonna pound #3 Cardinal Newman 48-0. The Lions stay at home next week and face Florida State University High from Region 1. The season ended for #2 Benjamin as they were edged by #1 Lakeland Christian 24-21 in Region 2. 

     #2 Champagnat Catholic is the only Class 2A left from the tri-county area. The Lions breezed by #5 John Carroll 38-28 and will travel to First Baptist Academy in Naples for the next round.

     #2 Pahokee was the lone South Florida representative in Class 1A. The Blue Devils were eliminated by #1 Hawthorne 51-12. 

South Florida High Schools In State Semifinals

     Seven South Florida high schools advanced to the state semifinals in the FHSAA Football Playoffs. There were 16 teams that reached the regional final round. Nine schools got to a state semifinal back in 2019 when all Florida schools opted in to participate in the FHSAA postseason. 

     All four Palm Beach County representatives were defeated and no school will get to a state semifinal. Palm Beach Central, Cardinal Newman, Pahokee and Benjamin fell. 

     Three of the four Broward County teams moved on to the next round. St. Thomas Aquinas, Cardinal Gibbons and Chaminade-Madonna were victorious while Plantation lost. 

     Dade County high schools were cut down from eight to four. Miami Northwestern, Columbus, Miami Central and Champagnat Catholic won. Miami Palmetto, Gulliver Prep, Miami Killian and Homestead did not advance. 

Capitals Spoil Panthers

     Alex Ovechkin chalked up his 28th career hat trick as the Washington Capitals held off the Florida Panthers 4-3 at Capital One Arena on Friday night. The Panthers will attempt to set a new NHL record with their 12th consecutive win at home to begin a regular season on Saturday in Sunrise. 

     Florida(14-2-3) got a 1-0 lead with 32 seconds left in the first period. Jonathan Huberdeau put in an unassisted goal for his seventh tally this year. 

     Washington(12-3-5) rolled through early in the second period with three goals. Tom Wilson scored a shorthanded goal at the 1:34 mark. Alex Ovechkin placed in two goals with a power-play goal at 2:50 and an even-strength goal at 3:46 for his 16th and 17th goals of the season. 

     The Panthers bounced back and closed it to 3-2 at 13:11 left in the second period. Sam Reinhart collected his fourth goal of the campaign on assists from MacKenzie Weegar and Brandon Montour. 

     In the third period, Ovechkin got his third goal of the game for the hat trick at the 4:02 mark. It gave the Capitals a two-goal margin in the final frame. Ovechkin is now tied for third in NHL history with hat tricks. 

     The Cats cut the deficit to 4-3 just over a minute later at 5:36. Carter Verhaeghe nailed his seventh goal of the campaign following an assist by Gustav Forling. 

Ryan Lomberg Signs Extension

    Florida Panthers left wing Ryan Lomberg has signed an extension with the Florida Panthers. It is a two-year deal worth $1.6 million. 

     Lomberg joined the Panthers in October 2020 as a free agent. He has three goals and four assists in 44 games over the last two NHL seasons. 

Columbus At Miami Palmetto Preview

     The Columbus Explorers challenge the Miami Palmetto Panthers on Friday night at Harris Field in a Class 8A regional final. The winner will take on either Venice or West Orange in a state semifinal next week. 

     Both schools have faced each other on eight different occasions with Columbus having a 7-1 advantage. The Explorers edge the Panthers 10-7 during Week 10 of the regular season. 

     Columbus(8-3) captured the South Florida Tri-County High School Football gold bracket title last year. The Explorers have won seven consecutive contests and outscored their opponents 326-125 this season. They slammed Dr. Krop 54-0 in a regular quarterfinal and upended Western 27-8 in a regional semifinal. 

     Miami Palmetto(9-2) made it all the way to the state semifinal round in 2020. They have outscored their opponents 330-121 this year. The Panthers jumped on Coral Glades 56-21 in the regional quarterfinal and held off Deerfield Beach 27-14 in the regional semifinal. 

Plantation At Miami Northwestern Preview

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls host the Plantation Colonels at Traz Powell Stadium in a Class 6A regional final on Friday night. The winner will take on either Jesuit or Hillsborough in a state semifinal next week. Their only meeting was in 2004 and the Bulls got by the Colonels 35-21 in a regional quarterfinal. 

     Plantation(9-2) was the lowest-seeded team in Region 4 heading into the postseason. They have won three straight games and outscored their opponents 479-129 this season. The Colonels upset Dunbar 44-20 in the regional quarterfinal and surprised Coconut Creek 42-7 in the regional semifinal. Running backs Mekhi Sera and Shawn Wiliams are expected to have an impact with their rushing abilities from the backfield. 

     Miami Northwestern(9-3) have outscored their opponents 444-266 this year. They wiped out Fort Myers 71-19 in the regional quarterfinal and defeated Naples 45-34 in a regional semifinal. 

     The Bulls offense will be led by quarterback Taron Dickens, who can run out of the pocket for yardage and toss the ball. Running backs Jamari Ford, Marlin Cochran and King Davis will get the rushing opportunities. Wide receivers Daverrick Jenkins, Andy Jean, Adrian Harris, Rashad Davis and Jaiden Freckleton are expected to make catches from Dickens. 

Treasure Coast At Palm Beach Central Preview

     The Treasure Coast Titans head for Palm Beach County and face the Palm Beach Central Broncos in a Class 8A regional final battle on Friday night. The team victorious will take on either Seminole or Apopka in a state semifinal. 

     Treasure Coast(9-1) have outscored their opponents 431-179 this year and won their last six contests. They outlasted Palm Beach Gardens 47-22 in a regional quarterfinal and beat Boone 51-19 in a regional semifinal. 

     The Titans will emphasize their running attack and have made just 16 passing attempts this season. Running back Eden James, son of former University of Miami running back Edgerrin James, is expected to get the majority of their rushing opportunities. Quarterback Maurico Porcha along with running backs Cephus Roberts Jr., Jamison Davis and Jadyn Azeredo-Dematthews will also carry the ball. 

     Palm Beach Central(10-0) was the only undefeated team in Palm Beach County during the regular season. The Broncos have outscored their opponents 394-154 this season. They pounded Centennial 41-9 in the regional quarterfinal and edged Vero Beach 28-21 in the regional semifinal. 

     The Broncos have Ahmad Halston at quarterback to lead their offense. He can fire passes to wide receivers Luby Maurice Jr., Javorian Wimberly, Justin Bostic, Aidan Whitehall and Cody Wasielewki. They have a slew of running backs with Markel King, Aldorson Estinvil, Tyler Young and Devin Wygant for rushing attempts.  

Cardinal Gibbons At Gulliver Prep Preview

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs travel to Dade County and challenge the Gulliver Prep Raiders in a Class 4A regional final on Friday night. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 29-7 in a regional semifinal game last year. The winner will take on either Lakewood or Clewiston in the state semifinal. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(8-2) last week shut out Pine Crest 42-0 in the regional semifinal. The Chiefs have been victorious in their last three games and outscored their opponents 331-149 this season. They are the defending Class 4A state champions and have captured a state title in two of the last three years.

     The rushing attack by the Chiefs will have running backs Kamari Moulton and Willie Reed. Quarterback Dylan Rizk can occasionally run with the ball and pass to wide receivers Gabriel Morgan, Jesse Anderson, Davon Kiser, Elisha Edwards, Komani Beneby and Patrick Stepelton. 

     Gulliver Prep(8-1) have outscored their opponents 349-147 this year. The Raiders have won their last three contests and are undefeated in home games this season. They walloped Booker T. Washington 43-0 in a regional semifinal last week. 

     The Raiders will rely heavily on their passing attack with quarterback Carson Haggard. He can send passes to wide receivers De'Carlo Donaldson, Jalen Brown, Antwaan Mays and Kenny Williams down the field. Running back Sedrick Irvin is expected to get the majority of their rushing opportunities. 

Cardinal Newman At Chaminade-Madonna Preview

     The Cardinal Newman Crusaders visit the Chaminade-Madonna Lions at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood for a Class 3A regional final clash. The winner of this contest will face either Berkeley Prep or Clearwater Central Catholic in a state semifinal. 

     Cardinal Newman(9-3) is led by head coach Jack Daniels in his first season with the school. He guided the Dwyer Panthers to two state titles in 2009 and 2013. They have outscored their opponents 401-167 this season. The Crusaders have won eight of their last nine games. They took St. Andrew's 41-6 in a regional quarterfinal and upset Florida Christian 42-7 in a regional semifinal. 

     Freshman quarterback Davi Belfort gets to call the signals for the Crusaders offense. He can connect passes to wide receivers Ja'kavian Williams, Chris Presto, Kevin Levy and Jarard Mosely down the field. Running backs Tovani Mizell and Henry Bennett will get their share of rushing opportunities and can receive screen passes. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(8-1) have won seven straight games and outscored their opponents 284-101 this year. Head coach Dameon Jones has brought the Lions to the FHSAA Class 3A state title game five consecutive times and looks to make it six. They blanked Miami Edison 45-0 in the regional semifinal.  

     The Lions are led on offense by quarterback Cedrick Bailey. Running backs Davion Gause, Duane Thomas Jr. and Jeremiah Avrilien will get the bulk of the carries from the backfield. Bailey looks to find Thomas along with wide receivers Edwin Joseph and Jeremiah Smith on pass receptions. 

Homestead At St. Thomas Aquinas Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders host the Homestead Broncos at Brian Piccolo Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night in a Class 7A regional final. The winner will take on either Tampa Bay Tech or Wharton in the state semifinal. 

     Homestead(10-1) have outscored their opponents 437-142 this year. After losing their season opener to Miami Palmetto by two points, the Broncos have piled up 10 consecutive victories. They blasted South Broward 55-3 in the regional quarterfinal and handled Dillard 28-14 in the regional semifinal. 

     Quarterback Joshua Townsend looks to guide the Broncos offense down the field. Running backs Tyrone Maxwell, Isaac Brown and Daron Williams will get their rushing opportunities. Townsend can connect passes to Brown along with wide receivers Richard Dandridge and Cortez Mills. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(11-1) looks to make the state semifinal round for the eighth consecutive year. The Raiders have won 10 straight games and have outscored their opponents 497-143 this season. STA knocked off Atlantic 43-7 in a regional quarterfinal and downed Miramar 42-12 in a regional semifinal. They have not lost a home playoff contest since 2003. 

     The Raiders have several options in their backfield with running backs Anthony Hankerson, Gemari Sands, Xavier Terrell and Cecil Stone. Quarterback Zion Turner can rush out of the pocket and threw the ball to wide receivers Camden Brown, Isaiah Hardge, Jaylan Sanchez and tight end Mason Taylor on passing plays. 

Panthers Tie NHL Record Against Flyers

     The Florida Panthers escaped with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night at FLA Live Arena. The Panthers tied a National Hockey League record and became the second team to begin a regular season with 11 consecutive wins. They now share that distinction with the 1963-64 Chicago Blackhawks. 

     The Panthers will get the opportunity to set the NHL record. The Cats host the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night. 

     Philadelphia(8-6-4) roared out to a 1-0 lead at the 7:33 mark of the first period. Joel Farabeee put in his fifth goal of the campaign. 

     Florida(14-2-3) evened it up 1-1 on a power-play tally at 3:59 of the third period. Sam Bennett scored from the low slot for his seventh goal of the season on assists from Anthony Duclair and Aaron Ekblad.

     The game would be decided in overtime with 2:21 left. The Panthers ended the contest when Jonathan Huberdeau fed a pass from the low right circle and Ekblad snapped a shot from the slot area for his sixth goal this year. 

Timberwolves Stun Heat

     The Minnesota Timberwolves surprised the Miami Heat 113-101 at Target Center on Wednesday night. The Heat continued their three-game road swing through the midwest. 

     Minnesota(9-9) had a 30-27 edge after one quarter, but Miami(9-7) took over in the second quarter and had a 62-54 halftime lead. The Timberwolves outscored the Heat 32-20 during the third quarter and moved ahead 86-82. Minnesota went on a 19-7 run to end the contest. 

     Bam Adebayo picked up a club-high 18 points while Duncan Robinson added 17 points. Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro both contributed 16 points each. Anthony Edwards compiled a double-double for the Timberwolves with 33 points and 14 rebounds. Malik Beasley dropped in 29 points. 

Heat Drive By Pistons

     The Miami 'Heat recovered and beat the Detroit Pistons 100-92 at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday night. It was the beginning of the three-game midwest road trip for the Heat. 

     Detroit(4-13) had a 25-20 advantage in the end of the first quarter and led 53-46 at halftime. Miami(12-6) was still behind 76-67 after three quarters. The Heat went on a 24-6 run to begin the fourth quarter and pulled away. 

     Tyler Herro led the way for Miami with a game-high 31 points and eight rebounds. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo both missed double-doubles with 15 points and nine rebounds each. Kyle Lowry was able to place 15 points in the victory. Jerami Grant had a team-high 21 points along with seven rebounds for the Pistons. 

Harold Ramirez Traded To Cubs

     Harold Ramirez was traded by the Cleveland Guardians to the Chicago Cubs for cash. He had a .268 batting average with seven home runs and 41 runs batted in during 99 games with Cleveland last season.

     Ramirez played his first two major league seasons with the Miami Marlins in 2019 and 2020. He helped the Marlins reach the postseason last year for the first time since 2003. 

2021 FHSAA Playoffs Second Round Results

     The FHSAA Football Playoffs continued its second week of action. There were 30 South Florida representatives entering the regional semifinals and 16 high schools advanced to the third round. 

     Class 8A in Region 4 had #2 Miami Palmetto down Deerfield Beach 27-14 and #1 Western was upended by #5 Columbus 27-8. Miami Palmetto will host Columbus in a regional final between Dade County foes. 

     In Region 2 of Class 8A, #1 Palm Beach Central got by #5 Vero Beach 27-21 while #2 Treasure Coast bashed #3 Boone 51-19. Treasure Coast will travel down to the West Palm Beach area and take on Palm Beach Central. 

     It was the same story as it has been for the last several years in Region 4 of Class 7A as #1 St. Thomas Aquinas knocked off #4 Miramar 42-12. #2 Homestead defeated #6 Dillard 28-14 and will head to STA for the regional final. 

     Class 6A in Region 4 had #8 Plantation pull off another playoff upset for the second straight week as they routed #4 Coconut Creek 42-7. #3 Miami Northwestern went on the road and beat #2 Naples 49-35. Plantation will participate in their third straight road game and go to Miami. 

     Region 4 in Class 5A got #1 Miami Killian to shut out #5 Stranahan 37-0. They will host #3 Miami Central, who ended the championship reign of #2 American Heritage 41-28. 

     Class 4A defending state champion #2 Cardinal Gibbons disposed of #6 Pine Crest 42-0 in Region 4. They will next be on the road because #1 Gulliver Prep pounded #4 Booker T. Washington 43-0. In Region 3, #5 Glades Central had their season end by #1 Lakewood 27-12. 

     In Region 4 of Class 3A, #1 Chaminade-Madonna wiped out #4 Miami Edison 45-0. #3 Cardinal Newman topped #2 Florida Christian 42-7 and will visit Hollywood in the next round. In Region 2, #2 Benjamin outscored #3 The First Academy 55-24 and will take a long trip to #1 Lakeland Christian next week. 

     Region 4 of Class 2A resulted in the two-time defending state champion #2 Champagnat Catholic handle #3 Glades Day 35-7. They will stay home in the next round and face #5 John Caroll, who shocked #1 Avant Garde 35-0.

     Class 1A in Region 4 saw #1 Pahokee pull off a 38-20 victory over #3 Bradford. They will be at #1 Hawthorne in a regional final. 

Sandy Leon Joins Cleveland Guardians

     Former Miami Marlins catcher Sandy Leon has joined the Cleveland Guardians. It is a minor league contract and he will be invited to their spring training camp. 

     Leon lasted just one season with the Marlins and participated in 83 games. He had a .183 batting average, .237 on-base percentage, .267 slugging percentage, four home runs and 14 runs batted in. 

Alvin Gentry Interim Head Coach

     Former Miami Heat head coach Alvin Gentry has been named the interim head coach of the Sacramento Kings. The team fired their head coach Luke Walton on Sunday. 

     Gentry got his first chance of being a NBA head coach when he replaced Kevin Loughery during the 1994-95 season and led the club for 36 games. It did not last long as the Heat were able to get Pat Riley to become their head coach during the offseason. 

     He had several head coaching reigns in the National Basketball Assocation over the past 25 years. It included stints with the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans. 

Dolphins Streak By Jets

     The Miami Dolphins took care of the New York Jets 24-17 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins extended their winning streak to three games while the Jets now have a three-game losing streak. 

Duke Johnson Promoted By Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have promoted running back Duke Johnson up from their practice squad. He will be on the Dolphins roster for their contest against the New York Jets this week. Johnson was signed and sent to the Dolphins practice squad on October 26. 

     Johnson has been on all three levels of football in Miami. He was a running back for the Miami Norland Vikings in high school football and at the University of Miami with the Hurricanes in college football. 

Panthers Outscore Wild

     The Florida Panthers defeated the Minnesota Wild 5-4 on Saturday night at FLA Live Arena. The Cats have won their first 10 home games this season and became the fourth team to accomplish that feat in NHL history. The Panthers were victorious in their 14th consecutive regular season home contest going back to April 24 last season against Carolina. 

     Sergei Bobrovsky improved his point streak to 10 games with a 8-0-2  record and tied the franchise record. Roberto Luongo went 9-0-1 during a 10-game stretch in 2015-16. 

     After Florida(13-2-3) got a backhanded goal from Owen Tippett with 2:15 left in first period, Frank Vatrano added two goals from close range for the Cats at 8:23 and 14:50 during the second period to give them a 3-1 lead. Joel Eriksson-Ek had a power-play tally for the Wild with 8:14 remaining in the second.  

     The first Vatrano goal was assisted by Joe Thornton. It resulted in Thornton tying Paul Coffey for 13th all-time in NHL history with his 1,531st point.

     Both clubs interchanged goals during the third. Minnesota(11-6) cut the lead at the 1:55 mark of the third on a shot by Kirill Kaprizov from the low right circle and they trailed 3-2. Carter Verhaeghe collected his sixth goal of the season for Florida at 5:42. 

     It became a scoring fest in the last two minutes of the contest. The Wild had an extra attacker and Marcus Foligno scored with 46 seconds to go. Sam Bennett helped the Panthers on an empty-net goal with 37 seconds remaining for a 5-3 lead. Minnesota cut the deficit to 5-4 with nine seconds left on a Ryan Hartman tally. 

Hurricanes Ride By Virginia Tech

     The Miami Hurricanes edged the Virginia Tech Hokies 38-26 at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. The Hurricanes got their sixth win of the season and can now qualify for the a bowl game. 

     Miami(6-5, 4-3) stormed out to a 14-3 lead after one quarter and were ahead 28-13 at halftime. Virginia Tech(5-6, 3-4) outscored the Canes 13-3 during the third quarter and were down 31-26. 

Wizards Walk By Heat

     The Washington Wizards upended the Miami Heat 103-100 at Capital One Arena on Saturday night. Both teams spilt the home-and-home series. 

     Washington(11-5) had a slight 26-25 lead at the end of the first quarter. Miami(11-6) pulled ahead 43-41 by halftime. The Heat kept a 75-71 at the end of the three quarters. The Wizards outscored the Heat 32-25 during the fourth quarter to get the victory. 

     Jimmy Butler piled up a game-high 29 points for Miami. Tyler Herro dropped in 20 points while Bam Adebayo had 16 points. P.J. Tucker put in 14 points in the defeat. The Wizards were led by Bradley Beal with a team-high 21 points. Spencer Dinwiddle and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope both had 16 points each. 

South Florida High Schools In Third Round

     16 South Florida high schools advanced to the regional finals of the FHSAA Playoffs. There were 30 teams who appeared in a regional semifinal contest. 15 teams reached the third round in 2019 when all Florida schools opted in. 

     Palm Beach County did not have much change heading into the third round as it went from six high schools to four. Palm Beach Central, Pahokee, Cardinal Newman and Benjamin were victorious while Glades Central and Glades Day fell. 

     Broward County dropped dramatically from 13 representatives down to four. St. Thomas Aquinas, Cardinal Gibbons, Chaminade-Madonna and Plantation won. American Heritage, Deerfield Beach, Stranahan, Dillard, Coconut Creek, Miramar, Western, Pine Crest and Avant Garde lost. 

     Dade County stayed strong and went from 11 teams to eight, Miami Central, Miami Palmetto, Miami Northwestern, Miami Killian, Columbus, Gulliver Prep, Homestead and Champagnat Catholic all got victories. Booker T. Washington, Miami Edison and Florida Christian were defeated. 

Miami Central Holds Off American Heritage

     Two defending FHSAA state championship teams clashed on Friday night in Plantation as the Miami Central Rockets defeated the American Heritage Stallions 41-28 at Heritage Field in a Class 5A regional semifinal. The Rockets are the reigning Class 6A state champions while the Patriots are the defending Class 5A state champions. 

     Miami Central(9-2) got out to a 6-0 lead at the 8:44 mark of the first quarter. Quarterback Keyone Jenkins rolled out right and then cut diagonally toward the left sideline on a 43-yard touchdown run. 

     American Heritage(6-4) answered back on their next possession. Running back Mark Fletcher rushed up the middle from nine yards out to give them a 7-6 lead with 4:55 left in the first. 

     The Patriots recovered a fumble on the Rockets next drive. Fletcher scored his second touchdown of the contest with 3:51 to go in the quarter for a 14-6 lead. 

     It became 21-6 for the Pats at 9:35 of the second quarter. Linebacker Jamarcus Smith intercepted a tipped pass and returned it 81 yards for the score. 

     The Rockets responded and cut the deficit to 21-14 with 6:06 remaining in the second. Quarterback Dylan Tulloch raced to the right sideline and then down the right hash marks for a 24-yard touchdown. 

     Late in the second quarter, Miami Central trailed 21-20 with 54 seconds left in the first half. Running back Jonathan Harris rushed in from 15 yards away. 

     In the third quarter, the Rockets regained the lead 26-21 at the 7:04 mark. Jenkins connected a throw to wide receiver Joshisa Trader and he sprinted down the right hash marks on a 58-yard touchdown pass. 

     Miami Central expanded their lead to 34-21 with 4:59 remaining in the fourth quarter. Jenkins fired a 32-yard touchdown pass to Trader on the left sideline in front of the end zone. 

     The Patriots lost the ball on downs at their own 10-yard line. The Rockets capitalized as Tulloch completed a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Zaylan Reese and they made it 41-21 with 3:51 to go in the fourth. Miami Central had put together 35 unanswered points at that point. 

     American Heritage got one more scoring play with 2:10 left in the game. Quarterback Brandon Inniss lobbed a seven-yard pass to wide receiver Isaiah Nesmith on the left side of the end zone and they were down 41-28. 

Cardinal Gibbons Blanks Pine Crest

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs shut out the Pine Crest Panthers 42-0 at Dr. Bud Tight Field on Friday night in a Class 4A regional semifinal. The Chiefs are the defending Class 4A state champions and have captured two state titles in the last three seasons. They will play at Gulliver Prep in a regional final next week. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(8-2) compiled 14 points in the first quarter and 14 points during the second quarter to go up 28-0 by 'halftime. Pine Crest(4-7) could not keep up in the second half and a running clock was eventually implemented. 

Pine Crest At Cardinal Gibbons Preview

     The Pine Crest Panthers make the five-mile trip southeast to The Furnace and take on the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs at Dr. Bud Tight Field on Friday night in a Class 4A regional semifinal matchup. Both schools met each other on the same field in Week 7 of the regular season with the Chiefs victorious 55-7.

     Pine Crest(4-6) have a 2-5 road record this year. That did not stop them last week as they upset Immaculata-LaSalle 10-7 in a first-round game. The Panthers have been outscored 176-268 this season. They lost their final three games of the regular season prior to their playoff victory.

     Quarterback Jordan Faison will lead the way for the Panthers offense. They will mostly run the ball on a majority of their plays and rarely pass. Their rushing attack consists of running backs Nicholas Amunategui, Colby Geddis, Nicholas Snyder, Corye Henry Readon and Nathan Bitar. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(7-2) are the defending FHSAA Class 4A state champions and have won two state titles in the last three seasons. They have outscored their opponents 289-149 this season and won two straight contests. The Chiefs are 3-2 designated as the home team with losses to defending Class 5A state champion American Heritage and defending Class 7A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas. They had a bye and did not play last week.

     The Chiefs will go with quarterback Dylan Rizk, who transferred from American Heritage in Delray Beach during the offseason. Running back Kamari Moulton is expected to get his share of rushing opportunities along with Willie Reed. Rizk can connect passes to wide receivers Davon Kiser, Gabriel Morgan, Elisha Edwards, Jesse Anderson, Komani Beneby and Patrick Stepelton. 

Heat Shut Down Wizards

     The Miami Heat were victorious over the Washington Wizards 112-97 at FTX Arena on Thursday night. It was the first game of a home-and-home series between both clubs. 

     Miami(11-5) started behind early in the opening frame, but they moved to a 21-19 lead after one quarter. The Heat remained in front at halftime 47-40. Washington(10-5) were unable to make a run to begin the second half and trailed 83-70 at the end of three quarters. 

     Jimmy Butler dropped in a game-high 32 points for the Heat. Bam Adebayo fell short of a double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds. Gabe Vincent came off the bench with 18 points while P. J. Tucker had 15 points. Bradley Beal scored a team-high 30 points for the Wizards. 

Panthers Get Revenge On Devils

     The Florida Panthers burned the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Thursday night at FLA Live Arena. The Panthers are a perfect 9-0-0 at home and became the seventh team in NHL history to win their first nine home games to begin a season. The Panthers lost to the Devils 7-3 in New Jersey nine days ago. Spencer Knight set a Florida franchise history with 45 saves in a game by a rookie goalie. 

     New Jersey(7-5-3) took a 1-0 lead with 6:23 left in the first period. P.K. Subban sent a lead pass to Jimmy Vesey at the red line and he carried it in to the right corner. He angled it to the middle and Dougie Hamilton put in a wrist shot from the right circle by Knight for his fifth goal of the season. It was his 11th career goal against the Panthers. 

     Florida(12-2-3) tied it up 1-1 with 6.4 seconds remaining in the first. MacKenzie Weegar made a left-outlet pass from his own defensive zone. Carter Verhaeghe raced through the neutral zone down the left side and scored on a snap shot from above the top left circle past Mackenzie Blackwood for his fifth tally of the campaign. 

     In the second period, the Panthers compiled three goals in a five minute and 17 second stretch. They made it 2-1 at the 3:08 mark. Patric Hornqvist pushed the puck from the end wall and Ryan Lomberg shipped a cross-ice pass from the low left circle. Eetu Luostarinen poked in a shot from the crease area for his sixth goal this year. 

     It became 3-1 for the Cats at 4:25. Anthony Duclair connected a diagonal cross-ice pass from the Panthers blue line to Jonathan Huberdeau at the Devils blue line. He hustled to the right circle and snapped a shot for his sixth goal. 

     The Panthers increased it to a three-goal margin 4-1 with 11:45 to go in the second. Aaron Ekblad forwarded the puck from the right point to Huberdeau near the right corner. He found Duclair in the low slot on a backdoor play and Duclair put in a forehand shot from the blue paint for his ninth goal this season. 

Miami Palmetto Pounce On Deerfield Beach

     The Miami Palmetto Panthers topped the Deerfield Beach Bucks 27-14 at Tropical Park in a Class 8A regional semifinal on Thursday night. The Panthers will face the winner between Columbus and Western next week in a regional final. 

     Miami Palmetto(9-2) got up 7-0 with 6:14 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Kevin Smith fired a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Jackson on the left side of the end zone. 

     In the second quarter, the Panthers made it 14-0 at the 7:18 mark. Jackson tipped and intercepted a pass and returned it 51 yards for the score. 

     Deerfield Beach(9-3) trailed 20-0 with 1:32 left in the second. Jackson caught a 54-yard touchdown pass up the middle from Smith. 

     It became 27-0 for Miami Palmetto at 9:37 of the third quarter. They faked a field goal and tossed a five-yard pass to Jaiden Louis on the right side of the end zone. 

     The Bucks got on the scoreboard with 3:04 to go in the quarter. Smith threw a pass that was caught by an offensive lineman in their own zone for a safety. 

     Deerfield Beach added seven more points on the ensuing possession and were down 27-8 with 57.5 seconds left in the third. Quarterback Michael Merdinger connected a 24-yard touchdown pass to wide reciever Marcus Williams on the right side of the end zone. The Bucks scored another touchdown during the fourth quarter. 

Miramar At St. Thomas Aquinas Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders host the Miramar Patriots on Friday night at Brain Piccolo Stadium in a Class 7A regional semifinal contest. Both schools have been strong Broward County high school football programs over the past two decades. 

     Miramar(7-3) lost their first two games of the regular season and bounced back winning seven of their next eight. The Patriots have collected four shutouts in their eight victories and outscored their opponents 271-116 this year. They got by Doral Academy 28-20 last week in a regional quarterfinal. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(10-1) are the two-time defending Class 7A state champions. The Raiders have won nine consecutive games and outscored their opponents 455-131 this season. STA has not lost a home playoff game since 2003. They knocked off Atlantic 43-7 in a regional quarterfinal last week. 

     The Raiders offense is led by duel quarterback Zion Turner. Their rushing attack consists of running backs Anthony Hankerson, Xavier Terrell, Gemari Sands and Cecil Stone. Turner looks to find wide receivers Camden Brown, Isaiah Hardge, Jaylan Sanchez and tight end Mason Taylor on passes down the field. 

Miami Central At American Heritage Preview

     The Miami Central Rockets visit Plantation and face the American Heritage Patriots at Heritage Field in a Class 5A regional semifinal contest on Friday night. It is a clash between two current state champions from last year.

     Miami Central(8-2) is the defending Class 6A state champions and moved down to a lower classification in 2021. Following two loses to national powerhouses St. John Bosco and Bishop Gorman to begin the regular season, the Rockets won eight consecutive games. They have outscored their opponents 402-108 this season and allowed just 51 points in their last eight games. Miami Central pounded North Miami Beach 49-6 last week in a regional quarterfinal.  

     The Rockets can go with Keyone Jenkins or Dylan Tulloch at quarterback. Running backs Ghana Oboh, Ean Pope and Jonathan Harris will get their rushing opportunities. Wide receivers Zaylan Reese, Lamar Seymore, Corey Washington, Joshisa Trader and Cataurus Hicks are expected to make catches downfield. 

     American Heritage(6-3) comes in as the defending Class 5A state champions. The Patriots frontloaded their 2021 schedule in the first five contests against playoff-bound teams Treasure Coast, Chaminade-Madonna, St. Thomas Aquinas, Cardinal Gibbons and Trinity Christian Academy. It is a rarity that the Pats were defeated at home twice during the regular season. They have won four straight games and outscored their opponents 176-21 in those contests. American Heritage has defeated Boynton Beach twice in the last three weeks, which included a 42-14 regional quarterfinal victory last week. 

     The Patriots have two capable quarterbacks with Brandon Inniss and Blake Murphy. Mark Fletcher leads a core of the running backs that includes Reggie Williams, Byron Louis and Reggie Foster. They have a slew of wide receivers with Emory Clemons, Santana Fleming and Isaiah Nesmith. 

Vero Beach At Palm Beach Central Preview

     The Vero Beach Indians travel south and take on the Palm Beach Central Broncos in a Class 8A regional semifinal game on Friday night. Palm Beach County high schools were placed in Region 3 every year in this classification until 2021 and now are assigned to Region 2. 

     Vero Beach(7-2) will be visiting Palm Beach County for a second straight time. The Indians knocked off Forest Hill 46-14 in a regional quarterfinal last week. They have been victorious in their last three contests and outscored their opponents 365-210 this season. 

     The Indians will have quarterback Maurice Smith call the signals. He can connect passes to wide receivers Ephraim Floyd, Vandrevius Jacobs and James Smith. Running backs Reggie Ferguson, Quincy Rodgers and Jaquone Jean led the way on their rushing attack from the backfield. 

     Palm Beach Central(9-0) was the only undefeated Palm Beach County school during the regular season. The Broncos have outscored their opponents 366-133 this year. They easily defeated Centennial 41-9 last week in a regional quarterfinal. Palm Beach Central is the top seed in Region 2 and have the home-field advantage through the first three rounds of the FHSAA Playoffs. 

     The Broncos will look toward quarterback Ahmad Haston to guide their offense down the field. Wide receivers Javorian Wimberly, Luby Maurice Jr., Justin Bostic, Aidan Whitehall and Cody Wasielewski can make pass receptions from him. Park Vista transfer Markel King along with Aldorson Estinvil, Tyler Young and Devin Wygant are running backs that are expected to carry the ball. 

Udonis Haslem And Heat Sink Pelicans

     The Miami Heat overcame the New Orleans Pelicans 113-98 at FTX Arena on Wednesday night. The Heat came off a long five-game road trip against Western Conference teams. The Pelicans entered the contest with the second worst record in the National Basketball Association. 

     Udonis Haslem participated in his first home game this season. Haslem played in just one home game during the 2020-21 regular season which was the season finale.

     New Orleans(2-14) moved out to a 34-21 at the end of the first quarter. The Pelicans stayed in front 52-47 at halftime. Miami(10-5) outscored their opponent 34-18 in the third quarter and led by double-digits 81-70. 

     Jimmy Butler compiled a triple-double with 31 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for Miami. Haslem was in for seven minutes and had two points with three rebounds. Tyler Herro was able to get 19 points and Max Strus popped in 15 points. Duncan Robinson passed Grant Long for second all-time in Miami Heat franchise history with 162 consecutive games played. 

     Josh Hart dropped in 18 points for the Pelicans. Brandon Ingram had 19 points while Nickeil Alexander-Walker added a team-high 24 points 

Deerfield Beach At Miami Palmetto Preview

     The second week of the FHSAA Playoffs in South Florida begins on Thursday night as the Deerfield Beach Bucks challenge the Miami Palmetto Panthers at Tropical Park in a Class 8A regional semifinal. Both have made long runs in the postseason during the last five years. 

     Deerfield Beach(9-2) have won six consecutive games and compiled shutouts in four of their last six contests. They handled Boca Raton Bobcats 21-7 in the regional quarterfinal last week. The Bucks have outscored their opponents 367-65 this year. 

     Running back Jaziun Patterson leads the Bucks offense with their rushing attack and can score from any distance. Luke Collins and Michael Merdinger can guide their team at quarterback. A.J. Jenkins and Joseph Kennely look to get open for pass receptions. 

     Miami Palmetto(8-2) looks to make a deep playoff run like they did in 2020. The Panthers fell to the Osceola Kowboys 9-3 at Traz Powell Stadium in the state semifinal game last year. They have won two straight contests and outscored their opponents 303-107 this season. Miami Palmetto was able to hammer Coral Glades 56-21 last week in a regional quarterfinal. 

Miami Marlins Add To Coaching Staff

     The Miami Marlins have added more people to their coaching staff for the 2022 season. Marcus Thames has been named hitting coach while Al Pedrique becomes their third base coach/infield coach. 

     Edwar Gonzalez was promoted from minor league hitting coordinator to assistant hitting coach. Eric Duncan was shifted for hitting coach to quality assurance coach. 

     Thames has spent the last four seasons with the New York Yankees as their hitting coach. Pedrique was the manager of the Marlins Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville last season. 

Miami Edges FAU

     The University of Miami Hurricanes got by the Florida Atlantic University Owls 68-66 at FAU Arena in Boca Raton on Tuesday night. Both schools began their regular seasons last week. 

     Miami(2-1) broke out to a 34-20 lead by halftime. Florida Atlantic(1-2) battled back during the second half, however they fell short. Hurricanes point guard Isaiah Wong made a layup with 0.7 seconds remaining to take a 68-66 lead. 

     Wong led the Canes with a team-high 18 points. Kameron McGusty scored 14 points while Wooga Poplar added 12 points. Michael Forrest dropped in a game-high 21 points for the Owls. Alijah Martin drained in 17 points and Bryan Greenlee had nine points. 

Panthers Smash Islanders

     The Florida Panthers pounded the New York Islanders 6-1 at FLA Live Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers snapped a four-game winless streak. It was the Panthers 900th regular season victory in franchise history. Florida now have an 8-0-0 record at home this season. 

     The Islanders finished off a 13-game road trip to begin the 2021-22 regular season. They will open up their new venue UBS Arena on Saturday night and host the Calgary Flames in their first home game ever in that facility.

     Florida(11-2-3) raced out to a 1-0 lead at the 6:57 mark of the first period. Jonathan Huberdeau scored his fifth goal of the season on assists from Anthony Duclair and Aleksander Barkov. 

     The Panthers compiled three more goals in the final six minutes of the first and led 4-0. Ryan Lomberg got his first tally of the year with 5:20 remaining, Carter Verhaeghe found the net for the fourth time this season with 3:56 to go and Patric Hornqvist capped it with an unassisted goal with 1:47 left. 

     In the second period, New York(5-6-2) trailed by a five-goal margin with 6:19 remaining. Aaron Ekblad picked up his fifth goal of the season after an assist by MacKenzie Weegar. 

     The Islanders finally got on the scoreboard with 5:00 left in the second. Kyle Palmieri placed his first goal of the campaign and they were down 5-1. 

     The Cats extended their lead to 6-1 with 3:34 remaining in the third period. Frank Vatrano got his fourth tally this year. 

University of Miami Releases Blake James

     The University of Miami has let go athletic director Blake James. The Hurricanes lost a college football contest against their state rival Florida State 31-28 on Saturday. 

     James joined the University of Miami in 2004 and held the post of senior associate athletic director for development and ticket operations. He was promoted to the athletic director position in 2013. 

Titans Waive Bobby Hart

     The Tennessee Titans have waived offensive lineman Bobby Hart. He participated in three contests this year with the Titans.

     He was with the New York Giants from 2015 until 2017 and with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2018 to 2020. Hart spent time on the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins practice squads earlier this year. 

     Hart once did play high school football with two Broward County high schools. He was with Cardinal Gibbons for three years and spent his last year with St. Thomas Aquinas. 

Heat Runs Through Thunder

     The Miami Heat finished a five-game Western Conference road trip with a 103-90 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night at Paycom Center. The Heat, who were victorious for the fourth straight time in Oklahoma City, ended up with a 2-3 record on their five-game swing and play at home on Wednesday against New Orleans. 

     Oklahoma City(5-8) scored 13 consecutive points midway in the opening frame and led 24-23 at the end of the first quarter. It remained close as both teams were tied 43-43 at halftime. Miami(9-5) began the second half with a 27-11 run and moved ahead 74-67 after three quarters. The Heat compiled a 17-6 spurt at the start of the fourth quarter and pulled away from the Thunder. 

     Tyler Herro helps Miami with game-high 26 points while Duncan Robinson had 21points. Kyle Lowry put out a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists. Luguentz Dort led Oklahoma City with a team-high 20 points. 

Trevor Rogers Finishes Second

     The National League Rookie of the Year Award was announced on Monday. Miami Marlins pitcher Trevor Rogers finished in second place with a total of 86 points. He received one first-place vote, 26 second-place votes and three third-place votes. Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India ended up winning the award with 148 points. 

     It was the second season for Rogers with the Marlins. He had a 7-8 record with a 2.78 earned run average and 157 strikeouts in 27 starts. 

Mark Parrish On NHL Network

     Former Florida Panthers right wing Mark Parrish is currently a studio analyst on NHL Network. He has the same role as former Panthers players Bill Lindsay and Kevin Weeks. Parrish continues as a studio analyst for Minnesota Wild games on Bally Sports North and a contributor for KFAN-FM in Minneapolis. 

     Parrish began his NHL career with the Florida Panthers when the club started playing their first two seasons in Sunrise. He compiled 50 goals and 31 assists in 154 games. 

     He was traded by the Panthers along with Oleg Kvasha to the New York Islanders for Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen on June 24, 2000. Parrish participated with seven different NHL teams over 12 seasons. 

2021 FHSAA Playoffs First Round Results

     The 2021 FHSAA football playoffs began this past weekend in South Florida. There were 51 high schools that represented Palm Beach County, Broward County and Dade County. 

     Eight small schools had the week off because some teams from Class 4A down to Class 1A received a bye. They included Cardinal Gibbons, Chaminade-Madonna, Pahokee, Benjamin, Avant Garde, Champagnat Catholic, Florida Christian and Gulliver Prep.  

Lightning Strike Panthers

     The Tampa Bay Lightning pulled off a 3-2 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers at Amalie Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers were winless during their four-game road trip with a 0-2-2 record. The Lightning increased their point streak to seven games. 

     Tampa Bay(7-3-3) moved out to a 1-0 lead with 7:43 left in the first period. Pat Maroon was able to score a power-play goal. 

     It became 2-0 for the Lightning at the 9:02 mark of the second period. Victor Hedman blasted in a shot for his second tally of the year. 

     Florida(10-2-3) climbed back to tie it 2-2 later in the second. Jonathan Huberdeau compiled his fourth goal of the season on assists from Aleksander Barkov and Lucas Carlsson with 7:01 to go. 

     Eetu Luostarinen added his fifth goal of the campaign 36 seconds later. Aaron Ekblad and Ryan Lomberg were credited with assists on the play. 

     The Bolts picked up the victory at 2:13 into overtime. Brayden Point got his fifth goal this season on an assist by Ondrej Palat. 

Heat Place Down Jazz

     The Miami Heat were victorious over the Utah Jazz 111-105 on Saturday at Vivint Arena. The Heat won their first contest of a five-game road trip and snapped a three-game losing streak. They finished their road swing on Monday at Oklahoma City. 

     Miami(8-5) got a 27-24 lead after one quarter and stayed ahead 58-48 by halftime. Utah(8-5) were outscored 37-21 during the third quarter and they trailed 95-69. The Jazz finished the fourth quarter with an 18-2 run, however it was too late. 

     The Heat were led by Tyler Herro with a game-high 27 points and eight rebounds. Duncan Robinson dropped in 22 points and Kyle Lowry drained in 21 points. P.J. Tucker compiled a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds. 

     Bojan Bogdanovic scored a club-high 26 points for the Jazz. Rudy Gobert compiled a double-double of 14 points along with 13 rebounds while Jordan Clarkson contributed 25 points. Donovan Mitchell added 22 points, five steals and six rebounds. 

Florida State Sneaks By Hurricanes

     The Florida State Seminoles came back to defeat the Miami Hurricanes 31-28 at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday. 

South Florida High Schools In Second Round

     30 South Florida high schools advanced to the second round of the 2021 FHSAA football playoffs. There were 51 representatives heading into the postseason. 31 high schools moved on to the second round back in 2019 when all Florida high schools opted in. 

     Palm Beach County took a tremendous hit as they dropped from 15 teams down to six. Palm Beach Central, Glades Central, Cardinal Newman and Glades Day won. Pahokee and Benjamin had a bye week. Atlantic, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Forest Hill, Wellington, Seminole Ridge, Palm Beach Gardens, American Heritage and St. Andrew's lost. 

     Broward County went from 19 teams to 13. St. Thomas Aquinas, American Heritage, Dillard, Deerfield Beach, Coconut Creek, Miramar, Plantation, Western, Stranahan and Pine Crest prevailed. Cardinal Gibbons, Chaminade-Madonna and Avant Garde had a bye. Fort Lauderdale, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, South Broward, Westminster Academy, Calvary Christian Academy and Coral Glades fell. 

     Dade County moved from 17 high schools to 11. Miami Central, Miami Northwestern, Miami Palmetto, Booker T. Washington, Columbus, Miami Edison, Miami Killian and Homestead got victories. Champagnat Catholic, Florida Christian and Gulliver Prep were off due to a bye. Doral Academy, Dr. Krop, North Miami Beach, Somerset Academy South Homestead, Immaculata-LaSalle and True North were defeated.

St. Thomas Aquinas Routs Atlantic

      The two-time defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders slammed the Atlantic Eagles 43-7 at Brian Piccolo Stadium in a Class 7A regional quarterfinal on Friday night. The Raiders eliminated the Eagles in a postseason contest for the fifth occasion. They same result occurred in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2019. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(10-1) struck at the 6:46 mark of the first quarter for a 6-0 lead. Running back Anthony Hankerson rushed through the left side of the line from five yard away. It became 8-0 when the Eagles snapped the ball over the head of the punter and out of the back of the end zone for a safety with 4:24 to go in the first.    

     STA made it 22-0 with 2:56 remaining in the second. Quarterback Zion Turner faked a handoff and raced down the left hash marks for a 22-yard touchdown run. 

     The Raiders extended it to 29-0 in the final minute of the first half. Hankerson busted up the middle and scored from two yards out. 

     In the third quarter, St. Thomas Aquinas increased it to 36-0 at 7:10. Hankerson scored his third touchdown of the game on a two-yard run through the right side of the line. A running clock was then implemented for the remainder of the contest. 

     Atlantic(5-6) broke the shutout with 7:32 left in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Lincoln Graf connected a 20-yard strike to wide receiver Fredrick Gaskin on the right sideline. STA responded back on their next possession with another touchdown for a 36-point margin. 

Deerfield Beach Downs Boca Raton

     The Deerfield Beach Bucks held off the Boca Raton Bobcats 21-7 at Butler Stadium on Friday night in a Class 8A regional quarterfinal. Both schools compete in District 13 and they both met just two weeks ago for the district title. 

     It was a lower-scoring game than what was expected between Deerfield Beach(9-2) and Boca Raton(8-3). The Bucks, who have won all three meetings against the Bobcats in their recent local rivalry, will take on Miami Palmetto in a regional semifinal next week.  

Glades Central Tops American Heritage

     The Glades Central Raiders defeated the American Heritage Stallions 34-20 at The Corral in Delray Beach on Friday night in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal contest. It was the first postseason clash between both schools because they never played in the same classification. The Raiders have won six of the 11 meetings against the Stallions in this Palm Beach County rivalry. 

     Glades Central(6-5) scored on their first possession at the 8:18 mark. Running back Kienaskia Workman plunged up the middle from five yards out to make it 6-0. 

     The Raiders increased it to 13-0 with 3:50 left in the first. Workman found the end zone again on another touchdown run from four yards away. 

     American Heritage(5-5) go on the scoreboard at 10:00 of the second quarter and they trailed 13-3. Jake Weinberg was able to kick a 25-yard field goal.

     It was a quick response by Glades Central 14 seconds later on the first play of the ensuing drive. Running back Semaj Demps got the ball on a short toss from quarterback Garrison Kepley and he sprinted 80 yards for the score. The Raiders were able to convert on a two-point conversion play and expanded it to 20-3. 

     The Raiders added to their lead near the end of the first half. Kepley found wide receiver Robert Luckas on a 17-yard touchdown pass. Running back Everic Morgan scored on a two-point conversion run to make it 28-3 with 1:02 remaining in the second. 

     In the third quarter, the Stallions cut it to 28-6 at the 7:41 mark. Weinberg got to boot a 27-yard field goal. 

     Glades Central pulled off another score on a fourth-down play. Kepley fired a 39-yard touchdown pass to Demps on the right side of the end zone for a 34-6 lead with 2:34 left in the third. It was the third touchdown completion by Kepley in the contest. 

     American Heritage got a score on a special teams play at the 8:50 mark of the fourth quarter and they were down 35-13. The Raiders had a punt blocked and Tavares Parker recovered the ball in the end zone.  

     The Stallions closed the deficit to 34-20 late in the fourth. Running back Clayton Cannon rushed through the left side from two yards away. 

Atlantic At St. Thomas Aquinas Preview

     The Atlantic Eagles challenge the St. Thomas Aquinas at Brian Piccolo Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night in a FHSAA Class 7A regional quarterfinal game. The Raiders have knocked off the Eagles during four previous postseason meetings in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2019. 

     Atlantic(5-5) had a different season this year than in 2020 when they captured the South Florida Tri-County Class 7A Championship in the gold bracket over Plantation. They lost plenty of offensive weapons to graduation and could not get any traction during the regular season with their longest winning streak being two games. Atlantic lost their last two regular season contests to playoff-bound Fort Lauderdale and Doral Academy. 

     The Eagles have been known in recent years for their tough defense and holding their opponents to limited scoring. They are led on defense by safety Marquis Lymon. They can implement Zachary Waters and Lincoln Graf at quarterback. Wide receivers Reece Dobard, Medro Sainclair and Martay McClendon intend to make pass receptions downfield. Running backs Omari Mitchell, Corey Reddick and Lymon will get their share of carries. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(9-1) is the defending two-time FHSAA Class 7A state champions and have captured a state-record 12 football state titles. They are riding an eight-game winning streak and have outscored their opponents 412-124 this season. STA have picked up victories over playoff-bound teams American Heritage, Western, Cardinal Gibbons, Dillard and out-of-state powerhouse St. Frances Academy. Their only loss this season was to Jesuit by three points. They have not lost a home playoff game since 2003 and have not been eliminated in first-round game during the 21st century. 

     Quarterback Zion Turner will lead the Raiders offense with his passing and running out of the pocket. Running backs Anthony Hankerson, Xavier Terrell, Gemari Sands and Cecil Stone look to gain yardage on rushing opportunities. Tuner can connect passes to tight end Mason Taylor along with wide receivers Camden Brown, Isaiah Hardge and Jaylan Sanchez. Cornerback Jerrod Cameron, defensive end Michael Renoit, safety Conrad Hussey and linebacker Kyrie Samuel lead the St. Thomas Aquinas defense. 

Clippers Sail By Heat

     The Los Angeles Clippers handled the Miami Heat 112-109 on Thursday night. It was a rare occasion for the Heat that they played consecutive nights at Staples Center on a road trip. They have now lost the first three contests of their five-game road trip. The Clippers have won six consecutive games. 

     Miami(7-5) ripped out to a 40-25 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Heat stayed in front 58-56 at halftime. Los Angeles(7-4) overtook them in the second half and were up 86-78 at the end of three quarters. The Heat closed it to 108-107 with 40.7 seconds remaining in the fourth. 

     The Heat were led by Bam Adebayo with 30 points along with 11 rebounds. Tyler Herro was able to pump in 23 points and Kyle Lowry contributed a season-high 25 points. 

     Paul George had a team-high 27 points for the Clippers. Ivica Zubac picked up a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Eric Bledsoe added 23 points while Reggie Jackson scored 22 points.  

Dolphins Outduel Ravens

     The Miami Dolphins topped the Baltimore Ravens 22-10 at Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday night. The Dolphins have won two straight games while the Ravens have lost two of their last three contests. 

     Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson made his return to South Florida. He played high school football with the Boynton Beach Tigers. The Dolphins had Jacoby Brissett, formerly of the Dwyer Panthers, start at quarterback for them. 

     Baltimore(6-3) got out to a 3-0 lead at the 11:52 mark of the first quarter. Justin Tucker was able to kick a 46-yard field goal. 

     Miami(3-7) got a pair of field goals during the second quarter and moved ahead 6-3. Jason Sanders booted a 31-yard field goal with 6:21 to go in the second quarter and a 22-yard field goal with five seconds to go in the first half.

     In the third quarter, the Dolphins extended their lead at 12:37. Sanders nailed a 29-yard field goal for a 9-3 advantage.  

     The Dolphins made it 15-3 with 11:40 remaining in the fourth. Cornerback Xavien Howard recovered a fumble and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown. 

     The Ravens would not be finished as they cut the deficit to 15-10 with 4:12 left. Jackson tossed a five-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Andrews in the middle of the end zone. 

     The Fins answered back with 2:19 to go in the fourth and made it 22-10. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa busted up the middle from one yard away. 

Penguins Ice Panthers

     The Pittsburgh Penguins got by the Florida Panthers 3-2 in a shootout at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night. The Panthers are winless in their last three contests. Patric Hornqvist made his return for the first time to the Steel City where he captured two Stanley Cup titles with Pittsburgh. 

     The Penguins participated in a shootout in the third straight game. The Cats fell in their second shootout of the 2021-22 regular season. 

     Pittsburgh(5-3-4) got out to a 1-0 lead with 6:23 remaining in the first period. Teddy Blueger  picked up his third tally of the campaign. 

     Florida(10-2-2) evened it up 1-1 with 3:05 left in the first. Frank Vatrano compiled his third goal of the year on assists from Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart. 

     The Penguins reclaimed the lead 2-1 with 2:07 to go in the second period. Evan Rodrigues chalked up his fourth goal this season. 

     In the third period, Aleksander Barkov added his ninth goal of the season at the 2:30 mark. Carter Verhaeghe and MacKenzie Weegar were credited with assists on the play. 

     The game would end up in a shootout. Jonathan Huberdeau converted on the Panthers second attempt and Bryan Rust matched it on the Penguins third attempt. Jeff Carter scored on the Pens fourth attempt to give them the victory. 

Sal Licata WFAN Overnight Host

     Former local sportscaster Sal Licata has been named the new overnight host at WFAN in New York City. He will start his new position on November 15. 

     Licata was the New York Yankees pregame show host on WMEN-AM from April 2013 until August 2013. He announced the 30-minute program from a studio in New York City. 

     He began his broadcasting career as an intern at WFAN-AM and was later elevated to afternoon show producer. Licata ended his first stint at that radio station in June 2010. 

     Licata joined SNY in 2010 and has held several capacities there. He has worked as a sports anchor along with being a co-host on The Wheelhouse, Loud Mouths and Daily News Live. Licata has recently been a sports anchor on Geico Sportsnite and weekly studio co-host on Baseball Night In New York. He became part of MLB.com as the Full Count program co-host. 

     He returned to radio in the mid 2000s to co-host a sports show on WOR-AM. Licata began his second stint with WFAN in 2018 as a fill-in host and was later promoted to the late night hosting position in 2019. He temporarily hosted a Saturday overnight show simulcasted on WFAN and CBS Sports Radio Network beginning in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and budget cuts.

Lakers Escape Heat

     The Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the Miami Heat 120-117 in overtime at Staples Center on Wednesday night. It was a rematch between the two teams from the 2020 NBA Finals. Miami lost consecutive games for the first time this season. 

     The Heat, who swept the regular season series against the Lakers last season, have defeated the Lakers in 16 of the last 25 regular season games. Former Miami Heat player LeBron James was injured and did not participate in the game. 

     Los Angeles(7-5) had a slight 28-25 advantage at the end of the first quarter.  Miami(7-4) caught up in the final seconds of the first half and led 57-55 at halftime. The Heat got up as much as seven points and led 86-82 after three quarters. 

     Miami scored 12 straight points to lead 102-93 with 6:47 left in the fourth. The Lakers came back to tie it 108-108 with 1:23 remaining on an 11-2 run. The contest went into overtime and Lakers outscored the Heat 8-5 in the extra period.    

     Miami was led by Bam Adebayo as he contributed 28 points and 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the year. Tyler Herro dropped in 27 points. They compiled two other double-doubles as Kyle Lowry added 18 points along with 11 assists while P.J. Tucker had 10 points and 13 rebounds. Udonis Haslem played in his third contest of the 2021-22 campaign. 

     Russell Westbrook got his third triple-double of the season with 25 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds for the Lakers. Anthony Davis chalked up 24 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double. Malik Monk came off the bench with 27 points. Two former Miami Heat players made an impact as Avery Bradley scored 17 points while Wayne Ellington got 12 points. 

Boca Raton At Deerfield Beach Preview

     The Boca Raton Bobcats will make the five-mile trip down I-95 and challenge their District 13 rival the Deerfield Beach Bucks at Butler Stadium on Friday night in a FHSAA Class 8A regional quarterfinal game. It is a rematch from two weeks ago when the district title was on the line. 

     The Bucks shut out the Bobcats 40-0 that night. Both schools met in district play for the first time ever in 2019 and Deerfield Beach was victorious 49-6. They was no district play last year with the delayed regular season due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

     Boca Raton(8-2) finished as the South Florida Tri-County silver bracket champion in 2020. The Bobcats had won six straight games this year until they ran into Deerfield Beach. They have a 6-0 record on the road during the regular season. Their other defeat this year was to playoff-bound Palm Beach Central. 

     The Bobcats received great news during the offseason as running back Trey Rainey transferred back to Boca Raton after spending his junior year with the American Heritage Stallions. Rainey is expected to get the majority of carries from the backfield. Quarterback Jacob Cashion can run out of the pocket for yardage and throw the ball to wide receivers Collin Bender, Jerome Puckett, Sebastien Saint-Louis and Teddy Hoffman. 

     Deerfield Beach(8-2) reached the South Florida Tri-County gold bracket title game last year. They won their final five contests of the 2021 regular season and have compiled shutouts in four of their last five games. The Bucks have outscored their opponents 346-58 this year. They are undefeated at home this season with a 4-0 record. Head coach Jevon Glenn left the football program back in September. 

     The Bucks offense revolves around the rushing attack of running back Jaziun Patterson. He has the ability to score on any rushing attempt and did it three times against Boca Raton two weeks ago. They can go with either Luke Collins or Michael Merdinger at quarterback to call the signals. Wide receivers A.J. Jenkins and Joseph Kenneley look to make pass receptions down the field. 

Glades Central At American Heritage Preview

     It is a renewed Palm Beach County rivalry as the Glades Central Raiders travel to Delray Beach and take on the American Heritage Stallions at The Corral on Friday night in a FHSAA Class 4A first-round game. Both schools were rivals during the previous decade. The winner will visit Lakewood next week. 

     Glades Central(5-5) had a mediocre regular season compared to their prior seasons. They lost their season finale to their main rival Pahokee 28-0 in the annual Muck Bowl last week. Glades Central, whose longest win streak in two games this year, has fallen on the road in their last three games to playoff-bound teams Booker T. Washington, Vero Beach and Pahokee. 

     The Raiders will have Garrison Kepley starting at quarterback and Henry Boyd as his backup. Wide receivers Robert Luckas, Aaron Davis, Semaj Demps and Carjuan Perkins look to get open and make pass receptions. Running backs Kienaskia Workman, Everic Morgan and Christopher Young will got their share of rushing opportunities. 

     American Heritage(5-4) has bounced back after having a dreadful 2020 campaign where they ended up 2-3. Head coach Brian Sheridan passed away during the regular season last year. In addition, running back Trey Rainey transferred back to Boca Raton while quarterback Dylan Rizk moved on to Cardinal Gibbons in the offseason. 

     The Stallions began the season losing four of their first five games and come into the contest on a four-game winning streak with victories over Cypress Bay, St. John Paul II, Spanish River and Somerset Academy Silver Palms. They have outscored their last four opponents 136-47. Quarterback Joshua Ramos looks to guide their offense down the field. He can connect passes to wide receivers Brandyn Butler, Tavares Parker and Matthew Smicklas. They have a capable backfield with running back Clayton Cannon and D'Mitri Nazaire.

Devils Surprise Panthers

     The New Jersey Devils shocked the Florida Panthers 7-3 on Tuesday night at Prudential Center. The Panthers, who have lost two straight games, continue to have the most points in the National Hockey League. Aleksander Barkov surpassed Olli Jokinen for the most career goals by a player in Florida Panthers franchise history

     Florida(10-2-1) got out to a 1-0 lead at the 3:53 mark of the opening period. Sam Bennett scored his fifth goal of the season on assists from Owen Tippett and Carter Verhaeghe. 

     New Jersey(6-3-2) compiled two goals in a two-minute span to move ahead 2-1. Andreas Johnsson tied it 1-1 on a power-play goal by Spencer Knight with 4:14 left in the first. It was the Devils first goal on the power play in six games. Nico Hischier gave them a 2-1 edge with 2:15 to go with a shot from close range. 

     There was an explosion of goal scoring early in the second period. Aleksander Barkov put the puck past Mackenzie Blackwood  24 seconds into the frame for his eighth goal of the year. Barkov passed Olli Jokinen with his 189th career goal to become the Florida Panthers all-time leading goal scorer in franchise history. Verhaeghe got the primary assist and Anthony Duclair picked up the secondary assist. 

     The Panthers regained the lead 3-2 at 1:29 of the second. Tippett scored and got his third tally of the 2021-22 campaign. Gustav Forsling and Jonathan Huberdeau were credited with assists on the play. 

     The Devils evened it up 3-3 just 29 seconds later. Johnsson nailed his second goal of the contest and sixth goal this season. 

     New Jersey reclaimed the lead 4-3 with 1:45 left in the second. P.K. Subban ripped a slap shot from the blue line for his first goal of the season. 

     The third period belonged to the Devils. They got a goal on the man advantage from Pavel Zacha at the 4:44 mark. Alexander Holtz collected his first NHL point on the play. It was the first time this season that New Jersey had multi power-play goals in a contest. 

     Ty Smith later scored on a long shot that was deflected in at 5:13 for his first tally of the year. Jimmy Vesey added an empty-net goal with 3:49 left in the third to make it 7-3. 

Nuggets Chip At Heat

     The Denver Nuggets handled the Miami Heat 113-96 at Ball Arena on Monday night. It was the beginning of a five-game road trip for the Heat against the Western Conference teams. 

     Miami(7-3) started ahead 30-25 at the end of the first quarter. Denver(6-4) overtook them and led 64-49 at halftime. The Nuggets kept the double-digit lead and stayed ahead 91-70 after three quarters. The Heat cut it down to 13 points with 4:04 left in the final quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler led Miami as he put together 31 points and eight assists. Bam Adebayo had a double-double of 10 points along with 10 rebounds and Duncan Robinson dropped in 13 points. 

     Nikola Jokic compiled a triple-double with 25 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for Denver. Will Barton pumped in 25 points while Jeff Green added 13 points. 

Rangers Burn Panthers

     The Florida Panthers fell to the New York Rangers 4-3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. The Panthers lost in regulation time for the first time this season after 12 games. 

     New York(7-3-3) got out to a 1-0 lead on the power play at the 7:52 mark of the first period. Ryan Strome backhanded the puck from the right corner to the crease. Mika Zibanejad had his initial shot stopped by Spencer Knight, however Chris Kreider tapped it in from the right of the crease for his ninth goal of the season. 

     It became 2-0 for the Blueshirts with 5.9 seconds remaining in the first as they scored a shorthanded tally. Zibanejad carried it into the Panthers zone from center ice and lateraled a backhand pass from the high slot to the right wing. Barclay Goodrow whipped the puck to a wide open Adam Fox in the high slot and he lifted a backhand shot from the low slot for his third goal this year. 

     In the second period, the Rangers increased their lead to 3-0 with 7:12 left on a 4-on-4 goal. Kreider made an outlet pass to the middle. K'Andre Miller carried the puck thorough the neutral zone, down the right wing, around MacKenzie Weegar and released a wrist shot from the top of the crease.

     Florida(10-1-1) surrendered another 4-on-4 goal just 30 seconds later. Jacob Trouba forwarded the puck ahead to Artemi Panarin at the Panthers blue line. He went in on a 2-on-1 breakaway, slid it across the slot and Strome roofed a forehand shot from the low right circle. It was the Rangers fourth goal during a seven-shot span. The Cats went into the third period trailing for the first time this season. 

     The Panthers broke the shutout 20 seconds into the third period and were down 4-1. Aaron Ekblad fired a slap shot which was saved. Mason Marchment tapped the puck back and Eetu Luostarinen poked it in from the top of the crease past Igor Shesterkin for his fourth goal of the campaign. 

     Florida Panthers cut it to 4-2 with 1:26 left in third. Radko Gudas pushed the puck from the right point to the right wing. Owen Tippett backhanded a centering pass and Sam Reinhart scored on a snap shot from the high slot. 

     It became 4-3 with 40.1 seconds to go. Aleksander Barkov won the faceoff in the left circle and Patric Hornqvist scored on a wrist shot from the inner left circle. 

FHSAA Playoffs Local County Breakdown

     The 2021 FHSAA Playoffs for high school football starts later this week. All counties in the South Florida region have their assortment of teams. 

     There are 15 teams that will represent Palm Beach County. The southern part of Palm Beach County consists of Boca Raton, St. Andrew's. Atlantic, American Heritage and Boynton Beach. The West Palm Beach area has Palm Beach Central, Wellington, Cardinal Newman and Forest Hill. Glades Central, Pahokee and Glades Day are from around the western portion of Palm Beach County. Palm Beach Gardens, Seminole Ridge and Benjamin are the only squads from north Palm Beach County. 

     Broward County, who will host five FHSAA state title games at DRV PNK Stadium in  Fort Lauderdale, has three defending FHSAA state champions and 19 high schools overall entering the postseason. Central Broward County has St. Thomas Aquinas, Cardinal Gibbons, American Heritage, Dillard, Fort Lauderdale, Plantation, Stranahan, Western, Westminster Academy, Pine Crest and Calvary Christian Academy. Deerfield Beach, Coconut Creek, Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Coral Glades are from northern Broward County. Chaminade-Madonna, Miramar, South Broward and Avant Garde are part of the southern portion in Broward County. 

     17 high schools come from Dade County. Large size schools include Miami Northwestern, Miami Central, Columbus, Booker T. Washington, Miami Palmetto, Dr. Krop, Doral Academy, Gulliver Prep, Homestead, Miami Killian, North Miami Beach and Immaculata-LaSalle. Champagnat Catholic, Miami Edison, Florida Christian, Somerset Academy South Homestead and True North are the small schools in that county. 

Adam Duvall Wins Gold Glove

     Adam Duvall has been named the National League Gold Glove Award winner for right field. It is the first time in his MLB career that he has received that award. 

     Duvall started the 2021 season with the Miami Marlins and he participated in 91 games. He was traded to the Atlanta Braves on July 30 for Alex Jackson. Duvall captured a World Series title with the Braves last week. 

2021 FHSAA Football Playoff Brackets

     The Florida High School Athletic Association on Sunday released the teams that will participate in the upcoming 2021 FHSAA football postseason. All eight classifications will have first-round playoff games later this week. 

     The top five classifications from Class 8A down to Class 4A will have their state championship games to be held from December 16-18 at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Class 3A, Class 2A and Class 1A will happen at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee from December 9-11. 

     Region 4 of Class 8A is led by district rivals as #3 Deerfield Beach hosts #6 Boca Raton. #5 Columbus challenges #4 Dr. Krop, #7 Coral Glades is at #2 Miami Palmetto and #1 Western faces #8 Marjory Stoneman Douglas. 

     Four Palm Beach County schools will clash with four teams north of them in Region 2. #8 Centennial goes to #1 Palm Beach Central, #5 Vero Beach visits #4 Forest Hill, #7 Palm Beach Gardens travels to #2 Treasure Coast and #6 Wellington makes the journey to #3 Boone. 

     Class 7A in Region 4 has eight tri-county South Florida teams. The defending state champion #1 St. Thomas Aquinas stays home against #8 Atlantic while #6 Dillard heads east to #3 Fort Lauderdale. #5 Doral Academy faces #4 Miramar and #7 South Broward tangles with #2 Homestead. Region 2 has #6 Seminole Ridge visiting #3 Melbourne. 

     There will be long road trips for all competitors in Region 4 for Class 6A. #8 Plantation is at #1 Dunbar, #5 South Fort Myers is at #4 Coconut Creek and #6 Fort Myers is at #3 Miami Northwestern. 

     Class 5A in Region 4 consists of eight local high schools. #8 Cypress Lake challenges #1 Miami Killian while #7 Boynton Beach travels to Plantation and faces defending state champion #2 American Heritage. #3 Miami Central hosts #6 North Miami Beach and #5 Stranahan makes the long cross-state trip to #4 Estero. 

     Region 4 of Class 4A has the defending state champion #2 Cardinal Gibbons and #1 Gulliver Prep having byes in the first round. #5 Calvary Christian Academy heads for Miami to take on #4 Booker T. Washington and #6 Pine Crest visits #3 Immaculata-LaSalle. 

     Region 3 has two Palm Beach County squads. #5 Glades Central is at #4 American Heritage in Delray Beach. 

     Class 3A in Region 4 has six high schools participating. State finalist #1 Chaminade-Madonna and #2 Florida Christian have the first-round off. #3 Cardinal Newman hosts #6 St. Andrew's while #4 Miami Edison hosts #5 Somerset Academy South Homestead. 

     #2 Benjamin is the only South Florida representative in Region 2. Following their bye, they will take on either #3 The First Academy or #6 Lake Placid. 

     Region 4 has six local teams involved in Class 2A. #1 Avant Grande and two-time defending state champion #2 Champagnat Catholic have byes. #6 Westminster Academy is at #3 Glades Day and #5 John Carroll is at #4 True North.

     There is only one South Florida high school in Class 1A. #2 Pahokee has a bye week in the first round and will tangle with either #3 Bradford or #6 Newberry. 

Inter Miami CF Wins Season Finale

     Inter Miami CF were victorious in their season finale as they topped the New England Revolution 1-0 at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. Inter Miami CF completed their second regular season in Major League Soccer. Unlike last year, Inter Miami CF will not be involved in the MLS Playoffs. 

     The New England Revolution ended up with the best record in Major League Soccer. They had a league-record 73 points and received the Supporters' Shield after the game for the first time in their 26-year franchise history. 

     There was only one score in the contest by Inter Miami CF during the 58th minute. Blaise Matuidi made a turnaround left-footed shot from 11 yards away for his first goal of the year. 

Dolphins Outpace Texans

     The Miami Dolphins outlasted the Houston Texans 17-9 on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. Both teams entered the contest in last place for their divisional races at the midway point of the 2021 regular season. 

     Miami(2-7) moved out to a 7-0 lead with 4:37 left in the first quarter. Running back Myles Gaskin rushed through the right side and scored from six yards away. 

     Houston(1-8) cut it to 7-6 during the second quarter. Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked a 31-yard field goal at 9:48 and a 40-yard field goal at 4:32. 

     The Dolphins finished off the first half strong by adding more points. Jason Sanders booted a 42-yard field goal with 1:08 to go. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett later found wide receiver Mack Hollins on a five-yard touchdown pass in the middle of the end zone to make it 17-6. 

     There was just one scoring play in the second half by the Texans. Fairbairn converted his third field goal of the game which was from 20 yards at the 11:32 mark of the fourth quarter. 

Heat Climb By Jazz

     The Miami Heat pushed by the Utah Jazz 118-115 on Saturday night at FTX Arena. It was the first time that new Utah Jazz part owner Dwyane Wade and his new organization made an appearance in South Florida. Wade was part of the ownership group that bought the Jazz back in April. 

     Miami(7-2) had a slight 27-22 lead after one quarter and were up 55-52 at halftime. Utah(7-2) kept it close and trailed 87-78 at the end of three quarters. The Heat stayed ahead of the Jazz by at least six points in the fourth quarter. 

     Kyle Lowry compiled a triple-double for Miami with 20 points, 10 assists and 12 rebounds. Tyler Herro scored 29 points, Jimmy Butler dropped in 27 points and Bam Adebayo powered in 17 points. Donovan Mitchell fired in a game-high 37 points for the Jazz and Mike Conley had 18 points. 

Panthers Blow By Hurricanes

     The Florida Panthers knocked off the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 at FLA Live Arena on Saturday night. Both clubs entered the game with the most points by teams in the National Hockey League. 

     It was the first time in NHL history that two clubs faced each other with season-opening point streaks of at least nine contests. The Panthers have not lost a game in regulation time during their first 11 games of the 2021-22 regular season. The Cats snapped the Hurricanes nine-game winning streak and gave the Canes their first loss of the campaign. 

     The Panthers tied an NHL record with the best start to begin a season after 11 games. Florida currently has the best goal differential in the league. 

     Florida(10-0-1) raced out to a 4-0 lead in the opening frame. Anthony Duclair started the rally with a power-play tally at the 2:28 mark and Frank Vatrano followed on a goal with the man advantage at 10:02. Anton Lundell made it a three-goal margin with 6:46 left in the first period. Patric Hornqvist placed his first goal of the year on the power play with 4:32 remaining in the first. 

     Carolina(9-1-0) cut it down to 4-2 during the second period. Jesper Fast broke the shutout at the 7:01 mark of the frame. Former Panthers center Vincent Trocheck scored a power-play goal with 4:40 left in the second. 

     The game was decided by the Panthers will 58.5 seconds to go in the third period. Duclair compiled his second goal of the contest and eight of the season and he put the puck into an empty net.