Heat Finish Off Jazz

     The Miami Heat edged the Utah Jazz 126-123 at Vivint Arena on Saturday night. The Heat, who played their final game of the 2022 calendar year, continued their Western Conference five-game road swing.

     Miami(19-18) had a slight 31-30 at the end of the first quarter. The Heat remained in front 69-63 at halftime. Utah(19-20) roared back and moved ahead 98-96 at the end of three quarters. The Heat went on a 22-13 run to begin the fourth quarter. Tyler Herro hit a running three-point shot with no time remaining in the contest.  

     Bam Adebayo powered in 32 points with eight rebounds for Miami. Tyler Herro added 29 points and nine rebounds while Victor Oladipo had 23 points. Lauri Markkanen got a double-double with 29 points and 14 rebounds for the Jazz. 

2022 FHSAA Football Title Recap

     South Florida high school football teams ended up with four FHSAA state championships in 2022. It turned out to be the same amount the tri-county region won last year. The area captured seven state championships back in 2019 and five state titles in 2020. 

     The Florida High School Athletic Association went with a new designation of classification this year. The state title games were held in two different venues for the second straight season. Class 1M, Class 2S, Class 1S and Class 1R happened at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee during the first weekend. Class 4M, Class 3M, Class 2M, Class 4S and Class 3S was held on the following week at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. It was the second time at that stadium held the football finals. 

     Two Broward County high schools ended up winning state titles. St. Thomas Aquinas defeated Homestead 38-21 for the FHSAA Class 3M state championship. STA captured their state-record 14th state football title. The Raiders accomplished something new in school history as they won their fourth consecutive state championship. It was the seventh state title in nine seasons and 11th title in 16 years for the Raiders. St. Thomas Aquinas and Homestead played in the first state football championship game between a Broward County high school and a Dade County high school. 

     Chaminade-Madonna walloped Clearwater Central Catholic 49-14 for the FHSAA Class 1M state title. The Lions won their fifth state title in the last six seasons and their seventh overall in school history. 

     Dade County chalked up two state championships this year, an increase from one in 2021. Miami Central captured their fourth consecutive state title with a 38-31 victory over American Heritage in the Class 2M state championship game. The Rockets won their ninth state championship in school history. It was the second time ever that a Dade County team clashed with a Broward County team in a state football final. 

     Columbus edged Apopka 16-13 in overtime for the FHSAA Class 4M state championship. It was their second state title in school history. The Explorers defeated the same high school for their previous title in 2019. 

South Florida Sports Review 2022

     It was a decent year for South Florida professional sports teams in 2022. Four local sports clubs made the postseason. Just two of the five local teams reached the postseason in 2021. 

     The Florida Panthers finished first in the National Hockey League standings and captured the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history with 122 points. They also won the Atlantic Division title. The Panthers were swept 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals by the defending Stanley Cup Champions the Tampa Bay Lightning in a shocking result. 

     The Miami Heat ended up first in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and won the Southeast Division with a 53-29 record. They were able to defeat the Atlanta Hawks 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and the Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Heat lost in a seven-game series to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

     The Miami Dolphins got the final AFC wild-card playoff spot with a 9-8 record. The Dolphins were eliminated in the first round by the Buffalo Bills. 

     The Miami Marlins did not do well during the 2022 season with a 67-95 record. They finished in fourth place among teams in the National League East Division. 

     Inter Miami CF reached the Major League Soccer postseason as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. It was the second time in their three-year franchise history to get into the MLS Playoffs. They fell to the defending MLS Champions New York City FC 3-0 in the first round. 

Tennessee Topples Clemson In Orange Bowl

     The University of Tennessee Volunteers held off the Clemson University Tigers 31-14 in the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday night. The Volunteers finished second in the Southeastern Conference East Division behind defending national champion Georgia while the Tigers captured the Atlantic Coast Conference championship earlier this month. 

     Tennessee(11-2) finished their 2022 campaign with 11 wins which matched their total in 2001. Clemson(11-3), who won just one of their last four bowl games, have not lost at least three contests during a season since before 2013. 

Heat Edged By Nuggets

     The Miami Heat fell to the Denver Nuggets 124-119 at Ball Arena on Friday night. The Heat began a five-game road trip versus Western Conference opponents. The Nuggets have won six of their last seven contests. 

     Denver(23-12) had a 23-19 advantage at the end of the first quarter and were up 60-57 at halftime. Miami(18-18) pulled ahead and led 90-85 after three quarters. The Nuggets had a 12-5 spurt in the last three minutes of the final quarter to gain the victory. 

     The Heat were led by Tyler Herro with a double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds. Bam Adebayo contributed 22 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Max Strus was able to pour in 19 points. Nikola Jokic collected a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for the Nuggets. 

Hurricanes Blank Panthers

     The Carolina Hurricanes shut out the Florida Panthers 4-0 at PNC Arena on Friday night. The Hurricanes have won a franchise-record 10 consecutive games. 

     It was the final contest of the 2022 calendar year for the Panthers. Florida(16-17-4) will host the New York Rangers on New Year's Day.

     Carolina(24-6-6) led 1-0 at the 7:05 mark on a power-play goal. Stefan Noesen collected his eighth goal of the campaign. 

     The Hurricanes added two more goals with the man advantage during the second period to make it 3-0. Andrei Svechnikov got his 19th goal of the season at 4:58 and Teuvo Teravainen scored his third goal of the year at the 11:55 mark. In the third period, Jesperi Kotkaniemi increased it to a four-goal margin for the Canes as he picked up his sixth goal with 16:10 left. 

Barkov Hat Trick And Panthers Sack Habs

     Aleksander Barkov returned to the lineup after 12 days and compiled a hat trick in the opening period as the Florida Panthers outlasted the Montreal Canadiens 7-2 on Thursday night at FLA Live Arena. It was the fastest hat trick by a Florida Panthers player to begin a game in franchise history.

     Barkov had a hat trick against the Canadiens in Sunrise back on February 17, 2019. The Cats will play their final game of the 2022 calendar year at the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night. 

     Florida(16-16-4) rocketed out to a 1-0 lead just 2:37 into the first period. Barkov won the faceoff in the left circle and Carter Verhaeghe passed it back to Gustav Forsling on the left point. His slap shot was deflected in by Barkov from the low slot past Sam Montembeault for his seventh goal of the season. 

     The Panthers made it 2-0 on the power play with 8:10 left in the first. Matthew Tkachuk tapped the puck from the right goal line. Sam Reinhart connected a cross-ice pass from the right circle and Barkov snapped a shot from the left circle for his second tally of the contest and eighth goal of the campaign. Barkov passed Scott Mellanby for the most power-play goals in Florida franchise history with 67. 

     Montreal(15-18-3) scored a power-play goal with 5:46 to go in the period and were down 2-1. Former Panthers player Mike Hoffman sent a pass and Arber Xhekaj shot the puck by Sergei Bobrovsky for his fifth goal this year.  

     Barkov got the hat trick with 4:38 remaining in the first period and extended the Panthers lead to 3-1. He flipped a shot from the right of the crease for third of the game and ninth goal of the season. 

     The Canadiens took advantage of a long four-minute power play with 46.1 seconds left in the frame and converted. Xhekaj passed from the left point to the right point and Hoffman blasted a slap shot. Josh Anderson poked in the rebound from the top of the crease for his ninth goal of the year. 

     In the second period, the Cats found the net again with the man advantage at the 6:22 mark for a 4-2 lead. Barkov moved the puck from the right point to Brandon Montour at the top of the zone. His slap shot was redirected in by Tkachuk in the low slot for his 16th goal this season. 

     It became 5-2 for the Panthers at the 4:14 mark of the third period. Verhaeghe collected his 18th goal of the campaign on a shot from close range. 

     Florida increased it to 6-2 at 7:24 of the third. Montour passed the puck and Barkov released a snap shot from left circle. Tkachuk eventually put in the rebound from the blue paint for his second goal of the contest and 17th goal this season. Barkov was credited with his fifth point of the game on that play. 

     The Habs trailed 7-2 with 10:29 left in the period. Montour sent a long lead pass from the Panthers zone. Sam Bennett went down the right side into the Canadiens zone on a two-on-one breakaway. He slid the puck across the low slot and Eetu Luostarinen one-timed a shot for his ninth goal. 

West Palm Beach Ratings December 2022

     The ratings were issued for West Palm Beach sports radio stations. The time period was from the second week of December to the first week of January. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM rose from a 0.5 to a 0.8 in the month. They set an all-time high since the radio station flipped to a sports talk format in 2008. It matched their high in October 2016, November 2016, July 2018, January 2022 and May 2022. Florida Atlantic University football finished with a 5-7 record in 2022 and did not qualify for a bowl game this year. They has moved on without the Florida Panthers affiliate radio rights.

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM ended up with a 0.2 for their fourth consecutive month. The Florida Panthers barely had a winning record this season. The University of Florida Gators football team had a 6-6 record and finished tied for fourth in the SEC East Division. 

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM will see a slight change to their on-air staff in the future. It will be the final complete period that segment contributor and former afternoon host Evan Cohen will be on their airwaves. 

Anton Levtchi Makes NHL Debut

     Anton Levtchi will make his National Hockey League debut with the Florida Panthers. The club will host the Montreal Canadiens tonight at FLA Live Arena. 

     Levtchi, who plays left wing, has compiled 13 points in 24 games with the Panthers AHL affiliate the Charlotte Checkers this season. He previously played with Tappara-Tampere of Finland from 2016-17 until 2021-22. 

Jean Segura Signing With Marlins

     The Miami Marlins are about to sign infielder Jean Segura. It is expected to be a two-year contract worth $15 million. There is a $10 million team option and $2 million buyout in 2025. 

     Segura spent the last four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. He helped the club get to the postseason for the first time since 2011 and reach the World Series for the first time since 2009. Segura had 43 home runs, 176 runs batted in and a .281 batting average in 427 games during his four seasons with the Phillies. 

Heat Defeat Lakers

     The Miami Heat handled the Los Angeles Lakers 112-98 at FTX Arena on Wednesday night. The Heat, who completed a four-game homestand, have defeated the Lakers in 18 of the last 27 regular season meetings. 

     LeBron James scored 10 of the first 13 points for the Lakers in the opening five minutes of the contest, however Miami(18-17) led 33-25 after one quarter. The Heat remained ahead 61-52 at halftime. 

     Miami had a 21-11 spurt to begin the second half and Los Angeles(14-21) trailed 95-78 at the end of three quarters. The Lakers scored the first five points in the fourth quarter, went on a 14-7 run and could not catch up. 

     Jimmy Butler dropped in 27 points for the Heat. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Tyler Herro fell short of a double-double with 18 points and nine assists. 

     James led the Lakers with a team-high 29 points along with nine rebounds and six assists. Russell Westbrook added 15 points and eight assists. 

Miami Ratings December 2022

     The ratings came out for sports talk radio stations in Miami/Fort Lauderdale. The time span went from the second week of November until the first week of December. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM decreased from a 1.1 to a 0.7 in the month. The Miami Dolphins had a 8-4 record and were in contention for a playoff spot. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team completed their season with a 5-7 record and did not qualify for a bowl game. The Miami Heat and the Florida Panthers barely had average starts a couple of months into the 2022-23 season.

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM dropped the second straight month from a 0.3 to a 0.2. The station lost half of their audience in a matter of two months. The University of Florida Gators finished the regular season with a 6-6 record and ended up tied for fourth in the SEC East Division. 

     WQAM streaming remained at a 0.3 in the period. WKIS-FM-HD2 went from a 0.1 to 0.2 as they had Florida Panthers broadcasts when the Miami Heat played at the same time. 

Nathan Eovaldi To Join Rangers

     Former Miami Marlins starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is about to the join the Texas Rangers. It is a two-year contract worth $34 million.

     Eovaldi played parts of two seasons with the Marlins from 2012 to 2014. He started in 63 contests over three seasons with Miami and had a 13-27 record with a 4.10 earned run average 

Inter Miami CF 2023 Schedule

     The 2023 regular season schedule recently rolled out for Inter Miami CF. The franchise will be playing in their fourth Major League Soccer season at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. 

     The team will play 34 MLS games during the 2023 campaign. Inter Miami CF will open the regular season at home against CF Montreal on February 25. They will conclude the season at Charlotte FC on October 21. 

Heat Down Timberwolves

     The Miami Heat came off the holiday break with a 113-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night at FTX Arena. The Heat finish off a four-game homestand as they host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. 

     Miami(17-17) had a 33-31 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Heat maintained their lead and were ahead 59-56 at halftime. Minnesota(16-18) gave up a 13-7 spurt to begin the second half and trailed 93-86 after three quarters. 

     Max Strus had a team-high 19 points for Miami. Kyle Lowry fell short of a double-double with 18 points and nine assists. Orlando Robinson contributed 15 points along with nine rebounds. Duncan Robinson became the fastest in NBA history to reach 800 career three-point shots made. Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 29 points with seven assists for the Timberwolves. 

Packers Freeze Dolphins

     The Green Bay Packers got a 26-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. It turned out to be the coldest gameday temperature for an NFL contest in Miami since Christmas Eve in 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium when it was 40 degrees. Miami ended up losing their fourth straight game. 

     The Dolphins took a 3-0 lead at the 11:10 mark of the first quarter. Jason Sanders was able to kick a 46-yard field goal. The Packers tied it up 3-3 when Mason Crosby booted a 36-yard field goal at 9:26. 

     Miami(8-7) would get the ball and scored on the first play of their next possession. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw a pass up the middle to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. He sprinted down the right sideline for an 84-yard touchdown with 9:08 left in the first for a 10-3 lead. 

     Green Bay(7-8) evened it 10-10 with 4:10 remaining in the quarter. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers tossed a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Marcedes Lewis on the left side of the end zone during a 4th-and-goal situation. 

     It became 17-10 for Miami at 10:52 of the second quarter. After Tagovailoa completed a 52-yard pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Packers one-yard line, running back Jeff Wilson Jr. rushed it up the middle from one yard out. 

     The Fins special teams unit stopped a fake punt on the Packers ensuing drive at the Green Bay 20-yard line. The Dolphins picked up a 34-yard field goal from Sanders for a 20-10 lead with 4:18 to go in the second. Green Bay closed it to 20-13 with two seconds left in the first half on a 46-yard field goal by Crosby. 

     In the third quarter, the Packers reached the end zone to make it 20-20 at 7:53. Running back A.J. Dillon finished off an 11-play drive as he powered in through the left side of the line from one yard away. 

     Green Bay defensive back Jaire Alexander intercepted a pass and returned it to the Dolphins 14-yard line just one minute into the fourth quarter. It led to a Crosby 28-yard field goal and the Packers had their first lead of the game 23-20 at the 11:45 mark. 

     The Packers milked the clock and eventually Crosby kicked a 26-yard field goal with 2:02 left in the fourth for a six-point margin. It was the fourth field goal made by Crosby in the contest. Green Bay defensive back Rasul Douglas made an interception on the Dolphins last possession at the Miami 43-yard line with 1:29 remaining. 

Austin Dean Heading To South Korea

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Austin Dean will be going to South Korea. He has signed a one-year deal with the LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization worth $500,000. 

     Dean had a short stint with the Marlins from 2018 to 2019. He compiled 10 home runs, 35 runs batted in and a .223 batting average in 98 games during his time in Miami. 

Nick Neidert Signing With Cubs

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Nick Neidert will be signing a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs. He has two opt-out clauses on his contract for next year.

     Neidert was with the Miami Marlins from 2020 until 2022. He had a 1-3 record with a 4.59 earned run average during 13 games for the last three seasons. 

South Florida Sports Radio Shows

     Looking at the local sports radio shows in the South Florida region at the end of 2022. There are currently eight local weekday sports radio programs in the tri-county area. 

     Miami has just three local weekday sports shows now. There were six programs in that media market back in September 2021 which included Jonathan Zaslow, Jeff DeForrest and The Greek at that time. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM carries Joe Rose with Zach Krantz in morning drive, Brendan Tobin and Leroy Hoard in the midday shift followed by Marc Hochman and Channing Crowder with Alejandro Solana in afternoon drive. There are no local shows on Fox Sports Radio 940 WINZ-AM and Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM flipped their sports format back in October. 

     The West Palm Beach media market has seen an increase in the number of local weekday sports radio shows in the past seven months. There were three local weekday programs at the start of 2022 and now there are five local shows. 

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM has Ken LaVicka in middays with guest co-hosts Theo Dorsey, Ginette Javier and Pierre Garcon. Josh Cohen and The Hometeam with Din Thomas and Kristina Costanza a.k.a. Tina are on afternoons while Cyrus Wittig hosts the evening show. Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM still have Andy Slater in mid-afternoons and Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM has The Greek in mid-afternoons. 

Pacers Outlast Heat

     The Miami Heat lost to the Indiana Pacers 111-108 on Friday night at FTX Arena. The Heatt have lost three straight home games and continue their four-game homestand on Monday. 

     Indiana(17-16) had a 31-28 edge at the end of the first quarter. Miami(16-17) moved ahead and were up 58-56 at halftime. The Pacers had a slight 84-82 advantage after three quarters. Tyrese Haliburton nailed a three-point shot with 2.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give them the victory. 
     Tyler Herro placed a club-high 28 points for the Heat. Kyle Lowry scored 21 points while Jimmy Butler added 20 points. Bam Adebayo compiled 18 points along with seven rebounds. 

     Haliburton had a game-high 43 points and set an Indiana franchise record with 10 three-point shots in a game. Buddy Hield contributed 21 points for the Pacers. 

Islanders Pass By Panthers

     The New York Islanders defeated the Florida Panthers 5-1 at UBS Arena on Friday night. The Panthers, who lost their third straight contest, will enter the holiday break and then play at home on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. 

     Florida(15-16-4) raced out to a 1-0 lead at the 8:09 mark of the first period. Brandon Montour took a wrist shot from above the left circle which Ilya Sorokin saved. Matthew Tkachuk collected his 15th goal of the season as he tapped it in from the right of the crease. 

     New York(19-14-2) made it 1-1 at 5:20 of the second period. Brock Nelson got the edge on the left-circle faceoff. Noah Dobson fired a slap shot from the left point which hit Marc Staal in the left circle. Anthony Beauvillier snapped a shot from the slot area for his seventh goal this year. 

     The Islanders moved ahead 2-1 with 44.1 seconds left in the second. Jean-Gabriel Pageau won the faceoff in the right circle. Ryan Pulock took the puck from the right point to the right wing and released a wrist shot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his second tally of the campaign. 

     In the third period, New York expanded their lead to 3-1 at the 7:10 mark. Beauvillier dumped it into the right corner. Anders Lee centered it and Aatu Raty scored on a wrist shot from the slot for his first career goal in his first NHL game.

     The Isles picked up a three-goal margin just 71 seconds later. Alexander Romanov advanced the puck from the neutral zone. Zach Parise skated through the left circle and put in a backhand shot for 11th goal this season. 

     The Cats pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with over five minutes to go. Beauvillier scored from the Panthers blue line for his second goal of the game and eighth goal of the season with 4:10 left in the third. 

Evan Cohen Leaving ESPN West Palm

     Longtime West Palm Beach sports talk radio host Evan Cohen is leaving ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM. He will continue as the vice president of content at Good Karma Brands and as the morning show co-host for Mad Dog Sports Radio at SiriusXM Radio. 

     Cohen stopped announcing his afternoon show at ESPN West Palm in December 2021. He has contributed a five-minute weekday sports segment at 11:55 A.M. and 5:55 P.M. since January 2022. 

     He has been a part of Good Karma Brands since 2003 and began as a salesperson. Cohen did an evening show on ESPN Radio 760 WEFL-AM and he eventually became the afternoon show host in 2006, shifting Craig Karmazin and Steve Politziner to early evenings. Cohen later added the role of program director. 

     His program began to simulcast on ESPN West Palm in February 2013 and then it was only on the FM frequency as of September 2013. His show changed from a two-hour program to a one-hour show with no commercials in May 2018. 

     Cohen, a 2003 University of Wisconsin grad, also held other positions while in South Florida. He was the Florida Atlantic University men's basketball radio play-by-play announcer and backup football radio voice. 

     He was the University of Miami Hurricanes Radio Network halftime and postgame studio co-host. Cohen added duties as a weekend host at 560 WQAM-AM. He also was a weekend late night host at Fox Sports Radio. 

     Cohen then worked at WPTV-TV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach. He started as a contributor on their Sunday night sports show and later became a sports anchor/sports reporter. 

Lewin Diaz Traded To Braves

     Former Miami Marlins first baseman Levin Diaz has been traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Atlanta Braves for cash. Diaz was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Orioles during the offseason since he was designated for assignment by the Marlins. 

     Diaz spent the last three seasons with the Fish. He compiled five home runs, 11 runs batted in and a .169 batting average in 58 games during 2022. 

Miami Hurricanes Not In Bowl Game

     The University of Miami Hurricanes will not be participating in a bowl game for the 2022 postseason. The Canes did not qualify because they compiled a 5-7 overall record. Schools must have at least a .500 winning percentage to receive consideration. 

     It has been a short while since they did not appear in a bowl game. The last time was during their 2012 campaign. Miami has lost four straight bowl contests and 10 of their last 11 bowl games that they were involved in. 

Orange Bowl

     The University of Clemson Tigers will face the University of Tennessee Volunteers in the Orange Bowl. It will be played a week on December 30 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. 

     Clemson ended up winning the ACC Atlantic Division and Atlantic Coast Conference championship game over North Carolina. Tennessee finished second in the Southeastern Conference with victories over Alabama, LSU and Florida. 

Devils Run By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers fell to the New Jersey Devils 4-2 at FLA Live Arena on Wednesday night. The Panthers will visit the New York Islanders on Friday night prior to the holiday break. The Devils snapped a six-game winless streak. 

     Florida(15-15-4) jumped up to 1-0 lead at the 4:45 mark of the first period. Nick Cousins and Ryan Lomberg both had shots from close range which were saved. Eric Staal took a wrist shot from the low slot by Mackenzie Blackwood for his third goal of the year. 

     New Jersey(22-9-2) tied it up 1-1 on the power play at 7:01. They won the faceoff in the left circle and Dougie Hamilton passed it from the left point. Jack Hughes cycled the puck to the right circle and Jesper Bratt snapped a shot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 11th goal this season. 

     The Panthers made it 2-1 with 3:48 left in the second period. Sam Bennett carried the puck through the neutral zone and into the Devils zone. He stopped at the right point and centered it. Eetu Luostarinen released a snap shot from the high slot for his eighth goal of the campaign. Anton Lundell was credited with an assist on the play. 

     In the third period, the Devils evened it up 2-2 at 2:44. Hamilton intercepted a Brandon Montour pass at center ice and sent a lead pass. Bratt skated with the puck into the Florida zone on a 2-on-1 breakaway and fired a wrist shot from the right circle for his second tally of the contest and 12th goal of the season. 

     New Jersey got their first lead of the contest 3-2 with 9:50 remaining in the third. Michael McLeod brought the puck around the cage and passed out to the left point. Jonas Siegenthaler fired a shot from the top of the zone and Yegor Sharangovich redirected it in from the low slot for his ninth goal this season. Tomas Tatar added an empty-net goal with 39.1 seconds left in regulation. 

Early National Signing Day Dade County

     Wednesday was early national signing day for high school football players in Dade County. There was plenty of announcements made by players in the county of where they will participate in college football. 

     Miami Central had plenty of players who signed. Defensive lineman Reuben Bain heads for Miami, Quarterback Keyone Jenkins selected FIU and linebacker Stanquan Clark moves to Louisville. 

      Miami Edison wide receiver Nathaniel Joseph and Immaculata-La Salle offensive lineman Frankie Tinalau will attend Miami. Gulliver Prep wide receiver Jalen Brown signed with LSU, cornerback Daniel Harris leaves for Georgia and defensive lineman Lamont Green Jr. moves to Florida State. Miami Palmetto wide receiver Robby Washington and linebacker Bobby Washington will both be going to Miami. 

Early National Signing Day Broward County

     Broward County had national signing day on Wednesday for high school football players. There were plenty of decisions where Broward County athletes will attend college. 

     American Heritage running back Mark Fletcher choose Miami. Wide receiver Brandon Inniss ended up selecting Ohio State. Cornerback Damari Brown will stay locally at Miami. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas defensive end Zakaih Saez goes across the country to Oregon State while defensive back Jayvant Brown heads to Kentucky. Chaminade-Madonna wide receiver Edwin Joseph leaves for Florida State. 

     Dillard had three players with running backs Chris Johnson and defensive back Antione Jackson both going to Miami. Offensive lineman Rico Jackson heads for North Carolina State. Cardinal Gibbons quarterback Dylan Rizk went with Central Florida. 

Early National Signing Day Palm Beach County

     It was national signing day for high school football players in Palm Beach County on Wednesday. The region has been known for the limited number of decisions by players on the first day of early signing period. 

     Palm Beach Central had quarterback Ahmad Haston select Massachusetts, wide receiver Javorian Wimberley heading for Central Michigan and wide receiver Luby Marice Jr. staying local at FIU. Pahokee running back Jashon Benjamin choose Rutgers while wide receiver Tony Martin travels to Western Michigan. 

     Dwyer had two players sign their letters of intent. Wide receiver/defensive back Kyle McNeal will go to FIU and defensive end Lee Kerrington leaves for Wake Forest. Santaluces quarterback Will Prichard moves on to Central Arkansas. 

     The small schools in Palm Beach County also had their athletes. Cardinal Newman defensive lineman Maverick Gracio selected Pittsburgh and defensive lineman/tight end Steven Curtis choose Illinois State. The King's Academy tight end Jackson Worley decided on Troy.

Bulls Move By Heat

     The Chicago Bulls breezed by the Miami Heat 113-103 at FTX Arena on Tuesday night. The Heat begin a four-game homestand. 

     Chicago(12-18) busted out to a 31-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. Miami(16-16) bounced back during the second quarter and were up 57-52 at halftime. The Bulls went on a 27-10 spurt to start the second half and led 88-77 after three quarters. The Heat could not dent into the deficit in the fourth quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo had a team-high 27 points and 12 rebounds for Miami. Tyler Herro drained in 19 points while Haywood Highsmith scored 18 points. Victor Oladipo was able to get 14 points and Duncan Robison put in 13 points. 

     The Bulls were led by Nikola Vucevic as he compiled a double-double of 29 points and 12 rebounds. Demar DeRozan contributed 24 points and Zach LaVine had 21 points. 

Josh Rosen Joins Vikings

     Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen has joined the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. He will be part of his seventh National Football League team since he entered pro football in 2018. 

     Rosen played for one season with the Miami Dolphins in 2019. He had 58 pass completions for 567 yards and one touchdown that year. 

Bruins Pummel Panthers

     The Boston Bruins routed the Florida Panthers 7-3 at TD Garden on Monday night. The Panthers ended a short two-game road swing. The Bruins have still not lost a home game in regulation this season. 

     Boston(25-4-2) scored the first four goals of the contest and led 3-0 after one period. Florida(15-14-4) cut into the four-goal margin with three unanswered goals and were down 4-3 midway through the second period. The Bruins added two more goals in the third to get the win. 

Florida Panthers Acquire Givani Smith

     The Florida Panthers have picked up center Givani Smith from the Detroit Red Wings in a three-team trade. The Panthers gave up defenseman Michael Del Zotto in the deal and he will go to the Anaheim Ducks. 

     Smith has played his entire four-season NHL career with the Red Wings. He had 14 points in 85 contests while he was there. 

Denis Malgin Traded For Dryden Hunt

     Two former Florida Panthers forwards were traded for each other on Monday. The Toronto Maple Leafs dealt center Denis Malgin to the Colorado Avalanche for left wing Dryden Hunt. 

     Malgin played for four seasons with Florida from 2016-17 until 2019-20. He had 60 points in 184 contests with the Panthers. 

     Hunt was with the Cats from 2017-18 to 2019-20. He participated in 63 games for the Panthers and chalked up 15 points. 

Garrett Hampson Goes To Marlins

     Garrett Hampson has inked a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins. He is expected to be in their spring training camp in a couple of months. 

     Hampson, who is a utilityman, had played the last five seasons with the Colorado Rockies. He had two home runs, 15 runs batted in and .211 batting average in 90 games last season. 

Oilers Ink Jason Demers

     Former Florida Panthers defenseman Jason Demers has signed with the Edmonton Oilers. The team has placed him on waivers after the signing so he can be sent down to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. 

     Demers was with the Florida Panthers for just one season in 2016-17. He ended up playing 81 contests and compiled 28 points during that campaign. 

White Sox Get Billy Hamilton

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Billy Hamilton has signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. He will receive an invitation to participate in their spring training camp. 

     Hamilton joined the Marlins as a free agent back on June 20. He played in 20 games for Miami and had seven stolen bases. Hamilton was released by the Marlins on August 13 and was signed by the Minnesota Twins for the remainder of the 2022 season. 

South Florida High School Football State Champions

     South Florida high schools were involved in the FHSAA state championships over the past two weekends. Local teams ended up with four state titles just like the tri-county region did last year. Broward County high schools faced Dade County high schools in a FHSAA football championship game for the first time ever and it happened twice this week. 

     Broward County schools finished up with two state titles. St. Thomas Aquinas, who now have a 27-game winning streak, captured a state-record 14th FHSAA state championship with a 38-21 victory over Homestead. The undefeated Raiders have compiled 11 state titles in the last 16 seasons. They have won four consecutive state championships which broke their record of three straight titles from 2014 to 2016. Chaminade-Madonna won their fifth state championship in the last six years with a 49-14 win over Clearwater Central Catholic in the FHSAA Class 1M state title contest. 

     Dade County also picked up two state championships in the high school football finals. Miami Central won their fourth straight state title as they defeated American Heritage 38-31. It was their ninth state championship in school history. Columbus edged Apopka 16-13 in overtime in overtime in the FHSAA Class 4M state championship to get their second state crown in the last four seasons. 

Bills Storm By Dolphins

     The Buffalo Bills got by the Miami Dolphins 32-29 at Highmark Stadium on Saturday night. The Bills can clinch the AFC East Division for the third straight season next week.  

     Miami(8-6) compiled 13 points in the third quarter and had a 26-21 at the end of the frame. The Dolphins got a 47-yard field goal by Jason Sanders early in the fourth quarter to go up 29-21. 

     Buffalo(11-3) closed it to 29-27 as tight end Dawson Knox caught a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Allen. They tied the game on a two-point conversion run by Allen as he leaped into the end zone. The Bills won the game as Tyler Bass kicked a 25-yard field goal with time remaining in the contest. 

Columbus Edges Apopka For 4M Title

     The Columbus Explorers defeated the Apopka Blue Darters 16-13 in overtime for the FHSAA Class 4M state championship on Saturday night at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. It was the last of five state title games played at that venue this week. 

     The Explorers won their second state title in school history. They stopped Apopka in the FHSAA Class 8A state title contest at Daytona Beach back in 2019. The Blue Darters lost in the state championship game for the third time in the last four seasons. 

     Apopka(11-4) broke out to a 3-0 lead at the 9:24 mark of the first quarter. Hayden Koscicki kicked a 22-yard field goal. 

     Columbus(14-1) took a 7-3 lead with 2:09 left in the first. Quarterback Alberto Mendoza connected a 50-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jose Leon in the middle of the field. 

     The Explorers extended their lead to 10-7 with no time remaining in the second quarter. William Allen booted a 32-yard field goal. 

     It was a scoreless third quarter between both high schools. The Blue Darters tied the game 10-10 with 4:44 to go in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Tyson Davison rushed through the middle of the field and scored on a 46-yard touchdown run. 

     Apopka had a chance to win the game on the final play of the fourth quarter. Their 33-yard field goal was blocked by Ahmere Foster and the contest went into overtime. 

     The Blue Darters got the first opportunity in overtime as they made a field goal. The Explorers responded when they pulled off a Philly Special play as Mendoza caught a six-yard touchdown pass on the right side from wide receiver A.J. Arellano for a 16-13 victory. 

Panthers Ease By Devils

     The Florida Panthers toppled the New Jersey Devils 4-2 at Prudential Center on Saturday night. The Panthers will play their next game in Boston against the Bruins on Monday.

     Florida(15-13-4) moved out to a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal at the 8:54 mark. Sam Reinhart collected his 10th goal this season. Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad were credited with assists on the play. 

     In the second period, the Panthers make it 2-0 at 7:49. Gustav Forsling put in his fifth goal of the year on assists from Zac Dalpe an Aleksi Heponiemi. 

     New Jersey(21-8-2) broke the shutout with 8:33 left in the second and trailed 2-1. John Marino placed in his third goal of the campaign. 

     It became 3-1 for the Cats with 41 seconds to go in the period. Reinhart got his second tally of the contest and 11th goal of the season. 

     The Devils cut it to 3-2 with 3:30 to go in the third period as Erik Haula found the net for the just the second time of the year. Carter Verhaeghe picked up his 16th goal this season and made it a two-goal margin again for Florida with 1:11 remaining in the third. 

Heat Top Spurs In Mexico City

     The Miami Heat went by the San Antonio Spurs 111-101 in Mexico City on Saturday. The Heat concluded a four-game road trip.

     San Antonio(9-20) had a slight 28-25 advantage after one quarter and were up 55-52 at halftime. Miami(16-15) kept it close and were down 84-82 at the end of three quarters. The Heat outscored the Spurs 29-15 in the last 11 minutes of the fourth quarter to get the victory. 

     Bam Adebayo led Miami with a double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds. Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 28 points while Tyler Herro added 21 points. Keldon Johnson had a team-high 22 points for San Antonio. 

Lakeland Downs Venice For 4S Title

     The Lakeland Dreadnaughts held off the Venice Indians 21-14 at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale for the FHSAA Class 4S state championship on Saturday. The Dreadnaughts captured their eighth state title in school history and their first state championship since 2018. The Indians were unable to repeat as state champions. 

     Indians defensive back Elliot Washington intercepted a pass on the Dreadnaughts first drive less than one minute into the contest. Venice(9-4) quarterback Brooks Bentley scrambled out of the pocket and raced down the left sideline on a 20-yard touchdown run at the 10:42 mark of the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. 

     Lakeland(14-0) tied it up 7-7 with 3:49 left in the first. Running back Markell Johnson rushed through the left side of the line and scored from three yards away. 

     In the second quarter, the Indians reclaimed the lead 14-7 at 7:31. Running back Alvin Johnson went through the right side of the line for a four-yard touchdown. 

     The Dreadnaughts answered back with no time remaining in the first half to even it up 14-14. Quarterback Zachary Pleuss tossed an eight-yard touchdown pass to tight end Omari Mixon on the right side of the end zone.

     It became 21-17 for Lakeland with 2:13 to go in the third quarter. Pleuss sprinted around the left end and reached the end zone from six yards out. 

     Venice came close to tying the game with 6:26 left in the fourth quarter. They loss the ball on downs when wide receiver Keyon Sears fell short of a first down on a double reverse at the Dreadnaughts nine-yard line. 

Miami Central Takes American Heritage And 2M Title

     The Miami Central Rockets survived the American Heritage Patriots 38-31 in the FHSAA Class 2M state championship game at DRV PNK Stadium on Friday night. The Rockets captured their fourth consecutive state championship and ninth overall in school history. The Patriots attempted to win their second state title in the last three seasons and sixth overall. 

     It was the second straight day that a FHSAA football title involved a Dade County high school against a Broward County. It had not happened until St. Thomas Aquinas faced Homestead yesterday. 

     Miami Central(14-0) scored on their first five possessions of the contest. James London kicked a 38-yard field goal at 8:42 of the opening quarter. Quarterback Keyone Jenkins tossed an eight-yard touchdown pass to wider receiver Anjuan Coleman in the front of the end zone at the 4:57 mark of the first quarter for a 10-0 lead. 

     The Patriots got on the scoreboard for the first time with 2:48 to go in the first. Wylie Shaw booted a 40-yard field goal and they were behind by seven points. 

     The Rockets concluded the first quarter with 1:44 remaining when Jenkins connected a 41-yard strike to wide receiver Cataurus Hicks on the left hash marks They held a 17-3 advantage at the end of one quarter.

     American Heritage(13-2) stayed on pace at 9:48 of the second quarter. Running back Mark Fletcher blasted through the left side of the line from two yards away to cut the lead to 17-10. 

     It became 24-10 for Miami Central at the 8:15 mark. Wide receiver Corey Washington caught a37-yard touchdown pass from Jenkins on the right hash marks. The Rockets widened the gap to 31-10 as Jenkins went around the right end and ran to the right side of the end zone from eight yards out to make it 31-10 with 2:33 left in the second. 

     Patriots linebacker David Vadala recovered a fumble with one minute remaining in the second at the Rockets 32-yard line. Shaw added a field goal from 27 yards with 35 seconds left in the first half and they trailed 31-13 by halftime. 

     The Pats capitalized on bad punt snap at the 3:49 mark and recovered the ball deep in Rockets territory. Three plays later, running back Byron Louis plunged through the right side of the line and reached the end zone from one yard. Quarterback Blake Murphy fired a two-point conversion pass to wide receiver Brandon Inniss on the right side to the cut the deficit to 31-21 with 2:26 to go in the third quarter.

     The Rockets responded two plays after the ensuing kickoff and regained a 17-point margin just 35 seconds later. Running back Jonathan Harris found a seem and went down the left sideline for a 75-yard touchdown run to give Miami Central a 38-21 lead. 

     The fourth quarter would be dominated by American Heritage. Murphy connected a seven-yard touchdown pass to Inniss in the back right corner of the end zone at the 10:54 mark. Shaw placed a 28-yard field goal, his third field goal of the contest, and closed it to 38-31 with 5:13 left in the fourth. 

     American Heritage had an opportunity to tie the game late in the final quarter, A pass went to Patriots wide receiver Malachi Toney and he lost the ball. It was recovered by Miami Central defensive lineman Reuben Bain at the Rockets 24-yard line with 1:17 to go. 

Venice And Lakeland Title Preview

     The Venice Indians battle the Lakeland Dreadnaughts for the FHSAA Class 4S state championship on Saturday afternoon at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Both Central Florida high schools have met just four times in this century and split the contests with two wins each. 

     Venice(9-3) captured the FHSAA Class 8A state title against the Apopka Blue Darters last year at the same venue. They will try to capture their fourth football championship in school history. The Indians have outscored their opponents 420-127 this season. They clobbered Riverdale 87-20 in the regional quarterfinal, blanked Lehigh 39-0 in the regional semifinal, handled Riverview Sarasota 35-15 in the regional final and got by Buchholz 42-35 in the state semifinal. 

     Indians quarterback Brooks Bentley looks to guide their team on offense. Running backs Jamarice Wilder and Alvin Johnson will get their share of rushing attempts. Wide receivers Keyon Sears, Ryan Matulevich and tight end Fin Jones can make pass receptions from Bentley.  

     Lakeland(13-0) looks to collect their eighth state title in school history. The Dreadnaughts last took the state crown when they defeated the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders for the FHSAA Class 7A state title back in 2018. They have outscored their opponents 518-97 and compiled four shutouts this year. The Dreadnaughts pounded Lake Gibson 49-0 in a regional quarterfinal, walloped Mitchell 47-10 in a regional semifinal, knocked off Lake Minneola 41-6 in a regional final and edged Osceola 14-7 in a state semifinal.  

     Their offense will be led by quarterback Zachary Pleuss. Running backs D'Marius Rooker, Don'Ares Johnson and Markell Johnson look to advance the ball from the backfield. Pleuss will toss the ball evenly to wide receivers Tyler Williams, Jhoelle Velazquez, Daidren Zipper and tight end Omari Mixon. 

Cubs Ink Brad Boxberger

     The Chicago Cubs have signed former Miami Marlins relief pitcher Brad Boxberger to a contract. It is a one-year deal worth $2 million. 

     Boxberger was with the Marlins for one season in 2020 and helped the club reach the postseason for the first time since 2003. He had a 1-0 record and a 3.00 earned run average over 23 games with Miami during the shortened season. 

St. Thomas Aquinas WIns 14th State Title

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders knocked off the Homestead Broncos 38-21 in the FHSAA Class 3M state championship at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday night. The Raiders captured their fourth consecutive state title and their state-record 14th FHSAA football state championship. It gave STA their 11th state title in the last 16 seasons. 

     It was the first time in history that a Broward County high school met a Dade County high school in a FHSAA state championship game. Homestead was playing in their first state title contest in school history. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(14-0) got an interception on the Broncos first possession. It led to an eight-yard touchdown by running back Jordan Lyle around the left end for a 7-0 lead at the 7:55 mark of the first quarter.

     Homestead(12-3) kept it close as they tied it 7-7 with 8:10 left in the second quarter. Quarterback Joshua Townsend tossed a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Richard Dandridge on the right hash marks. 

     There was plenty of scoring between both high schools during the second half. The Broncos punted the ball to end their first possession of the third quarter. King Mack returned the punt 58 yards for the score at 10:31 of the third quarter to give STA a 14-7 lead.

     The Raiders would make it 21-7 with 3:26 to go in the third. Quarterback Hezekiah Harris sprinted down the left side from 17 yards away. 

     The Broncos cut the lead to 21-13 with 1:24 remaining in the quarter. Townsend connected a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Javon Robinson in the middle of the field. The extra point by Keyon Martin was blocked by the defense. 

     In the fourth quarter, St. Thomas Aquinas pulled away from the Broncos. Nicholas Romero booted a 21-yard field goal at 10:10 for a 24-13 advantage. On the ensuing Homestead drive, Raiders defensive back Conrad Hussey intercepted a pass on the first play. Harris would later find wide receiver James Madison II beyond the left hash marks on a 24-yard strike with 7:16 left to give them an 18-point margin. 

     Homestead tried to stay in the contest. Robinson caught a five-yard touchdown pass in the front of the end zone from Townsend with 4:36 to go. They were able to make a two-point conversion on a Robinson run and trailed 31-21. 

     STA capped the game in the last couple of minutes. Running back Gemari Sands rumbled through the left side on a nine-yard touchdown run with 1:44 remaining for a 38-21 lead. 

Penguins Ice Panthers

     The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Florida Panthers 4-2 at FLA Live Arena on Thursday night. Aaron Ekblad passed Robert Svehla with the most game played by a Florida Panthers defenseman as he participated in his 574th contest. 

     The Panthers finished off a stretch of four home games in their last five contests. The Penguins kept rolling with a seven-game winning streak. 

     Florida(14-13-4) got the only tally during the first period. Ryan Lomberg chalked up his fourth goal this year on assists from Eric Staal and Brandon Montour at the 5:30 mark. 

     Pittsburgh(18-8-4) would control the second period and take a 2-1 lead. Kris Letang put in a shorthanded goal at 4:17 and Jake Guentzel added a power-play goal with 7:18 to go in the second. 

     In the third period, the Penguins got a two-goal margin as Evgeni Malkin found the net with the man advantage at the 8:05 mark. The Panthers closed it to 3-2 with 9:46 remaining in the period when Sam Reinhart scored his ninth goal of the season. Carter Verhaeghe was credited with the only assist on the play. Guentzel got his second goal of the game and 15th goal of the campaign when he placed the puck into an empty net with 1:18 left in the third to make it 4-2.

Heat Light Rockets

     The Miami Heat defeated the Houston Rockets 111-108 on Thursday night at Toyota Center. The Heat have won three straight contests. Miami will finish a four-game road swing in Mexico City against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. 

     For the second straight game, the Heat and their opponent were tied after the first frame 29-29.  Miami(15-15) pushed ahead during the second quarter and led 66-52 at halftime. Houston(9-19) closed the deficit and were down 86-85 at the end of the third quarter. The Heat went on a 25-14 run at the start of the fourth quarter and held off the Rockets. 

     Tyler Herro placed in a career-high 41 points for the Heat. Jimmy Butler compiled a double-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Caleb Martin drained in 13 points while Max Strus dropped 12 points. The Rockets were led by Jalen Green with 22 points and Kevin Porter Jr. with 21 points along with seven rebounds. 

FHSAA Football Finals In Fort Lauderdale

     The FHSAA football state championship games will be played over the next three days at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. It is the second straight year that five contests will be held at that venue. 

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders will challenge the Homestead Broncos on Thursday night for the Class 3M crown. Lake Wales Highlanders and the Mainland Buccaneers go for the Class 3S title on Friday afternoon while the Miami Central Rockets face the American Heritage Patriots for the Class 2M state championship on Friday night. The Venice Indians take on the Lakeland Dreadnaughts for the Class 4S title on Saturday afternoon. It will be concluded on Saturday night as the Columbus Explorers clash with the Apopka Blue Darters for the Class 4M state championship. 

Dallas Cowboys Claim Trayvon Mullen

     The Dallas Cowboys have claimed defensive back Trayvon Mullen from the Arizona Cardinals. He participated in eight games this season with the Cardinals. 

     Mullen, who is Lamar Jackson's cousin, played high school football with the Coconut Creek Cougars. He captured two national championships with Clemson University in 2016 and 2018. He was in 37 games from 2019 until 2021 with the Raiders in Oakland and Las Vegas. 

Heat Battle Down Thunder

     The Miami Heat took the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-108 on Wednesday night at Paycom Center. Miami set a franchise record with 24 three-point shots made in a game. The Heat, who won back-to-back games on the road, continue their road trip in Houston tomorrow night.

     Both teams were tied 21-21 after one quarter. Miami(14-15) went on a 23-7 run to begin the second quarter and led 64-52 at halftime. Oklahoma City(11-17) had a 20-8 spurt to start the second half and were down 86-84 at the end of three quarters. The Heat finished with a 15-6 run in the final four minutes of the fourth quarter. 

     Tyler Herro scored a season-high 35 points for Miami. Bam Adedayo had 15 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double. Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson contributed 14 points apiece in the victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up a team-high 27 points along with eight rebounds and seven assists for the Thunder. 

Columbus And Apopka Title Preview

     The Columbus Explorers face the Apopka Blue Darters for the FHSAA Class 4M state championship on Saturday night at DRV PNK Stadium. It will be the fifth and final state championship contest played in Fort Lauderdale this week. 

     It is a state final rematch for both high schools. The Explorers captured their only state title in school history with a 21-20 victory over the Blue Darters for the FHSAA Class 8A crown in 2019. 

     Columbus(13-1) have outscored their opponents 519-180 this season and won six straight games. The Explorers reached the state championship game for the third time in five years. They wiped out Miami 64-0 in the regional quarterfinal, blanked Miami Palmetto 28-0 in the regional semifinal, outlasted Doral Academy 31-3 in the regional final and got by Ocoee 41-36 in the state semifinal. 

     The Explorers look toward quarterback Alberto Mendoza to lead their offense down the field. Running backs Sedrick Irvin, Edward Bandy, Tremonte Underwood and Agyeman Addae will get their share of carries. Mendoza can throw the ball to wide receivers Darriel Harper, A.J. Arellano, Jose Leon, Fadrelle Andrus and tight end Benjamin Blackburn. 

     Apopka(11-3) shows up in the state title contest for the second straight year and the third time in the last four seasons. They have won four straight games and outscored their opponents 287-224 during the 2022 campaign. The Blue Darters topped Boone 17-3 in a regional quarterfinal, took Winter Park 28-7 in a regional semifinal, stopped Lake Mary 30-23 in a regional final and slipped by Palm Beach Central 27-24 in a state semifinal. 

     Quarterback Tyson Davison will lead the Blue Darters offense with his passing and running. Their rushing attack will include running backs Zeldrick Roberts, Rashad Watson, Kaleb Hicks, Noah Morgan and Malik Nicholson. Wide receivers Nathan Jenkins, Jordan Wright and Isaac Knight can make pass receptions from Davison. 

Miami Central And American Heritage Title Preview

     The Miami Central Rockets challenge the American Heritage Patriots in the FHSAA Class 2M state title game on Friday night at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Both South Florida high schools have always been in contention for a state championship over the past 10 years. 

     Miami Central(13-0) will attempt to win their fourth consecutive state championship and ninth overall in school history. The Rockets are currently riding a 25-game winning streak and have outscored their opponents 528-174 this year. They blasted St. Brendan 60-0 in a regional quarterfinal, edged local rival Miami Northwestern 34-30 in a regional semifinal, held off Miami Norland 34-20 in a regional final and downed Lakewood 39-21 in a state semifinal.

     The Rockets are led by quarterback Keyone Jenkins as he can run with the ball and pass it down the field. He can connect passes to wide receivers Corey Washington, Lamar Seymore, Cataurus Hicks, LeWayne McCoy and Anjuan Coleman. Running backs Ean Pope, Jonathan Harris, Nicholas McCall, Trevon Miller and backup quarterback Dylan Tulloch look to gain yardage. 

     American Heritage(13-1) looks to capture their sixth state championship since 2013. They last won at state title in 2020. The Patriots have outscored their opponents 555-181 this season and compiled three shutouts. They manhandled Inlet Grove 43-7 in the regional quarterfinal, shut out Boynton Beach 49-0 in the regional semifinal, defeated district foe Cardinal Gibbons 31-20 in the regional final and stopped Bolles 21-14 in the state semifinal. 

     The Patriots have a strong game on the ground with running backs Mark Fletcher, Jerry Dinkins and Byron Louis getting plenty of carries. Quarterback Blake Murphy will throw the ball and occasionally run out of the pocket. He intends to find wide receivers Brandon Inniss, Malachi Toney, Judah Stubbs and Jeffar Jean-Noel.

Panthers Roll By Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers picked up a 4-0 shutout victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night at FLA Live Arena. Sergei Bobrovsky collected his first shutout of the season and 38th shutout of his NHL career. The Panthers now have an 8-3-3 record at home this season. 

     In the first period, Florida(14-12-4) skated out to a 1-0 lead at the 9:04 mark. Sam Reinhart backhanded the puck from the right wing and Gustav Forsling sent a pass from near the right point. Brandon Montour smashed a slap shot from the top left circle for his sixth goal of the year. 

     The Panthers made it 2-0 at 3:47 of the second period. Matthew Tkachuk scored his 14th goal of the season on assists from Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov. 

     It became 3-0 for the Cats with 44 seconds remaining in the second as Barkov got his sixth tally this season. Forsling and Tkachuk both compiled their second points of the contest. 

     Columbus(10-16-2) surrendered another goal and trailed 4-0. Reinhart put in an empty-net goal with 1:46 left in the third period for his eighth goal this year. 

Local Talent On National Talk Show List

     Barrett News Media released their top 20 major media market local talk show shows in the United States. There were a couple of broadcasters with a local South Florida angle. 

     News Radio 610 WIOD-AM morning talk host Jimmy Cefalo finished in 20th place. Cefalo is leaving his position that he had occupied at WIOD since 2008 and will be replaced by Manny Munoz in January. Cefalo continues as the radio play-by-play announcer of the Miam Dolphins. 

     Former sports talk host Sid Rosenberg also appeared on the national list. He ended up in 3rd place as morning co-host with the late Bernard McGuirk on WABC-AM in New York City. Rosenberg did host sports shows on Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM, Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM and 640 Sports WMEN-AM from 2005 until 2015. 

Marlins Complete Coaching Staff

     The Miami Marlins have completed their coaching staff for the 2023 season. Skip Schumaker will begin his first season as the new Marlins manager. 

     Pitching coach Mel Stottelmyre Jr., bullpen coach Wellington Cepeda and bullpen assistant Rob Flippo remained from the staff under former manager Don Mattingly in 2022. New to the Marlins coaching staff are first base/outfield coach Jon Jay, batting coach Brant Brown, assistant batting coach John Mabry, field coordinator Rod Barajas, bench coach Luis Urueta, third base/infield coach Jody Reed and quality assurance coach Griffin Benedict. Mabry played 82 games with the Marlins franchise back in 2001. 

Marlins To Sign Chi Chi Gonzalez

     The Miami Marlins are about to sign pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez to a minor league contract. He will eventually be invited to spring training camp. 

     Gonzalez split his time last season with the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees. He has played six seasons in Major League Baseball. 

St. Thomas Aquinas And Homestead Title Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders take on the Homestead Broncos in the FHSAA Class 3M state championship game at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday night. Both high schools have met previously only one time. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 56-7 in the Class 7A state semifinal contest last year. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(13-0), who have won a state-record 13 FHSAA football championships, will attempt to win their fourth straight state title. They did win three straight crowns from 2014 to 2016. The Raiders have won 26 consecutive games and outscored their opponents 547-121 this year. STA pounded Coconut Creek 59-14 in the regional quarterfinal, walloped Atlantic 63-14 in the regional semifinal, defeated Blanche Ely 35-7 in the regional final and dominated Jesuit 45-3 in the state semifinal. 

     The Raiders offense will be led by quarterback Hezekiah Harris. He can connect passes to wide receivers Isaiah Hardge, Chance Robinson, Jaylen Bonelli, James Madison II and Ethan Shawn. Running backs Jordan Lyle, Jordan Clemons and Gemari Sands are expected to get their share of rushing opportunities. 

     Homestead(12-2), who make their first appearance in the state finals, have won six straight contests and outscored their opponents 416-159 this season. The Broncos blanked North Miami 40-0 in a regional quarterfinal, handled Dr. Krop 35-12 in a regional semifinal, knocked off Miramar 33-13 in a regional final and squeezed by Jones 30-24 in a state semifinal. 

     They will rely on quarterback Joshua Townsend for generating their offense. He has many targets with wide receivers Isaac Brown, Richard Dandridge, Javon Robinson, Cortez Mills, Fraquan Warren. The Broncos will get rushing attempts from running back Ryan Bullard and Brown. 

FHSAA Finals Not On South Florida Television

     The FHSAA football state championship games will not be broadcast on South Florida television in 2022. It will be the 10th consecutive year that this will happen. 

     Spectrum Sports, based in Central Florida, has been the exclusive television carrier of the FHSAA football finals since 2013. The contests will be streamed from Spectrum Sports on the FHSAA website. 

     South Florida residents will still be able to attend five state championship games at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale for the second straight year later this week. The venue will have the Class 4M, Class 3M, Class 2M, Class 4S and Class 3S state title games. 

Heat Outduel Pacers

     The Miami Heat held off the Indiana Pacers 87-82 on Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Heat began a four-game road trip following a three-game homestand.

     Miami(13-15) rolled out to a 26-19 lead at the end of one quarter and remained ahead 47-42 by halftime. Indiana(14-14) stayed in striking distance and were down 67-64 after three quarters. The Heat scored nine straight points and led 84-75 with 2:26 left in the final quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double for Miami with 22 points and 17 rebounds. Jimmy Butler added 20 points in the victory. No other Heat player had double-digit scoring. Buddy Hield fell short of a double-double with 19 points along with nine rebounds for the Pacers. 

Chargers Drop Dolphins

     The Los Angeles Chargers downed the Miami Dolphins 23-17 at SoFi Stadium on Sunday night. The Dolphins will complete a three-game road trip at the Buffalo Bills next week. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill set the Dolphins franchise record for most receiving yards in a season. 

     Los Angeles(7-6) took a to a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. They got a 33-yard field goal from Cameron Dicker. Quarterback Justin Herbert found wide receiver Mike Williams in the back of the end zone on a 10-yard touchdown pass. 

     Miami(8-5) would pull off an amazing play and closed the gap to 10-7. Hill recovered the ball following a fumble by running back Jeff Wilson, raced around the entire pile and sprinted down the right sideline for a 57-yard touchdown. 

     The Chargers expanded their lead to 17-7 with under one minute left in the first half. Running back Austin Ekeler busted in on a run through the left side of the line from one yard away. 

     The Dolphins made it 17-14 midway through the third quarter. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa fired a 60-yard strike to Hill on the right sideline for the score.

     The Bolts had a seven-point lead when Dicker booted a 31-yard field goal with almost four minutes remaining in the third. Both clubs exchanged field goal during the fourth quarter. 

Kraken Break Panthers

     The Florida Panthers fell to the Seattle Kraken 5-2 at FLA Live Arena on Sunday night. The Panthers lost twice to Seattle last season. It was Florida's third home defeat during the 2022-23 regular season. 

     Seattle(16-8-3) roared out to a 1-0 lead just 1:04 into the first period. Former Panthers player Jared McCann fed the puck from the left wing and Matty Beniers blasted a one-time slap shot from the high slot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 11th goal of the season. 

     Florida(13-12-4) tied it up 1-1 at the 7:34 mark of the second period. Nick Cousins cycled the puck from the left wing to Colin White behind the Seattle cage. He centered it and Eric Staal snapped a shot from the low slot by Martin Jones. It was the first goal for Staal in a Panthers uniform. 

     The Kraken reclaimed the lead 2-1 at 9:05 of the second period. Oliver Bjorkstrand pushed the puck to Yanni Gourde in the right corner Andre Burarkovsky then put in a snap shot from the right circle for his 10th goal of the campaign. 

     In the third period, Seattle increased their lead to 3-1 at 7:15. Will Borgen passed the puck from the right point. Beniers rifled a slap shot from the top of the zone and Jordan Eberle deflected it in from the low slot for his seventh goal this season. 

     It became 4-1 for the Kraken with 4:51 left in the third on a power-play goal. Burakovsky placed a pass from the right wing. Alex Wennberg angled a pass from the high slot and Daniel Sprong blasted a one-time slap shot from the left circle for his sixth goal of the year. 

     Gourde added an empty-net goal for a four-goal Seattle margin with 2:38 remaining in the game. Panthers center Chris Tierney found the net for his second tally of the season as he scored with 1:14 to go and made it 5-2.

Lightning Cover Panthers

     The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 4-1 at Amalie Arena on Saturday night. It was the Panthers only road game in a five-game stretch. 

     Tampa Bay(17-9-1) scored the only goal during the first period at the 8:40 mark. Pat Maroon collected his first tally of the 2022-23 campaign. 

     Florida(13-11-4) was able to even it up 1-1 at 6:02 of the second period. Zac Dalpe picked up his second goal of the year on assists from Josh Mahura and Eric Staal. It was Staal's fourth assist with his new club. 

     In the third period, the Bolts pulled away from the Panthers for the win. Brayden Point added his 14th goal at the 3:03 mark while Mikhail Sergachev chalked up his fifth goal at 7:22. Steven Stamkos capped it with his 15th goal of the season and 496th NHL goal with 3:15 remaining. 

Spurs Walk By Heat

     The San Antonio Spurs eased by the Miami Heat 115-111 on Saturday night at FTX Arena. The Heat completed a three-game homestand. 

     Miami(12-15) had 29-25 lead at the end of one quarter. San Antonio(8-18) bounced back and led 59-57 at halftime. The Spurs still were up 86-84 at the end of the third quarter. Neither team led by more than five points during the final quarter. 

     The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler with a game-high 30 points. Tyler Herro dropped in 23 points while Caleb Martin added 14 points. Keldon Johnson was the leading scorer for San Antoinio with 21 points. 

Florida Panthers Celebrate 30th Anniversary

     The Florida Panthers celebrated their 30th anniversary of their inauguration into the National Hockey League on Saturday. The club would play their first regular season at Miami Arena in October 1993. 

     The decision came as a major surprise to people in attendance at The Breakers in Palm Beach on December 10, 1992. The NHL awarded a franchise to H. Wayne Huizenga and the South Florida region. They also gave a team to Anaheim that was headed by Walt Disney Company leader Michael Eisner. 

David Booth Staying In Norway

     Former Florida Panthers left wing David Booth will be remaining in Norway. He has joined Storhamar for the 2022-23 campaign. Booth participated last season with Valerenga.

     Booth played from 2006-07 to 2011-12 with the Florida Panthers. He compiled 87 goals and 80 assists for 167 points in 309 games with the club. 

Panthers Race By Red Wings

     The Florida Panthers defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-1 at FLA Live Arena on Thursday night. It was the Panthers first home game since their five-game road trip. Florida left wing Carter Verhaeghe participated in his 200th National Hockey League game. 

     The Red Wings, who are an Atlantic Division opponent, made their only appearance in Sunrise this season. The Cats play four of their next five contests at home. 

     Florida(13-10-4) took a 1-0 lead with 1:55 left in the first period. Former Red Wings player Marc Staal sent a lead pass from the neutral zone. Chris Tierney skated through the slot area on a breakaway and placed a backhand shot from the low slot by Alex Nedeljkovic for his first goal in a Panthers jersey. 

     In the second period, the Panthers expanded their lead to 2-0 at the 1:47 mark. Sam Reinhart made a pass from the right wing. Aleksander Barkov snapped a shot from the high slot that was redirected by Eetu Luostarinen in the low slot for his seventh goal of the campaign. 

     It became 3-0 for the Cats just 58 seconds later. Matthew Tkachuk pushed the puck ahead and Sam Bennett touched it in the crease area. Josh Mahura raced in and scored on a forehand shot from the low slot for his third tally of the year. 

     Detroit(13-8-5) scored with the man advantage at 8:09 of the second. Lucas Raymond took a shot from the left circle that was deflected by Andrew Kopp on the left of the crease. Jonatan Berggren got to the rebound and scored his fourth goal this year from the right of the crease past Sergei Bobrovsky.  

     The Panthers extended it to 4-1 with 5:08 remaining in the period. Nick Cousins fired a high snap shot from the left point. Matt Kiersted pounced on the rebound and steered the puck into the cage for his first goal this season and second NHL goal. 

     Florida increased their lead to 5-1 with 4:23 to go in the second. Tkachuk carried the puck down the right side through the right circle. He released a wrist shot from the low right circle for his 13rd goal of the season. 

Heat Drive By Clippers

     The Miami Heat outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers 115-110 on Thursday night at FTX Arena. The Heat continued their short three-game homestand. 

     Los Angeles(14-13) had a 12-4 spurt at the end of the first quarter to lead 28-20. Miami(12-14) went on a 19-9 run at the start of the second quarter and had a 56-54 lead at halftime. Both teams stayed close to each other as the Clippers had an 87-84 advantage after three quarters. The Heat pulled off a 16-8 spurt midday through the fourth quarter to get the victory.

     Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with game-highs of 31 points and 10 rebounds for Miami.  Jimmy Butler added 26 points and eight assists. Tyler Herro fell short of a double-double with 19 points along with nine rebounds. 

     Paul George led the Clippers with 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Reggie Jackson was able to contribute 20 points in the loss. 

Chaminade-Madonna Wins 1M State Title

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions routed the Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders 49-14 in the FHSAA Class 1M state championship game at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee. The Lions won their fifth state title in the last six years and their seventh overall in school history. They also extended their winning streak to 24 games. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(13-0), who made their seventh consecutive state finals appearance, got out to a 7-0 in the first minute of the contest. Quarterback Cedrick Bailey connected a five-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Joshisa Trader. 

     The Lions made it 14-0 with four minutes left in the first quarter. Running back Davion Gause carried the ball from 25 yards away for the score. 

     It became 21-0 for Chaminade-Madonna two minutes into the second quarter. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Bailey. 

     The Lions extended it to 28-0 with two minutes remaining in the second. Bailey found Smith again and threw a 21-yard pass to him. 

     Clearwater Central Catholic(12-2) got on the scoreboard four minutes into the second half and trailed 28-7. Running back Lenwood Sapp was able to plunge in from one yard out. 

     Chaminade-Madonna answered back just two minutes later at the midway point of the second quarter. Gause rushed the ball in from nine yards out for his second touchdown of the game to give them a 28-point margin.

     In the fourth quarter, the Lions kept piling on the points. Wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr. reached the end zone on a 12-yard run with nine minutes remaining. The Marauders responded with a five-yard touchdown run by Sapp with four minutes left in the fourth. Chaminade-Madonna capped the contest with under a minute to go when running back Bryant Junius busted in on a two-yard touchdown. 

Austin Allen Signs With Marlins

     The Miami Marlins have inked catcher Austin Allen to a minor league contract. He will be invited to spring training camp in Jupiter and try to make the major league roster. 

     Allen has played his four-year Major League Baseball career with the San Diego Padres and Oakland A's. He has compiled two home runs with seven runs batted in and a .195 batting average in 57 games during four seasons in the majors. 

Austin Brice Joins Diamondbacks

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Austin Brice has signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He will be invited to the team's spring training camp. 

      Brice had two different stints with the Marlins in 2016 and 2019. He made 51 relief appearances over those two seasons and had a 1-1 record with a 4.30 earned run average. 

Chaminade-Madonna And Clearwater Central Catholic Title Preview

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions challenge the Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders in the FHSAA Class 1M state championship game at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee on Thursday night. It is the first FHSAA football state title game to be played in 2022. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(12-0) will be making their seventh consecutive state title game appearance. The Lions, who captured the FHSAA Class 3A state championship last year, will be looking to win their fifth state title in the last six years along with their seventh overall. Chaminade-Madonna have outscored their opponents 610-126 this season. The Lions are currently riding a 23-game winning streak. They blanked Avant Garde Academy 48-0 in the regional semifinal, defeated Cardinal Newman 49-16 in the regional final and walloped True North Academy 56-0 in the regional final. 

     Lions quarterback Cedrick Bailey can help them march down the field with his passing. Running backs Davion Gause and Jeremiah Avrilien will get their share of rushing opportunities. Wide receivers Jeremiah Smith, Joshisa Trader, Edwin Joseph and Duane Thomas Jr. look to make pass receptions from Bailey.

     Clearwater Central Catholic(12-1) has outscored their opponents 454-193 this season and have won 11 consecutive games. The Marauders pounded Indian Rocks Christan 63-12 in a regional quarterfinal, knocked off Carrollwood Day 21-11 in a regional final and got by University Christian 34-29 in a regional final. 

     The Marauders will rely on quarterback Jershaun Watson who can run and pass out of the pocket. Running back Lenwood Sapp is expected to get the majority of their rushing attempts. The primary targets for Watson are wide receivers Nate Johnson, Julian Allen, Luis Sanchez and David Green. 

Jets Blast By Panthers

     Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice made his return to Winnipeg as the Panthers fell to the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 at Canada Life Centre on Tuesday night. Maurice was the head coach of the Jets for nine NHL seasons from 2013-14 until 2022-23. The Panthers wrapped up a five-game road trip. 

     Winnipeg(16-7-1) took a 1-0 lead on the power play with 6:40 to go in the first period. Josh Morrisey released a shot from the top of the zone, and it was pushed forward by Pierre-Luc Dubois. Mark Scheifele lifted a wrist shot from the right of the crease for his 14th goal of the campaign. 

     Florida(12-10-4) evened it 1-1 on the man advantage with 5:49 remaining in the first. Brandon Montour cycled the puck from the right wing. Matthew Tkachuk backhanded it from the end wall and Carter Verhaeghe snapped a shot from the top left circle past Connor Hellebuyck for his 15th goal of the season. 

     The tie did not last long as the Jets reclaimed the lead 17 seconds later. Dubois backhanded a centering pass from the left point. Kyle Connor moved to the top left circle and flicked a shot by Spencer Knight. 

     In the second period, Winnipeg made it 3-1 at the 1:43 mark when Connor scored again for his 10th goal this year. Sergei Bobrovsky replaced Knight in net for Florida following that goal. 

     It became 4-1 for the Jets with 6:37 left in the second with a power-play goal. Nate Schmidt angled a pass from the blue line and Connor connected a cross-ice pass from the right wing. Scheifele blasted a one-time slap shot from the slot area for his second goal of the contest and 15th goal of the year. 

     The Panthers closed it to 4-2 at 9:02 of the third period. Matt Kiersted steered a lead pass from the neutral zone. Chris Tierney sent a diagonal pass from the left point and Zac Dalpe lifted a shot from the low slot for his first tally this season. It was the first points for Dalpe and Tierney in Florida uniforms. 

     Florida pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 3:08 to go. It did not work as Adam Lowry scored quickly into an empty net from the Cats blue line with 3:01 remaining. 

Pistons Push By Heat

     The Miami Heat retuned home and lost the Detroit Pistons 116-96 on Tuesday night at FTX Arena. The Heat came off a four-game road trip. 

     Miami(11-14) broke out to a 25-20 advantage at the end of the one quarter and stayed in front 50-47 at halftime. Detroit(7-19) got some outside to go into the hoop and they led 78-73 after three quarters. The Pistons extended their lead with a 25-15 run to begin the fourth quarter. 

     Tyler Herro dropped in a game-high 34 points for the Heat in the defeat. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Max Strus was the only other Miami player who scored in double digits with 11 points. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with a team-high 25 points in the victory. 

Rangers Get Andrew Heaney

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Andrew Heaney has inked a deal with the Texas Rangers. It is a two-year contract worth $25 million. 

     Heaney began his major league career with the Marlins in 2014 and had a 0-3 record with a 5.83 earned run average in five starts. He was traded away to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Dee Gordon. Heaney also had stints with Los Angeles Angels and New York Mets. 

Jarlin Garcia Inks With Pirates

     Jarlin Garcia has signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. It is a one-year deal along with a team option in 2024. 

     Garcia once pitched for the Miami Marlins from 2017 to 2019. He had an 8-7 record and a 4.29 earned run average in 150 games with the club over three years. 

Jimmy Yacabonis Goes To Mets

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Jimmy Yacabonis will be joining the New York Mets. He has signed a minor league deal and be invited to spring training camp. 

     Yacabonis was with the Marlins until he was picked up on waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays on August 4. He had a 6.75 earned run average in nine relief appearances with Miami in 2022. 

Grizzlies Handle Heat

     The Memphis Grizzlies outpaced the Miami Heat 101-93 on Monday night. The Heat finished off a four-game road swing. 

     Miami(11-13) held a 32-27 lead at the end of the first quarter. Memphis(15-9) overtook them and led 58-51 at halftime. The Grizzlies remained in front by the end of the third quarter 82-77. The Heat stayed at least five points behind Memphis during the entire fourth. 

     Tyler Herro led the Heat with a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds. Jimmy Butler added 18 points along with eight rebounds while Caleb Martin contributed 16 points. Tyus Jones compiled a double-double of a game-high 28 points and 10 assists for the Grizzlies. 

West Palm Beach Ratings November 2022

     The ratings were released for sports talk radio stations in the West Palm Beach region. The time span went from the second week of October until the second week of October. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM dropped from a 0.6 to a 0.5 in the period. The top priority for that radio station now is Florida Atlantic University athletics. Their football team continued their season with a 4-5 record.  

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM remained at a 0.2 for the third straight month. They became the new West Palm Beach affiliate on the Florida Panthers Radio Network as that club began their 2022-23 regular season. The University of Florida Gators football team stayed in the middle of the pack with a 5-4 record in the SEC. 

Jeremy Loper Starts Podcast

     Former West Palm Beach talk radio host and sportscaster Jeremy Loper has launched a new podcast. He along with radio co-host and wife Randi Rasar will co-host the podcast at Loper And Randi.com. 

     Both were morning co-hosts on WRKZ-FM in Columbus from 2012 until August 2022. They both worked together on the morning show at WPBZ-FM in West Palm Beach prior to that.  

     Loper also had a stint as a sportscaster. He became the television play-by-play announcer of Merger Of Alliance MMA and Iron Tiger Fight Series on CBS Sports Network in June 2017. He also was a mixed martial arts podcast co-host on Fox Sports.com during the mid-2010s. 

Chris Tierney To Make Panthers Debut

     The Florida Panthers have made a change on their roster. Center Chris Tierney has been called up from their AHL affiliate the Charlotte Checkers and will make his Panthers debut at the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.

     Tierney signed a one-year, two-way contract with Florida prior to the start of the 2022-23 season. He had NHL stints with the San Jose Sharks and Ottawa Senators for a total combined eight seasons. 

49ers Fight Off Dolphins

     The San Francisco 49ers held off the Miami Dolphins 33-17 on Sunday at Levi's Stadium. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel faced his former organization for the first time since taking the Dolphins job earlier this year. 

     After being tied 10-10, San Francisco(8-4) scored a touchdown with less than a minute left in the second quarter. Miami(8-4) came close and cut the lead during the second half to 23-17 early in the fourth quarter. 

Panthers Skip By Kraken

     The Florida Panthers pulled away from the Seattle Kraken 5-1 at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday night. The Cats will finish their five-game road trip on Tuesday at Winnipeg. 

     It was the first time ever that the Panthers have defeated the Kraken in the regular season after three tries. Seattle, who had their seven-game winning streak snapped, was the first team to sweep the Cats in 2021-22. 

     Florida(12-8-4) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame. Carter Verhaeghe scored an even-strength goal with seven minutes remaining and put in a power-play goal 26 seconds later. He has now reached 14 goals on the season. 

     Seattle(15-6-3) got their lone tally of the contest at 1:53 mark of the second period. Former Panthers center Jared McCann found the net for his 11th goal this year and the Kraken trailed 2-1. The Cats regained a two-goal margin at 5:31 when Matthew Tkachuk scored on the man advantage for his 12th goal this season.  

     In the third period, the Panthers added two more goals for a 5-1 lead. Aleksi Heponiemi put in his first goal since the 2020-21 campaign at 7:49. Gustav Forsling blasted a power-play goal from long range with 6:57 remaining in the third as he chalked up his fourth goal this year. 

South Florida High Schools In State Championship

     Six South Florida high schools reached the state championship game in the 2022 FHSAA Football Playoffs. Ther were eight local teams that played in the state semifinals. Five high schools advanced to the state championship title game in 2021, six made it in 2020 and seven showed up in 2019. 

     All three Broward County high schools were victorious in the state semifinal round. St. Thomas Aquinas, American Heritage and Chaminade-Madonna all won their home games. 

     Three Dade County high schools moved on to the final round with Miami Central, Columbus and Homestead winning. The only representative to lose was True North Academy. 

     There will be no high schools from Palm Beach County that will make the state title game. Palm Beach Central ended up falling short. 

Lewin Diaz Taken By Orioles

     Lewin Diaz was picked off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. The Pirates claimed Diaz off waivers from the Miami Marlins back on November 22. 

     Pittsburgh had a backlog of first basemen on the major league roster. They acquired Ji-Man Choi from the Tampa Bay Rays in November and signed free agent Carlos Santana earlier this week. 

     Diaz participated in 112 contests in the last three seasons with the Marlins. He had a .169 batting average with five home runs and 11 runs batted in for Miami in 58 games last season. 

2022 FHSAA Playoffs State Semifinal Results

     The state semifinals of the FHSAA Playoffs were all played on Friday night. There were eight South Florida tri-county high schools that entered the state semifinals and six teams advanced to the FHSAA state championship games. 

     #1 Columbus barely got by #4 Ocoee 41-36 in Class 4M. #3 Apopka was able to come back on the road and defeat #2 Palm Beach Central 27-24. The Columbus Explorers and Apopka Blue Darters will face each other on December 17 for the FHSAA Class 4M state championship. 

     In Class 3M, #1 St. Thomas Aquinas got revenge and pounded #4 Jesuit 45-3. #3 Homestead went up to Orlando and defeated #2 Jones 30-24.  The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders will challenge the Homestead Broncos on December 15 in the FHSAA Class 3M state title game to open up the FHSAA football state championships at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. 

     #1 Miami Central continued to roll with a 41-29 victory over #4 Lakewood. in Class 2M. #2 American Heritage held off a rush by #3 Bolles 21-14. The Miami Central Rockets and American Heritage Patriots will go at it for the FHSAA Class 2M state championship on December 16. 

     There was only one local contest in Class 1M. #1 Chaminade-Madonna had no problems and walloped #4 True North Academy 56-0. The Chaminade-Madonna Lions reached the state title game for the sixth consecutive time and will battle against #3 Clearwater Central Catholic for the FHSAA Class 1M state title at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee on December 8. 

Heat Avoid Sweep To Celtics

     The Miami Heat moved by the Boston Celtics 120-116 in overtime on Friday night at TD Garden. The Celtics could not sweep the two-game series against the Heat in Boston. 

     Both teams were tied 27-27 at the end of the first quarter. Boston(18-5) was able to take a 62-59 lead by halftime. The Celtics extended their lead to 87-81 at the end of the third quarter. Miami(11-12) fought back and tied it up 110-110 at the end of regulation. The Heat outscored the C's 10-6 in the overtime session. 

     Five players from the Heat chalked up at least 20 points. Jimmy Butler led the way 28 points followed by Tyler Herro with 26 points, Jimmy Butler with 25 points and Kyle Lowry with 20 points. Jaylen Brown compiled a game-high 34 points for the Celtics. 

Apopka Slips By Palm Beach Central

     The Apopka Blue Darters overcame the Palm Beach Central Broncos 27-24 at Broncos Stadium in a FHSAA Class 4M state semifinal clash on Friday night in Wellington. Apopka(11-3) advanced to the state championship game for the second straight season. It was the first time in school history that Palm Beach Central(12-2) reached the state semifinal round. 

     After a scoreless first quarter, the Blue Darters took the lead 6-0 on a 20-yard touchdown run two minutes into the second quarter. Apopka missed the extra point and had a six-point margin. 

     Palm Beach Central answered back as quarterback Ahmad Haston went around the right end and ran the ball in from 10 yards away with over seven minutes left the second. The extra point gave the Broncos a 7-6 lead. 

     The Broncos extended their lead to 14-6 with 2:01 remaining in the first half. Running back Jason Laloi blasted through the middle from three yards out. 

     In the third quarter, Palm Beach Central reached the end zone for a 21-6 lead with seven minutes left. Haston threw a four-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nedrick Boldin. 

     The Blue Darters closed the gap with less than two minutes to go in the third. Quarterback Tyson Davison rushed down the middle of the field for a 29-yard touchdown. They missed another kick on the point-after-touchdown and were down 21-12. 

     Apopka found the end zone with nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Running back Rashad Watson was able to dash in from eight yards away and they were down by two points. The Broncos responded with an 18-yard field goal and led 24-19. 

     The Blue Darters reclaimed the lead with 1:50 left in fourth on a one-yard touchdown run by Davison. Watson ran it in on a two-point conversion for a 27-24 lead. 

American Heritage Handles Bolles

     The American Heritage Patriots held off the Bolles Bulldogs 21-14 in the FHSAA Class 2M state semifinal contest at Heritage Field in Plantation on Friday night. The Patriots advanced to the Class 2M state championship game at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale two weeks from now and will attempt to capture their sixth state title in school history. 

     American Heritage(13-1) rolled out to a 14-0 lead as they were able to reach the end zone twice during the first quarter. Running back Mark Fletcher rushed to the left side for touchdowns from 11 yards and six yards away.

     It became 21-0 for the Patriots midway into the third quarter. Quarterback Blake Murphy found wide receiver Brandon Inniss on a 38-yard touchdown pass. 

     The Bulldogs had a chance to break the shutout with 3:23 left in the third quarter. They lost the ball on downs at the Pats three-yard line. 

     Bolles(9-5) finally got on the scoreboard with 8:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Ethan Drumm fired a 45-yard touchdown pass down the left side to wide receiver Chase Collier. The extra point was kicked wide left and they trailed 21-6.

     The Bulldogs reached the end zone later in the quarter following their recovery of an on-side kick. Drumm tossed to wide receiver Naeem Burroughs on a touchdown pass along with the two-point conversion and they were down 21-14. American Heritage defensive back Daemon Fagan made an interception with 3:26 to go and ended the chances for Bolles.