Devils Down Panthers

     The Florida Panthers fell to the New Jersey Devils 4-1 at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers had their seven-game winning streak snapped. 

     Both clubs will meet each other again in the same venue on Thursday night. It is a rare situation set up by the National Hockey League for financial reasons. 

     The Panthers remained first in the Atlantic Division. The Devils was able to leap into first place inside the Metropolitan Division. 

     New Jersey(11-6-2) reached out to a 1-0 lead at the 8:30 mark of the opening frame. Jack Hughes released a snap shot for his eighth goal of the 2024-25 season following assists from Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton. 

     In the second period, Florida(11-4-1) tied it up 1-1 on the power play at 8:41. Uvis Balinskis took a shot from long range and Sam Reinhart redirected it from the crease area for his 12th goal of the campaign. Aleksander Barkov was credited with a secondary assist on the play. 

     The Devils reclaimed the lead 2-1 with 2:31 remaining in the second. Dawson Mercer fed the puck and Timo Meier placed a snap shot by Spencer Knight for his seventh tally this year. 

     New Jersey extended their lead to 3-1 with 4:53 to go in the third period. Paul Cotter scored his seventh goal this season on a wrist shot. Nico Hischier and Hamilton both collected assists on the sequence. Ondrej Palat added an empty-net goal with 1:02 left in the third for a 4-1 advantage. 

Pistons Drive By Heat In NBA Cup Opener

     The Detroit Pistons passed by the Miami Heat 123-121 in overtime at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday night. It was the opening game for both teams in the NBA Cup. Each club will play three more games to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament. 

     Detroit(5-7) rolled out to a 32-21 advantage by the end of the first quarter. The Pistons remained in front with a 57-52 halftime lead. 

     Miami(4-6) could not chip at the deficit and trailed 91-82 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The Heat were down 109-99 with 3:21 left in the fourth quarter. They went on a 12-2 run to tie it up 111-111 with 32.2 seconds to go. 

     The contest went into overtime. Tyler Herro put in a six-foot bank shot from the right side with 1.8 seconds left. Detroit got an uncontested dunk from Jalen Duren on an inbound pass by Cade Cunningham with 1.1 seconds remaining to even it up 121-121. Miami received a technical foul when head coach Erik Spoelstra called a time out that the team did not have. Malik Beasley placed in the technical foul shot to put the game away. 

     Tyler Herro tied the Heat franchise record with 10 three-point shots made and ended up with a game-high 40 points. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Jaime Jacquez Jr. and Duncan Robinson showed up off the bench and dropped in 14 points each. 

     Cade Cunningham ended up leading the Pistons with 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. His new teammate Tobias Harris scored 18 points while Beasley added 21 points. 

Ichiro Suzuki Nominated For Baseball Hall Of Fame

     The Baseball Writers Association of America announced the 2025 nominees for the Baseball Hall of Fame. One of the players is former Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. The BBWAA will made their announcement of the newest members to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 21. 

     He played with the Marlins for three seasons from 2015 to 2017. Ichiro finished with a .256 batting average, .640 OPS, five home runs, 63 runs batted in and 22 stolen bases with Miami in 432 games. 

     Ichiro was in the majors from 2001 until 2019. He had stints with the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. He was named the American League Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in 2001. Ichiro helped Seattle set the American League record for most wins in a season that year. He finished with career marks of 3,089 base hits, 690 stolen bases and a .311 batting average. 

Dolphins Surprise Rams

     The Miami Dolphins knocked off the Los Angeles Rams 23-15 at SoFi Stadium on Monday night. The Dolphins snapped a three-game winning streak while the Rams had their three-game winning streak stopped.  

     Miami(3-6) rambled out to a 7-0 lead at the 12:01 mark of the first quarter. Running back Malik Washington rushed around the right end from 18 yards out. The Fins got a 50-yard field goal from Jason Sanders just 53 seconds into the second quarter for a 10-0 lead. 

     Los Angeles(4-5) cut at the deficit later in the second and were down 10-6. Joshua Karty kicked a 34-yard field goal with 5:46 to go and a 55-yard field goal with no time remaining in the first half. 

     The Dolphins expanded their lead to 17-6 with 5:32 left in the third quarter. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa tossed a one-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill on the left side of the end zone. 

     The Rams trailed 17-9 at the 14:55 mark of the fourth quarter when Karty booted a 53-yard field goal. The Fins answered back on a 37-yard field goal by Sanders with 9:07 remaining. Karty had a field goal form 22 yards with 6:31 to go in the fourth and led 20-12. Sanders responded with a 50-yard field goal with 2:38 left. It was followed by a 31-yard field goal by Karty with 39 seconds to go and Miami led 23-15. Karty put up all of the scoring for Los Angeles with five overall field goals. 

Pedro Guerrero Marlins Hitting Coach

     The Miami Marlins have named Pedro Guerrero as their new hitting coach. He was the assistant hitting coach with the Philadelphia Phillies from 2018 to 2021 and the San Francisco Giants from 2022 to 2024. 

     Guerrero is best known for playing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He helped that franchise win the 1981 World Series and was voted as World Series Tri-Most Valuable Player. 

Clayton McCullough New Miami Marlins Manager

     The Miami Marlins have hired Clayton McCullough as their new manager. He takes over for Skip Schumaker at the helm. 

     McCullough has spent the past four seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers as their first base coach. The Dodgers recently captured the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees on October 30. 

2024 FHSAA Class 7A Football Playoff Brackets

     The largest populated high schools in the state compete in the Class 7A classification. There are 15 South Florida teams from the five different counties. 

     In Region 3, the #1 Palm Beach Central Broncos shows up as the top seed and hosts #8 Fort Pierce Central. The #4 Vero Beach Indians will be at home versus #5 Lake Nona. The #6 Treasure Coast Titans are at the #3 Jupiter Warriors. 

     Region 4 has the two-time defending state champions the #1 Columbus Explorers hosting the #8 Spanish River Sharks. #5 South Dade visit the #4 Santaluces Chiefs, #7 Western goes to #2 Miami Palmetto and #6 Goleman is at the #3 Boca Raton Bobcats. 

2024 FHSAA Class 6A Football Playoff Brackets

     Class 6A is represented by high schools that are large size. There are 10 teams from the South Florida tri-county area that will compete in this classification. 

     The #1 West Boca Raton Bulls are the top seed in Region 3 and will host #8 Steinbrenner. The #6 Royal Palm Beach Wildcats return to the postseason and goes to #3 Wireless Ranch. 

     In Region 4, the #4 Monarch Knights host the #5 Homestead Broncos while #8 South Broward is at #1 Southridge. #2 Piper is at home against #7 Doral Academy and #6 Flanagan travels to #3 South Broward. 

2024 FHSAA Class 5A Football Playoff Brackets

     The larger size high schools show up in the Class 5A classification. It will involve eight local high schools in South Florida. 

     Region 4 has the five-time defending state championships the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders who will be looking for a state-record 16th FHSAA state title. STA is the #2 seed and hosts #7 North Miami. The #1 Atlantic Eagles are slated as the top seed and will host #8 Mater Academy. Broward County neighbors battle it out as the #6 Coconut Creek Cougars visit the #3 Blanche Ely Tigers. #5 Heritage travels to #4 Miramar. 

2024 FHSAA Class 4A Football Playoff Brackets

     Class 4A has some local high schools playing in its classification. There are teams from five different counties in South Florida that will participate. 

     In Region 4, the top-seeded #1 American Heritage Patriots will host the #8 Jensen Beach Falcons. #5 John Carroll Catholic heads for the #4 Dillard Panthers while #6 Archbishop McCarthy is at the #3 Plantation Colonels. It is a Dade County battle as #7 Hialeah is at the #2 Miami Norland Vikings. 

2024 FHSAA Class 3A Football Playoff Brackets

     Class 3A is represented by high schools that are around medium size. This classification has the least amount of South Florida high schools involved with the exception of Class Rural for the 2024 FHSAA Playoffs. 

     Region 4 has the #1 Miami Northwestern Bulls hosting #8 Barron Collier. The #5 Miami Jackson Generals are at #4 Lely. #6 Cypress Lake goes to #3 Somerset Academy and #7 Estero makes the long trip to the #2 Key West Conchs. 

2024 FHSAA Class 2A Football Playoff Brackets

     Class 2A will have several medium sized high schools in their classification. 12 high school football teams are from the South Florida tri-county area. 

     In Region 3. the #3 Glade Central Raiders host #6 Lakewood. It will also have the #8 Somerset Academy Canyons Cougars at #1 Cardinal Mooney while #5 The King's Academy Lions visit #4 Calvary Christian Academy Eagles. 

     All teams in Region 4 are from South Florida. The top-seeded #1 Booker T. Washington Tornadoes host #8 North Miami Beach. #5 Carol City Chiefs heads for #4 Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs. #6 Ransom Everglades travels to #3 Monsignor Pace and #7 Gulliver Prep goes to #2 Immaculata-La Salle. 

2024 FHSAA Class 1A Football Playoff Brackets

     Class 1A is part of the numerous classification changes by the FHSAA in 2024. It will have the smaller size high schools throughout the state. 

     Region 3 has two teams from Palm Beach County involved. The #1 Cardinal Newman Crusaders will host #8 Evangelical Christian. The #3 Benjamin Buccaneers will be at home against #6 Northside Christian. 

     Region 4 will have eight high schools from the South Florida tri-county area. The #1 Chaminade-Madonna Lions will begin their path toward a fourth consecutive state championship when they host #8 St. Paul John II Eagles. #7 Palmer Trinity is at #2 Tru North Academy, #6 Somerset Academy Key visits the #3 Miami Edison Red Raiders and the #5 St. Andrew's Scots travel to #4 Archbishop Carroll. 

2024 FHSAA Class Rural Football Playoff Brackets

     The 2024 football postseason brackets have been rolled out for the lower populated areas of the state.  Class Rural consists of only 16 teams that will be involved in four rounds of playoffs. The Class Rural state championship will be held at The Villages on December 6. 

     There is just one high school from the South Florida area in Class Rural. The Pahokee Blue Devils are seeded sixth and will host #11 Chipley in the regional semifinals. 

2024 FHSAA Playoffs Local County Breakdown

     The 2024 FHSAA Playoffs in high school football will be played later on this week. All counties in the South Florida region will be represented in the postseason. 

     Dade County finished up with 23 teams for the football playoffs. High schools include Miami Northwestern, Columbus, Miami Norland, Miami Palmetto, Miami Jackson, Doral Academy, Mater Academy, North Miami, Miami Edison, Booker T. Washington, Carol City, Hialeah, North Miami Beach, Homestead, South Dade, Southridge. Gulliver Prep, Monsignor Pace, Ransom Everglades, Goleman, Immaculata-La Salle, Archbishop Carroll, Palmer Trinity and Tru North Academy. The Florida Keys area had one high school with Key West.

     Broward County is represented by 19 high schools. They consist of St. Thomas Aquinas, Chaminade-Madonna, American Heritage, Cardinal Gibbons, Blanche Ely, Coconut Creek, Dillard, Plantation, Miramar, Monarch, Western, Piper, Flanagan, South Broward, West Broward, Somerset Academy, Calvary Christian Academy, Archbishop McCarthy and Somerset Academy Key.

     Palm Beach County ended up with 15 teams in the postseason. South Palm Beach County had Atlantic, West Boca Raton, Santaluces, Spanish River, Boca Raton, St. Andrew's and St. John Paul II. Central Palm Beach County included Palm Beach Central, Cardinal Newman, Glades Central, Pahokee, The King's Academy and Royal Palm Beach. Jupiter and Benjamin were the only teams from North Palm Beach County. 

     St/ Lucie County chalked up three teams with Treasure Coast, Fort Pierce Central and John Carroll Catholic. Martin County only was represented by Jensen Beach. The only squad from Indian River County was Vero Beach. 

Heat Burn Timberwolves

     The Miami Heat got by the Minnesota Timberwolves 95-94 at Target Center on Sunday night. The Heat played their third game of the six-game road swing and snapped a three-game losing streak. 

     Miami(4-5) ran out to a 27-20 lead during the first quarter. The Heat still led the contest 52-51 at halftime. 

     It was a low-scoring third quarter as Minnesota(6-4) outscored their opponent 20-16 and led 71-68. The Heat went on a 15-6 run in the final 4:58 of the fourth quarter to pick up the victory. Nikita Jovic placed in the go-ahead free throw with 7.1 seconds remaining. 

     Tyler Herro had a game-high 26 points along with six rebounds for Miami. Jovic came off the bench and dropped in 15 points. Bam Adebayo finished with nine points, seven rebounds and seven assists. 

     Anthony Edwards poured in 22 points for the Timberwolves in the defeat. His new teammate Julius Randle ended up with 17 points, six assists and six rebounds. 

Inter Miami CF Eliminated By Atlanta United FC

     Inter Miami CF were stunned by Atlanta United FC 3-2 in Game 3 of the MLS Cup Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Chase Bank in Fort Lauderdale. The Herons lost the best-of-three series 2-1 and were eliminated from the postseason. Inter Miami CF won the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield as they set a Major League Soccer regular season record with the most points in a campaign. 

     There was plenty of scoring between both teams during the first half of play. Matias Rojas gave Inter Miami CF a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. 

     Atlanta United FC roared back with two goals in a two-minute span to take a 2-1 lead. Jamal Thiare scored for them in the 19th minute and 21st minute. 

     In the second half, Lionel Messi helped the Herons tie the game 2-2 during the 65th minute Luis Suarez picked up the assist on that tally. 

     The shocking upset was completed by Atlanta United FC just 11 minutes later. They regained the lead 3-2 when Bartosz Slisz scored in the 76th minute. 

Panthers Hold Off Flyers

     The Florida Panthers handled the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers, who expanded their winning streak to seven games, continued their five-game homestand. The Cats will host the New Jersey Devils in separate games next week on Tuesday and Thursday. 

     Sergei Bobrovsky continued to climb the NHL all-time wins lists for a goalie. He surpassed Grant Fuhr for 12th place with his 404th career victory. 

     Philadelphia(5-8-2) started out with a 1-0 lead at the 4:57 mark of the first period. Bobby Brink took a shot from the low right circle which Sergei Bobrovsky saved. Scott Laughton poked the rebound from the right of the crease and Joel Farabee put in a wrist shot from the top of the crease for his third tally of the year. 

     Florida(11-3-1) tied it up 1-1 at 5:32 of the second period. Aleksander Barkov backhanded a pass from the center-zone dot. Evan Rodrigues carried it into the Flyers zone to the left wing. Nate Schmidt then blasted a one-time slap shot from the left point past Samuel Errson for his second goal in a Panthers uniform. 

     The Panthers jumped to a 2-1 lead at the 8:40 mark of the second. Dmitry Kulikov slid the puck to Rodrigues in the left circle. He centered it and Kulikov placed in a snap shot from the slot area for his second goal this season. Sam Reinhart was credited with a secondary assist on the play and extended his point streak to seven games. 

     The Flyers made it 2-2 with seven minutes to go in the second. Rasmus Ristolainen dropped a pass as he entered the Panthers zone. Tomas Konecny passed from the right point and Anthony Richard collected his second goal on a wrist shot from the top of the zone. 

     The Cats regained the lead 3-2 with 5:03 remaining in the period. Niko Mikkola sent a square pass from the high slot. Carter Verhaeghe made a diagonal touch pass from the left circle and Sam Bennett rifled a slap shot from the right of the crease for his ninth goal of the campaign. It turned out to be the 300th NHL point for Bennett. 

     In the third period, Philadelphia evened it up 3-3 with 10:13 to go. Nick Seeler cleared the puck from behind his own net with an outlet pass to his left. Laughton pushed a cross-ice pass at the Flyers blue line. Garnet Hathaway carried the puck down the ice into the Panthers zone. He backhanded a shot from the low left circle that went off the right skate of Uvis Balinskis and into the Panthers cage for his second goal of the year. 

     The Panthers prevailed in the shootout. Barkov steered in a one-handed backhand shot on Florida's first attempt. Former Panther Owen Tippett tied the shootout on the Flyers second attempt with a delayed forehand shot. The Cats finished it off in the fifth round when Rodrigues backhanded the puck into the cage. 

Hurricanes Upset By Georgia Tech

     The University of Miami Hurricanes were shocked by the Georgia Tech University Yellow Jackets 28-23 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday. The Canes were ranked fourth nationally entering this contest. 

     Miami(9-1, 5-1) got out to a 10-7 lead by the conclusion of the opening quarter. Georgia Tech)(6-4, 4-3) picked up the only points of the second quarter and led 14-10 at halftime. 

     The Yellow Jackets outscored The U 7-6 during the third quarter for a 21-16 lead. The Hurricanes gave up a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, however they answered back and pulled it to 28-23 with 6:07 remaining. 

Nuggets Shake Heat

     The Denver Nuggets took the Miami Heat 135-122 at Ball Arena on Friday night. It was a rematch of the 2023 NBA Finals between both clubs. The Heat have lost three straight games and continued the long road trip. 

     Denver(6-3) blitzed the Heat and outscored them 40-27 in the first quarter. They still had a stranglehold of the lead 71-60 at halftime. Miami(3-5) was behind even more 104-90 at the conclusion of the third quarter.  

     Tyler Herro placed club-highs for the Heat with 24 points and 11 assists. Bam Adebayo fell short of a double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds. Duncan Robinson poured in 20 points while Terry Rozier along with Haywood Highsmith had 17 points each. 

     Nikola Jovic compiled a triple-double for the Nuggets with game-highs of 30 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds. Jamal Murray answered with 28 points and Michael Porter Jr. got 21 points. 

American Heritage Falls To Frostproof

     The American Heritage Stallions were eliminated by the Frostproof Bulldogs 21-0 at Scott Maurer Memorial Field in The Corral on Friday night in Delray Beach. The Bulldogs advanced in the SSAC Atlantic State Championship Semifinals and will host the Fernandina Beach Pirates in the state title game next week. 

     This was the only high school football game played in the tri-county South Florida area on Friday night. Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton forced the Florida High School Athletic Association to reschedule and begin the FHSAA Football Playoffs next week. 

     Frostproof(8-3) was able to get out in front and had a 14-0 lead over American Heritage(8-3) by halftime. They had one touchdown in the first quarter and one touchdown in the second quarter. The Bulldogs reached the end zone again during the fourth. 

Palm Beach Gardens Rolls By Dwyer

     The Palm Beach Gardens breezed by the Dwyer Panthers 28-13 on Thursday night at Mullinax Ford Stadium. Both high schools are five miles apart from each other on Military Trail in northern Palm Beach County.

      It was the first time that the Gators and the Panthers faced each other in a regular season finale. The game was postponed back on the weekend of October 11 due to the effect of Hurricane Milton on the region. 

     Palm Beach Gardens(3-7) won their third straight contest in the longtime neighborhood rivalry between both teams. Dwyer(3-7) was victorious on 11 consecutive occasions from 2008 to 2021. 

Atlantic Clinches District 14-5A Over Coconut Creek

     The Atlantic Eagles wrapped up the District 14-5A title with a 34-25 victory over the Coconut Creek Cougars at Atlantic Stadium on Thursday night in Delray Beach. The Eagles finished ahead of the Blanche Ely Tigers in the district standings. 

     Atlantic(9-1, 3-0) barely held a 7-6 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. Coconut Creek(4-5, 1-2) responded in the second quarter and had a 18-14 halftime lead. 

     The Cougars reached the end zone one minute into the second half, but the Eagles answered back. Running back Dylan Elie raced in on a four-yard touchdown run followed by a 15 -yard touchdown pass by quarterback Lincoln Graf to wide receiver Teddy Hoffmann and they led 28-25 by the end of the third quarter. Atlantic added another touchdown when running back Jamar Dean got into the end zone from nine yards away with five minutes left in the final quarter. 

Cardinal GIbbons Wallops Deerfield Beach

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs dismantled the Deerfield Beach Bucks 48-6 at Dr. Bud Tight Field in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday night. The Bucks finished with their worst season in the 21st century while the Chiefs will enter the FHSAA postseason next week as District 13-2A champions. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(6-4) rocketed out to a 21-0 advantage by the end of the first quarter. Deerfield Beach(1-8) did get on the scoreboard with a touchdown in the second quarter, however they were down 34-6 at halftime. The Chiefs outscored the Bucks 7-6 during the third quarter and had a comfortable 41-12 lead. 

Dillard Takes District Title Versus Dr. Joaquin Garcia

     The Dillard Panthers clinched the District 14-4A title with a 30-0 victory over the Dr. Joaquin Garcia Bulldogs at Otis Gray Jr. Memorial Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Both teams were undefeated in the district entering the contest. 

     It was a valiant effort for Dr. Joaquin Garcia(7-3, 3-1) this year. The Bulldogs high school football program was just playing in their second season and first year in a district. 

     Dillard(8-2, 4-0) got seven points in the first quarter and 14 points in the second quarter for a 21-0 halftime lead. The Panthers added another touchdown during the third quarter for a 27-point lead. 

Panthers Party On Predators

     The Florida Panthers rushed by the Nashville Predators 6-2 at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday night. The Cats were coming off a five-game road trip, which included the final two contests held in Finland. The Panthers were starting a five-game homestand in Sunrise. 

     It was the first time that Steven Stamkos faced Florida in a Predators uniform. The last time he saw them on the ice was when his former team the Tampa Bay Lightning were eliminated during Game 5 in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Stamkos entered the contest with career marks of 51 goals, 48 assists, 99 points and 22 power-play goals in a combined 82 regular season and postseason games against the Panthers. 

     Florida(10-3-1) blasted out to a 1-0 lead at the 3:33 mark of the first period. Nico Mikkola poked the puck ahead from his own blue line. Aleksander Barkov connected a cross-ice pass in the neutral zone. 

Sam Reinhart caried the puck through the right circle, around the cage and put in a wraparound shot for his 11tth goal of the season. 

     The Cats expanded it to 2-0 at 5:14. Uvis Balinskis sent a square pass and Carter Verhaeghe cleared the zone with a lead pass. Matthew Tkachuk entered the Predators zone and snapped a shot from the right-circle dot which was stopped by Scott Wedgewood. He placed in a wrist shot on the rebound from the right of the crease for his fourth tally of the campaign. 

     The Panthers made it 3-0 just 1:56 into the second period. Anton Lundell pushed the puck from the left wing and Sam Bennett banked a pass from the end wall. Evan Rodrigues skated back from the right goal line and released a snap shot from the low right circle for his fourth goal this year. 

     Nashville(4-9-1), who came into the contest with the worst record in the Western Conference, surrendered a power-play goal and trailed 4-0 with 8:42 remaining in the second. Barkov angled a pass from the right circle and Balinskis shot the puck from the top of the zone. Verhaeghe got to the loose puck and lifted a backhand shot from the right of the crease for his third tally this season. 

     The Predators broke the shutout with 6:08 left in the period.to make it 4-1 Filip Forsberg backhanded a pass from the right wing. Roman Josi passed to his left in the high slot and Stamkos collected his fourth goal with his new team on a one-time slap shot from the low left circle by Sergei Bobrovsky. 

     Florida regained a four-goal margin with 27.4 seconds to go in the frame. Barkov slid a pass from the right circle and Verhaeghe got his second goal of the contest on a forehand shot from the low slot. Tkachuk was credited with a secondary assist on the play. Barkov and Verhaeghe chalked up their third points in the contest. 

Anthony Maldonado Off To A's

     Miami Marlins relief pitcher Anthony Maldonado has been picked up on waivers by the A's. His new club with be playing their home games in Sacramento for the next three seasons. 

     Maldonado got to the majors for the first time in his career with the Fish. He had a 1-1 record with a 5.68 earned run average in 16 contests. 

Utica Devils Dump Kevin Dineen

     The Utica Devils have let go head coach Kevin Dineen. The club is the American Hockey League affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. 

     Dineen once held the post of head coach with the Florida Panthers. He finished with a 56-62-28 record in three seasons for Florida. He guided the Panthers to their first division title in franchise history during the 2011-12 NHL campaign. 

Heat Blow Lead To Suns

     The Miami Heat blew a 15-point margin in the second half and lost to the Phoenix Suns 115-112 on Wednesday night at Footprint Center. It was the beginning of a six-game road swing for the Heat. The Suns tied their best start in franchise history after eight games. 

     Phoenix(7-1) broke out to a 26-25 lead after one quarter. Miami(3-4) moved ahead and led 58-55 at halftime. 

     The Heat led 84-69 with 3:13 left in the third quarter and maintained an 87-84 advantage at the end of the frame. The Suns outscored Miami by six points during the fourth quarter.    

     Tyler Herro led the Heat with 28 points and six assists. Bam Adebayo compiled 12 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double. Jimmy Butler had 15 points along with seven rebounds. 

     Kevin Durant dropped in a game-high 32 points along with eight rebounds for the Suns. Devin Booker added 22 points and nine assists. Jusuf Nurkic got 20 points and grabbed on to a game-high 18 rebounds. 

Dillard Stomps Suncoast

     The Dillard Panthers pounded the Suncoast Chargers 56-0 on Monday night in Riviera Beach. It was a District 14-4A matchup between both teams. 

     Dillard(7-2, 3-0) sprinted out to a 20-0 advantage by the end of the first quarter. Suncoast(3-7, 1-3) gave up nine points in the second quarter and trailed 29-0 at halftime. The Panthers added 15 points during the third quarter for a running clock to be implemented. They scored two more touchdowns in the final quarter for a 56-point margin. 

     The Panthers will host the Dr. Joaquin Garcia Bulldogs on Thursday for the District 14-4A title. The Chargers have concluded their regular season schedule. 

Skip Schumaker Hired By Rangers

     The Texas Rangers have hired former Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. He will work as a senior advisor with the club. 

     Schumaker spent the past two seasons at the helm managing the Marlins. He was named the National League Manager of the Year in 2023 with a 84-78 record and capturing a National League Wild-Card spot. It was the first time that the Marlins reached the postseason during a 162-game season in 20 years The team ended up with a 62-100 record this past season. 

Sixto Sanchez Becomes Free Agent

     Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sixto Sanchez declared himself as a free agent on Monday. He was taken off the Marlins roster and sent down to their Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville. 

     He was part of a four-player with the Philadelphia Phillies for J.T. Realmuto on Feburary 7, 2019. Sanchez only reached the majors with Miami in 2020 and 2024. He had a 3-5 record and a 4.70 earned run average in 21 games with the Marlins.  

John McMillon Claimed By Phillies

     John McMillon has been picked up off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies. He spent most of the 2024 campaign with Jacksonville which is the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. 

     McMillon made 10 relief appearance for the Marlins this season. He finished up with a 2-1 record and a 1.50 earned run average. 

Blue Jays Claim Michael Petersen

     The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed Miami Marlins relief pitcher Michaeel Petersen off waivers. He split the 2024 season between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Marlins. It was his first year in the majors. 

     Miami picked up Petersen off waivers on September 10. He had a 0-1 record and a 4.76 earned run average in five contests with the Fish. Petersen chalked up a 3-0 record with 6.43 earned run average in 11 games with Dodgers earlier in the 2024 campaign. 

Emerson Lotzia Exits WZLX-FM

     The Rich Shertenlieb morning show on WZLX-FM in Boston was a job cut made by iHeartMedia. One-time West Palm Beach television sportscaster Emerson Lotzia was an on-air contributor to that program since May. 

     Lotzia continues his role in Boston as The Sweat podcast co-host at DraftKings. He was a sports anchor for WPTV-TV Channel 5 and WFLX-TV Channel 29 in West Palm Beach from 2013 to December 2015. Lotzia then was a studio co-host of After Hours on NESN. 

Zac Blobner Out At WDAE

     Former Miami sports talk radio host Zac Blobner is no longer the midday co-host at WDAE-AM and WDAE-FM in Tampa. He joined them in 2017 as a producer. Blobner would later become a weekend host, morning show producer and midday co-host at WDAE. 

     Blobner did co-host the Sunshine Sports Showdown with Brandon Kravitz on Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM in Miami from April 2020 until late 2020. The program was also simulcasted on WFXJ-AM in Jacksonville and WYGM-FM in Orlando. 

Pitbull Stadium Hosting FHSAA Football Finals

     The Florida High School Athletic Association announced that South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida Intenational University campus in Miami will be the host of the FHSAA Football Finals for the next three years. They will have seven classification championship games this year consisting of Class 7A to Class 1A from December 11 to December 14. 

     Dade County will host the FHSAA state championship games for the first time since 2006. They were held at Dolphin Stadium in 2005 and 2006. Florida International University did host several lower classification championship contests in 2005. 

FHSAA Football Playoffs Pushed Back

     The Florida High School Athletic Association has pushed back their football postseason. The FHSAA Playoffs has been rescheduled to start not this coming weekend. Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton forced some high schools to postpone games and play them later in the future to up until this week. 

     The FHSAA Playoffs will begin on November 14 instead of this Thursday. There will be five rounds of postseason play in seven classifications from Class 7A down to Class 1A. The Class Rural will have four rounds. 

     It was announced that South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami will host seven FHSAA football finals from December 11 to December 14. That venue lasted hosted a FHSAA championship contests in 2005. Dade County has not been the home of FHSAA football state title games since 2006 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens. The Class Rural championship will occur December 6 from The Range at H.G. Morse Stadium in The Villages. 

Steve Diener Adds Duties

     Steve Diener has increased his role at Hubbard Radio in West Palm Beach with another additional role. He recently became the weekend late evening disc jockey at Sunny 107.9 FM WEAT-FM. 

     Diener continues as the assistant program director at Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM and ended his run as a five-minute midday segment host. He was elevated from morning producer to morning co-host at 850 WFTL-AM in August. 

Kings Dethorne Heat

     The Miami Heat were barely beat by the Sacramento Kings 111-110 at Kaseya Center on Monday night. The Heat lost for the third time in four home games this season. The Kings won in Miami for just the sixth time in 37 occasions. 

      It was the only home game for the Heat in an eight-game stretch. They will begin a six-game road trip on Wednesday in Phoenix. 

     Tonight's game had a rare 8:15 p.m. start time. All 30 NBA teams played in 15 different contests on Monday in 15-minute starting intervals.

     Miami(3-3) had a slight 25-22 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Heat were able to extend their lead to 61-48 by halftime. 

     Sacramento(4-3) answered back and outscored Miami 37-17 during the third quarter for an 85-78 advantage. Domantas Sabonis put in a seven-foot shot from the lane with 0.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give the Kings a 111-110 lead. 

     Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro led the Heat as they both scored a club-high 27 points each. Bam Adebayo fell short of a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds. 

     De'Aaron Fox ended up with a game-high 28 points for the Kings. Sabonis had a double-double of 16 points along with 16 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan dropped in 26 points in the win. 

Roddery Munoz Claimed By Cardinals

     Miami Marlins starting pitcher Roddery Munoz was claimed off waivers by the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. He is joining a pitching staff that intents to be restructured. 

     Munoz reached the majors for the first time during the 2024 regular season. He finished with a 2-7 record in 18 games pitched and a 6.53 earned run average. 

Marlins Pick Up Christian Roa

     The Miami Marlins have claimed pitcher Christain Roa from the Cincinnati Reds. It was the first acquisition by the Fish since the end of the 2024 World Series on October 30. 

     Roa has never pitched in Major League Baseball. He spent this past season with the Reds Triple-A affiliate in Louisville with a 4-5 record with a 5.55 earned run average in 23 games. 

Darren McCaughan Free Agent

     Miami Marlins pitcher Darren McCaughan has declared free agency. Minor league players are allowed to become free agent at the conclusion of the minor league baseball season. 

     McCaughan had an unusual 2024 campaign for journeyman pitcher. He began the year with the Miami Marlins. 

     He was purchased by the Cleveland Guardians from the Fish on May 9. McCaughan ended up with a 9.00 earned run average and a 0-0 in two contests

     McCaughan was claimed off waivers by the Marlins from the Guardians on July 7. He had a combined 0-0 record with a 5.75 earned run average in 10 games during his two stints in South Florida this year.

Bills Jump By Dolphins

     The Buffalo Bills leaped by the Miami Dolphins 30-27 at Highland Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins are now 4.5 games behind the Bills in the AFC East Division. 

     Both teams exchanged field goals during the first quarter. Tyler Bass had one for the Bills from 40 yards with 6:30 remaining while Jason Sanders placed in one from 39 yards with 1:19 to go. 

     Miami(2-6) moved ahead with 3:26 remaining in the second quarter when running back De'Von Achane caught a 14-yard touchdown pass on the left side from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Bass booted a 49-yard field goal with seven seconds left and the Bills trailed 10-6. 

     In the third quarter, Buffalo(7-2) took a 12-10 lead at the 7:20 mark. Quarterback Josh Allen tossed a one-yard pass to wide receiver Mack Hollins on the left side. The Fins reclaimed the lead 13-10 on a Sanders 23-yard field goal with 2:59 left. 

     The Bills responded just 52 seconds left in the third. Allen fired a 63-yard touchdown strike to running back Ray Davis on the right sideline. They were able to convert a two-point play with a pass for a 20-13 advantage. 

     The Dolphins evened it up 20-20 at the 12:14 mark of the final quarter. Achane rushed through the right side of the line from eight yards out. 

     The Bills raced ahead 27-20 midway in the fourth at 6:18. Tight end Quintin Morris received a two-yard touchdown pass from Allen on the right hash marks. 

     The Fins tied it 27-27 with 1:38 remaining in the quarter. Tagovailoa found wide receiver Jaylen Waddle with a seven-yard touchdown pass to the right side. 

     Buffalo won the contest when Bass powered in a 61-yard goal with five seconds left in the fourth quarter and led 30-27. 

Atlanta United FC Escapes Inter Miami CF In Game 2

     Atlanta United FC stayed alive against Inter Miami CF 2-1 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Mercedez-Benz Stadium on Saturday night. Game 3 of the best-of-three series will be played in South Florida next Saturday.

     The Herons picked up the only goal during the first half for a 1-0 lead. Atlanta United FC goalkeeper Brad Guzan fanned on a clearing kick and David Martinez chipped in a left-footed shot from 19 yards away into an empty net for Inter Miami in the 40th minute. 

     In the second half, Atlanta United FC evened it up 1-1 in the 58th minute when Derick Williams put in a header from eight yards. They avoided elimination four minutes into stoppage time as Xande Silva fired an 18-yard shot with his right foot to make it 2-1. 

Heat Handle Wizards In Mexico City

     The Miami Heat easily topped from the Washington Wizards 118-98 on Saturday night. The contest was played in Mexico City in the 2024 NBA Mexico City Game. 

     Miami(3-2) raced out to a 31-21 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Heat extended their lead during the second quarter and were up 56-48 at halftime.  

     Washington(2-3) was outscored by 11 points in the third quarter and they were down 89-70. Miami put up more points than the Wizards in the final quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo of the Heat ended up with a game-high 32 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double. Jimmy Butler was able to contribute 18 points and eight rebounds. Tyler Herro and Alec Burks both added 15 points each in the victory. 

     The Wizards were led by Bilal Coulibaly who had club-highs of 22 points along with eight rebounds. Jordan Poole placed in 21 points in the loss. 

Panthers Sweep 2024 NHL Global Series Versus Stars

     The Florida Panthers swept the two-game NHL Global Series with a 4-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday. It was the second contest between both clubs in Tampere, Finland in the past two days. The Panthers next game will have them hosting the Nashville Predators in Sunrise on Thursday. 

     The Panthers got the only goal of the first period with 5:15 remaining. Sam Reinhart passed from the left wing. Niko Mikkola fired a slap shot from the left point and it was deflected in by Evan Rodrigues from the left side of the crease for his second goal in the last three games and his third goal of the 2024-25 campaign. 

     Florida(9-3-1) expanded it to 2-0 with the man advantage at the 8:47 mark of the second period. Aleksander Barkov angled a pass from the right wing to the top of the zone. Uvis Balinskis released a forehand shot and Matthew Tkachuk redirected the shot from the top of the crease by Casey DeSmith for his third goal of the season.

     The rest of the second period belonged to Dallas(7-4-0) as they scored twice to tie it up 2-2. Former Panthers player Evgenii Dadonov fired a wrist shot on the power play from the left circle through the legs of Spencer Knight for his second tally this year with 8:38 to go. Matt Duchene placed in a backhand shot just 34 seconds later to even it with his seventh goal. 

     In the third period, the Cats moved ahead 3-2 at 2:32 as A.J. Greer collected his first goal in a Panthers jersey when he snapped a shot from the top right circle. Tomas Nosek picked up his first point with Florida because he won a right-circle faceoff and dropped it behind him.

     Florida wrapped it up with one minute left in the third for a 4-2 lead. Reinhart chalked up his 10th goal this season on an empty-net tally from the neutral zone. Eetu Luostarinen was credited with an assist on the play. 

Hurricanes Zoom By Duke

     The University of Miami Hurricanes outscored the Duke University Blue Devils 53-31 at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Hurricanes began the regular season with a 9-0 for the first time since the 2017 campaign. 

     The U sits on top of the Atlantic Coast Conference standings along with SMU with the best conference record. They have the inside track to reach and play in the ACC Championship Game in early December.

     Miami(9-0, 5-0) had a 14-7 advantage at the conclusion of the first quarter. Duke leaped over them and led 21-17 at halftime. 

     The Hurricanes bounced back during the third quarter and had a 32-28 lead. The Hurricanes poured it on in the fourth quarter as they outscored Duke 21-3. 

Glades Central Edges Pahokee In 2024 Muck Bowl

     The Glades Central Raiders got by the Pahokee Blue Devils in overtime 23-16 in the 2024 Muck Bowl at Effie C. Grear Field in Belle Glade on Friday night. 

     Glades Central(9-0) have been victorious in 11 of the past 17 Muck Bowl games since 2008. Pahokee(6-3) had won the previous three Muck Bowls going back to 2021 along with six of the last eight Muck Bowls contests until tonight. 

     The Muck Bowl will not be the final regular season game to be played in Palm Beach County this year. Several local games were postponed due to a couple of hurricanes outside of the South Florida region in September and October. 

West Boca Raton Powers By Atlantic

     The West Boca Raton Bulls doubled up the Atlantic Eagles 28-14 in Boca Raton on Friday night. It was a clash between the two best southern Palm Beach County public high school teams over the past two seasons. 

     After a scoreless first quarter, West Boca Raton(9-0) moved out to a 14-6 advantage before halftime. Atlantic(7-2) cut the deficit to 21-14 in the third quarter. The Bulls got the only points in the fourth as they scored a touchdown. 

Monarch Outscores Blanche Ely

     The Blanche Ely Tigers lost to the Monarch Knights 52-42 at Richard L. Williams in Pompano Beach on Friday night. Both Broward County high schools are expected to participate in the FHSAA Playoffs. 

     It was a tie game between both teams 14-14 at the end of the first quarter. Monarch(6-3) put up 16 points for a 30-14 lead at halftime. 

     The Knights and Tigers added 14 points each during the third quarter. Blanche Ely(7-3) outdueled their opponent 14-8 in the final quarter, however they fell short 52-42. 

Panthers Top Stars In NHL Global Series

     The Florida Panthers defeated the Dallas Stars 6-4 at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland on Friday. It was the first contest of two games in the 2024 NHL Global Series between both teams. They will face each other in the same city tomorrow. Florida Panthers captain finished with one goal and three assists for four points. 

     Florida(8-3-1) blasted out to a 1-0 advantage just 28 seconds into the first period. Barkov, who was playing in his hometown, passed the puck from the right corner. Aaron Ekblad sent a shot from the right point and if was redirected in by Evan Rodrigues from the inner right circle for his second goal this season. 

     The Panthers increased it 2-0 at the 7:11 mark of the first. Rodrigues charged into the Stars zone on the right side and made a square pass to the middle where San Reinhart tapped the puck back. Barkov snapped a shot from the high slot by Jake Oettinger for his second goal of the campaign. 

     Dallas(7-3-0) answered back with 9:15 remining in the opening period and cut it to 2-1. Tyler Seguin took a shot from the end wall and it bounced off Sergei Bobrovsky's right leg into the cage for his fifth tally this year. 

    The Cats expanded it to a two-goal margin 3-1 on the power play with 4:08 to go in the first. Anton Lundell tipped in a shot for his sixth goal this season on assists from Ekblad and Sam Bennett. 

     In the second period, the Stars scored to pull within 3-2 at the 1:31 mark. Esa Lindell got his first goal of the season on a snap shot. 

     Reinhart helped the Panthers go up 4-2 at 6:07 on a shorthanded goal for his eighth tally. Barkov and Ekblad were able to pick up assists on the play. 

     Florida pulled away with two goals early in the third period and led 6-2. Mackie Samoskevich scored his second career goal at 2:31 and then Reinhart found the net for the second time in the contest at the 10:08 mark. 

Jorge Soler Traded To Angels

     The Atlanta Braves have dealt former Miami Marlins designated hitter/outfielder Jorge Soler to the Los Angeles Angels. He will be joining his fourth club in the three-season period from 2023 to 2025. 

     Soler played for the Miami Marlins for two seasons in 2022 and 2023. He compiled 49 home runs, 109 runs batted in and a .231 batting average in 209 contests. 

Plantation Gets Mayor's Cup Over South Plantation

     The Plantation Colonels captured the annual Mayor's Cup against the South Plantation Paladins 38-0 at PAL Field in Plantation on Thursday night. Both teams finished up the 2024 regular season. The Colonels snapped a two-game losing streak. 

     Plantation(6-4) got out to a 19-0 lead by halftime. The Colonels scored on a fumble recovery with seven minutes remaining in the third and later reached the end zone on a 30-yard touchdown run with under one minute to go for a 31-0 advantage. South Plantation(4-6) surrendered a one-yard touchdown run with two minutes left in the fourth quarter and trailed 38-0. 

Palm Beach Gardens Break Inlet Grove

     The Palm Beach Gardens Gators triumphed over the Inlet Grove Hurricanes 35-7 on Thursday night in Riviera Beach. It was a battle between two Palm Beach County high schools. The Gators were able to snap a four-game losing streak. 

     Palm Beach Gardens(2-7) controlled most of the contest and moved out to a very comfortable lead. Inlet Grove(4-5) could just muster seven points in the game. 

     The Gators host the Dwyer Panthers in a District 12-6A clash and can eliminate their crosstown rival from the district title. The Hurricanes will remain in Riviera Beach and face the Palm Beach Christian Prep Saints on Wednesday.