2024 FHSAA Football Title Recap

     South Florida high school football teams finished with five FHSAA state championships in 2024. It was the best yearly showing by the tri-county area since 2020 when it had five state titles. It turned out to be an upward trend for high school football championships in the region for the first time in six years. 

     The Florida High School Athletic Association scrapped their previous classification slate after two seasons. The organization set up new classifications in 2024. 

     The state title games were held in two locations for the third straight year. The Florida International University campus held seven championship contests on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium. They included games from Class 7A, Class 6A, Class 5A, Class 4A, Class 3A, Class 2A and Class 1A. It was the first time the FHSAA Football Finals were held in Dade County since being played at Dolphin Stadium in 2006 and at FIU since 2005. South Florida hosted the state title game for the third time in the past four years. 

     Three Broward County high schools won state championships in 2024. The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders shut out the Lakeland Dreadnaughts 34-0 in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship game. The Raiders won their unprecedented sixth consecutive state title and increased their state record with their 16th FHSAA football championship. 

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions made their state-record ninth straight state title appearance and dominated the Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders 42-7 in the FHSAA Class 1A state championship contest. The Lions won their seventh state title in the last eight years and their ninth overall. 

     The American Heritage Patriots held off the Jones Tigers 40-31 in the FHSAA Class 4A state title game. The Patriots won their first state championship since 2020 and their sixth overall state title in school history. 

     A Palm Beach County high school finally won a FHSAA football state championship for the first time since 2013. The West Boca Raton Bulls captured their first football state title in their 20-year history as they defeated the Osceola Kowboys 26-7 for the FHSAA Class 7A state championship. 

     There was just one representative from Dade County that had the opportunity to play in the FHSAA Football Finals in their hometown. The Miami Northwestern Bulls walloped the Raines Vikings 41-0 in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship game. It was the eighth overall state title for the Bulls. 

South Florida Sports Review 2024

     2024 had the South Florida region win a professional sports league championship for the first time in 11 years. Three of the five South Florida professional sports teams reached the postseason this year. Four clubs got into the playoffs in 2022 and 2023. 

     The Florida Panthers captured their first Stanley Cup in franchise history as they defeated the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game series. The Panthers did hold a 3-0 series lead in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final and were forced to play a Game 7 at home after dropping three straight games. Florida did win the Atlantic Division and chalked up their fourth division title in team history. They finally beat the Tampa Bay Lightning during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in five games, took the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in six games and upended the Presidents' Trophy winning New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games to win their second straight Eastern Conference championship. Paul Maurice ended the drought with the most games as a head coach without winning a championship. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov was the first player to lift the Stanley Cup. 

     Inter Miami CF were led by Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba along with Sergio Busquets and had a fantastic regular season in Major League Soccer. The Herons captured the MLS Supporters' Shield as they finished with the best regular season record. The team set a single-season league record with the most points compiled. They were upset by Atlanta United FC and lost during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in three games. 

     The Miami Heat got into the NBA Playoffs as an eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 46-36 record during the regular season. They went on the road and fell in the first Play-In Tournament contest to the Philadelphia 76ers and won the second Play-In Tournament game at home against the Chicago Bulls. The Heat were swept in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals by the eventual NBA champions the Boston Celtics in four games. 

     The Miami Dolphins missed getting the final postseason spot in the American Football Conference. The Dolphins entered the final week of the regular season one game behind the Denver Broncos for the last AFC Wild-Card and seventh seed in the conference. The Broncos won their final game while the Dolphins lost. 

     The Miami Marlins had a down year in 2024 after they reached the postseason in 2023. The Marlins finished with a 62-100 record. It was the second worst record in the National League and the third worst record in all of Major League Baseball. They started the regular season with nine consecutive losses and remained last in the National League East Division during the entire 2024 campaign. 

Charlie Nobles In North Carolina

     Former South Florida based New York Times sportswriter Charlie Nobles is now residing in New Bern, North Carolina. He retired from the newspaper a decade ago. 

     Nobles is best remembered covering Miami sporting events and team press conferences for the New York Times during the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He wrote game stories whenever one of the nine New York metropolitan professional sports teams played in the state of Florida and composed articles involving any New York/Florida angle. 

Marlins Deal Vidal Brujan

     The Miami Marlins have traded utility player Vidal Brujan to the Chicago Cubs for first baseman Matt Mervis. Brujan was designated for assignment by the Fish last week. 

     Brujan played 2024 with the Marlins following three seasons on the Tampa Bay Rays. He finished with two home runs, 16 runs batted in and a .222 batting average in 102 games with Miami. 

     Mervis spent some time with the Cubs in 2023 and 2024. He had three home runs, 14 runs batted in and a .155 batting average over 36 contests in two seasons while with Chicago. 

West Palm Beach Ratings December 2024

     The ratings were released for West Palm Beach sports talk format radio stations. The time span was from the first week in November until the first week in December. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM remained at a 0.4 for the seventh consecuitve month. The Florida Atlantic University Owls football team finished with a 3-9 record this season. They won their season finale and snapped a six-game losing streak. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM stayed the same with a 0.2 for the second straight period. The Florida Panthers dropped from first place to second place in the Atlantic Division. The University of Florida Gators football team ended the regular season winning their last three games and were invited to a bowl game. 

Panthers Outduel Rangers

     The Florida Panthers outbattled the New York Rangers 5-3 on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena. It was the final game for the Panthers in the 2024 calendar year. It capped off a year where Florida captured their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history and their second straight Eastern Conference title. 

     The Panthers leaped to first place in the Atlantic Division while the Blueshirts remained last in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers have lost four straight games and seven of their last eight contests. 

     Florida(23-13-2) sprung out to a 1-0 lead at the 3:04 mark of the first period. Gustav Forsling shot the puck from the left point and Eetu Luostarinen redirected it from the low slot past Igor Shesterkin for his sixth goal of the campaign. 

     It became 2-0 for the Panthers at 5:21. Mackie Samoskevich zipped a pass from the left corner and Uvis Balinskis sent a cross-ice pass from the left point. Dmitry Kulikov skated across the ice and snapped a rising shot from above the left circle that grazed off the body of Samoskevich in the blue paint for his seventh career goal. 

     New York(16-19-1) closed it to 2-1 with 5:35 left in the second period. Brett Berard released a shot from the right wing which was saved. Filip Chytil slide the puck on a forehand shot from the top of the crease by Sergei Bobrovsky for his seventh goal of the year. 

     The Rangers tied the game 2-2 with 3:43 to go in the second. Sam Carrick angled a pass from the left wing. Adam Fox fed the puck from the top of the zone and Ryan Lindgren redirected it from the low slot for his second goal this season. 

     The Cats regained the lead 3-2 with 3:05 remaining in the period. Jesper Boqvist put in his sixth goal of the season on a wrist shot from the left of the crease into a half-open net. 

     In the third period, the Blueshirts evened it 3-3 with the man advantage at the 5:19 mark. Former Panthers player Vincent Trocheck passed ahead from above the left circle. Artemi Panarin centered the puck from the low left circle and Chris Kreider blasted a one-time slap shot from the slot area for his 12th goal of the season. 

     The Panthers bounced back to make it 4-3 with 8:22 left in the third. Adam Boqvist powered a slap shot from the high slot which was stopped. Jesper Boqvist tapped in the rebound from the right of the crease for his second tally of the game and seventh goal in 2024-25. 

     New York pulled their goalie on a power play with 2:45 to go. Florida made it 5-3 with 36.5 seconds remaining in the third when Aleksander Barkov backhanded a shot from the inner left circle into an empty net for his 11th goal this season. 

Josh Bell Goes Back To Nationals

     Former Miami Marlins first baseman Josh Bell will return to the Washington Nationals for a second stint with the club. He has inked a one-year contract worth $6 million. Bell was with the Nationals in 2021 and 2022. 

     Bell played with the Marlins for two seasons in 2023 and 2024. He compiled 25 home runs, 75 runs batted in and a .249 batting average in 157 games with Miami. 

Heat Burn Rockets

     The Miami Heat passed by the Houston Rockets 104-100 at Toyota Center on Sunday night. It was the last game of the 2024 calendar year for the Heat. The Rockets lost back-to-back home games for the first time this season. 

     Miami(16-14) had a 31-27 advantage after one quarter. The Heat remained in front with a 53-50 halftime lead. 

     Houston(21-11) kept up with the pace and led 82-81 at the conclusion of the third quarter. Miami had a 17-2 run late in the fourth quarter and led 102-94 with 33.2 seconds left. 

     Tyler Herro chalked up 27 points and nine rebounds for the Heat. Nikola Jovic came off the bench with 18 points. Haywood Highsmith scored 15 points while Terry Rozier drained up 14 points. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. 

     Dillon Brooks led the Rockets with 22 points and Jalen Green dropped in 19 points. Fred VanVleet, who was ejected in the final minute of the contest, ended up with 16 points. 

Dolphins Down Browns

     The Miami Dolphins picked up a 20-3 victory over the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on Sunday. The Fins are still in playoff contention with one game to go in the 2024 regular season. 

     Miami(8-8) got the only points during the first quarter. Jason Sanders was able to kick a 54-yard field goal with 5:46 left. 

     Cleveland(3-13) evened it up 3-3 at the 13:26 mark of the second quarter. Dustin Hopkins booted a 25-yard field goal. 

     The Dolphins regained the lead 6-3 with no time remaining in the first half. Sanders made a field goal from 39 yards away. 

     In the third quarter, the Fins extended their lead to 13-3 at 11:04. Quarterback Tyler Huntley sprinted in on a 13-yard touchdown run. 

     It became 20-3 for Miami with 3:38 left in the final quarter. Tight end Jonnu Smith caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Huntley. 

Miami Edged By Iowa State In Pop-Tarts Bowl

     The Iowa State University Cyclones slipped by the University of Miami Hurricanes 42-41 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Saturday. The Hurricanes finished the 2024 one on a three-game losing streak. The Canes were victorious in the first 10 games.   

     Miami(10-3) quarterback Cam Ward participated in just the first half of the contest. He set the NCAA Division 1 record with the most touchdown passes in a college career with 158 passing Case Keenum from the University of Houston. 

     The Hurricanes led 31-28 at halftime. The Canes made it 38-28 early in the third quarter with backup quarterback Emory Williams handing the ball off to running back Mark Fletcher Jr. on a one-yard touchdown run. 

     Iowa State(11-3) came back to win the game with 56 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Rocco Becht plunged through the middle of the line from one yard away. 

Heat Taken By Hawks

     The Miami Heat fell to the Atlanta Hawks 120-110 at State Farm Arena on Saturday. The Heat were in the middle of a stretch of three games in four days. 

     Atlanta(17-15) zoomed out to a 35-28 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Hawks were in front at halftime 61-58. 

     Miami(15-14) could not cut the lead in the third quarter and were down 93-84. The Heat got within one point 108-107 with 3:28 left in the fourth quarter. The Hawks then had a 12-3 spurt for the remainder of the contest. 

     Tyler Herro ended up with a double-double with 28 points and 10 assists for Miami. Bam Adebayo contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Duncan Robinson added 16 points while Haywood Highsmith had 14 points. 

     Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with game-highs of 28 points and 13 rebounds. Trae Young delivered 11 points and 15 rebounds. 

Panthers Blanked By Canadiens

     Montreal Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes make his NHL debut with a 34-save shutout as the Habs blanked the Florida Panthers 4-0 at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday. The Panthers, who last played on Monday, have won 10 of their past 15 games. 

     The Panthers were shut out in back-to-back home games for the first time since 2003. It was the first time in franchise history that Florida was blanked four times in one calendar month. 

     After scoreless opening period, Montreal(15-17-3) scored three times during the second period for a 3-0 lead.  The Canadiens took a 1-0 lead at the 1:39 mark when Kirby Dach put in a forehand shot from the left side of the crease.   

     It became 2-0 for the Habs with 6:09 remaining in the second. Alex Newhook connected a long lead pass from his own blue line. Dach skated through the slot area and backhanded a shot from the crease area past Spencer Knight for his second goal of the contest. 

     Jake Evans added a shorthanded goal with 2:41 left in the period for his ninth goal of the season and a Canadiens 3-0 advantage. 

     Florida(22-13-2) gave up another tally with 5:43 to go in the third period and the Cats trailed 4-0. Juraj Slafkovsky carried the puck down the left side of neutral zone. He angled a pass from the left wing and Cole Caufield released a wrist shot from the top of the crease.

Teddy Bridgewater Returns To Lions

     Miami Northwestern Bulls head coach Teddy Bridgewater will be returning to the Detroit Lions as a quarterback. Bridgewater led The West to the FHSAA Class 3A state championship earlier this month in his first season as their head coach. He was the Bulls starting quarterback while in high school. 

     Bridgewater was with the Lions last season. He had previous NFL stints with the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins. 

Jonathan Bermudez In China

     One-time Miami Marlins pitcher Jonathan Bermudez has inked a contract with the Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. He was a minor league player when declared free agency. 

     Bermudez broke into Major League Baseball with the Marlins in 2024. He had a 0-1 record with an 8.10 earned run average in three games this season in Miami. 

Bob Boughner Released By Red Wings

     Former Florida Panthers head coach Bob Boughner has been let go by the Detroit Red Wings. He was an associate coach with that club. 

     Boughner was once the head coach of the Florida Panthers from 2017-18 to 2018-19. He had a 80-62-22 record with the team. 

Jim Larranaga Leaving Hurricanes

     University of Miami Hurricanes men's basketball head coach Jim Larranaga is stepping down from his position. Bill Courtney will be named interim head coach. The Hurricanes are 4-8 this season. 

     Larranaga has the most men's basketball wins as a head coach in school history. He joined the Canes before the 2011-12 season. Larranaga guided the team to a Final Four appearance in 2023 and reached the Elite Eight in 2022. He had a 274-174 record while at Miami. 

Heat Take Magic

     The Miami Heat barely beat the Orlando Magic 89-88 at Kia Center on Thursday night. The Heat and the Magic played in the same venue just five days ago. 

     Orlando(19-13) blasted out scoring the first 14 points of the contest. Miami(15-13) placed in their first points at the 7:05 mark of the opening frame. The Magic had a 27-10 spurt and led 31-22 after one quarter. They were able to stay in front 52-41 at halftime. 

     The Heat made up one point and they trailed 71-61 at the conclusion of the third quarter. Miami went on a 26-11 run at the beginning of the final quarter and pulled away. 

     Tyler Herro led Miami with a team-high 20 points. Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 15 points while Alec Burks surprisingly added 17 points. Jalen Suggs scored a game-high 29 points for Orlando. 

Bradley Chubb Not Playing In 2024

     Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Bradley Chubb will not play a game with the team during the 2024 season. He suffered an ACL injury near the end of the 2023 campaign. 

     Chubb has been with the Dolphins since the 2022 season. He has participated in 24 contests with the Fins and collected 13 1/2 sacks. 

Miami Ratings December 2024

     The ratings were issued for Miami/Fort Lauderdale sports format radio stations. The time span went from the first week of November to the first week of December. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM dropped from a 1.5 to a 1.2 in the month. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team lost their last two regular season games and did not reach the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. Inter Miami CF were upset and eliminated in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at home by Atlanta United FC in Game 3. The Florida Panthers had a 15-9-2 record and were second in the Atlantic Division. The Miami Heat began their 2024-25 campaign with a mediocre 10-10 record. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM stayed the same with a 0.5 in the period. The Miami Dolphins won three straight games then lost to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Night and had a 5-7 record. The University of Florida Gators football team won their final three regular season contests and had a 7-5 record to reach a bowl game. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM remained at a 0.2 for the third straight month. The Florida Atlantic University football team snapped a six-game losing streak in their regular season finale and finished with a 3-9 record. 

     The WQAM stream moved up from a 0.0 to a 0.1 in the period. WZTU-FM-HD2 rose from a 0.0 to a 0.1 in the month. WKIS-FM-HD-2 disappeared with a 0.0 again. 

Shawn Armstrong Lands With Rangers

     One-time Miami Marlins pitcher Shawn Armstrong has signed a deal with the Texas Rangers. It is a one-year contract with the club. He participated on three teams during 2024. 

     Armstrong had a short stint with the Marlins back in 2022. He ended up with a 0-0 record and a 10.80 earned run average in seven games. 

Eddie Jackson Joins Chargers

     The Los Angeles Chargers have signed former Broward County high school football player and current NFL defensive back Eddie Jackson to their practice squad. He participated in nine contests with the Baltimore Ravens earlier this season. 

     Jackson played high school football with the Boyd Anderson Cobras. He attended the University of Alabama and helped the Crimson Tide capture the 2015 CFP National Championship. 

     He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. His stint with that club lasted seven seasons from 2017 to 2023 and he compiled 15 interceptions. 

Lightning Rough Up Panthers

     The Tampa Bay Lightning blanked the Florida Panthers 4-0 on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped, are now 10-3-1 in their last 14 games. The Lightning have won four of their last five contests. Bolts goalie Jonas Johansson had 36 saves for the shutout. 

     Both clubs faced each other in back-to-back nights. The Panthers are off through the Christmas break until Saturday. 

     Tampa Bay(19-11-2) broke out to a 1-0 lead on a 4-on-4 situation at the 6:56 mark. Anthony Cirelli backhanded a pass from the left corner. Victor Hedman sent a square pass from the left wing. Nikita Kucherov raced through the slot area and lifted a backhand shot from the low slot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his 15th goal of the season. 

     The Bolts made it 2-0 at 9:20. Brandon Hagel entered the Panthers zone and dropped a pass above the left circle. Jake Guentzel placed in a wrist shot from the high slot for his 19th goal of the campaign. Hedman was credited with the secondary assist on the sequence. 

     It became 3-0 for the Lightning with 3:36 left in the first on a power-play goal. Nick Paul fed a pass from the right circle to Cirelli at the top of the zone. His slap shot was saved and Michael Chaffee put in a rebound shot from the top of the crease for his seventh tally this year. 

     Neither team scored in the second period. Florida(22-12-2) pulled their goalie on a power play with over six minutes remaining in the third period. Hagel would put in an empty-net goal with 5:42 left in the third for a Tampa Bay four-goal advantage. 

Heat Handle Nets

     The Miami Heat knocked off the Brooklyn Nets 110-95 at Kaseya Center on Monday night. The Heat will not play again until Thursday.

     Miami(14-13) had a 39-28 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. The Heat would barely lead at halftime 58-57.  

     Brooklyn(11-18) stayed in striking distance during the third quarter and were down 83-78 at the end of the frame. The Heat began the fourth quarter with a 7-2 spurt and remained in front. 

     Bam Adebayo led Miami with a game-high 23 points along with seven rebounds. Tyler Herro fell short of a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Duncan Robinson placed in 17 points while Nikola Jovic came off the bench with 18 points. 

     Noah Clowney and Cameron Johnson both collected 19 points each for Brooklyn. Ben Simmons was held to just four points. 

Marlins Trade Jesus Luzardo

     The Miami Marlins have traded left-handed starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo and minor league catcher Paul McIntosh to the Philadelphia Phillies in a four-player deal. The Fish will receive back shortstop minor league prospect Starlyn Caba and minor league outfielder Emaarion Boyd. 

     Luzardo spent the past four seasons with the Marlins following his trade from the Oakland A's in July 2021 for Starling Marte. He finished the Miami portion of his career with a 21-28 record, 444 strikeouts and a 4.15 earned run average in 74 starts. 

Panthers Crawl By Lightning

     The Florida Panthers moved by the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 at Amalie Arena on Sunday. The Panthers have won four straight contests and 10 of their last 13 games. The Bolts had their four-game winning streak snapped. Florida forward Rasmus Asplund made his team debut and had no points. 

     It was a renewal of their cross-state rivalry that has intensified over the past six seasons. Both teams will face each other in Sunrise tomorrow night. 

     Florida(22-11-2) had a 1-0 lead on the power play with 4:09 to go in the opening frame. Sam Reinhart collected his 21st goal of the season on a tip-in shot. 

     Tampa Bay(18-11-2) then tied the contest 1-1 with five seconds remaining in the first period. Nick Paul got his eighth goal of the year on a wrist shot. 

     The second period would belong to the Cats as they expanded their lead to 3-1. A.J. Greer chalked up his fourth tally this year on a shorthanded goal with a backhand shot with 9:32 left. Eetu Luostarinen another shorthanded goal just 42 seconds later for his fifth goal in 2024-25. 

     In the third period, the Lightning cut it to 3-2 at the 3:26 mark. Brayden Point found the net with a wrist shot for his 22nd goal of the season 

     Reinhart completed the victory 4-2 scoring an empty-net goal with 31 seconds remaining. It was his second goal of the game and his 22nd goal this season. 

Dolphins Boot 49ers

     The Miami Dolphins pushed by the San Francisco 49ers 29-17 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins are close to being eliminated from postseason contention. The 49ers, who were eliminated from making the postseason, last won a Super Bowl at the same venue almost 30 years ago. 

     There was only one score in the first quarter. Jason Sanders gave Miami(7-8) a 3-0 advantage on a 44-yard field goal with 3:30 left in the first. 

     In the second quarter, San Francisco(6-9) took the lead 7-3 at the 14:14 mark. Quarterback Brock Purdy connected a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. on the left hash marks. The Fins closed it to 7-6 when Sanders booted a 38-yard field goal at 9:40.

     The Dolphins leaped to a 13-7 lead with 3:20 to go in the second. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa tossed a three-yard pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill on the left side. The Niners cut it to 13-10 with 47 seconds remaining in the first half when Jake Moody kicked a 21-yard field goal. 

     Miami would get two field goals during the third quarter from Sanders to make it 19-10. He made a 54-yard field goal at 10:57 and a 33-yard field goal at 1:08. 

     The 49ers closed it to 19-17 at the 12:02 mark of the fourth quarter. Tight end Eric Saubert caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Purdy in the middle of the end zone. 

     The rest of the final quarter belonged to the Dolphins. Sanders kicked his fifth field goal of the contest, this one being from 48 yards, with 2:10 remaining. He set a new franchise record of 23 consecutive field goals made breaking his previous mark. Running back De'Von Achane later rushed through the right side from 50 yards away for a score with 1:36 left to give the Fins a 29-17 lead. 

Magic Trick Heat

     The Miami Heat blew a 22-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter and lost to the Orlando Magic 121-114 at Kia Center on Saturday night. The Heat were playing one of their last games before the holiday break. 

     Miami(13-13) rocketed out to a 40-28 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Heat continued their dominance in the second quarter and had a 76-56 halftime lead. 

     It remained the same as Miami was up 106-84 at the conclusion of the third quarter. It was an outrageous turnaround as Orlando(18-12) outscored the Heat 37-8 during the fourth quarter to shockingly win the contest. The Magic moved ahead 110-109 with 2:43 left in the final quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo and Terry Rozier shared the scoring output with a team-high 23 points each. Tyler Herro was able to contribute 22 points for Miami. 

     Cole Anthony came off the bench for Orlando with a game-high 35 points along with nine assists. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope dropped in 24 points. 

Marlins Get Eric Wagaman

     The Miami Marlins have signed third baseman Eric Wagaman to a one-year contract. He will get the opportunity to make the team's roster in spring training. 

     Wagaman made his Major League Baseball debut with the Los Angeles Angels this year. He ended up with two home runs, 10 runs batted in and a .250 batting average during 18 games in 2024. 

Cristian Pache Inks With Diamondbacks

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Cristian Pache has signed a minor league contract with the Ariona Diamondbacks. He joins his sixth MLB team and will compete for a job in spring training. 

     Pache was picked up on waivers by the Marlins on August 2. He compiled one home run, seven runs batted in and a .183 batting average in 35 contests with Miami. 

Panthers Breeze By Blues

     The Florida Panthers edged the St. Louis Blues 2-1 in overtime at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday night. The Panthers, who have won nine of their last 12 contests, recently completed a five-game trip against Western Conference opponents. 

     St. Louis(15-16-4) had a 1-0 lead at 10:01 of the first period. Alexandre Texier centered the puck from behind the cage and Oskar Sundqvist backhanded a shot from the left of the crease by Sergei Bobrovsky for his third goal of the year. 

     Florida(21-11-2) came back to tie it 1-1 with 9:02 left in the second period. Matthew Tkachuk backhanded a pass from the left point. Aleksander Barkov connected a cross-ice pass and Uvis Balinskis snapped a shot from the low right circle past Joel Hofer for his first goal this year. 

     The Panthers would win the game on a 4-on-3 power-play tally with 16.2 seconds remaining in overtime. Barkov collected his 10th goal of the campaign on a delayed snap shot from the top right circle. Aaron Ekblad and Sam Reinhart were credited with assists on the play. 

Thunder Strike Heat

     The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled by the Miami Heat 104-97 on Friday night at Kaseya Center. The Heat had participated in just two games over the past 11 days going into tonight. 

     Oklahoma City(22-5) rose to a 30-25 advantage by the conclusion of the opening quarter. The Thunder remained in front 50-47 at halftime. 

     Miami(13-12) lost some ground during the third quarter and trailed 81-70. The Heat tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter and fell short. 

     Tyler Herro contributed a double-double for the Heat with club highs of 28 points and 12 rebounds. Bam Adebayo also compiled a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Duncan Robinson and Dru Smith both scored 13 points each. 

     Jalen Williams led the Thunder with a game-high 33 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was able to drop in 25 points. 

Michael Palardy Back In NFL

     Former Broward County high school football player Michael Palardy returned to the National Football League this past Sunday. He saw his first action with the Arizona Cardinals versus the New England Patriots. 

     Palardy was with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders while in high school. He contributed to STA winning two FHSAA Class 5A state championships in 2007 and 2008 along with a high school national championship in 2008. 

     He participated in college football with the University of Tennessee. Palardy was with the Carolina Panthers from 2016 until 2020. He played with the Miami Dolphins in 2021 and the New England Patriots in 2022. 

     Palardy was on the Washington Commanders practice squad last year and never played a down with them. He signed with the practice squad of the Arizona Cardinals on December 11.

Zach Kittley New FAU Head Coach

     The Florida Atlantic University Owls football team hired Zach Kittley as their new head coach two weeks ago. He replaced Tom Herman, who was the head coach for the past two seasons. 

     It will be the first time that Kittley holds a head coach position. He recently was with Texas Tech University as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2021 to 2024. 

Flagler Credit Union Stadium New FAU home

     FAU Stadium was renamed Flagler Credit Union Stadium on Tuesday. The surface in the venue will keep the name Howard Schnellenberger Field. The length of the naming rights contract is 15 years at $22.5 million. 

     The venue has been the home of Florida Atlantic University football since 2011. The Boca Raton Bowl has been held in that facility since December 2014. 

James Madison Wins Boca Raton Bowl

     The James Madison University Dukes defeated the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers 27-17 in the Boca Raton Bowl on Howard Schellenberger Field on Wednesday night. The Hilltoppers opened up that facility against Florida Atlantic University in October 2011. 

     The stadium was renamed to Flagler Credit Union Stadium back on Tuesday. It was known as FAU Stadium from 2011 to 2024

     James Madison(8-4) stormed out in front 7-0 by the end of the first quarter. Western Kentucky(8-5) answered back with two touchdowns in the second quarter for a 14-7 halftime lead. 

     The Dukes regained the lead 17-14 was 10 points during the third quarter. They outscored the Hilltoppers 10-3 in the fourth for a 27-17 advantage. 

Panthers Rout Wild

     The Florida Panthers pounded by the Minnesota Wild 6-1 on Wednesday night at Xcel Energy Center. The Panthers will conclude a five-game road trip against Western Conference opponents. The Cats finished the road swing with a 3-2-0 record.

Darren McCaughan Goes To Twins

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Darren McCaughan has inked a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins. He will be invited to their spring training camp. 

     McCaughan spent time with the Marlins last season. He finished with a 0-0 record and a 5.75 earned run average in 10 contests with Miami. He was purchased from the Marlins by the Cleveland Guardians on May 9. 

Odell Beckham Jr. Done With Dolphins

     Miami Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is no longer with the Miami Dolphins. He was placed on waivers and was not picked up by any club. 

     Beckham participated in nine games with the Fins this year. He finished with nine pass receptions for 55 receiving yards and no touchdowns. 

Braves Sign Bryan De La Cruz

     The Atlanta Braves have signed third baseman Bryan De La Cruz to a one-year deal. It is considered a non-guaranteed contract. 

     De La Cruz with the Marlins for four seasons from 2021 to mid-2024. He was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 30. De La Cruz finished with 55 home runs, 191 runs batted in and a .258 batting average in 431 games with Miami. 

Panthers Prevail Over Oilers Again

     It was a rematch of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final as the Florida Panthers outscored the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 at Rogers Place on Monday night. The Panthers defeated the Oilers in a seven-game series back in June for the Stanley Cup. 

     Florida(19-11-2) picked up a shorthanded goal at the 2:42 mark of the first period. Evan Bouchard lost control of the puck at the top of the Panthers zone. Jesper Boqvist carried it through the neutral zone and into the Oilers zone. He snapped a shot from the inner left circle past Stuart Skinner for his fifth goal of the year. 

     Edmonton(18-11-2) tied it up 1-1 with 4:37 left in the first. Bouchard angled a pass from the top of the zone and Connor McDavid centered the puck from the left circle. Zach Hyman released a snap shot from the high slot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his ninth goal of the season. 

     The Panthers reclaimed the lead on the power play with 27.1 seconds to go in the period. Sam Reinhart zipped a cross-ice pass from the right wing. Carter Verhaeghe released a forehand shot from above the left circle and Matthew Tkachuk deflected the puck in from the crease area for his 11th goal of the 2024-25 campaign. 

     In the second period, the Oilers evened it up again 2-2 at 6:20. Leon Draisaitl sent a lead pass from his own left circle. McDavid poked the puck ahead from the red line. Hyman skated through the slot area and slipped in a backhand shot from the top of the crease for his 10th tally this year and second goal of the contest. 

     It became 3-2 for Edmonton at 7:03 of the period. Corey Perry fed a pass from the left wing and Connor Brown blasted a one-time slap shot from the low left circle for his 100th career NHL goal. 

     The Oilers made it 4-2 on the power play with 10:36 to go in the second. McDavid sent a diagonal pass from the high slot and Draisaitl powered in a slap shot from the low right circle for his 23rd goal this season. It was the third assist and third point of the game for McDavid. 

     Florida closed it to 4-3 with 2:05 remaining in the period. Anton Lundell made a square pass from the right point. Gustav Forsling shot the puck from the left point and it trickled into the cage for his fifth goal of the campaign. 

     The Cats tied it 4-4 at the 6:53 mark of the third period. Eetu Luostarinen stole the puck in the Oilers zone and pushed it ahead to Lundell. He backhanded it from the low right circle and Niko Mikkola put in his third goal this year on a snap shot from the low left circle. 

     Florida added another tally 30 seconds later for a 5-4 lead. The Oilers gave away the puck on a back pass from their offensive zone. Reinhart gathered the puck on the right wing and eventually lifted a forehand shot from the right goal line for his 20th goal of the season.

     Edmonton evened it up 5-5 at 8:02. Brett Kulak fired a shot from the blue line which went off the end glass. Kasperi Kapanen steered the puck in from the left side of the crease for his fourth goal in 2024-25. 

     The Panthers regained the lead 6-5 with 6:55 left in the third. Mikkola passed from the left point to Sam Bennett in the left corner. He angled a pass to the middle and Verhaeghe put in a snap shot from the slot area for his ninth goal this season. 

Pistons Roar By Heat

     The Detroit Pistons eased by Miami Heat 125-124 in overtime at Little Caesars Arena on Monday night. The Heat played in their second game during an 11-day stretch. 

     Detroit(11-16) held a slight 33-32 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Pistons went on a 14-5 spurt at the start of the second quarter and led 63-59 at halftime. 

     Miami(13-11) surrendered a 19-7 run in the beginning of the second half and trailed 97-81 after three quarters. The Heat made up the double-digit margin and tied it 114-114 on a Tyler Herro three-point shot with five seconds left in the fourth quarter. 

     The Heat scored the first six points in overtime. Detroit came back on a 9-2 run with back-to-back-to-back three-point shots made by Tim Hardaway Jr. for the lead. 

     Jimmy Butler led the Heat with a game-high 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists for a triple-double. Herro was able to contribute 23 points while Duncan Robinson had 13 points. Bam Adebayo compiled 15 points and eight rebounds. 

     Malik Beasley ended up with a team-high 28 points for the Pistons. Cade Cunningham nailed a triple-double with 20 points, 18 assists and 11 rebounds. Hardaway finished with 16 points and Ausar Thompson chalked up 19 points along with nine rebounds.

Nevin Shapiro Pardoned

     United States President Joe Biden pardoned Nevin Shapiro this past week. Shapiro was convicted for a gigantic ponzi scheme.

     He once was a major booster and contributor to the University of Miami athletic program. The NCAA sanctioned the Hurricanes football team for violations made by Shapiro. 

Texans Brand Dolphins

     The Houston Texans waltzed by the Miami Dolphins 20-12 at NRG Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins are almost out of postseason contention and now stand 2 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Chargers for the final AFC playoff spot. 

     Houston(9-5) stepped out to a 3-0 advantage in the first quarter. Ka'imi Fairbairn was able to boot a 44-yard field goal. 

     In the second quarter, Miami(6-8) tied it up 3-3 at 11:35 on a 55-yard field goal by Jason Sanders. The Texans regained the lead 10-3 with 6:45 left when quarterback C.J. Stroud fired a six-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nico Collins. 

     The Fins cut it to 10-6 with 1:57 to go in the quarter. Sanders was able come through with a 36-yard field goal. It became 13-6 for Houston when Fairbairn placed a 23-yard field goal with no time remaining in the first half. 

     The Texans added another touchdown at the 11:02 mark of the third quarter for a 20-6 lead. Collins caught a six-yard pass from Stroud. 

     The Dolphins closed it to 20-12 with 4:30 remaining in the third. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa tossed a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jonnu Smith on the left side of the end zone. Sanders unfortunately missed the extra point and they were down by eight points. 

South Florida High School Football Champions

     South Florida high schools competed in five FHSAA state championship games on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami this past week. The local tri-county area completed a sweep and won five state championships this year. The South Florida region had three titles in 2021, three titles in 2022 and four titles in 2023. 

     Palm Beach County got their first state championship team since 2013. The West Boca Raton Bulls defeated the Osceola Kowboys 26-7 in the FHSAA Class 6A state title game. The Bulls made their first championship appearance and captured their first football state championship in their 20-year history. 

     Broward County saw their three most powerful high school football teams over the past 10 years win state titles. St. Thomas Aquinas captured their state-record 16th FHSAA state championship with a 34-0 victory over the Lakeland Dreadnaughts. The Raiders expanded their reign with a state-record sixth consecutive state title. STA has won 13 state championships in the past 18 seasons and extended their postseason winning streak to a state-record 30 games. 

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions picked up their fourth straight state championship as they powered by the Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders 42-7 for the FHSAA Class 1A state title. The Lions, who made their state-record ninth consecutive state title game appearance, won their seventh championship in the last eight years and their ninth overall state title. 

     The American Heritage Patriots survived the Jones Tigers 40-31 in the FHSAA Class 4A state championship game. The Patriots won their first state title since 2020. They captured their sixth overall state football championship in school history

     Dade County resulted in just one high school with a state title. The Miami Northwestern Bulls blanked the Raines Vikings 41-0 for the FHSAA Class 3A state title game. The Bulls were the only high school in that county to reach the title game in their hometown. They picked up their eighth state title in school history. 

Miami Northwestern Wins 3A Title Over Raines

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls knocked off the Raines Vikings 41-0 in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship game from South Dade Kia Field in Pitbull Stadium at Florida International University of Saturday night. The Bulls, who captured their eighth overall state title, were the only Dade County high school that participated for a state title this year. 

     Miami Northwestern(12-2) scored on their first possession and made it 7-0 with 5:23 remaining in the first quarter. Running back Elijah Hardy rushed up the middle on a two-yard touchdown run. 

     In the second quarter, the Bulls increased their lead to 14-0 with 19 seconds to go. Quarterback Leon Strawder connected a six- yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Calvin Russell Jr. on the left side of the end zone. 

     It became 21-0 for Miami Northwestern at the 10:35 mark of the third quarter. Hardy caught a 65-yard touchdown pass on the right side from Strawder.

     Raines(13-1) surrendered another touchdown with 7:10 left in the third and trailed 28-0. Strawder tossed a six-yard pass to Russell in the middle of the end zone. 

     The Bulls expanded it to a 35-point lead 35-0 with 2:20 remaining in the quarter. Strawder fired a 48-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nicholas Lennear on the right hash marks. 

     A running clock was implemented for the fourth quarter. Miami Northwestern made it 41-0 when Strawder plunged up the middle from one yard away with 4:10 to go. 

Venice Pummels Lake Mary For Class 7A Title

     The Venice Indians blew out the Lake Mary Rams 52-19 in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship at Pitbull Stadium in Miami on Saturday afternoon. It was the second state championship contest that did not involve any high school from South Florida. 

     The Indians won their first championship since 2021. They played in their fourth straight state title game and captured their fourth overall state crown. 

     Venice(14-1) had a 7-0 advantage in the opening quarter. They outscored Lake Mary(12-3) with a 24-6 output in the second quarter and led 31-6 at halftime.

     The Indians added two more touchdowns during the third quarter and had a 45-13 lead. The Rams were outscored in every quarter of the contest. 

Panthers Burned By Flames

     The Florida Panthers were blanked by the Calgary Flames 3-0 at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Panthers reached the halfway point of their five-game road trip against Western Conference opponents. 

     Former Panthers left wing Ryan Lomberg received his Stanley Cup Final ring yesterday. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov did not play due to an illness. 

     Calgary(15-11-5) jumped out to a 1-0 advantage at the 8:57 mark of the opening period. Nasem Kadri stole the puck from Dmitry Kulikov in the high slot of the Panthers zone. He skated through the slot area and picked up his 11th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the top of the crease by Spencer Knight.  

     In the second period, the Flames made it 2-0 with 55 seconds remaining. Matt Coronato entered the Florida(18-11-2) zone and sent a square pass from the high slot. Blake Coleman released a wrist shot from the left circle for his sixth goal of the campaign. 

     It became 3-0 for Calgary at 6:17 of the third period. Kevin Bahl passed ahead from the neutral zone. Mikael Backlund snapped a shot from the left wing for his fifth tally this year. 

American Heritage Takes Jones & Class 4A Title

     The American Heritage Patriots held off the Jones Tigers 40-31 on Friday night at Pitbull Stadium in Miami for the FHSAA Class 4A state championship. The Patriots captured their first state title since 2020 and their sixth overall football championship in school history. The Tigers made their first state final appearance since 2019 and attempted to win their first state title. 

     Jones(14-1) scooted out to a 7-0 lead at 7:32 of the first quarter. Quarterback Dereon Coleman sprinted down the field on a 16-yard touchdown run. 

     American Heritage(12-2) responded on their next possession and made it 7-3 with 2:13 left in the first. Gavin Harvey was able to kick a 31-yard field goal. 

     The Patriots took their first lead 10-7 at the 9:09 mark of the second quarter. Quarterback Malachi Toney threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jamar Denson in the middle of the field. 

     The Tigers was able to even it up 10-10 with 6:36 remaining in the second. Kason Mullis booted a 41-yard field goal.  

     The Pats reclaimed the lead 17-10 with 1:23 to go in the second. Toney rushed through the right side from one yard away.  

     In the second half, American Heritage scored on the first play of the third quarter for a 24-10 advantage. Brandon Bennett returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for the score 15 seconds into the half. 

     Jones answered back on their next drive at the 10:07 mark of the third and they were down 24-17. Coleman sneaked the ball in from one yard out. 

     The Patriots moved it back to a 14-point margin 31-17 with 2:51 left in the quarter. Running back Byron Louis raced up the middle for a three-yard touchdown. 

     The Tigers began to mount a comeback with 1:09 remaining in the third and trailed 31-24. Coleman sprinted through the middle from five yards away for his third touchdown run of the contest. 

     In the fourth quarter, Jones tied the game 31-31 at 9:07. Running back Jaquail Smith rumbled through the left side of the line from eight yards out. 

     American Heritage regained the lead 37-31 on their ensuing possession with 8:54 remaining in the fourth. Louis rushed down the left sideline on an 80-yard touchdown run for his second trip into the end zone tonight. Harvey later picked up a 28-yard field goal with 4:45 left in the fourth for a 40-31 lead. 

West Boca Raton Wins First FHSAA Football Title

     The undefeated West Boca Raton Bulls beat the Osceola Kowboys 26-7 for the FHSAA Class 6A state championship from South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami on Friday. The Bulls captured their first high school football state title in their 20-year history. 

     The Bulls made their first appearance on the state championship stage. The Kowboys failed to win their first state championship since 1998.

     It was the first time that a Palm Beach County high school won a FHSAA football state championship since the Dwyer Panthers did it in 2013. The last time a team from Palm Beach County reached the state title game was The King's Academy Lions in 2018. 

     West Boca Raton(15-0) quickly scored on their first possession at the 9:57 mark of the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. On the second play of the drive, quarterback Mason Mallory fired a 60-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kyle Andrews on the right hash marks. 

     The Bulls special teams unit made an impact during the opening quarter. Defensive lineman Xavier Reid blocked a punt and the Bulls began their next drive on the Kowboys seven-yard line. John Farfan would kick a 23-yard field goal with 4:51 left in the first and they had a 10-0 lead. 

     Osceola(12-3) would cut the deficit to 10-7 with 4:25 to go in the second quarter. Running back Taevion Swint blasted up the middle on a one-yard touchdown run. 

     Late in the third quarter, West Boca Raton drove down to the Kowboys one-yard line. They had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Farfan with 3:15 remaining and a 13-7 advantage. 

     After the Kowboys punted the ball away, the Bulls scored on the first play of their next possession to make it 19-7 with 44 seconds to go in the third. Mallory connected a 47-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Mark Hanniford on the right sideline. 

     West Boca Raton capped the victory 26-7 with 3:19 to go in the fourth quarter. Hanniford caught a 93-yard touchdown pass on the right side from quarterback Trey Moran on the third play of the drive. 

ESPN West Palm Broadcasts FHSAA Class 6A Final

     The FHSAA Class 6A football state championship game between the West Boca Raton Bulls and the Osceola Kowboys will be broadcast on local terrestrial radio Friday afternoon. ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM will have the radio broadcast of the state title contest. 

     Christian Katt will work as the play-by-play announcer, former Atlantic Eagles head coach Jamael Stewart as the game analyst and Brian Rowitz as the sideline reporter. ESPN West Palm last announced a state championship game six years ago. 

     It is the first time that a Palm Beach County high school has reached a FHSAA football state title game since The King's Academy in 2018. West Boca Raton looks to become the first team from Palm Beach County to win a state championship since the Dwyer Panthers in 2013. 

Marlins Decide On Liam Hicks

     The annual Major League Baseball Rule 5 Draft was held on Wednesday. It was done at the MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas. 

     The Miami Marlins picked catcher Liam Hicks with the third overall selection. Hicks was in the Detroit Tigers organization and has not played in the majors yet. He reached Double-A baseball with two teams during 2024. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Tops Lakeland For 16th FHSAA Title

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders defeated the Lakeland Dreadnaughts 34-0 in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship game on Thursday night at South Dade Kia Field in Pitbull Stadium. It continued their longtime rivalry where both teams have faced each other six times in the state finals over the past 21 seasons. 

     The Raiders captured their unprecedented state-record sixth consecutive state title and 16th FHSAA state championship overall. STA have won 13 state championships in the past 18 seasons since 2007. They extended their postseason winning streak to a state-record 30 games. 

     The Dreadnaughts knocked off the Raiders in a FHSAA championship game four times on six occasions. They accomplished it in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2018. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(12-3) scooted out to a 3-0 lead with 3:52 to go in the first quarter. Nicholas Romero kicked a 32-yard field goal. 

     The Raiders struck again with eight seconds left in the first to give them a 10-0 lead. Quarterback Andrew Indorf tossed a screen pass to running back Cedric Wyche II on the right side and he rambled 18 yards into the end zone. 

     STA increased their lead to 17-0 at the 8:58 mark of the second quarter. Running back Chance Washington raced through the right side of the line on a six-yard touchdown run. 

     At the start of the second half, Raiders kick returner Ah'mari Stevens returned the kickoff 45 yards to the Dreadnaughts 45-yard line. The drive concluded with a 22-yard field goal by Romero at 7:58 of the third quarter for a 20-0 advantage.

     Lakeland(13-1) looked like they were about to close the gap late in the third. A pass by quarterback Zander Smith was intercepted by defensive back Zayden Gamble and he returned it 78 yards to the Lakeland 20-yard line with 1:40 to go in the quarter. 

     On the first play of the fourth quarter, St. Thomas Aquinas expanded it to 27-0 at the 11:56 mark. Washington rushed up the middle from two yards out. 

     It became 34-0 for the Raiders with 5:16 left in the fourth. Indorf was able to sneak the ball in through the middle for a one-yard touchdown. 

Canucks Sprint By Panthers

     Kevin Lankinen chalked up his sixth career shutout as the Vancouver Canucks beat the Florida Panthers 4-0 at Rogers Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers, who had their seven-game point streak snapped, played their second contest in a five-game road swing.

     Vancouver(15-8-5) opened up the scoring at the 2:23 mark of the first period as they capitalized on a giveaway. Max Sasson got to a loose puck in the neutral zone and brought it into the Panthers zone. He made a square pass from the right point and Carson Soucy snapped a shot from the high slot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his first tally of the year. 

     It became 2-0 for the Canucks with 1:19 left in the first. Teddy Blueger handed the puck off to Danton Heinen outside of the Panthers blue line. He angled a pass from the top of the zone to Sasson above the top right circle. Sasson sent a forehand shot from the right-circle dot and Heinen deflected it in from the top of the crease for his fourth goal this season. 

     In the second period, Vancouver made it 3-0 at 4:53. Quinn Hughes carried around his own net and all the way to the neutral zone. He zipped an outlet pass to J.T. Miller and he centered the puck from the top left circle. Brock Boeser shot the puck from the high slot and it went off the end half-wall. He got to the rebound and placed in a wrist shot from the left goal line for his eighth goal of the 2024-25 campaign.      

     Florida(18-10-2) surrendered a power-play goal with 7:05 remaining in the third period. Miller connected a pass from the left circle to Hughes at the top of the zone. His shot was redirected in by Jake DeBrusk from the crease area for his 14th goal of the season. 

Heat Handle Raptors

     The Miami Heat stopped the Toronto Raptors 114-104 on Thursday night at Kaseya Center. The Heat had a three-day rest prior to this contest. It was the third time both clubs faced each other in the past 15 days. 

     Toronto(7-19) had a 27-24 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Miami(13-10) overcame them and led 58-51 at halftime. 

     The Heat remained in front 89-76 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The Raptors never came within single digits of the lead during the final quarter. 

     Tyler Herro led the Heat with game-high 23 points. Bam Adebayo finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds for a double-double. Jimmy Butler dropped in 11 points while Nikola Jovic drained in 14 points. 

     RJ Barrett finished with a triple-double for Toronto as he compiled 13 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds. Gradey Dick ended up with a club-high 22 points and Jakob Poeltl was able to contribute 16 points in the loss.

Cocoa Over Gadsden County For Class 2A Crown

     The Cocoa Tigers took the Gadsden County Jaguars 38-27 in the FHSAA Class 2A state championship contest on Thursday at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. It was one of two championship contests this week that did not involve a local South Florida high school. 

     The Tigers won a state title for the third consecutive year. It turned out to be their seventh overall state championship in school history. 

     Cocoa(11-3) was able to get out to a 14-7 lead by the conclusion of the first quarter. Gadsden County(13-2) picked up a safety in the second quarter and trailed 14-9 at halftime. 

     The Jaguars had their only lead of the contest 15-14 with a touchdown midway in the third quarter, however Cocoa answered back by the end of the third with a field goal and led 17-15. The Tigers held off their opponent outscoring them 21-12 during the final quarter. 

Chaminade-Madonna Captures FHSAA Class 1A Title

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions continued their dynasty with a 42-7 victory over the Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders in the FHSAA Class 1A state championship from South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus on Wednesday night. It was the first contest played this week in the FHSAA Football Finals. A high school football state title game has not happened at FIU since 2005 and in Dade County since 2006. 

     The Lions captured their fourth consecutive state championship. They won their past three state crowns versus the Marauders. Chaminade-Madonna made it seven championships in the last eight years and chalked up their ninth state title overall. The Lions made their state-record ninth consecutive appearance in the state finals.

     Chaminade-Madonna(13-2) took a 7-0 lead on their first possession just seven plays into the contest at the 9:58 mark of the opening quarter. Running back Derrek Cooper sprinted up the middle on a 52-yard touchdown run. 

     In the second quarter, the Lions extended their lead to 14-0 with 7:00 remaining. Quarterback Tyson Chance connected a 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Koby Howard on the right sideline. 

     In the second half, Chaminade-Madonna scored on their first drive with 5:32 to go in the second quarter for a 21-0 advantage. Wide receiver Denairius Gray caught a 20-yard pass on the right side from Chance. 

     Clearwater Central Catholic(12-3) was driving deep into enemy territory on their next possession. Quarterback Khayse Barrett fumbled the ball and Lions defensive back Leonzay Merzius returned it 78 yards for a touchdown to give them a 28-0 lead with 2:36 left in the third. 

     The Marauders broke the shutout at the 9:02 mark of the fourth quarter and they trailed 28-7. Running back Keo Jenkins plunged up the middle from one yard away. 

     The Lions expanded it to 35-7 with 4:45 remaining in the fourth. Chance threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jasen Lopez on the right side of the end zone. 

     After the Marauders lost the ball on downs, it would become 42-7 for Chaminade-Madonna with 2:58 left in the game. Running back Camari Hall rushed through the right side of the line from 30 yards out. 

No Television For FHSAA Football Finals

     The FHSAA Football Finals will be held beginning tonight through Saturday night in Miami. There will be no television broadcasts of any of the seven state championship games. 

     There is an internet stream for all the FHSAA football state title contests. It will be streamed on NFHS Network.

     There was a history of the FHSAA Football Finals on television. Comcast Sports Southeast had the telecasts in 2013 while Bright House Sports Network had it from 2014 to 2015. Spectrum Sports carried the championship games from 2016 until 2022. Bally Sports Florida and Bally Sports Sun were the television rights holder in 2023. 

Manny Munoz Expands WIOD Show

     News Radio 610 WIOD-AM late morning host Manny Munoz has his weekday program expanded to one more hour. He has held the spot from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. since November 2022. Munoz's show will now go from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

     Munoz once was part of a sports radio station in Miami. He was the program director of 1700 The Fan WAFN-AM from September 1999 until December 2000. 

     He worked two different stints with WIOD. He was a news editor there from 1995 to 1999. Munoz returned to that radio station in 2003. His roles over the past 21 years included news editor, news extra host, executive morning show producer, assistant news director, morning show on-air sidekick, morning sports anchor, late morning show producer, late morning co-host and late morning host. 

     Munoz dabbled again in the sports radio industry with sister-station Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM in recent years. He has announced hourly updates as a sports anchor for that radio station.  

Marlins Trade Jake Burger

     The Miami Marlins have traded third baseman Jake Burger to the Texas Rangers for a couple of players. The Fish will get pitcher Brayan Mendoza along with infielders Echedry Vargas and Max Acosta. 

     Burger was acquired by the Marlins from the Chicago White Sox in August 2023. He contributed to Miami reaching the National League Playoffs in a complete 162-game season for the first time since 2003. Burger had 29 home runs, 76 runs batted in and a .250 batting average in 2024. 

Miami Northwestern & Raines Title Preview

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls challenge the Raines Vikings in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship game in Pitbull Stadium at the Florida International University campus on Saturday night. It will be the last one of seven FHSAA Football Finals to be played this week in South Florida. 

     Miami Northwestern(11-2) is the only representative from Dade County that will play for a high school football state title in Miami this year. The Bulls have won nine straight contests and outscored opponents 546-133 this season. They dominated Barron Collier 69-0 in the regional quarterfinal, hammered Lely 64-12 in the regional semifinal, blanked Cypress Lake 48-0 in the regional final and shut out Eau Gallie 40-0 in the state semifinal. The West has allowed just 12 points in four FHSAA postseason games in 2024. 

     Bulls quarterback Leon Strawder will have plenty of targets to throw the ball to. They include wide receivers Daruis Johnson, Nicholas Lennear, Calvin Russell Jr., Nicsaint Joseph Jr. and Kenyan Thompkins. Running backs King Davis, Elijah Hardy, Tarvail Mathis and Omari Harris will help the rushing attack. 

     Raines(13-0) showed their dominance in the regular season with an average margin of victory by 31 points. The Vikings have outscored their opponents 599-187 during the season. 

American Heritage & Jones Title Preview

     The American Heritage Patriots and Jones Tigers will battle it out for the FHSAA Class 4A state championship on Friday night. It will happen at South Dade Kia Field in Pitbull Stadium down in Miami. 

     American Heritage(11-2) makes their second state title game appearance in the past three seasons. The Pats, currently on a 10-game winning streak, have outscored their opponents 398-201 this season. They routed Jensen Beach 40-7 in a regional quarterfinal, pushed by Dillard 24-14 in a regional semifinal, powered by Miami Norland 35-14 in a regional final and outdueled St. Augustine 38-28 in a state semifinal. 

     The Patriots have a balanced offense with quarterbacks Malachi Toney and Dia Bell at the helm. They will fire passes to wide receivers Jamar Denson, Brandon Bennett, Jeffar Jean-Noel and Judah Stubbs. Running back Byron Louis will get the majority of the carries from the backfield followed by Isaiah Calixte and Dylan Bennett. 

     Jones(14-0) had a stranglehold of Central Florida high school football during the regular season. The Tigers outscored their opponents 490-151 this year. They stomped Lecanto 42-7 in the regional quarterfinal, knocked off Zephyrhills 41-19 in the regional semifinal, beat Vanguard 27-13 in the regional final and defeated Naples 18-7 in the state semifinal. 

     The Tigers have Dereon Coleman as their quarterback. He can connect passes to wide receivers Vernell Brown III, Larry Miles and Walki Ambroise. Their rushing attack consists of running backs Jaquail Smith and Daunte Wallace. 

West Boca Raton & Osceola Title Preview

     The West Boca Raton Bulls take on the Osceola Kowboys in the FHSAA Class 6A state championship contest. It will be held at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami on Friday afternoon. 

     West Boca Raton(14-0) was the only undefeated team in Palm Beach County during the regular season. The Bulls, who are making their first football state championship game appearance in their 20-year existence, have outscored their opponents 470-116 this year. They easily defeated Steinbrenner 42-7 in the regional quarterfinal, hammered Mitchell 38-7 in the regional semifinal, blanked Wiregrass Ranch 17-0 in the regional final and got by Southridge 14-11 in the state semifinal. 

     Quarterbacks Trey Moran and Mason Mallory will be the focal point for the Bulls offense with their passing and running out of the pocket. They can connect passes to wide receivers Zacharias Walls, Mark Haniford, Billy Clancy III, Kyle Andrews, Jayden Elder and Jordyan Walters. Running backs Jayden Lockhart, Anderson Gracilien and Jaccorian McCrary are expected to get their share of carries from the backfield. Their leading rusher Javian Mallory will not play due to an injury. 

     Osceola(12-2) has usually been a contender for a state title for the past 15 years. The Kowboys have outscored their opponents 451-201 this season. They stomped Viera 58-14 in a regional quarterfinal, handled Durant 35-6 in a regional semifinal, defeated Armwood 17-7 in a regional final and eased by Buchholz 41-35 in a state semifinal. 

     The Kowboys offense will be led by quarterback Camren West. Their constant rushing attack has running backs Taevion Swint, Jeffrey Sinophat, Elijah Hickson and Jamarie Williams. West can occasionally toss the ball to wide receivers Alijah Williams and Bralin Ware.  

Marlins Seventh In MLB Draft Lottery

     The Miami Marlins ended up not winning the 2025 MLB Draft Lottery held in Dallas at the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings on Tuesday. The Marlins finished in seventh place. 

     Miami had the best chance for the first overall selection at 22.5 percent just like the Colorado Rockies.  The Fish ended up with the second worst record during the 2024 regular season with a 62-100 record. 

Matthew Tkachuk First Star Of The Week

     The National Hockey League announced that Florida Panthers right wing Matthew Tkachuk has been named the NHL First Star of the Week. The time span went from December 2 to December 8. Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning got the second star while Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights picked up the third star. 

     Tkachuk led the NHL over the one-week period with five goals and 11 points in three games. He was once the First Star of the Week in a Panthers uniform back in early February 2023 for his performance in the 2023 NHL All-Star Game held in Sunrise. 

Panthers Ride By Kraken

     The Florida Panthers edged the Seattle Kraken 2-1 in a shootout at Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday night. It was the beginning of a five-game road trip for the Panthers against Western Conference opponents. 

     The Panthers extended their point streak to seven games. Former Panthers players Brandon Montour and Josh Mahura received their Stanley Cup rings at a team dinner yesterday. 

     Seattle(14-14-2) got out to a 1-0 lead with 4:21 remaining in the first period. Jared McCann angled a pass from the red line and Yanni Gourde centered the puck from the right side of the neutral zone. Chandler Stephenson raced in on a breakaway into the Panthers zone and scored his third goal of the season on a wrist shot from the slot area by Sergei Bobrovsky. 

     Florida(18-9-2) tied it up 1-1 with 1:01 left in the second period. Sam Reinhart zipped a pass from the high slot and Aleksander Barkov one-timed a slap shot from the right wing past Joey Daccord for his ninth goal of the campaign. 

     Neither team scored in the third period and in overtime. The contest between both clubs would be decided 

     The Cats would convert on both of their shootout attempts. Barkov held off for a backhand shot and Reinhart lifted in a delayed forehand shot for the victory. 

St. Thomas Aquinas & Lakeland Title Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders challenge the Lakeland Dreadnaughts for the FHSAA Class 5A state championship on Thursday night in South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus. It is a renewal of a longtime rivalry between two Florida high school football powerhouses. 

     It will be the sixth time that both high schools will face each other in the state championship game. The Dreadnaughts won four of their state titles in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2018. The famous 2006 contest held in Miami was decided in double overtime. The Raiders was victorious only once over Lakeland in 2008 which gave them a national championship. 

     Legendary Florida high school football head coaches have been involved in this rivalry. They were George Smith for St. Thomas Aquinas and Bill Castle for Lakeland. Guiding the teams now are Roger Harriott of the Raiders and Marvin Frazier of the Dreadnaughts. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(11-3) is the only team in FHSAA football history with five consecutive state titles and look to extend it to six. They currently have a state-record 29-game postseason winning streak and will attempt to capture a state-record 16th state championship. 

     The Raiders, who have won 12 state championships in the last 17 seasons, have outscored their opponents 587-229 on the year. STA shut out North Miami 58-0 in a regional quarterfinal, outscored Blanche Ely 53-32 in a regional semifinal, came back on Atlantic 49-42 in overtime during a regional final and got by Manatee 16-13 in a state semifinal. 

     They will rely on quarterback Andrew Indorf to bring them down the field. He will look for wide receivers Ah'mari Stevens, Julius Jones, Branden Hoch and tight end Cameron Roberts on passing attempts. The Raiders rushing attack consists of running backs Cedric Wyche II, Chance Washington, Jerry Derosier and Virgil Lemons.

     Lakeland(13-0) is undefeated and have outscored their opponents 499-160 this season. The Dreadnaughts smashed Spoto 51-6 in the regional quarterfinal, handled Gaither 41-13 in the regional semifinal, pushed by Tampa Bay Tech 24-21 in the regional final and took Niceville in triple overtime 34-33 during a state semifinal.

     Their offense will have a heavy emphasis on rushing the ball with running backs Jordan Henderson Jadarius Dobie, Jaysean Pritchard, Alashawn Hagan and Malik Morris. Quarterback Zander Smith can throw the ball to wide receivers Shanard Clower, Jerry Thomas, Cassidy Ervin and Cam Fuse. 

Marlins Let Go Mike Baumann

     The Miami Marlins have released pitcher Mike Baumann. He is expected to sign with the Yakult Swallows in Nippon Professional Baseball. 

     Baumann in 2024 became the second player in Major League Baseball history to play for five teams in one season. He was with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Angels prior to joining the Marlins in August. He appeared in xx games and had a 6.59 earned run average. 

Chaminade-Madonna & Clearwater Central Catholic Title Preview

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions face the Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders in the FHSAA Class 1A state championship in South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus on Wednesday night. Both teams will meet for the third consecutive year in the state finals. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(12-2) reached the championship game for the ninth consecutive season and will be looking to win their fourth straight state crown. The Lions have captured six state championships in the past seven seasons and eight state titles overall. 

     The Lions have won 12 straight contests and outscored their opponents 637-221 this season. They walloped St. John Paul II 63-0 in the regional quarterfinal, pounded St. Andrew's 70-0 in the regional semifinal, knocked off Miami Edison 49-6 in the regional final and defeated Trinity Christian Academy 35-6 in the state semifinal. They have allowed just 12 points in four rounds of the FHSAA Playoffs. 

     There are plenty of offensive weapons on their offense. The Lions can plug in both Bekkem Kritza and Tyson Chance at quarterback anytime during the game. They can throw the ball down the field to wide receivers Jasen Lopez, Kyle Washington, Denairius Gray and Koby Howard. The rushing game is comprised of running back Derrek Cooper, Jaquari Lewis, Arwin Jackson and Camari Hall. 

     Clearwater Central Catholic(12-2) has never defeated the Lions and have lost on five different occasions. They have outscored their opponents 548-149 this year. The Marauders smashed Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy 64-14 in a regional quarterfinal, blanked Carrollwood Day 45-0 in a regional semifinal, downed Lakeland Christian 35-14 in a regional final and edged Cardinal Newman 22-21 in overtime last week in a state semifinal. 

     The Marauders offense will be led by quarterbacks Khayse Barrett and Jershaun Newton. Running backs Nasir Hutchinson, Sean Cuono, Keo Jenkins and Tyree Jones will get their share of carries. The team can connect passes to wide receivers Brendan Wright, Brody Church, Yorel Stewart, Jesse Wilkins, Jsai Smith, Daveyon Epps and Luke Wilson. 

Givani Smith Traded To Avalanche

     The San Jose Sharks have dealt forward Givani Smith to the Colorado Avalanche in a four-player trade. Smith has no points in six contests with the Sharks this season. He signed as a free agent with San Jose prior to the 2023-24 season.

     Smith was acquired by the Florida Panthers from the Detroit Red Wings in December 2022. He ended up with four points in 34 games with the Panthers. 

Hurricanes In Pop-Tarts Bowl

     The NCAA announced what universities would be the top 12 teams in college football and play in the Division One national championship tournament. The University of Miami Hurricanes were not one of those 12 teams. 

     The Hurricanes were named to the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The Canes with face the Iowa State Cyclones on December 28. 

Jason Demers Starts Podcast

     One-time Florida Panthers defenseman Jason Demers will launch a new podcast on iHeartPodcasts. He will co-host NHL Unscripted with sportscaster Adnan Virk weekly on Thursday. 

     Demers entered the broadcasting field with NHL Network in August 2023 as a studio analyst. He worked as a San Jose Sharks studio analyst at NBC Sports California beginning in January 2024. 

     He played with the Florida Panthers during the 2016-17 season. He finished with career-high nine goals along with nine assists for 18 points in 81 contests. 

2024 FHSAA Football Finals Schedule Set

     The schedule for the 2024 FHSAA Football Finals has been set for later this week. Seven championship games will occur from South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida Interantional University campus in Miami. It will be the home of the FHSAA football state championship contests through 2026.  

     The Class 1A state championship will be the first state championship game on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. between the Chaminade-Madonna Lions and the Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders. Both high schools will face each other for the third straight year in the title game. 

     Thursday will have the Class 2A state title tilt between the Cocoa Tigers and the Gadsden County Jaguars at 12:30 p.m. Cocoa looks to return to the top once again for the third straight season. 

     It will be followed by the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and the Lakeland Dreadnaughts for the Class 5A state championship game at 7:30 p.m. The Raiders will try to extend their state record to an unprecedented sixth consecutive state crown and a 16th overall state football title. 

     Friday consists of the West Boca Raton Bulls versus the Osceola Kowboys at 12:30 p.m. The Bulls will be making their first state title appearance while the Kowboys attempt to capture first state championship since 1998 and their second overall. 

     The American Heritage Patriots and the Jones Tigers clash in the Class 4A state championship contest at 7:30 p.m. The Patriots have a possibility to end up with their sixth overall state title for the first time since 2020. 

     The final day of the FHSAA Football Finals is on Saturday. The Venice Indians challenge the Lake Mary Rams at 12:30 p.m. for the Class 7A state title. The Indians reached the state finals for the third straight year and the Rams look for a rare state football crown. 

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls conclude the schedule as they take on the Raines Vikings for the Class 3A state championship at 7:30 p.m. Both teams look to chalk up an additional state tittle.

Kyle Keller Stays In Japan

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Kyle Keller will be remaining in Japan. He has signed a two-year contract with the Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball. 

     Keller broke into the majors with the Marlins during the 2019 campaign. He ended up with a 0-0 record with a 3.38 earned run average in 10 appearances. 

Heat Topple Cavaliers

     The Miami Heat knocked off the Cleveland Cavaliers 122-113 at Kaseya Center on Sunday night. The Cavaliers have the best record in the National Basketball Association this season. 

     It was the second straight day that the Heat hosted a home game. Miami completed a weekend sweep and will not play again until Thursday. 

     Cleveland(21-4) started off with a 25-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. Miami(12-10) took the momentum during the second quarter and had a 59-51 halftime lead.

     The Heat remained in front with a 90-80 advantage after three quarters. The Cavs came within five points 97-92 with 8:59 left in the final quarter.

     Miami was led by Tyler Herro with a game-high 34 points along with seven assists and six rebounds. Duncan Robinson drained in 23 points while Jimmy Butler added 18 points. Bam Adebayo compiled 16 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double. 

     The Cavaliers collected a club-high 23 points from Darius Garland. Donovan Mitchell was able to contribute 12 points in the defeat. 

Dolphins Battle Down Jets

     The New York Jets challenge the Miami Dolphins topped the New York Jets 32-26 in overtime at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Sunday. The Dolphins are two games behind the Denver Broncos for the final AFC postseason spot. 

Heat Set On Suns

     The Miami Heat beat the Phoenix Suns 121-111 at Kaseya Center on Saturday night. The Heat have back-to-back home games on consecutive days this weekend in Miami. 

     This matchup involved two clubs that were the NBA runner-up finalist in three of the past five seasons. Tonight's game was the first of three contests for the Heat during a nine-day stretch. 

     Phoenix(12-10) came out to a 29-26 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. The Suns would remain in front 58-53 at halftime. 

     Miami(11-10) outscored their opponent 34-24 during the third quarter and took an 87-82 lead at the end of three quarters. Phoenix tried to come back during the fourth quarter and trailed by three points 103-100 with 4:35 left in the fourth. 

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a double-double of 25 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Jimmy Butler finished with 24 points and seven rebounds. Duncan Robinson placed in 19 points while Tyler Herro had 17 points. 

     Devin Booker ended up with 21 points and seven assists for the Suns. Royce O'Neale compiled a team-high 23 points in the loss and Bradley Beal scored 15 points. 

Panthers Bite Sharks

     The Florida Panthers took the San Jose Sharks 3-1 on Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers, who are now on a six-game point streak, recently completed a two-game Pennsylvania road swing. 

     Florida(17-9-2) rocketed out to a 1-0 lead just 23 seconds into the first period. Sam Bennett intercepted a pass on the right wing and released a shot from low right circle that was deflected by Matthew Tkachuk in front and saved by Mackenzie Blackwood. Tkachuk eventually tapped the puck in midair and then batted it into the cage from the right side of the crease for his ninth goal in 2024-25. Tkachuk was able to extend his point streak to six games. 

     In the second period, the Cats made it 2-0 at the 10:05 mark. Tomas Nosek swept the loose puck from the right wing to the right point. Tkachuk carried it through the right circle and backhanded a shot from the low right circle for his second tally of the game and 10th goal of the season. 

     It became 3-0 for the Panthers with 6:43 remaining in the second as they converted on the power play. Tkachuk connected a diagonal cross-ice pass from the right wing. Carter Verhaeghe made a centering pass from the left circle that grazed off the stick of Sam Reinhart in the low slot. Aleksander Barkov placed in a wrist shot from the right goal line for his eighth goal of the campaign. 

     San Jose(10-15-5) finally broke the shutout with 1:25 left in the third period on a power-play goal. Jake Walman sent a pass from the right point. Mikael Granlund snapped a shot from the top of the zone and Tyler Toffoli redirected the puck past Sergei Bobrovsky from the left side of the crease for his 11th goal this season. 

2024 FHSAA Playoffs State Semifinal Results

     The 2024 FHSAA state semifinals happened this past week. Five South Florida tri-county high schools advanced to the state finals. All state championship games will be played from December 11 to December 14 at South Dade Kia Field in Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami. 

     In Class 7A, Columbus had their two-time state championship reign ended by Venice 33-27. The Indians will be involved in the only state title that will not have a local participant as they next take on Lake Mary. 

     Class 6A got West Boca Raton past Southridge 14-11. The Bulls will participate in their first state title game in their 20-year school history versus Osceola. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas found a way on the road to get by Manatee 16-13 in Class 5A. The Raiders will attempt to pick up an unprecedented six consecutive FHSAA football state championship along with a state-record 16th overall title. STA will take on their longtime rival Lakeland. 

     In Class 4A, American Heritage outdueled St. Augustine 38-28. The Patriots will be challenged by Jones in the championship round. 

     Class 3A resulted in Miami Northwestern shutting out Eau Gallie 40-0. The Bulls will have the homefield advantage of playing the state title game in their own county versus Raines.

     In Class 2A, Booker T. Washington was stopped by Gadsden County 47-27. The championship game will have two high schools from outside of South Florida with Cocoa and Gadsden County. 

     Class 1A in Region 3 saw Cardinal Newman fall short and lose to Clearwater Central Catholic 22-21 in overtime. Region 4 had Chaminade-Madonna clobber Trinity Christian Academy 35-6. The Lions will face Clearwater Central Catholic for the three straight year in a state title game. 

South Florida High Schools In State Finals

     Five South Florida tri-county high schools will be playing for a 2024 FHSAA state championship in South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus next week. The region had nine teams compete in the state semifinals this week. 

     Palm Beach County went from two high schools to one. West Boca Raton moved on and Cardinal Newman was eliminated. 

     All three Broward County teams were able to advance in the postseason. Chaminade-Madonna, American Heritage and St. Thomas Aquinas prevailed. 

     Dade County dropped from four representatives to one. Miami Northwestern was the only team that was victorious while Columbus, Booker T. Washington and Southridge were defeated. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Slips By Manatee

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders overcame the Manatee Hurricanes 16-13 in a FHSAA Class 5A state semifinal at Bradenton on Friday night. The Raiders have won a state-record 29 consecutive postseason games. STA will look to extend their championship reign to a state-record six straight football titles and a 16th overall FHSAA state championship next Friday night in Miami. 

     It was the seventh time both high schools had met each other in the FHSAA Playoffs. STA has been victorious in six of those games. 

     Both teams scored six points during the first quarter. Manatee(10-2) pulled ahead with a touchdown in the second quarter for a 13-6 advantage. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(11-3) picked up a field goal during the third quarter and were down 13-9. The Raiders jumped over the Hurricanes two minutes into the fourth quarter with a touchdown and led 16-13. Quarterback Andrew Indorf threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Branden Hoch. 

Chaminade-Madonna Slams Trinity Christian Academy

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions dominated the Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors 35-6 at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood during a FHSAA Class 1A state semifinal. The Lions will attempt to capture their fourth consecutive state championship next Wednesday night in Miami against Clearwater Central Catholic. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(12-2) waited until the final minute of the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Tyler Chance sent a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jasen Lopez. 

     The Lions had a 14-0 advantage at the six-minute mark of the second quarter. Chance connected an 18-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Denairius Gray.

     In the third quarter, it became 21-0 for Chaminade-Madonna two minutes into the second half. Quarterback Bekkem Kritza fired a 60-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Derrek Cooper. 

     Trinity Christian Academy(10-4) surrendered another seven points with five minutes remaining in the third and the Conquerors trailed 28-0. Lopez caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Kritza. 

     The Lions made it a 35-point margin with seven minutes left in the final quarter. Chance reentered the game and found wide receiver Kyle Washington on a 23-yard touchdown. 

American Heritage Cans St. Augustine

     The American Heritage Patriots handled the St. Augustine Yellow Jackets 38-28 in a FHSAA Class 4A state semifinal at Heritage Field in Plantation on Friday night. The Patriots advanced to the Class 4A state championship game and will face Jones next Thursday night in Miami. 

     American Heritage(11-2) quickly took a 7-0 lead just two minutes into the contest. Quarterback Malachi Toney connected a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Bennett. 

     St. Augustine(11-2) was able to cut the lead down tot 7-2 on the Pats next possession. Their defense picked up a safety midway through the first quarter and they were down 7-2. 

     The Patriots increased their lead to 14-2 with three minutes remaining in the first. Toney fired a 67-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Jeffar Jean-Noel. 

     The Yellow Jackets answered back with seconds to go in the opening quarter and trailed 14-9. Running back Trendell Anderson sprinted in from 25 yards away for a score.  

     The Pats increased their lead to 21-9 with seven minutes left in the second quarter. Toney raced in from two yards out on a touchdown run. 

     It became 28-9 for American Heritage with three minutes remaining in the first half. Toney tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jean-Noel. 

     In the second half, St. Augustine cut into the deficit. They got into the end zone twice during the third quarter and trailed 28-23. 

     The Patriots were able to get an eight-point cushion 31-23 at the seven-minute mark of the fourth quarter. Gavin Harvey came in and booted a 24-yard field goal. 

Columbus Taken By Venice

     The two-time defending state champions, the Columbus Explorers were defeated by the Venice Indians 33-27 in a FHSAA Class 7A state semifinal game on Friday night in Venice. The championship reign for the Explorers ended while the Indians reached the state championship round for the third straight year. Venice will challenge Lake Mary next Saturday afternoon. 

     Columbus(9-4) opened up the scoring in the first quarter with a touchdown for a 7-0 lead. Venice(13-1) answered back with three field goals by the end of the first and they took a 9-7 lead. 

     Both teams exchanged touchdowns in the early part of the second quarter. The Indians picked up their fourth field goal of the contest with under a minute left in the second for a 19-14 halftime lead. 

     The Explorers got a field goal with over one minute to go in the third and trailed 19-17. The Indians responded with a rushing touchdown with seconds remaining in the third and it gave them a 26-17 advantage. 

     It would come down to the final quarter. Columbus made a field goal at the eight-minute mark and trailed 26-20. Venice extended their lead to 33-20 when they reached the end zone on a touchdown run with three minutes left. The Explorers finished with a touchdown pass with one minute remaining and they were down 33-27. 

Miami Northwestern Squashes Eau Gallie

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls returned to the FHSAA Football Finals with a 40-0 victory over the Eau Gallie Commanders in a Class 3A state semifinal at Melbourne. The Bulls will stay in Dade County and play in the state championship contest against Raines next Saturday night. 

     Miami Northwestern(11-2) rolled out to a 7-0 lead with under one minute left in the opening quarter. Running back J'vari Flowers snuck in on a one-yard touchdown run. 

     It became 13-0 for The West at the nine-minute mark of the second quarter. Quarterback Leon Strawder tossed a five-yard pass to wide receiver Calvin Russell Jr. 

     The Bulls expanded it to 20-0 with over two minutes to go in the second. Strawder threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nicholas Lennear. 

     Eau Gallie(12-2) punted the ball away on their next possession. Miami Northwestern made it a 27-point gap in the final minute of the first half. Wide receiver Daruis Johnson sprinted down the field on a 35-yard touchdown run. The Bulls added six more points during the third quarter and seven more points in the fourth. 

Booker T. Washington Falls To Gadsden County

     The Booker T. Washington Tornadoes made one of the longest trips in the state and lost to the Gadsden County Jaguars 47-27 in a FHSAA Class 2A state semifinal clash on Friday night. The Jaguars will be involved in the state title game next Friday afternoon. 

     Gadsden County(13-1) moved out to a 7-0 advantage and Booker T. Washington(10-3) was able to tie it up 7-7 in the first quarter. Both teams reached the end zone once in the second quarter and the contest was even 14-14 at halftime. 

     The Jaguars outscored the Tornadoes 21-7 during the third quarter for a 35-21 lead. Gadsden County held Booker T. Washington in the final quarter.