2025 FHSAA Football Title Recap

     South Florida high school football teams finished with four FHSAA state championships in 2025. The tri-county region won seven state titles in 2019, five state titles in 2020, four state titles in 2021, four state titles in 2022, three state titles in 2023 and five state titles in 2024. 

     Seven state championship contests were held on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus. The FHSAA Football Finals were held at that venue for the second straight year. South Florida hosted the state title games for the fourth time in the past five seasons.

     Palm Beach County high schools picked up two state championships. It was the first time there were multiple champions from that county since 2009. 

     The West Boca Raton Bulls shut out the West Broward Bobcats 31-0 for the FHSAA Class 6A state championship. It was the second straight year that the Bulls prevailed. They became the first Palm Beach County team to win back-to-back state titles since Glades Day in 2009 and 2010. 

     The Cardinal Newman Crusaders won their first state crown in school history. They upset the four-time reigning state champs the Chaminade-Madonna Lions 17-14 in the FHSAA Class 1A state championship game. 

     Broward County ended up with two state championship teams. The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders blanked the Lakeland Dreadnaughts 29-0 in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship game. STA captured their state-record 17th state championship and extended their reign to a state-record seven consecutive state title crowns. They have won 14 state championships in the past 19 seasons. The Raiders now have a state-record 35-game postseason winning streak. 

     The American Heritage Patriots repeated as FHSAA Class 4A state champions with a 33-28 victory over the Jones Tigers. The Patriots ended up with their seventh state title in school history. 

     Dade County had one high school representing the host county of the FHSAA Football Finals. The Miami Northwestern Bulls fell to the Raines Vikings 23-22 in the FHSAA Class 3A state title contest. It was the first time since 2009 that Dade County did not win a state title. 

     Indian River County saw a high school as the Vero Beach Indians appeared in the state title game for the first time since 1981. They lost the FHSAA Class 7A state championship to the Lake Mary Rams 28-27 on the final play of the game.

South Florida Sports Review 2025

     The South Florida region accomplished something in 2025 it had never done capturing two league championships in one calendar year. It was the second straight year that the area won a championship.

     Three of the five South Florida professional sports teams reached the postseason this year. Three clubs got into the playoffs in 2024, two in 2023 and two in 2022. 

     The Florida Panthers repeated as back-to-back Stanley Cup champions in 2025. They defeated the Edmonton Oilers in five games in the Stanley Cup Final. It was the second straight year both clubs met in the championship round. The Panthers finished third in the Atlantic Division with a 47-31-4 record. They beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, went the maximum seven games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and took the Carolina Hurricanes in five games during the Eastern Conference Finals. 

      Inter Miami CF captured their first MLS Cup with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. They won a championship during their sixth season in Major League Soccer. The Herons, who finished with a 19-7-8 regular-season record, survived a three-game first round against Nashville SC. Inter Miami CF downed FC Cincinnati on the road in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and returned home to defeat New York City FC in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

      The Miami Heat had a 37-45 record and were the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Heat became the first Eastern Conference team to win two NBA Play-In Tournament games on the road. They took the Chicago Bulls and then edged the Atlanta Hawks in overtime. The Heat were swept in four games by the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. 

      The Miami Marlins failed to reach the postseason this year. The Fish saw improvement finishing with a 79-83 record and ending up third in the National League East Division. The Marlins had a 62-100 record in 2024. 

      The Miami Dolphins had a 7-9 record during the 2025 campaign and did not get into the playoffs. The Fins began the regular season losing their first three games and six of their first eight contests for a 2-6 record. The Dolphins bounced back with four consecutive wins, however they were eliminated from playoff contention with three games left on their schedule.

Hurricanes Upend Ohio State

     The second seeded Ohio State University Buckeyes were upset by the 10th seeded University of Miami Hurricanes 24-14 in the CFP Quarterfinals at the 90th Cotton Bowl on Wednesday night in Arlington, Texas. The Hurricanes advanced to the CFP Semifinals and they will be play at the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona on January 8.

      Both schools have not faced each other since the Fiesta Bowl for the 2002 national championship. The all-time series is now tied 3-3.

      There was no scoring in the opening quarter. Miami(11-2) took a 7-0 lead at the 13:31 mark of the second quarter. Carson Beck tossed a nine-yard touchdown pass to Mark Fletcher Jr. on the left side.

      Ohio State(12-1) tuned the ball over on the following possession. Keonte Scott intercepted a Julian Sayin pass on the left hash marks and returned it 72 yards for a score to give the Canes a 14-0 advantage at 11 :49 of the second.

       The Buckeyes cut it to 14-7 at 8:05 of the third quarter. Bo Jackson rushed through the left side of the line from one yard away.

      The Hurricanes answered back on their next possession to make it 17-7 with 3:01 to go in the third. Carter Davis was able to kick a 50-yard field goal.

     In the fourth quarter, Ohio State closed to 17-14 at the 13:26 mark. Jonathan Garvin threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Smith.

       Miami increase their lead to 24-14 with 55 seconds left in the fourth. CharMar Brown sprinted up the middle from five yards out.

Ken LaVicka & Josh Cohen Join WMEN

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM will add an afternoon show with Ken LaVicka and Josh Cohen beginning on January 5. It will be a one-hour weekday program from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Both LaVicka and Cohen recently had long reigns with crosstown ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM. 

     LaVicka finished his first season as the radio play-by-play announcer of Inter Miami CF on ESPN West Palm. The team captured their first Major League Soccer title earlier this month. He continues as the radio play-by-play announcer of Florida Atlantic University football and men's basketball on WMEN. LaVicka has been the FAU radio voice since August 2011. It is unknown if LaVicka will continue as a fill-in host on nationally syndicated ESPN Radio. He renewed his contract with them in May. 

     He had a 17-year tenure with Good Karma Brands in West Palm Beach. He started at ESPN Radio 760 WEFL-AM in 2007. LaVicka worked as a sports reporter, weekend host, sports anchor and high school football play-by-play announcer. 

      LaVicka moved over to sister-station ESPN West Palm 106.3 in February 2013. He was the Miami Dolphins reporter and afternoon sports anchor for the Evan Cohen Show. LaVicka became the midday sports anchor and midday show sidekick of Josh Cohen and The Hometeam in January 2015. He and the program was changed to late mornings in April 2016. LaVicka bounced to the mid-afternoon slot with Cohen in May 2018 and departed the program in April 2021. He was promoted to midday co-host in April 2021 and was there until April 2024. 

      He entered the podcasting business after leaving ESPN West Palm. LaVicka launched By All Accounts with Zach Krantz in May 2024 and Florida Atlantic Voice in June 2024. He then began co-hosting a Wednesday evening program on WMEN in October 2024 called The Sports Business and Golf Boardroom show with Rick Horrow and Ken Kennerly. 

     Cohen has hosted the Questionable Call podcast on YouTube since January 2025. He started in the West Palm Beach market as the afternoon host on WZZR-FM from September 1999 until March 2012. 

     He joined ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM in February 2013 as a weekend host. Cohen became the evening host at that radio station from September 2013 to December 2013. Cohen was shifted to middays in January 2014 and then to late mornings in April 2016. He would have a run as the mid-afternoon co-host from May 2018 until December 2021. Cohen co-hosted afternoon drive from January 2021 to April 2024. He was demoted to weekend host and held that spot from April 2024 to December 2024. 

Habs Outduel Panthers

      The Florida Panthers fell to the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena. It was the final contest for the Cats in the 2025 calendar year. The Panthers next game will be the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot park in Miami on Friday night against the New York Rangers.

      An on-ice ceremony was held before the game. Panthers center Brad Marchand received a gold stick for getting his 1,000th career point in the National Hockey League versus the Washington Capitals on November 13. 

      There was no scoring in the first period and the second period. It was the first time this season that the Cats and the Canadiens were held scoreless in the first two periods of play. 

      Florida(21-15-3) moved ahead 1-0 on the power play with 9:42 remaining in the third period. Seth Jones made an outlet pass from his own zone. Sam Bennett passed the puck in the neutral zone. Marchand entered the Montreal(21-12-6) zone on the left side, went around the net and skated through the right circle. He snapped a shot from the high slot by Sam Montembeault for his 23th goal of the season. 

      It became 2-0 for the Panthers with 4:59 to go in the period. Anton Lundell won the faceoff in the right circle and Eetu Luostarinen touched the puck. Sam Reinhart placed in his 22nd goal this season on a rising forehand shot from the right wing. It was his third goal in the past two contests. 

      The Habs scored 32 seconds later to make it 2-1 with 4:27 left in the third. Lane Hutson handed the puck off on the left point. Cole Caufield skated around the left point and through the slot area. He chalked up his 19th goal of the campaign on a wrist shot from the low slot. 

      The Canadiens pulled their goal for an extra skater at 2:05 and they tied it up 2-2 with 1:22 left. Ivan Demidov passed the puck from the end wall and Nick Suzuki fired a one-time slap shot from the top right circle past Daniil Tarasov for his 12th goal in 2025-26. 

      Montreal won the contest in overtime at the 3:24 mark with the man advantage. Noah Dobson connected a cross-ice pass from the left circle. Hutson angled a pass from the right circle and Suzuki zipped in a wrist shot from the left side of the crease for his second tally of the contest and 13th goal this year. 

      

Marlins Acquire Esteury Ruiz

      The Miami Marlins have acquired outfielder Esteury Ruiz from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Marlins will send pitcher Adriano Marrero in return. 

      Ruiz has been in the majors for four seasons. He led the American League with 67 stolen bases while playing for the Oakland A's in 2023. Ruiz played in 19 games with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025 and had a .190 batting average. 

Andrew Heaney Retires

      Andrew Heaney announced his retirement from Major League Baseball. He split his time last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

      Heaney broke into the majors with the Miami Marlins in 2014 and pitched in seven games. He later won a World Series title with the Texas Rangers in 2023. 

Panthers Push By Captials

     The Florida Panthers outdueled the Washington Capitals 5-3 at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday night. The Panthers continued their homestand.

      Washington(20-14-5) sprinted out to a 1-0 lead at the 3:53 mark of the first period. Tom Wilson snapped a shot off a rebounds from the inner right circle past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 18th goal of the season. 

      Florida(21-15-2) evened it 1-1 just 42 seconds later. Jeff Petry passed from the high slot and Anton Lundell tapped it in from the left side of the crease by Logan Thompson for his 13rd goal of the campaign. 

      The Panthers added a power-play goal to make it 2-1 with 7:15 remaining in the first. Brad Marchand made a drop pass from the high slot and Seth Jones pushed a square pass to his right. Sam Reinhart collected his 20th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the right circle. It was the ninth consecutive season and the 10th time of his NHL career that Reinhart reached the 20-goal plateau. 

      The Caps tied it up 2-2 on a 5-on-3 power play with 43 seconds to go in the period. Jakob Chychrun zipped a pass from above the right circle and Dylan Strome passed it from the right goal line. Wilson released a snap shot from the low slot for his second tally of the contest and 19th goal this season. 

      After a scoreless second period, the Capitals regained the lead 3-2 at 3:11 of the third period. Wilson backhanded a pass from the right corner. Strome fired a forehand shot from the top of the zone for his eighth goal of the year. 

       The Cats made it 3-3 at the 6:16 mark of the third. Seth Jones angled a pass from the top of the zone. Sam Bennett blasted a one-time slap shot from the top right circle which was deflected by Marchand in the crease area and saved. Marchand batted the puck in on the rebound with his backhand swat for his 22nd goal this season. 

       It became 4-3 for Florida with 6:48 left in the period. Lundell sent the puck forward from the left circle and Reinhart connected a diagonal pass from the left corner. Aaron Ekblad rifled a slap shot from the high slot for his second tally of the year. 

      The Capitals pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with two minutes to go. Reinhart put the puck into an empty net with as he shoveled a backhand shot from his own zone with 34.1 seconds left in the third. It was his second goal of the game and 21st goal in 2025-26. 

Heat Pummel Nuggets

      It was a rematch of the 2023 NBA Finals as the Denver Nuggets were pounded by the Miami Heat 147-123 at Kaseya Center on Monday night. The Heat played in their final game of the 2025 calendar year.

      Miami(18-15) raced out to a 41-29 lead after one quarter. Denver(22-10) mounted a comeback during the second quarter and both clubs were tied 63-63 by the time they reached halftime. 

      The Heat went on a 26-11 run to begin the second half and led 110-99 by the end of the third quarter. Miami extended their margin to 20 points during the final quarter. 

      Norman Powell finished with a game-high 25 points for the Heat. They had bench scoring as Nikola Jovic dropped in 22 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr. put in 20 points. Andrew Wiggins and Kel'el Ware placed in 19 points each. Bam Adebayo had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. 

      Nikola Jokic ended up short of a double-double for the Nuggets with 21 points and eight assists. Jamal Murray compiled 20 points with 11 assists while Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 16 points. 

       

Marlins Trade Dane Myers

      The Miami Marlins have traded outfielder Dane Myers to the Cincinnati Reds. The Fish received back outfielder Ethan O'Donnell.

      Myers was with Miami for three seasons from 2023 to 2025. He had a .245 batting average in 172 games.

Dolphins Defeat Buccaneers

        The Miami Dolphins got by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-17 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. It was the final home game for the Fins this season

       .Tampa Bay(7-9) scooted out to a 7-0 lead with 5:27 left in the first quarter. Baker Mayfield tossed a four-yatd touchdown pass to Chris Godwin in the muddle of the end zone.

       Miami(7-9) responded quickly and tied it up 7-7 with 4:29 to go in the first. Quinn Ewers fired a 63-yard touchdown pass to Theo Wease Jr. on the left sideline.

        The Dolphins took a 10-7 lead at the 8:18 mark of the second quarter. Riley Patterson kicked a 29-yard field goal.

        It became 17-7 for the Fins with 1:43 remaining in the first half. Ewers threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Greg Dulcich in the front of the end zone.

        The Buccaneers closed it to 17-10 with 3:53 left in the third quarter. Corey McLaughlin booted a 33-yard field goal.

        In the fourth quarter, Miami extended their lead to 20-10 at the 14:19 mark. Patterson was able.to kick a 31-yard field goal.

         The Bucs made it 20-17 with 54 seconds left in the fourth. Mayfield found Mike Evans on the left side for a 15-yard touchdown toss. 

J.J. Bleday Joins Reds

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder J.J. Bleday has signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds. It is a one-year deal worth $1.4 million.

     Bleday spent the 2022 season with the Malins and played in 65 games. He was with the Oakland A's over the past three years.

Heat Outpower Pacers

      The Indiana Pacers were downed by the Miami Heat 142-116 on Saturday night at Kaseya Center. The Pavers are the reigning Eastern Conference champions and currently have the worst record in the conference.

      Miami(17-15) bounced out to a 29-28 lead by the end of one quarter. Indiana(6-26) moved ahead in the final seconds of the second quarter and led 60-59 at halftime. 

      The Heat held a 98-94 advantage at the end of the third quarter. Miami expanded their lead to 133-112 with 4:10 remaining in the fourth quarter.

       Andrew Wiggins and Jaime Jaquez Jr. both scored 28 points each for Miami. Norman Powell added 23 points in the victory. 

Lightning Hold Off Panthers

      The Florida Panthers were defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers played their first game in the last four days.

      Florida(20-15-2) got out to a 1-0 advantage at 5:17 of the first period. Eetu Luostarinen backhanded a shot from the top of the crease by Andrei Vasilevskiy for his fourth tally of the year.

      Tampa Bay(21-13-3) evened it up 1-1 on a shorthanded goal with 6:55 remaining in the opening frame. Jake Guentzel snapped a shot for his 18th goal of the season.

      The Bolts pulled ahead 2-1 with eight seconds left in the first. Pontus Holmberg collected his fifth goal this year ona snap shot.

      In the second period, the Lightning expanded their lead to 3-1 at 2:31. Nikita Kucherov chalked up his 14th goal of the campaign on a backhand shot from the crease area past Sergei Bobrovsky.

      The Panthers closed it to 3-2 at 7:05 of the second on a power-play goal. Brad Marchand put in a wist shot from the right side of the crease for his 21sr goal this season.

      Tampa Bay put the game out of reach with 55.6 seconds to go in the third period. Kucherov sent a backhand shot from the left wing into the empty net for his second tally of the contest and 15th goal in 2025-26.

Heat Hijack Hawks

      The Atlanta Hawks lost to the Miami Heat 126-111 at State Farm Arena on Friday night. The Heat have fallen in nine of their last 12 games. 

      Both teams were tied 32-32 at the end of the first quarter. Miami(16-15) held a 63-51 advantage by halftime.

      Atlanta(15-17) was able to cut it to 90-84 by the conclusion of the third quarter. The Heat pulled away in the middle of the final quarter.

      Norman Powell led Miami with 25 points while Andrew Wiggins dropped in 18 points. Trae Young finished with a game-high 30 points for the Hawks. 

New FHSAA Football Districts

     The new high school football districts were released last week by the Florida High School Athletic Association. It will cover the next two school years in 2026-27 and 2027-28. 

     The number of FHSAA classifications dropped from eight to seven. There will be several changes in the South Florida five-county region for the placement of high schools in football. 

      Class 6A will have South Florida schools in Region 4. District 13 has Palm Beach Central, Jupiter, Wellington, Palm Beach Lakes, Dr. Joaquin Garcia, Lake Worth, and Santaluces. District 14 consists of Boca Raton, Park Vista, Spanish River, Nova, South Plantation and Coral Glades. District 15 will have Cypress Bay, West Broward, Western, Doral Academy, Goleman and Miami. Columbus, Homestead, Miami Palmetto, South Dade, Coral Gables and Southwest Miami are in District 16. 

      Class 5A have local teams in two different regions. Dwyer, Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach, Seminole Ridge, South Fork and Martin County are in Region 3, District 12. 

      Region 4 has high schools in Palm Beach County, Broward County and Dade County. District 13 is composed of West Boca Raton, Olympic Heights, Deerfield Beach and Monarch. District 14 is limited to Coconut Creek, Boyd Anderson and Piper. District 15 has St. Thomas Aquinas, South Broward, Flanagan and Archbishop McCarthy. Everglades, Miami Beach, Mater Academy and Southridge are in District 16. 

      Class 4A has South Florida five-county teams exclusively in Region 4. District 13 is compiled of Fort Pierce Westwood, Jensen Beach, Port St. Lucie, Legacy, Heritage and Sebastian River. Atlantic, Blanche Ely, Northeast and Plantation are in District 14. District 15 will have American Heritage, McArthur, Hollywood Hills, Miami Norland and Miramar. District 16 consists of Hialeah, American, Miami Northwestern and North Miami. 

       Class 3A has a limited number of teams from South Florida in Region 4. Glades Central, Boynton Beach and North Broward Prep are in District 14 while Dillard, Cardinal Gibbons, Stranahan and Calvary Christian Academy make up District 15. Miami Central, Jackson, North Miami Beach, Miami Springs, Key West and St. Brendan compile District 16. 

      Region 3 in Class 2A has high schools stretched out through South Florida. District 7 will consist of Cardinal Newman, Inlet Grove and Tradition Prep while District 8 has Chaminade-Madonna, Hallandale, St. Andrew's and St. John Paul.

      In Region 4, Carol City, Miami Edison, Booker T. Washington and Monsignor Pace are in District 9. District 10 lists Gulliver Prep, Immaculata-La Salle, Ransom Everglades and Pinecrest Glades. District 11 will have Miami Killian, Westminster Christian, Somerset Academy Silver Palms and Archbishop Carroll. 

      There are some districts for Region 4 in Class 1A. District 9 consists of Benjamin, Boca Raton Christian and Atlantic Christian. District 10 will have Somerset Prep, Somerset Academy Key, Posnack and Cushman. Palmer Trinity, Somerset Academy South Homestead, True North Academy, Westwood Christian and Bridge Prep Village Green in District 11. 

      Pahokee is the only South Florida high schools in Class Rural. There are several local high schools that will become independent and won't be eligible for the FHSAA Playoffs. They include American Heritage Delray, Avant Grande Academy, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Taravella, Forest Hill, Clewiston, Dr. Krop, Ferguson, Fort Lauderdale, John I. Leonard, Belen Jesuit, University School, Somerset Academy Canyons, The King's Academy, Somerset Academy and Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

Marlins Sign Pete Fairbanks

     The Miami Marlins have signed relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks. It is a one-year contract that is worth $13 million. 

     Fairbanks broke into the majors with the Texas Rangers in 2019. He has spent the past seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. Fairbanks finished with 27 saves last season and has 75 saves in the last three seasons. 

De'Von Achane Pro Bowl Selection

     The National Football League announced the Pro Bowl selections. The game will happen in early February. 

     The NFL choose one player from the Miami Dolphins for the AFC team. Running back De'Von Achane was selected for the contest. 

     Achane has 220 carries for 1,267 rushing yards and eight touchdown runs this year. He also has 64 catches for 459 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions in 2025. 

Louisville Wins Boca Raton Bowl

     The University of Louisville Cardinals held off the University of Toledo Rockets 27-22 in the 2025 Boca Raton Bowl on Tuesday. It was held at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on the Florida Atlantic University campus. 

Panthers Storm Hurricanes

     The Florida Panthers came back on the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 at Lenovo Center on Tuesday night. Both teams faced each other four days ago in Sunrise. 

     It was the Panthers first visit to Raleigh since the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky tied Terry Sawchuk for eighth all-time in NHL history with his 445th victory. 

      In the first period, Carolina(22-11-3) jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 4:11 mark. Joel Nystrom carried the puck around his own cage and sent a long outlet pass from the end wall. Sebastian Aho angled the puck from the right wing and Eric Robinson snapped a shot from the top right circle past Bobrovsky for his eighth goal of the campaign. 

      The Hurricanes expanded their lead to 2-0 at 1:58 in the second period. Jordan Staal connected a long lead pass from his own left circle. Andrei Svechnikov came out of the penalty box, received the puck in the center-ice circle and went on a breakaway. He took a snap shot from the slot area for his ninth goal in 2025-26.  

      The third period belonged to Florida(20-14-2) as they scored three goals in just over a third-minute span. They made it 2-1 at 3:53 of the third period. Sam Reinhart backhanded the puck from the slot and 

Eetu Luostarinen dropped a pass from the high slot. Niko Mikkola fired a slap shot from top of the zone past Frederik Andersen for his first tally of the year. 

       It became a 2-2 game at 6:17 of the frame. Aaron Ekblad held the puck in the Carolina zone at the right point and shot it from the right wing. It was deflected by Noah Gregor in the crease area and saved. Luke Kunin placed in a wrist shot from the inner left circle for his second goal in a Panthers uniform. 

      The Panthers pulled ahead 3-2 at the 7:00 mark of the third. Luostarinen released a shot from the right wing and that was stopped. Reinhart centered the puck from behind the cage and Anton Lundell collected his 12th goal this season on a forehand shot from the left-circle dot. 

      The Cats increased their lead to 4-2 with 10:03 left in the third. Sam Bennett reached for the loose puck, spun around at the right-circle dot and scored his 13th goal on a snap shot. Ekblad and A.J. Greer were credited with assist on the play. 

      Florida added a power-play goal with 4:39 remaining to make it 5-2. Brad Marchand returned the puck to Reinhart in the low slot. Reinhart made a square pass and Seth Jones put in a wrist shot from the low right circle for his sixth goal this year. 

Raptors Break Heat

     The Toronto Raptors knocked down the Miami Heat 112-91 on Tuesday night at Kaseya Center. The Heat have lost eight of their past nine contests and nine of their last 11 games. The Raptors defense held the Heat to a season-low 91 points. 

     Toronto(18-13) charged out with a 16-3 run in the five seven minutes of the game and led 21-16 after one quarter. Miami(15-15) went on 9-2 to start the second quarter and moved in front. The Raptors were still in front 51-44 at halftime. 

      In the third quarter, Toronto outscored their opponent 31-23 for a 82-67 advantage. The Heat would eventually fall behind by more than 20 points during the final quarter. 

      Jaime Jaquez Jr. was not in the starting lineup and finished with a team-high 21 points for Miami. Norman Powell ended up with 17 points while Andrew Wiggins dropped in 14 points. Bam Adebayo fell short of a double-double with nine points and 12 rebounds. 

     The Raptors were led by Scottie Barnes with a game-high 27 points along with eight rebounds. Immanuel Quickley was able to contribute 18 points and seven assists. 

Zach Pop & Christian Bethancourt Agree To Deals

     Two former Miami Marlins players have inked contracts for next season. They are pitcher Zach Pop and catcher Christian Bethancourt.

     Pop has signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was with the Marlins from 2021 to 2022 and made 68 relief appearances with the club. 

     Bethancourt, who signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs, started the 2024 season with Miami and participated in 38 games. He finished with a .159 batting average with the team. 

Stugotz Joining Fox Sports Radio

     Jon Weiner, a.k.a. Stugotz, will become the new mid-afternoon host on Fox Sports Radio in January. He will do his show from the iHeartMedia Miami studios in Pembroke Pines and will be aired locally on Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Weiner replaces the departing Doug Gottlieb in that position.

     Stugotz will be heard hosting a sports show on terrestrial radio in South Florida for the first time since January 2021. He and his owned company Stugotz Podcast Network will be joining the iHeartPodcasts platform based on his new agreement with iHeartMedia.

     He started off as a producer for the Hank Goldberg afternoon show on Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM and added weekend hosting duties. Weiner then joined Fox Sports Radio 940 WRFX-AM as a weekend co-host with Toast and stayed there from 2003 to early 2004. He also was a contributor on Miccosukee Sports Rap at Fox Sports Net Florida in the mid 2000s.

     Weiner became a part of Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM as the afternoon co-host of the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz in August 2004. He would also hold the posts of vice president, general manager and program director at that radio station for a couple of years during the 2000s. He was the interim morning co-host with Marc Hochman in May 2012 and June 2012. The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz and WAXY-AM was piped into an FM frequency at Sports Talk 104.3 The Ticket WAXY-FM from August 2012 to August 2015. 

     It led to the program being picked up and syndicated nationally on ESPN Radio in September 2013. There would be a television simulcast of it later on Fusion and ESPNU. The show would be shifted to middays by ESPN Radio in September 2015 and then to late mornings in July 2020. In South Florida, the show changed radio stations from WAXY-AM to WQAM-AM in August 2019 and remained there until January 2021.

     Stugotz moved to Meadowlark Media from ESPN Radio in January 2021 along with Le Batard. Weiner branched out to begin his own podcast channel on YouTube earlier this year in late April. 

Knicks Outscore Heat

     The New York Knicks outdueled the Miami Heat 132-125 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night. The Heat concluded a three-game road trip. The Knicks captured the NBA Cup five days ago in Las Vegas.

     Miami(15-14) zipped out to a 37-30 advantage by the end of the first quarter. New York(20-8) answered back in the second quarter and took a 66-62 halftime lead. 

     The Heat kept it close in the rapid pace during the third quarter and trailed 105-99 at the end of the frame. The Knicks were able to hold off Miami late in the final quarter. 

     Kel'el Ware led the Heat with 28 points and 19 rebounds for a double-double. Norman Powell dropped in 22 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr. drained in 23 points. Bam Adebayo fell short of a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds. 

     Jalen Brunson nailed a game-high 47 points for the Knicks. Mikal Bridges added 24 points and OG Anunoby contributed 18 points. Josh Hart finished with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. 

Bengals Boggle Dolphins

     The Cincinnati Bengals breezed by the Miami Dolphins 45-21 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins have lost two straight contests following a four-game winning streak.

      Cincinnati(5-10) had a 7-0 lead with 3:57 left in the first quarter. Tee Higgins caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burrow on the right side of the end zone.

      Miami(6-9) answered back on their next possession to tie it 7-7 with 2:25 to go in the first. De'Von Achane raced through the left side on a 47-yard touchdown run.

      The Bengals reclaimed the lead 10-7 with 6:06 remaining in the second quarter. Evan McPherson was able to kick a 45-yard field goal.

      The Dolphins moves ahead 14-10 with 2:24 left in the second. Malik Washington went around the right end and scored from 10 yards out.

      It became 17-14 for Cincinnati with 1:24 to go in the first half. Samaje Perine bolted up the middle from four yards out.

      In the third quarter, the Bengals made it 24-14 at the 9:43 mark. Burrow connected a nine-yard touchdown pass to Chase Brown on the left sideline.

      After a Cincinnati interception, they expanded their lead to 31-14 with 8:32 left in the third. Brown sprinted up the middle from 12 yards away.

      The Bengals extended it to 38-14 with 2:25 remaining in the quarter. Burrow tossed a five-yard pass to Brown on the front right side of the end zone.

       The Dolphins trailed 45-14 with 13:32 to go in the final quarter. Mike Gesicki burned his former team as he caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Burrow in the front of the end zone.

        The Fins closes it to 45-21 with 3:43 left in the fourth. Jaylen Wright rushed through the right side of the line from three yards out.

Mason Marchment Traded To Blue Jackets

      The Seattle Kraken have dealt forward Mason Marchment to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Kraken receive back the Blue Jackets 2027 second-round pick and the New York Rangers fourth-round selection in 2026. 

     Marchment participated in two season with the Florida Panthers in 2019-20 and 2020-21. He compiled 20 goals and 37 assists for 57 points in 87games with the Cats.

Bills Signing Matt Judon

     The Buffalo  Bills will be signing defensive end Matt Judon. He will be placed on their practice squad. 

      Judon was released three days ago by the Miami Dolphins. He played in 13 games with the Fins this season.

Braves Ink Elieser Hernandez

      The Atlanta Braves have signed pitcher Elieser Hernandez. It is a one-year minor league baseball contract between him and the club. 

      He played five seasons with the Miami Marlins from 2018 until 2022. Hernandez had a 10-21 record and a 5.04 earned run average with the Marlins. 

Blues Tap Panthers

     The Florida Panthers fell to the St. Louis Blues 6-2 on Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers finished off a three-game homestand.

     St. Louis(14-15-3) broke out to a 1-0 lead at 9:59 of the first period. Otto Stenberg steered the puck from the left circle. Cam Fowler snapped a shot from the left point and Jake Neighbours deflected it in from the low slot by Daniil Tarasov for his ninth goal in 2025-26. It was Stenberg's first point in his NHL career. 

     In the second period, the Blues expanded it to 2-0 on the man advantage at the 1:55 mark. Robert Thomas passed from the left corner and Pavel Buchnevich sent a square pass from the left circle. Jonatan Berggren scored on a wrist shot from the low right circle for his fourth tally of the year. 

     Florida(19-14-2) made it 2-1 at 7:35 of the period. Seth Jones attempted to stuff a shot from the left side of the crease which went wide. Jesper Boqvist took a shot from the low right circle that went off the stick of A.J. Greer in the crease area past Joel Hofer. It turned out to be Greer's seventh goal this year. 

     The Panthers tied it up 2-2 on the power play with 7:15 to go in the second. Sam Bennett zipped a pass ahead from above the right circle and Brad Marchand angled a centering pass from the right goal line. Sam Reinhart placed in a forehand shot from the slot area for his 19th goal of the season. 

     It became 3-2 for St. Louis with less than a second left in the frame. Berggren cycled the puck from the left circle and Justin Faulk blasted a slap shot from above the right circle for his ninth goal of the year.

     They made it 4-2 at the 7:58 mark of the third period. Brayden Schenn stole the puck from Jones on the end wall and backhanded the puck. Stenberg touched it in the slot area and Neighbours buried a forehand from the low slot for his second tally of the contest and 10th goal this season. 

     The Blues increased their lead to 5-2 with 7:07 remaining in the third. Berggren passed it from behind the Cats cage. Buchnevich centered the puck from the right wing and Thomas scored on a snap shot from the inner right circle. Thomas added a shorthanded, empty-net goal as he intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and shot the puck from center ice for his second goal of the game and ninth goal of the year.

Hurricanes Survives Texas A&M

     The 10th seeded University of Miami Hurricanes escaped the seventh seeded Texas A&M Aggies 10-3 in the College Football Playoff first-round game on Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. It was the Hurricanes first appearance in a CFP contest.

     Neither team scored during the first two quarters of play. The Canes came close to take the lead when Carter Davis missed a 40-yard field goal with no time remaining in the second.

      In the second half, Miami(11-2) got out to a 3-0 lead at the 10:34 mark of the third quarter. Davis booted a 21-yard field goal. 

      Texas A&M(11-2) evened it up 3-3 at 8:03 of the fourth quarter. Randy Bond was able to kick a 35-yard field goal.

      The Hurricanes regained the lead 10-3 with 1:49 left in the fourth. Malachi Toney rushed around the right end from 11 yards away. 

      The Aggies had a chance to tie the game on their final drive. Bryce Fitzgerald intercepted a Marcel Reed pass in the back of the end zone with 24 seconds remaining. 

Sam Bennett On Athlon Sports Cover

     Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett appears on the front magazine cover of Athlon Sports. It is the 2025 Sports Year In Review issue.

      The Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup title in June. Bennett was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Panthers Come Back On Hurricanes

     The Florida Panthers overcame the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in a shootout at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday night. Both clubs have met each other in the Eastern Conference Finals twice in the past three seasons. 

     The Panthers came into the game one point behind from an Eastern Conference playoff spot and leaped to second place in the Atlantic Division in one night. They were last in the Eastern Conference back on December 3. The Canes entered the contest in first place inside the Metropolitan Division and first in the Eastern Conference standings. Both teams will clash again on Tuesday in Raleigh. 

     Carolina(22-9-3) had a 1-0 lead with 8:07 remaining in the first period. Nikolaj Ehlers slid the puck from the left point. Shayne Gostisbehere took a one-time slap shot that was saved by Sergei Bobrovsky. Jordan Staal scored his 10th goal this season on a backhand shot from the top of the crease. There was no scoring for either team during the second period. 

     The Hurricanes expanded it to 2-0 at the 1:27 mark of the third period. Seth Jarvis touched the puck in his own zone and Andrei Svechnikov sent a lead backhand pass from the neutral zone. Sebastian Aho went down the ice alone on a breakaway and scored on a wrist shot from the high slot for his 12th goal of the campaign. 

     Florida(19-13-2) fell behind 3-0 at 7:34 of the third. Jarvis zipped a cross-ice pass from the low left circle and Svechnikov's shot from the right side of the crease was saved. Aho snapped a shot from the low right circle for his second tally of the contest and 13th goal in 2025-26. 

     The Panthers cut it to 3-1 with 9:44 left in the period. Jalen Chatfield gave the puck away on the end wall and Sam Bennett centered the puck from behind the cage. Brad Marchand put in a wrist shot from the right side of the crease past Brandon Bussi for his 20th goal of the season. It was the 13th consecutive season and 15th time that Marchand has reached the 20-goal plateau. Carter Verhaeghe was credited with a secondary assist on the play. 

     Florida closed it to 3-2 with 2:25 left as they added an extra attacker for nine seconds. Sam Reinhart angled a pass from the low slot and Evan Rodrigues shot the puck from the left goal line which was stopped. Bennett placed in a forehand shot from the right side of the crease for his 12th goal of the year. 

     The Cats pulled their goalie for a extra skater with 2:10 to go and they tied it up 3-3 with 41.4 seconds remaining in the third. A Rodrigues shot from the right point went wide. Marchand pushed the puck to the middle from the end wall and Reinhart scored on a wrist shot from the slot area for his 18th goal this season. 

     In the shootout, Reinhart snapped a shot to score during the Panthers second attempt. Jackson Blake deked and put in a forehand shot during the Hurricanes third attempt to tie it up and keep them alive. Rodrigues found the net with a wrist shot on Florida's fourth attempt to get the victory. 

Celtics Stop Heat

     The Boston Celtics pressed by the Miami Heat 129-116 on Friday night at TD Garden. The Heat have lost six of their last seven games. They will concluded a three-game road swing against the New York Knicks on Sunday. 

     Boston(16-11) had a slim 30-29 lead at the end of the first quarter. Both teams were tied 58-58 at halftime.

     The Celtics were able to move ahead 92-89 by the conclusion of the third quarter. Miami(15-13) fell behind by double digits as the C's went on a 18-7 spurt to begin the fourth quarter. 

     Kel'el Ware led the Heat with a double-double of 24 points and 14 rebounds. Norman Powell drained in 18 points while Kasparas Jakucionis  had 17 points. Bam Adebayo put up 16 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Jaime Jaquez Jr. was able to pump in 14 points in the defeat. 

     Derrick White collected a game-high 33 points for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown finished with 30 points and nine rebounds. 

Heat Bounce Nets

     The Miami Heat downed the Brooklyn Nets 106-95 at Barclays Center on Thursday night. The Heat started a three-game road trip and snapped their five-game losing streak. It was a season-low in points for the Nets this season. 

     Miami(15-12) broke out to a 30-27 lead at the end of the opening quarter. The Heat were able to stay in front 54-49 by halftime. 

     Brooklyn(7-19) took the lead midway through the third quarter, however they trailed 77-73 at the end of the frame. The Nets could not catch up near the end of the final quarter. 

     Norman Powell dropped in a team-high 24 points for Miami. Kel'el Ware composed a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds. Jaime Jaquez Jr. came off the bench with 19 points while Bam Adebayo had eight points and 17 rebounds. 

      Michael Porter Jr. scored a game-high 28 points for Brooklyn. Nic Claxton compiled 16 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double. 

Dolphins Release Matt Judon

     The Miami Dolphins have let go defensive end Matt Judson. He played in 13 games this year during his only season with the Dolphins and had no sacks. 

      Judson has been in the National Football League since 2014. He spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. 

Panthers Down Kings

     The Florida Panthers dropped the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 at Amerant Bank Arena on Wednesday night. The Cats were came off a four-game road trip and have now won three straight games. 

     Kings captain and center Anze Kopitar made his final appearance as a player in Sunrise. He will be retiring at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. 

      Los Angeles(14-10-9) scooted out to a 1-0 lead on the power play with 6:21 left in the first period. Alex Lafferiere sent the puck from the left corner back to the left point. Brandt Clarke shot it from the top of the zone and Joel Armia redirected it in from the slot area past Daniil Tarasov for his eighth goal this season. 

      Florida(18-13-2) tied it up 1-1 at the 2:14 mark of the second period with the man advantage. Mackie Samoskevich angled a pass from the left wing. Aaron Ekblad snapped a shot from the top of the zone and Anton Lundell deflected it at the top of the crease by Anton Forsberg for his 11th goal of the campaign. 

      The Panthers moved ahead 2-1 at 7:04. Brad Marchand pushed the puck from the right wing and Jeff Petry took a one-time slap shot from the top of the zone which was saved. Carter Verhaeghe spun in the low right circle and squeezed in a forehand shot for his 11th goal of the season. 

       The Cats made it 3-1 only 10 seconds into the third period. Marchand intercepted a pass and then centered the puck from the left wing. Sam Bennett collected his 11th goal in 2025-26 when he deflected it in from the low left circle. 

       The Kings closed it to 3-2 at the 4:48 mark of the third. Following a right-circle faceoff, Gustav Forsling attempted to clear the puck from his own left goal line. It bounced off Kevin Fiala in the low right circle and into the Panthers cage for his 12th goal of the year. 

New FHSAA Football Classifications

     The Florida High School Athletic Association will release the new high school football classifications for 2026 and 2027 tomorrow. They revised the classification brands after the 2023 high school football season. 

     The FHSAA will shorten from eight classifications to seven classifications. It will be the largest populated high schools in Class 6A going down to the smallest populated high schools in Class Rural.

Raptors Roar By Heat

     The Toronto Raptors passed by the Miami Heat 106-96 at Kaseya Center on Monday night. The Heat, who played their first contest in six days, extended their losing streak to five games. 

     Toronto(16-11) had a slight 23-22 lead in a low-scoring first quarter. Miami(14-12) responded to lead 52-46 at halftime. 

      The Heat remained in front 77-74 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The Raptors commanded the fourth quarter outscoring their opponent 32-19. 

      Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell both finished with a club-high 20 points each in the loss. Davion Mitchell added 12 points for Miami. 

      Brandon Ingram ended up with a game-high 28 points for Toronto. Scottie Barnes had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. 

Josh Bell Joins Twins

     Former Miami Marlins first baseman Josh Bell will sign a contract with the Minnesota Twins. It is expected to be a one-year deal worth $7 million. 

     Bell once had a stint stretching two seasons with Miami from 2023 to 2024. He had 25 home runs, 75 runs batted in and a .249 batting average in 157 games with the Marlins. He helped the club get to the postseason in 2023 during a 162-game season for the first time in 20 years. 

Rangers Add Anthony Veneziano

     The Texas Rangers have inked pitcher Anthony Veneziano. It is a minor league contract and he will be invited to their spring training camp. 

     Veneziano spent part of two seasons with the Miami Marlins in 2024 and 2025. He finished with a 4.18 earned run average in 34 contests with the Fish. 

Pete Sheppard Exiting Broadcasting

     Pete Sheppard is exiting the broadcasting industry. He hosted a show on the Coastal Sports Digital Network. Sheppard was the morning host on the Tony Bruno Sports Network prior to that. 

     Sheppard was first known in the broadcasting industry with his two stints at WEEI-AM in Boston from 1999 to 2010. He worked as an afternoon sports anchor and weekend host. Sheppard became the afternoon co-host at WGHM-AM in New Hampshire following his last stint at WEEI. 

     He continued his career in Southwest Florida. Sheppard co-hosted an afternoon program with Craig Shemon on WWCN-FM in Fort Myers from 2017 to May 2021. They brought their afternoon show to crosstown WBCN-AM and were together from 2021 to October 2023. 

Steelers Eliminate Dolphins

     The Pittsburgh Steelers outpaced the Miami Dolphins 28-15 on Monday night at Acrisure Stadium. The Dolphins had their four-game winning streak snapped and were eliminated from postseason contention. 

     Neither team was able to score during the first quarter. Miami(6-8) got in front 3-0 with 5:17 left in the second quarter when Riley Patterson kicked a 54-yard field goal. 

      Pittsburgh(8-6) jumped to a 7-3 lead with 17 seconds to go in the second. Connor Heyward plunged through the middle of the line for a one-yard touchdown run. It was Heyward's first rushing touchdown in his NFL career. 

      In the third quarter, the Steelers made it 14-3 at the 11:20 mark. Aaron Rogers connected a 19-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the left side. 

       It became 21-3 for Pittsburgh with 4:58 remaining in the third. Rogers tossed a 28-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Metcalf. on the left hash marks.

       The Steelers expanded it to a 28-3 advantage at 13:01 of the final quarter. Jonnu Smith burned his former team when he sprinted around the right end on a 14-yard touchdown run. 

       The Fins closed it to 28-9 with 9:41 left in the quarter. Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller on the right side with a six-yard touchdown toss. Miami failed on the two-point conversion. 

       The Dolphins cut it to 28-15 with 2:32 to go in the fourth. Waller caught his second touchdown pass of the game from Tagovailoa from 13 yards away. They missed again on the two-point conversion pass. 

Panthers Ease By Lightning

      The Florida Panthers crawled by the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 at Benchmark International Arena on Monday night. The Panthers completed a four-game road trip. 

      Florida(17-13-2) leaped out to a 1-0 lead on a shorthanded goal at the 2:16 mark. Aaron Ekblad made an outlet pass from deep in his own zone. Sam Reinhart carried the puck from the Cats defensive zone and the neutral zone across the Lightning blue line. He released a wrist shot from inner the right circle past Jonas Johansson and chalked up his 16th goal of the season.

      The Panthers expanded it 2-0 at 3:48. Uvis Balinskis sent a lead pass from the Panthers zone to the red line. Anton Lundell brought it into the Bolts zone and scored his 10th goal this year on a wrist shot from the right circle. 

       The Cats made it 3-0 with 8:12 to go in the second period. Ekblad dropped the puck to his right side entering the Lightning zone. Carter Verhaeghe took a shot from the right wing and it was deflected in by Brad Marchand from the top of the crease for his 19th goal of the campaign. 

       It became 4-0 for Florida on a power-play goal with 1:52 left in the second. Mackie Samoskevich zipped a cross-ice pass from the right wing and Reinhart snapped a shot from the left inner circle for his second tally of the contest and 17th goal this season. 

      Tampa Bay(18-12-3) got on the scoreboard with 32.6 seconds to go in the period and were down 4-1. Brayden Point cycled the puck from the left wing. Oliver Bjorkstrand angled a pass from the left point. Max Crozier beat Sergei Bobrovsky on a slap shot from above the right circle for his first NHL goal of his career. Bobrovsky had his shutout streak stopped at 134 minutes. 

       In the third period, the Lightning closed it to 4-2 at the 2:11 mark. Point backhanded a pass from the right point. J.J. Moser fired a snap shot from the left-circle dot for his third goal in 2025-26. 

       The Panthers regained a three-goal margin 5-2 at 6:37. Balinskis skated with the puck to above the left circle and pushed it ahead. Verhaeghe went to the middle and scored his 10th this season on a backhand shot. 

Footy John Kross Jr. Passes Away

     Longtime Miami radio host John Kross Jr. passed away on Saturday at the age of 77. He went by the name Footy whenever he was on the radio airwaves. 

     Kross was best known for his long reign at Y-100.7 and Y-100 WHYI-FM from 1974 until his retirement in May 2006. He began as a morning sportscaster for 13 years until 1987. Kross worked in that role alongside morning show talents that included Bill Tanner, Bill Reihle, Sonny Fox and Ron Hersey. Footy was a morning co-host with Bobby Mitchell from 1987 to 1998. He co-hosted Footy and The Chix at 6 along with Jade Alexander and Tina Malave from 1998 to 2001. Kross then was the morning co-host with Kenny Walker on the Kenny & Footy Show from June 2001 until January 2006. 

     He came out of retirement to join News Radio 610 WIOD-AM as a weekend host in early 2007 and later replaced Glenn Beck as the late morning host for a short time. Footy then became a part of two different South Florida sports talk format radio stations. Kross was a Saturday late morning host at 940 WINZ-AM until April 2013. He was a Sunday morning host at Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM from April 2013 until 2017.

South Florida High School Champions

     South Florida high schools competed in six FHSAA state championship games this past week on South Dade Kia Field in Pitbull Stadium at the Florida International University campus. The local three-county area won four state championships this year. The South Florida region had three state titles in 2021, three state titles in 2022, four state titles in 2023 and five state titles in 2024. 

     Palm Beach County finished with two state championship teams. It was the first time more than one high school from that county won a state title since 2009 when they captured three state titles. The Cardinal Newman Crusaders made their first state title appearance in school history and stunned the defending champions the Chaminade-Madonna Lions 17-14 for the FHSAA Class 1A state championship. 

     The West Boca Raton Bulls repeated as FHSAA Class 6A state champions when they blanked the West Broward Bobcats 31-0. They became the first back-to-back state champion from Palm Beach County since Glades Day did it in 2009 and 2010. 

     There was two high schools from Broward County that won a a state title. The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders shut out the Lakeland Dreadnaughts 29-0 in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship contest. The Raiders captured their state-record seventh consecutive state title and their state-record 17th overall state football championship. STA extended their postseason winning streak to a state-record 35-game winning streak. They have won 14 state championships in the last 19 seasons. The Raiders reached the FHSAA Football Finals for the 18th time in the past 22 seasons.  

     The American Heritage Patriots held off the Jones Tigers 33-28 in the FHSAA Class 4A state championship game. They became back-to-back champions and won their seventh state title in school history. Chaminade-Madonna made their state-record 10th straight state title game appearance and had their streak of four consecutive state championships end by Cardinal Newman in the Class 1A state title game. 

     There was no state championships from Dade County for the first time since 2009. The Miami Northwestern Bulls were edged in the final 10 seconds by the Raines Vikings 23-22 in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship game. 

      Indian River County fell short of a state title. The Vero Beach Indians lost on the last play of the game to the Lake Mary Rams 28-27 in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship game. They were trying to win their first state title since 1981 and their second overall state title in school history. 

Lake Mary Tops Vero Beach For 7A Title On Final Play

     The Lake Mary Rams scored on the final play of the contest and surprised the Vero Beach Indians 28-27 in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship game on South Dade Kia Field in Pitbull Stadium at Florida International University on Saturday night. It was the final state title game played at the venue this week.

     The Rams won their first state championship in school history. The Indians did not capture their first state championship since 1981 and their second overall state football title. 

     Lake Mary(12-3) broke out to a 3-0 lead at 7:00 of the first quarter on their first possession. Lucas Parker was able to boot a 32-yard field goal. 

     Vero Beach(14-1) scored on the first play of their opening drive just 10 seconds later. Quarterback Champ Monds connected an 80-yard touchdown pass to quarterback/wide receiver E.J. White on the right hash marks to take a 7-3 lead. 

     Rams quarterback Noah Grubbs threw his second interception of the contest to defensive back Jordan Crutchfield in the end zone for a touchback at 9:37 of the second quarter. Two plays later, White fired a 79-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marcus Melbourne on the right sideline to give Vero Beach a 14-3 lead with 8:52 remaining in the second.         

     The Rams turned the ball over on downs at the Indians 20-yard line with 6:17 left in the second. The Indians extended their lead on their next possession to 21-3 with 3:00 remaining in the first half. Monds threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Xavier Stinson in the middle of the field to finish off a six-play, 80-yard drive. 

     In the third quarter, Lake Mary closed it to 21-11 with 2:00 to go. Wide receiver Barrett Schulz caught a 35-yard touchdown pass on the left sideline from Grubbs. They were able to pick up a two-point conversion as Grubbs sneaked into the middle of the line. 

     The Indians responded on a three-play, 80-yard drive and got into the end zone with 1:23 left in the third. White rushed through the middle from one yard out to make it 27-11. The extra point by kicker Riley Swanson was no good. 

     The Rams answered back and trailed 27-19 at the 11:14 mark of the fourth quarter. Grubbs tossed a seven-yard touchdown pass to running back Gavin Isaacs on the right side. They made the two-point conversion with a double pass. Grubbs threw a lateral pass across the field toward the right side to Schulz. He then found Isaacs with a pass to the right side of the end zone. 

     Indians running back Jonathan Hillsman reached the 200-yard rushing mark during a possession in the middle of the quarter. He finished up the contest with 238 rushing yards. Swanson missed a 39-yard field goal with 3:23 to go in the fourth to end the drive. 

     Things looked great for Vero Beach as Crutchfield made his third interception of the game when he picked off a Grubbs pass at the Indians 40-yard line with 1:12 left. Vero Beach took a knee three straight times and had a 4th-and-31 from their own 19-yard line. White got the snap and ran the ball to beyond the back of the Indians end zone. It gave Lake Mary a safety and they were behind 27-21 with 12 seconds left in the fourth. 

      The Rams had one more chance after the ensuing kickoff. Kick returner Jahvon Robinson returned the kickoff 23 yards to the Vero Beach 42-yard line with eight seconds to go. Grubbs rolled out to his right and threw a hail-mary pass down the right sideline. It was caught by Schulz at the Indians four-yard line. He lateralled the ball near the goal line and wide receiver Tavarius Brundidge Jr. ran it into the zone to tie the game 27-27 with no time remaining in the fourth quarter. Parker kicked the extra point to give Lake Mary the 28-27 victory and their first FHSAA state championship. 

Panthers Erase Stars

     The Florida Panthers blanked the Dallas Stars 4-0 at American Airlines Center on Saturday night. Both teams have reached the Stanley Cup Semifinals in the past three seasons. The Panthers are in the middle of a four-game road swing. 

      Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky picked up his third shutout of the season and 52nd shutout of his NHL career. He now has a 21-2-2 career record against Dallas(21-7-5). 

      After a scoreless opening period, Florida(16-13-2) collected three goals during the second period for a 3-0 lead. The Cats picked up goals from Anton Lundell at the 19-second mark of the second, Sam Bennett at 5:45 of the period and Brad Marchand with 15 seconds remaining in the frame. 

      The Panthers put the game away late in the third period. Marchand chalked his second tally of the contest and 18th goal of the season on an empty-net goal with 2:48 left. 

Amercian Heritage Covers Jones For 4A Crown

     The American Heritage Patriots held off the Jones Tigers 33-28 for the FHSAA Class 4A state championship at Pitbull Stadium on the FIU campus in Miami on Saturday. It was a state title rematch from last season between both high schools. 

     The Patriots won their second straight state championship. They captured their seventh overall state title in school history. 

     Jones(12-3) moved out to a 7-0 lead at the 7:09 mark of the opening quarter on their first possession. Quarterback Dereon Coleman connected a 40-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field to wide receiver Diaonte Hicks.

     American Heritage(9-5) evened it up 7-7 with 51 seconds remaining in the second quarter. The four-play, 71-yard drive took just 37 seconds. Quarterback Leon Strawder tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jamar Denson in the front of the end zone. 

     The Patriots turned the ball over on the first play of the third quarter just 14 seconds in. Strawder was stripped of the ball by defensive back Landen Gaines and defensive back Ke'Sean Williams recovered it at the Pats 33-yard line. Tigers kicker Kason Mullis had his 47-yard field goal blocked by defensive back Amare Nugent at 9:36 and he returned it to the Tigers 25-yard line. 

     American Heritage responded with a score and increased their lead to 13-7 at the 8:30 mark of the third. Running back Tremaine Mullen rushed up the middle from five yards away to complete the four-play drive. 

     It became 19-7 for the Patriots on the second play of their next possession with 5:08 to go in third quarter. Strawder threw a short pass to the middle and Denson sprinted down the hash marks for a 42-yard touchdown. They failed on the two-point conversion pass. 

     Coleman was later picked off by defensive back Terrance Johnson at the Patriots 25-yard line and he returned it 32 yards. It led to a Strawder 14-yard touchdown run around the right end and finished off a three-play drive for a 26-7 advantage with 1:46 remaining in the third.

     In the fourth quarter, the Tigers closed it to 26-14 at the 11:16 mark. Coleman fired a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Larry Miles on the right side of the end zone. 

     Strawder had a pass intercepted on the first play of the Patriots next possession by defensive back Marcellus Reese and he returned it 15 yards to the Patriots 12-yard line. Five plays later, Coleman plunged in up the middle from one yard out and Jones trailed 26-21 with 8:34 to go in the fourth. 

     American Heritage extended their lead to 33-21 with 3:19 remaining in the final quarter. Mullen raced through the middle on a six-yard touchdown run. 

     The Tigers answered back quickly and cut the deficit to 33-28 with 2:20 left in the fourth. Miles pounded through the line on a run and scored from one yard away. 

     Jones attempted an on-side kick, however the Patriots recovered it. American Heritage was able to run down the clock in the final two minutes of play. 

Marlins Signing Christopher Morel

     Utility player Christopher Morel has agreed to a contract with the Miami Marlins. It is expected to be a one-year deal worth $2 million. 

      He spent the past two seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. Morel debuted in the majors with the Chicago Cubs in 2022 and stayed there until July 2024 when he was dealt to the Rays. 

WAQI Keeping Sports Broadcasts

     Radio Mambi 710 WAQI-AM has decided to eliminate all of their Spanish-language live talk show broadcasts. The station will continue to be the Spanish-language radio flagship of the Miami Heat and the Miami Marlins. 

     Latino Media Network purchased WAQI and TUDN Radio 1140 WQBA-AM in June 2022. They flipped WQBA from a Spanish-language sports format to a Spanish-language news/talk format in August 2024. It then changed to a Spanish-language soft adult contemporary format in July 2025. 

Raines Slips By Miami Northwestern For 3A Title

      The Miami Northwestern had the hometown advantage as they were edged by the Raines Vikings 23-22 in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship contest on Friday night. It was held on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami. It turned out to be a championship rematch from last year between both high schools. 

      The Vikings captured their first state championship since 2018. It was their fourth state title in school history. 

      The Bulls attempted to win their second straight state title. They had captured eight state championships in school history. It was the first year that a Dade County high school had not won a state title since 2009. 

      Miami Northwestern(13-1) got out to a 3-0 lead on their first possession with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter. Alex Lima was able to kick a 24-yard field goal. 

       The entire second quarter was filled with turnovers by both teams. Bulls punt returner Marcus Dumont fumbled the ball on a return and it was recovered by defensive back Jonathan Downer-Barrett at the Vikings 34-yard line at 10:16 of the second quarter. 

       Raines(14-0) quarterback Timothy Cole II threw an interception and defensive back/wide receiver Nicholas Lennear returned it to the Bulls 33-yard line at the 7:40 mark of the second quarter. 

       Bulls running back Tarvail Mathis was running up the middle and fumbled the ball approaching the end zone on a hit and a recovery by defensive back Shareef Jackson in the end zone for a touchback with 4:06 remaining in the second. 

       The Vikings were in striking distance at the Miami Northwestern 22-yard line when Cole was intercepted again. Linebacker Khavon Gipson caught the ball and returned it to the 11-yard line with 40 seconds to go in the first half. 

       On the second play of the third quarter, Cole fumbled the ball deep in his own end and it was recovered by defensive lineman Jaylen Thanis at the Vikings 18-yard line just 25 seconds into the second half. It led to a 25-yard field goal by Lima for a Bulls 6-0 advantage at the 8:29 mark of the third.

       Vikings linebacker Johdeem Jones intercepted a pass by Bulls quarterback Neiman Lawrence and returned it 90 yards to the Bulls three-yard line and fumbled it when he was tackled by Mathis. Defensive lineman Makhel Smith-York pounced on it in the end zone for a touchdown to give Raines their first lead of the game 7-6 with 6:11 remaining in the third.

       Miami Northwestern answered back and reclaimed the lead 9-7 on their next possession. Lima booted a 35-yard field goal with 3:08 to go in the quarter. 

       The West extended their lead to 16-7 at 10:24 of the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Calvin Russell Jr. rushed around the left end from one yard away. 

       Raines responded and marched down the field on their next drive to make it 16-10 with 7:14 left in the fourth. Dan Duong connected with a 36-yard field goal. 

       The Bulls went on a 4th-and-1 from their own 43-yard line. Lawrence's pass was intercepted by defensive lineman Ge'terius Brown and he returned it to the Bulls 30-yard line with 5:16 remaining in the final quarter. Cole concluded the five-play, 30-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown run up the middle with 2:35 to go in the quarter to give them a 17-16 lead. 

       Miami Northwestern quickly came back on their next possession to take a 22-17 lead with 1:55 left in the fourth. On the second play of the drive. Lawrence fired a 62-yard touchdown pass to Lennear on the right sideline. They failed on a Russell two-point conversion run. 

       The Vikings overtook the Bulls with 10 seconds left in the game and moved ahead 23-22. Cole tossed a short pass to the left side and running back Ta'darius Washington rambled into the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown.   

West Boca Raton Takes West Broward & 6A Title

     The West Boca Raton Bulls shut out the West Broward Bobcats 31-0 on Friday for the FHSAA Class 6A state championship in South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus. It was the second championship contest this week that involved two South Florida high schools against each other. 

     The Bulls captured their second straight state title. They became the first Palm Beach County team to win back-to-back state titles since Glades Day accomplished it in 2009 and 2010. The Bobcats were looking for their first state championship in their first state title appearance. 

      In the first quarter, the Bulls burned the clock on their first possession of the contest. They ended up turning the ball over on downs at the Bobcats 20-yard line with 6:20 left. The Bobcats went three-and-out and punted the ball away. The Bulls again turned the ball over on downs at their own 38-yard line with 37 seconds to go in the first. 

      West Boca Raton(13-2) got the ball back following a turnover on downs by the Bobcats and took a 7-0 at the 8:04 mark of the second quarter. On the third play of the drive, running back Javian Mallory went into the line and down the left sideline on a 50-yard touchdown run. 

      West Broward(12-3) wide receiver Ratavion McReed fumbled the ball on a tackle by Bulls defensive back Damari Jerry. Defensive back Tray Mitchell picked up the ball and ran it back 61 yards for a touchdown to give the Bulls a 14-0 lead with 5:22 remaining in the second. 

      The Bulls had one more opportunity to score when they got the ball again following a punt with 1:17 to go. Tristan Lamb would kick a 37-yard field goal with no time remaining in the second quarter for a 17-0 halftime lead. It was just Lamb's second field goal of the 2025 season. 

      West Boca Raton increased their lead to 24-0 on their first possession of the second half. Mallory rushed up the middle from two yards out at 5:56 of the third quarter. 

       The Bobcats turned the ball over on downs at the Bulls 31-yard line at 9:52 of the final quarter. The Bulls answered back with a two-play, 69-yard drive for a score. Mallory sprinted through the middle from six yards away for a 31-0 lead at the 9:09 mark of the fourth quarter. It was Mallory's third touchdown run of the contest. 

       West Broward could not break the shutout as they reached the Bulls three-yard line on their second-to-last drive. Bobcats quarterback Brandon Mincy fumbled the ball away on third down with 3:16 remaining at the Bulls 22-yard line and it was recovered by defensive lineman Demetrius Geathers Jr. 

ESPN West Palm Has FHSAA Football Finals

      ESPN West Palm 106.3 WESP-FM will broadcast the FHSAA Class 1A state championship between the Cardinal Newman Crusaders and the Chaminade-Madonna Lions on Thursday afternoon. The Crusaders are trying to capture their first state football title in school history. 

      Christian Katt will be the play-by-play announcer while Jimmie Bell will be the game analyst. ESPN West Palm 106.3 has broadcast at least one FHSAA state championship game in 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2024. 

       ESPN West Palm will have the FHSAA Class 6A state title game between the West Boca Raton Bulls and the West Broward Bobcats on Friday afternoon. The Bulls are going for their second straight state championship. 

       They will air the FHSAA Class 7A state championship game on Saturday night between the Vero Beach Indians and the Lake Mary Rams. The Indians will attempt to capture their first state since 1981 and their second overall state title in school history. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Tops Lakeland For 17th FHSAA Title

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders blanked the Lakeland Dreadnaughts 29-0 in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship in South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus Thursday night. It was a championship rematch between both high schools from last year and the seventh time they have faced each other in the state title game since 2004. The Dreadnaughts, who have a 4-3 FHSAA Football Finals all-time edge, were shut out in the title game last season. 

     The Raiders captured their state-record FHSAA seventh consecutive state title and state-record 17th overall FHSAA state football championship. They have won 14 state crowns in their last 19 seasons. 

They have reached the FHSAA Football Finals 18 times in the past 22 seasons. STA now has a state-record 35-game playoff winning streak. 

     The Dreadnaughts looked to win their first state title since 2023 and their 10th overall state championship in school history. They made their fourth straight state championship appearance. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(14-1) got on the scoreboard during their first possession at the 8:23 mark in the first quarter. Johnny DiSalvatore kicked a 19-yard field goal to make it 3-0. 

     The Raiders increased their lead to 6-0 with 51 seconds left in the first. Salvatore was able to kick a 30-yard field goal.

     Aquinas defensive back Jaden Carey intercepted a pass by Lakeland(12-3) quarterback Kelin Hendrix at the Raiders 26-yard line almost three minutes into the second quarter. It did not lead to any points on their ensuing drive. 

      STA had one more possession in final two minutes of the first half. Salvatore booted a 30-yard field goal with no time remaining in the second for a 9-0 halftime lead.

      In the third quarter, Raiders defensive back Zayden Gamble picked off an interception near midfield 10 seconds into the second half. It led to a 33-yard field goal by DiSalvatore for a 12-0 advantage at the 10:11 mark. 

      On the Dreadnaughts next possession, punter Brycen Fischer could not handle the snap and would turn the ball over on downs at their own 14-yard line. DiSalvatore was able to boot a 33-yard field goal with 7:21 to go in the third and St. Thomas Aquinas led 15-0. 

       Lakeland had their best scoring opportunity of the contest early in the fourth quarter, however they turned the ball over on downs at the Raiders 31-yard line. STA responded with a three-play, 69-yard drive that was capped off on a one-yard touchdown run by running back Jaden Desir up the middle with 8:00 left in the fourth for a 22-0 lead. 

       Hendrix fumbled the ball on his own 29-yard line at the 6:57 mark of the final quarter and it was recovered by defensive lineman Mekhi Bradley. Running back Morris Choice rushed through the right side of the line from six yards away to give the Raiders a 29-0 lead with 6:27 remaining in the fourth. 

Cardinal Newman Upsets Chaminade-Madonna For 1A Title

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions were shocked by the Cardinal Newman Crusaders 17-14 in the FHSAA Class 1A state championship on Thursday in South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus. It was the first of two state title games this week that involved two South Florida teams facing each other. 

     The Lions made their state-record 10th consecutive FHSAA Football Finals appearance. They attempted to capture their fifth straight state championship and their eighth state title in the last nine seasons. The Lions were going for their 10th overall state championship in school history. They had their 24-game postseason winning streak snapped. 

     The Crusaders won their first state football championship in their first state title game appearance in school history. Their head coach Jack Daniels had previous championship experience. He guided the Dwyer Panthers to two state championships in 2009 and 2013. 

     After no scoring during the opening quarter, Noah Sidan failed on a 32-yard field goal for the Lions 11 seconds into the second. 

      Cardinal Newman(12-3) moved out to a 7-0 lead at the 10:05 mark of the second quarter. Quarterback Jyron Hughley went around the left end and sprinted down the left sideline for a 69-yard touchdown.

      Chaminade-Madonna(11-3) bounced back on their next possession and scored to make it 7-7 at 8:25 of the second. Running back Derrek Cooper took the ball from the wildcat formation and busted up the middle from one yard out. 

       Sidan missed his second field goal of the game for the Lions in the middle of the third quarter. It was blocked by defensive back Khalil Gabaud. 

       The Crusaders capitalized on it and made it 14-7 with 2:03 remaining in the third. Hughley connected a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ethan Holland on the left side. It was just Holland's second touchdown catch of the 2025 campaign. 

       Lions quarterback Malik Leonard fumbled the ball at his own 37-yard line and turned the ball over to the Crusaders when defensive lineman Zion Brown recovered it with 43 seconds to go in the quarter. Cardinal Newman extended their lead to 17-7 at the 6:36 mark of the fourth quarter as Nathaniel Parks kicked a 36-yard field goal. 

       Hughley lost the ball as he was stripped by defensive lineman Damani Atkinson and it was recovered by defensive back Angelo Smith at the Lions 14-yard line with 2:32 to go in the fourth. Chaminade-Madonna closed it to 17-14 with 49 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Cooper rushed through the middle of the line from one yard away for his second touchdown of the contest. The Crusaders would recover the ensuing on-side kick following the touchdown to conclude the game. 

Sal Licata Leaving WFAN

     Former South Florida sports talk radio host Sal Licata has been dropped by WFAN-AM in New York City from the midday co-host position. He will not continue at that organization. 

     Licata did have a stint once at 640 WMEN-AM. He hosted a 30-minute New York Yankees pregame show from New York City prior to the airing of the New York Yankees Radio Network on that station from April 2013 until August 2013. 

     He joined WFAN in November 2021 as an overnight host. Licata was elevated to midday co-host in July 2023. 

Avalanche Bury Panthers

     The Colorado Avalanche rolled over by the Florida Panthers x-x at Ball Arena on Thursday night. The Panthers continued their four-game road trip. It is the 30th anniversary season of both teams meeting each other in the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals. The Avalanche have the best record in the National Hockey League. 

      Colorado(22-2-7) exploded out to a 1-0 lead at the 1:14 mark of the first period. Nathan MacKinnon carried the puck into the Panthers zone and left the puck on the left wing. Martin Necas zipped a cross-ice pass from the top left circle and Sam Malinski took a wrist shot from above the right circle for his third tally of the campaign. 

      Florida(15-13-2) tied it up 1-1 at 7:21. Seth Jones poked the puck ahead from his own zone. Noah Gregor carried down the left side and placed in a wrist shot from the low left circle past Mackenzie Blackwood for his first goal in a Panthers uniform. 

      The Avs regained the lead 2-1 with 1:30 remaining in the first. Cale Makar fired a slap shot from the top of the zone which was saved by Daniil Tarasov. Brock Nelson muscled in a backhand shot from the top of the crease for his 12th goal this season. 

       In the second period, the Avalanche expanded their lead to 3-1 at 5:05. Brent Burns shot the puck from the inner left circle and it was saved. Gavin Brindley swept in a backhand shot from the crease area for his fifth goal in 2025-26. Josh Manson was credited with a secondary assist on the sequence. 

       It became 4-1 for Colorado at the 7:18 mark of the second. Samuel Girard angled a pass from above the left circle and MacKinnon scored his NHL-leading 25th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the top of the zone. 

       The Avalanche increased their lead to 5-1 with 7:29 remaining in the second. Devon Toews pushed the puck ahead and Brindley sent a long lead pass from his own blue line. Artturi Lehkonen came in alone on a breakaway and released a forehand shot from the slot area for his 12th goal this season. 

       Colorado kept their momentum in the third period and made it 6-1 at 6:18. Manson shot the puck from the top right circle and it was stopped. Gabriel Landeskog flipped the puck into the cage from the top of the crease for his sixth goal this year.

2025 MLB Rule 5 Draft

     The 2025 Major League Baseball Rule 5 Draft was held in on Wednesday in Orlando. The Miami Marlins passed and did not make a selection in the 12th spot. 

     The Marlins did lose two minor league pitchers during the draft. The St. Louis Cardinals selected Matt Pushard in the 11th position while the Philadelphia Phillies took Zach McCambley in the 29th position. 

Derick Brassard Playing Hockey Again

     Former Florida Panthers center Derick Brassard has returned to participate in hockey and signed a contract with Geneve-Servette of the National League in Switzerland. He retired from professional hockey in June 2024.

     Brassard was acquired by Florida from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the middle of the 2018-19 campaign. He had one goal and three assists for four points in 10 games with the Panthers. His 24-day stint with the club ended when he was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche. 

Bolles Loses To Cardinal Mooney For 2A Title

     The Bolles Bulldogs fell to the Cardinal Mooney Cougars 52-28 in the FHSAA Class 2A state championship on Wednesday night on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the FIU campus. It was the first of seven state title games to be played at that venue this week. 

     The Cougars won their third FHSAA state championship with the victory. It was their second state title in the last three seasons. 

     The Bulldogs were looking to capture their first state championship since 2011 and their 12th overall state title in school history. They stand second all-time in FHSAA football titles behind St. Thomas Aquinas. Bolles running back Xavier Edwards, who scored 44 rushing touchdowns this year, was held to 92 rushing yards. 

     Cardinal Mooney(14-1) jumped out to a 7-0 lead at the 8:20 mark of the first quarter. Quarterback Davin Davidson fired a 34-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bo Odaniel on the left side. 

      Bolles(13-2) responded on their first possession and tied it up 7-7 with 5:56 to go in the first. Quarterback Jaden Weatherly connected a 41-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Naeem Burroughs in the middle of the field. 

      The Cougars reclaimed the lead 13-7 with 3:08 remaining in the opening quarter. Running back Connail Jackson rushed up the middle from three yards away. The extra point block and they had a six-point margin. 

      In the second quarter, Cardinal Mooney expanded their lead to 20-7 at 5:17. Odaniel caught a 16-yard touchdown on the left side of the end zone from quarterback Devin Mignery. 

      It became 27-7 for the Cougars with 18 seconds left in the second. Jackson sprinted through the middle of the line from eight yards out for the score. 

      The Bulldogs scored on their first drive in the second half and closed it to 27-14 at the 8:18 mark of the third quarter. Weatherly tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Burroughs on the left side of the end zone. 

      The Cougars answered back quickly with 5:28 remaining in the third and took a 34-14 lead. Jackson plunged in from one yard away for a touchdown. 

      Bolles pulled off a fake punt on a 4th-and-18 from their own 29-yard line. The up man Simeon Caldwell took the snap and ran down the left hash marks for a 71-yard touchdown and the Bulldogs trailed 34-21 with 1:35 to go in the third. 

      Cardinal Mooney increased it to 40-21 on the first play of the fourth quarter at 11:55. Davidson released a 24-yard touchdown pass to Odaniel in the front left corner of the end zone. It was Odaniel's third touchdown catch of the game. They failed on a two-point conversion pass. 

      Weatherly threw an interception on the second play of the Bulldogs next possession and defensive back Laron Foye returned it to the Bolles five-yard line. It was the first turnover of the contest by either team. 

      The Cougars marched into the end zone on a five-yard touchdown run by Jackson up the middle on the first play of the drive at the 10:55 mark of the fourth for a 46-21 advantage. It was the fourth rushing touchdown for Jackson in the game.

      Bolles cut the deficit to 46-28 with 4:17 remaining in the fourth. Burroughs caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Weatherly on the front left side of the end zone. It was the third touchdown catch of the contest and the 15th touchdown reception for Burroughs this season. 

      Cardinal Mooney struck back again on the second play of their next possession to make it 52-28 with 3:16 left in the final quarter. Mignery faked an option and rushed up the middle 54 yards for the score. 

No Television Of FHSAA Football Finals

     The FHSAA Football Finals from Miami will not be broadcast on television for the second straight year. The state championship games will begin tonight through Saturday night. There will be seven state title contests this week played on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus. 

     There will again be an exclusive internet stream. The NFHS Network will carry all seven state championship games. 

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

Panthers Surge By Mammoth

     The Florida Panthers got by the Utah Mammoth 4-3 at Delta Center on Wednesday. The Panthers played for the second time in Utah. The Cats begin a road trip in which they will play four games in three different time zones over six days. 

     Utah(14-15-3) took a 1-0 lead with 8:37 to go in the opening period. Dylan Guenther went on a breakaway and snapped a shot from the high slot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 15th goal of the season. 

     Florida(15-12-2) evened it up 1-1 with 42.2 seconds left in the first. Aaron Ekblad sent a diagonal pass from the right wing and Carter Verhaeghe tapped it in from the left of the crease by Karel Vejmelka for his ninth goal in 2025-26. 

     In the second period, the Panthers leaped to a 2-0 lead at 1:40. Sam Bennett snapped a shot from the top left circle. Evan Rodrigues and Niko Mikkola were credited with assists on the play.

     It would become a 3-1 lead for the Cats at the 3:24 mark. Verhaeghe intercepted a pass in the middle of the Utah zone. He made a square pass from the right inner circle and Bennett placed in a wrist shot from low slot for his second tally of the contest and his ninth goal this season. 

     The Mammoth scored two goals to tie it up 3-3. Guenther scored on a backhand shot from the top of the crease at 3:37 and Jack McBain put in a backhand shot from the crease area with 5:23 remaining in the second. 

     The Panthers moved ahead 4-3 with 50.8 seconds to go in the third period. Sam Reinhart passed the puck from the right wing and it was deflected by Eetu Luostarinen on the right goal line. Anton Lundell collected his eighth goal of the season when he scored on a forehand shot from the top of the crease.