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 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 Six 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 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 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. 

Riley Stillman May Debut With Oilers

     Former Florida Panthers defenseman Riley Stillman may debut with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night at the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was with the Carolina Hurricanes for five contests last season. 

     Stillman played with the Panthers for three seasons from 2018-19 until 2020-21. He chalked up five points in 43 games with Florida. 

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. 

Bryan Cox Gone From Giants

     The New York Giants let go Bryan Cox as their assistant defensive line coach last week. He joined that organization in 2022.

     Cox once played linebacker with the Miami Dolphins. He was with the Fins from 1991 to 1995 and participated in 77 games. 

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. 

2026 MLB Draft Lottery

     The 2026 Major League Baseball Draft Lottery was held in Orlando on Tuesday. The Miami Marlins had the 14th best chance to get the first overall selection at 11.5%. They ended with the 14th overall pick. 

     The top selection for the 2026 MLB Draft went to the Chicago White Sox. The last time the White Sox had the first overall pick was in 1977 when they selected future Baseball Hall of Fame player Harold Baines. 

Vero Beach & Lake Mary Title Preview

     The Vero Beach Indians take on the Lake Mary Rams for the FHSAA Class 7A state championship on Saturday night. It is the final contest of the 2025 FHSAA Football Finals to be played this week at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami. 

     Vero Beach(14-0) will be going for the second state title and their first state championship since 1981. They have outscored their opponents 601-196 this season and won 14 consecutive games. The Indians pummeled East Ridge 57-10 in the regional quarterfinal, shelled Lake Nona 56-14 in the regional semifinal, outbattled Dr. Phillips 49-23 in the regional final and edge Miami Palmetto 45-44 in double overtime in the state semifinal. 

     Quarterbacks E.J. White and Champ Monds will be in charge of their offense with their running and passing. They have a bunch of wide receivers to throw the ball to with Latravious Woods, Xavier Stinson, Jarvis Jacobs, Marcus Melbourne, Austin Banzhaf, Jordan Crutchfield and White. The rushing attack consists of running backs Jonathan Hillsman, Chaise Dagbolen and Treveon Townsend. 

     Lake Mary(11-3) reached the state championship game last year. They have won six straight games and outscored their opponents 457-345 this year. The Rams knocked off Hagerty 42-14 in a regional quarterfinal, dropped Spruce Creek 50-20 in a regional semifinal, survived DeLand 40-31 in a regional final and dethroned the defending FHSAA Class 7A champs Venice 31-26 in a state semifinal. 

     They have quarterback Noah Grubbs to lead them down the field. He can connect passes to wide receivers Barrett Schulz, Terrance Dixon, Malakii Haliburton, Donovan Little and Anthony Totin. Running backs Oshea Faison, Gavin Isaacs, Tavarius Brundidge Jr. and Zahir John will be depended on for rushing attempts. 

American Heritage & Jones Title Preview

     The American Heritage Patriots will face the Jones Tigers in the FHSAA Class 4A state championship game on Saturday on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus. The Patriots are the reigning FHSAA Class 4A state champions. 

     American Heritage(8-5) looks to capture their seventh state title. They have won four straight games and outscored their opponents 370-278 this year. The Patriots downed John Carroll Catholic 50-20 in a regional quarterfinal, stopped Plantation 48-7 in a regional semifinal, outdueled Archbishop McCarthy 25-20 in a regional final and topped Choctawhatchee 31-14 in a state semifinal.

     They can go with Leon Strawder or Dia Bell in the quarterback position. Rushing attempts will be made by running backs Jonathan Bueno Jr., Tremaine Mullen, Dylan Bennett and Marcus Smith. Wide receivers Jamar Denson, Jeffar Jean-Noel, Michael Stringer and Brandon Bennett will make catches down the field. 

     Jones(12-2) have won 10 consecutive games and outscored their opponents 482-151 this season. The Tigers defeated Deltona 35-13 in the regional quarterfinal, outmuscled Vanguard 29-18 in the regional semifinal, moved by Lake Wales 24-10 in the regional final and got by Port Charlotte 35-23 in the state semifinal. 

     Dual quarterback Dereon Coleman will connect passes to wide receivers Larry Miles, Daionte Hicks, Kameron Lee and Cameron Tooley. Expect running back Daunte Wallace to get the bulk of the carries from the backfield followed by Elijah McCluster and Coleman. 

Miami Northwestern & Raines Title Preview

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls challenge the Raines Vikings in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus on Friday night. It is state championship rematch from last year between both high schools. 

     Miami Northwestern(13-0) is the only Dade County representative this week in the FHSAA Football Finals held in Miami. The West is the reigning FHSAA Class 3A state champions and will look to capture their ninth state title. They have a 23-game winning streak and outscored their opponents 535-127 this season. The Bulls pounded Somerset Academy 70-0 in the regional quarterfinal, routed Key West 56-6 in the regional semifinal, defeated Miami Central 50-29 in the regional final and handled Bishop Moore 52-21 in the state semifinal. 

     They have a balanced attack on offense. Quarterback Neiman Lawrence will pass the ball downfield to wide receivers Calvin Russell Jr., Nicholas Lennear, Nicsaint Joseph Jr., Marcus Dumont and Kenyan Thompkins. Running backs Irwin James, Tarvail Mathis, Marquez Fleming and Ryan Mathis will get their share of the rushing attempts.

     Raines(13-0) have won 13 consecutive contests since they lost in the state title game last season. They look to capture their first state title since 2018 and their fourth state championship in school history. The Vikings breezed by Baker County 43-6 in a regional quarterfinal, stomped West Florida 54-0 in a regional semifinal, outhustled Bishop Kenny 61-15 in a regional final and defeated Booker 28-8 in a state semifinal. 

     Quarterback Timothy Cole II has numerous players to throw the ball to that includes wide receivers Ziyon Butler, Ethan Sherman, Kelvin Brown Jr., Kiran Jackson, Zion Green and Devin Frazier. Their rushing attack consists of running backs Ta'darius Washington and Tisean Haynes. 

West Boca Raton & West Broward Title Preview

     Two South Florida high schools will play for the FHSAA Class 6A state title as the West Boca Raton Bulls take on the West Broward Bobcats on Friday. It will be held locally in Miami on the Florida International University campus on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium. 

     West Boca Raton(12-2) are the defending FHSAA Class 6A state champions and look to capture back-to-back state titles. They have outscored their opponents 506-104 this year and won their past six games. The Bulls canned Largo 35-7 in a regional quarterfinal, downed East Lake 48-7 in a regional semifinal, pounded Mitchell 41-3 in a regional final and edged Armwood 14-13 in a state semifinal. 

     They will have quarterback Trey Moran to guide them down the field on offense. Running back Javian Mallory leads their attack on the ground along with Quinton Miller Jr., Anderson Gracilien, Omari McNeal and Jayden Lockhart. Moran will occasionally connect a pass to wide receivers Billy Clancy III, Zacharias Walls, Calerbe Hermane, Tayegan Briskey and tight end Molique Joseph. 

     West Broward(12-2) will attempt to capture their first state football title in school history. After two losses against out-of-state teams to begin the season, they have won their last 12 contests and outscored their opponents 519-206 this season. The Bobcats slammed South Plantation 56-13 in the regional quarterfinal, defeated Monarch 38-12 in the regional semifinal, got by Southridge 30-27 in the regional final and upended Buchholz 24-17 in the state semifinal. 

     Quarterback Brandon Mincy can ran and pass the ball on offensive plays. He can toss the ball to wide receivers A'Mir Sears, C.J. Mitchell, Kedarius Rhaney, Anthony Laguerre and Ratavion McReed. Running backs Daquon Adderley, Amos Bradford, Izaiah Lopez and Zacari Isaac look to gain yardage. 

St. Thomas Aquinas & Lakeland Title Preview

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders challenge the Lakeland Dreadnaughts in the FHSAA Class 5A state championship game in South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami on Thursday night. It is rematch from last year between both powerhouse football programs in which St. Thomas Aquinas won 34-0. 

     Both high schools had previously met each other six times in the FHSAA Football Finals. The Dreadnaughts won three straight state titles from 2004 to 2006 along with 2018. The Raiders won in 2008 and 2024.

     St. Thomas Aquinas(13-1) have captured a state-record 16 state championships. STA is currently riding a state-record streak of six consecutive state titles. The Raiders have won a state-record 34 straight postseason games and have compiled 13 state crowns in the past 18 seasons. They have reached the championship game 18 times in the last 22 seasons. 

     The Raiders have won 13 straight contests since they lost their season-opening game to Mater Dei. They have outscored their opponents 576-183 this season. STA dominated Heritage 58-7 in the regional quarterfinal, dropped Coconut Creek 45-13 in the regional semifinal, defeated McArthur 34-7 in the regional final and outpowered Riverdale 45-13 in the state semifinal. 

     They will rely on both their offense and defense. Quarterback Mason Mallory, who won a FHSAA Class 6A state title with West Boca Raton last year, can fire the ball to wide receivers Julius Jones, Jordan Roache, Leroy Thomas, Justice Fitzpatrick, Finn Crissy and Sho Wright down the field. Running backs Virgil Lemons, Isaiah Calixte, Jaden Desir, Morris Choice and Kayin Liddie will have their rushing opportunities. Brady Palmer and Cody Conness are their backup quarterback if needed. 

     Lakeland(12-2) have been victorious in their past four games and outscored their opponents 464-142 this year. They blanked Wesley Chapel 35-0 in a regional quarterfinal, squeezed by Gaither 15-8 in a regional semifinal, pushed by Edgewater 27-14 in a regional final and beat Ponte Vedra 40-13 in a state semifinal. 

     Quarterback Kelin Hendrix will led their offense with completions to wide receivers Cameron Fuse, Jerry Thomas, Joseph Howard and tight end Jasper Hebel. They will depend on running backs Ahnarri Cooper, Ja'Darius Dobie, Kevin Hendrix, Stewart Butler and Malik Morris in the backfield. 

Chaminade-Madonna & Cardinal Newman Title Preview

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions face the Cardinal Newman Crusaders in the FHSAA Class 1A state championship on Thursday in South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus. It is one of two FHSAA Football Finals between two teams based in South Florida.

     Chaminade-Madonna(11-2) reached the championship game for the 10th consecutive season and will be looking to win their fifth straight state crown. The Lions have captured seven state championships in the last eight seasons and nine state titles overall. 

     The Lions have won four straight contests and outscored their opponents 517-152 this season. They walloped St. John Paul II 63-0 in the regional quarterfinal, powered by Miami Edison 47-18 in the regional semifinal, knocked off True North Academy 35-14 in the regional final and blanked Trinity Christian Academy 35-0 in the state semifinal. 

     They have numerous weapons on both sides of the ball. Running back Derrek Cooper leads the team on offense and will be their focal point. Arwin Jackson, Lee Prince Jr., Elijah Hardy and Nakia Lambright will also get their carries. Wide receivers Jasen Lopez, Denairius Gray, Tromon Isaac Jr., Ahmari Stevens, Peter Pierre and Cooper are expected to catch the ball from quarterback Malik Leonard. 

     Cardinal Newman(11-3) will be playing for their first state championship title. Crusaders head coach Jack Daniels is back in the state finals for the first time in 12 years. He led the Dwyer Panthers to two state championships in 2009 and 2013 as their head coach. 

     The Crusaders have prevailed in the past four games and outscored their opponents 484-217 this year. They shut out Benjamin 37-0 in the regional quarterfinal, handled Community School of Naples 45-14 in the regional semifinal, beat St. Petersburg Catholic 42-13 in the regional final and downed Carrollwood Day 48-33 in the state semifinal. 

     They will look toward their offense to get the victory. Quarterback Jyron Hughley can throw the ball to wide receivers Leslie Mosley, Ethan Holland, Logan Stepp and tight end Adam Bologoun-Ali. Their rushing attack consists of running backs Phoenix Donghia, Janarro Sumpter and Luke Dillon along with Hughley out of the option. 

Magic Disolve Heat

     The Orlando Magic beat the Miami Heat 117-108 at Kia Center on Tuesday night. The Magic broke the tie with the Heat for first place in the Southeast Division. The Heat will not play another game until December 15. 

     Miami(14-11) came up strong and were up 30-17 after one quarter. The momentum changed in the second quarter, however the Heat led 57-56 at halftime. 

     Orlando(15-10) overtook them early in the second half and had a 89-83 advantage at the end of the third quarter. The Magic would slow pull away during the final quarter. 

     Norman Powell ended up with 21 points and eight rebounds for the Heat. Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins both had 19 points each. Tyler Herro was able to contribute 20 points. 

     Desmond Bane scored a game-high 37 points for the Magic. Jalen Suggs added 20 points while Wendell Carter Jr. compiled a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. 

2025 FHSAA Football Finals Set

      The schedule for the 2025 FHSAA Football Finals has been set for later this week. Seven championship games will happen from South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami. It will be the second straight year that the state championship contests will be held at that venue. 

      The Class 2A state championship will be the first state championship game to be played on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. between the Bolles Bulldogs and the Cardinal Mooney Cougars. Bolles looks to capture their 12th state title and their first state crown since 2011. 

      Thursday will have the Class 1A state title contest between two South Florida high schools at 12:30 p.m. The Chaminade-Madonna Lions take on the Cardinal Newman Crusaders. The Lions will make their state-record 10th consecutive state final appearance and attempt to capture their fifth straight state championship. The Crusaders will try to win their first state title. 

       It will be followed by a Class 5A state title rematch at 7:30 p.m. as the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders challenge the Lakeland Dreadnaughts. The Raiders have the opportunity to capture a state-record seventh consecutive state championship and a state-record 17th state title. The Dreadnaughts will look to win their 10th state title and their first state crown since 2018. 

       Friday will consist of the Class 6A state title tilt at 12:30 p.m. between the West Boca Raton Bulls and the West Broward Bobcats. The Bulls have a chance to compile back-to-back state championships while the Bobcats will try to capture their first state title. 

       The Class 3A state championship contest will happen at 7:30 p.m. when the Miami Northwestern Bulls face the Raines Vikings. The Bulls will attempt to win a second straight state championship and ninth overall state crown. 

       The Class 4A state championship game will occur on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. with the American Heritage Patriots taking on the Jones Tigers. The Patriots will try to capture their second straight state title and their seventh overall state championship. 

       The final state championship clash will be on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. for Class 7A between the Vero Beach Indians and the Lake Mary Rams. The Indians look to win their first state title since 1981 and their second overall. The Rams return the the FHSAA Football Finals for the second straight season. 

2025 FHSAA Playoffs State Semifinals Results

     The 2025 FHSAA state semifinals occurred last week. Seven South Florida tri-county high schools advanced to the state finals. All state championship games will be played from December 10 to December 13 at South Dade Kia Field in Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus in Miami. 

      In Class 7A,  

Hurricanes Make College Football Playoffs

     The College Football Playoff Committee made the announcement on Sunday which 12 universities will play in the 2025 College Football Playoffs. The University of Miami Hurricanes was named the 10th seed. The Canes was the only Atlantic Coast Conference team that was seeded. 

     The Hurricanes will play a first-round game against the seventh seed Texas A&M Aggies at College Station, Texas on December 20. The winner of that game will face the second seed Ohio State Buckeyes at a bowl game in a neutral site. 

Panthers Withstand Islanders

      The Florida Panthers pulled away by the New York Islanders 4-1 at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday. The Panthers completed a six-game homestand and finished off a stretch in which 11 of their last 12 contests were at home.

      Florida(14-12-2) went out to a 1-0 advantage with 7:46 left in the first period. Uvis Balinskis sent a wrist shot from the left point for his first tally this year. 

      In the second period, the Cats expanded their lead to 2-0 at the 7:05 mark. Carter Verhaeghe scored his eighth goal of the campaign on a wrist shot from the low left circle. 

      New York(16-11-3) cut the deficit to 2-1 at 9:03 of the second. Matt Barzal placed in a backhand shot from the inner left circle for his ninth goal of the season. 

      The Panthers increased their lead to 3-1 on a 4-on-4 situation with 6:03 remaining in the third period. Seth Jones fired a shot from long range for his fifth goal of the year. Sam Bennett would get an empty-net goal with 2:54 to go in the third. 

Dolphins Crash Jets

      The Miami Dolphins handled the New York Jets 34-10 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. The Dolphins have won four straight contests and five of their last seven games. The Jets were eliminated from postseason contention. 

      Miami(6-7) scored three touchdowns and had a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Tua Tagovailoa tossed a three-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle on the left side of the end zone at the 12:46 mark. De'Von Achane rushed the ball around the left end for a 13-yard touchdown at 8:48. Jaylen Wright plunged in from two yards out with 3:39 to go in the quarter. 

      New York(3-10) finally answered back with 20 seconds left in the first. Isaiah Williams returned a punt 78 yards for a score to make it 21-7. Riley Patterson booted a 43-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in the second quarter for a 24-7 lead. 

      The Jets closed it to 24-10 when Nick Folk kicked a 31-yard field goal at the 12:13 mark of the fourth quarter. The Fins extended their lead to 31-10 with 6:18 left in the fourth quarter. Ollie Gordon II rushed up the middle from seven yards out. Patterson added a 53-yard field goal with 2:24 to go for a 24-point margin. 

Austin Dean Remains In Asia

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Austin Dean will be staying in Asia. He has re-signed a new one-year contract with the LG Twins in the Korea Baseball Organization. 

     Dean broke into the majors with the Marlins in 2018 and 2019. He finished with a .223 batting average in 98 games with Miami. 

Inter Miami CF Wins MLS Cup

     Inter Miami CF defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3-1 in the 2025 MLS Cup Final at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday. The Herons captured their first Major League Soccer title in their six-year franchise history. 

     The Herons took a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute. Tadeo Allende made a pass from the right side and Edier Ocampo deflected it into the Whitecaps cage for an own goal.

     In the second half, Vancouver tied it up 1-1 during the 60th minute. Ali Ahmed received a square pass and blasted a 16-yard shot with his right foot.

     Inter Miami CF reclaimed the lead 2-1 in the 71st minute. The Whitecaps turned ball over near midfield. Lionel Messi sent a lead pass ahead and Rodrigo De Paul scored with a right-footed shot from nine yards away.

     It became 3-1 for Inter Miami CF in stoppage time. Messi make a chest trap and volleyed the ball ahead. Allende went into the penalty area and softly scored from 15 yards out with his right foot.

Kings Crown Heat

     The Sacramento Kings outpowered the Miami Heat 127-111 at Kaseya Center on Saturday night. The Heat came off a two-game road trip. 

      Sacramento(6-17) held a 34-31 advantage after one quarter. They extended their lead to 72-55 by halftime. 

      Miami(17-10) could not made it a contest and were behind 101-78 at the end of the three quarter. Both clubs began to put in reserves for the final quarter. 

      Jaime Jaquez Jr. came off the bench with 27 points for the Heat. Norman Powell poured in 18 points and Simone Fontecchio dropped in 20 points. 

      Zack LaVine collected a game-high 42 points for the Kings. Keegan Murray contributed 16 points while DeMar DeRozan added 13 points. 

Panthers Outlast Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers overcame the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-6 in overtime on Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers will conclude their six-game homestand tomorrow against the New York Islanders. 

      Both teams were tied 1-1 at the end of the first period. Columbus(13-9-6) scored three unanswered goals during the second period to go up 4-1. 

      Florida(13-12-2) compiled three straight goals to even it up 4-4 later in the second. The Blue Jackets regained the lead 5-4 before the conclusion of the second period.

      Columbus made it a two-goal margin 6-4 at the 2:27 mark of the third period. The Cats responded with two goals and tied it up 6-6 on an Anton Lundell tally with 5:32 remaining in the third.

     In overtime, the Panthers won the game 7-6 with 3.2 seconds left. Sam Bennett released a forehand shot in the crease area for his seventh goal this season.

2025 MLS Cup Preview

     Inter Miami CF faces the Vancouver Whitecaps in the 2025 MLS Cup Final. The championship game will be played at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday. 

     The Herons are playing their sixth season in Major League Soccer. They look to capture their first MLS Cup in franchise history. 

     Inter Miami CF is led by MLS leading goal-scorer Lionel Messi. He leads a ton of international talent that includes Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez. Tadeo Allende and Telasco Sergovia have contributed with timely goals this season. The Herons have won the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield. 

     Vancouver had talented players with Thomas Muller along with Brian White, Sebastian Berhalter and Pedro Vite. They captured the North American Soccer League title in 1979 during a previous incarnation of that franchise. 

     Both clubs played against each other twice in 2025. The Whitecaps eliminated the Herons in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals winning both legs by a 5-1 aggregate in April. 

South Florida High Schools In State Finals

      Seven South Florida tri-county high schools will be playing for a 2025 FHSAA state championship in South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the Florida International University campus next week. The region had nine different teams compete in the state semifinals this week. 

      Two Palm Beach County high schools remained and advanced. West Boca Raton and Cardinal Newman were victorious. 

      Broward County dropped from five teams to four. St. Thomas Aquinas, Chaminade-Madonna, American Heritage and West Broward won while Cardinal Gibbons lost. 

      Dade County went from two representatives to one. Miami Northwestern moved on and Miami Palmetto was eliminated. 

2026 FIFA World Cup Draw

     The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw was held on worldwide television at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on Friday. The field was increased from 32 countries to 48 countries for next year's event. They were divided in the drawing into 12 four-country groups. 

     The United States automatically qualified as a host nation and was place in Group D. They were joined by Australia, Paraguay and a yet-to-be known European opponent. The United States last hosted a World Cup back in 1994. 

     Hard Rock Stadium in Miami will host seven World Cup games in 2026. It will include a semifinal matchup in the tournament. 

West Palm Beach Ratings November 2025

      The ratings were released for West Palm Beach sports talk radio stations. The time span went from the third week of October to the second week of November. 

      Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM finished alone in first place for the first time since May. They increased from a 0.1 to a 0.3 n the period. The Florida Atlantic University Owls football team had a 4-5 record. 

      Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM remained at a 0.1 for the third straight month. The University of Florida Gators football team kept going in the SEC with a 3-6 mark. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Stones Riverdale

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders took down the Riverdale Raiders 45-13 in the FHSAA Class 5A state semifinals at Simmons Family Field in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night. STA extended their postseason winning streak to a state-record 34 games and reached the state title game for the 18th time in the last 22 seasons. They will attempt to capture a state-record seventh consecutive state championship along with a state-record 17th overall state title next week in Miami. 

      St. Thomas Aquinas(13-1) scooted out to a 3-0 lead just five minutes into the contest. Johnny DiSalvatore would boot a 17-yard field goal.

      It became 10-0 for them with three minutes left in the opening quarter. Jaden Desir broke through the line and scored a touchdown from 31 yards away. 

      STA increased their lead to 17-0 on another touchdown with a couple of minutes remaining in the first quarter. It became a 38-point margin for them 38-0 with three touchdowns during the second quarter. 

      Riverdale(12-2) was able to break the shutout early in the third quarter. They reached the end zone and were down 38-7. Aquinas outscored their opponent 7-6 in the final quarter for a 45-13 advantage. 

Chaminade-Madonna Crushes Trinity Christian Academy

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions dominated the Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors 35-0 in the FHSAA Class 1A state semifinals on Friday night at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood. It was a rematch from last year between both two high schools in the same round with the same result. 

     The Lions reached the state championship game for the 10th consecutive season. They will attempt to win their fifth straight state title, their eighth state crown in the last nine seasons and their 10th overall state championship next week in Miami. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(11-2) broke out to a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. They were able to score on a touchdown pass. 

      The Lions expanded their lead to 14-0 with two minutes remaining in the second quarter. They scored on another touchdown pass.

     Trinity Christian Academy(9-5) would find themselves down 21-0 with two minutes left in the third quarter. The Lions reached the end zone on a touchdown run.

     Chaminade-Madonna extended their lead to 35-0 during the final quarter. They scored touchdown runs at the seven-minute mark and the four-minute mark.  

American Heritage Commands Choctawhatchee

     The American Heritage Patriots dropped the Choctawhatchee Indians 31-14 on Friday night in a FHSAA Class 4A state semifinal. The Patriots title reign continues as they play for their second straight state title in Miami next week. 

      American Heritage(8-5) raced out to a 7-0 advantage in the early stages of the first quarter. The Patriots increased their lead to 10-0 on a field goal in the second quarter. They added a touchdown late in the second for a 17-0 halftime lead. 

     Choctawhatchee(12-2) surrendered another touchdown during the third quarter and trailed 24-0. The Indians came back with a touchdown later in the third and trailed 24-6. Both teams scored one touchdown each during the final quarter. 

Miami Northwestern Dismantles Bishop Moore

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls powered by the Bishop Moore Hornets 52-21 in the FHSAA Class 3A state semifinals at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami on Friday night. The Bulls were the only playoff team in the state that played on five days rest tonight. They will return home to Dade County and try to win their second straight state title in Miami next week. 

     Bishop Moore(12-2) saw themselves take a 7-0 lead several minutes in the first quarter. Miami Northwestern(13-0) responded on their first possession with a field goal with seven minutes remaining in the first and they were down 7-3. 

     The Bulls picked up a touchdown early in the second quarter and led 10-7. They expanded their lead to 17-7 on another touchdown several minutes later. 

     The Hornets closed the lead to 17-14 midway into the second as they scored on a touchdown pass. The Bulls answered back on their next drive with a touchdown pass with three minutes to go and they had a 24-14 advantage going into halftime. 

      Northwestern added to their lead 31-14 on a touchdown toss four minutes into the third quarter. Bishop Moore answered with a touchdown pass midway in the third and they were down 31-21. The Bulls made it a 17-point gap again with less than a minute to go in the quarter for a 38-21 lead. 

      The West kept their dominance in the final quarter. The Bulls had a rushing touchdown three minutes into the fourth and a pick-six interception with seven minutes remaining in the quarter for a 52-21 lead. 

Vero Beach Edges Miami Palmetto

     The Vero Beach Indians got by the Miami Palmetto Panthers 45-44 in double overtime in the FHSAA Class 7A state semifinals on Friday night. The contest was held on Billy Livings Field at the Citrus Bowl in Indian River County. The Indians will look to win their first state championship since 1981 and their second state crown in school history next week in Miami. 

     Miami Palmetto(11-3) struck first to make it 7-0 with nine minutes remaining in the opening quarter. They reached the end zone on a 14-yard  touchdown pass. 

     Vero Beach(14-0) returned the kickoff to midfield for their first drive. E.J. White tossed a three-yard touchdown pass to Latravious Woods to even it up 7-7 with five minutes to go in the first quarter. 

      The Indians leaped to a 14-7 lead with under a minute left in the first. Woods caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from White. 

      The Panthers tied it 14-14 two minutes into the second quarter. Conneilus Miller Jr. make a 31-yard touchdown reception. Both teams kicked a field goal in the final minute of the second and it was tied 17-17 at halftime. 

      In the third quarter, Vero Beach made it 24-17 as Hillsman plunged in on a two-yard touchdown run at the nine-minute mark. The Indians increased it to 31-17 when Hillsman rushed in from 11 yards out with seven minutes remaining in the third. 

      Palmetto quickly answered back and cut the deficit to 31-24 just one minute later. They were able to pull off a 34-yard touchdown pass. 

      The Indians expanded their lead to 38-24 in the first minute of the final quarter. White connected a four-yard touchdown pass to Jarvis Jacobs. 

      The Panthers cut it to 38-31 on a 15-yard touchdown strike with seven minutes remaining. Palmetto got the ball back midway in the fourth and tied it up 38-38 with under one minute left on a two-yard touchdown run. The game would go into overtime. 

       Palmetto had the first shot in overtime and missed a field goal. Vero Beach also missed on a field goal for the contest to go into double overtime. 

       The Indians made it 45-38 when White fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to Hillsman. The Panthers answered back with a one-yard touchdown run to make it 45-44, however they failed on a two-point conversion. 

Bolles Ends Cardinal Gibbons

     The Bolles Bulldogs knocked out the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs 42-20 in Jacksonville on Friday night in a FHSAA Class 2A state semifinal game. The Bulldogs made their return to the state championship contest for the first time in a couple of years. 

     Bolles(13-1) found the end zone during their first possession of the game. They were able to move ahead 7-0. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(10-4) cut it to 7-6 midway into the first quarter when Jayden Torres connected a touchdown pass to Merrick Todich. They missed the extra point and were down by one point. 

      The rest of the first half belonged to the Bulldogs. They extended their lead to 14-6 on a rushing touchdown with until a minute left in the first. 

      Bolles made it 21-6 on a touchdown pass two minutes into the second quarter. Xavier Edwards would score on a touchdown run with five minutes remaining in the second for a 28-6 advantage. He sprinted into the end zone again for another touchdown in the final minute of the first half and they held a 35-6 halftime lead. 

      The Bulldogs added more points to begin the second half. They gained a 42-6 lead on another Edwards rushing touchdown four minutes into the third quarter. 

      The Chiefs closed it to 42-14 with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Torres rushed the ball in for a touchdown and they made a two-point conversion.

      It became 42-20 with less than a minute left in the fourth. Cardinal Gibbons reached the end zone on a touchdown pass. 

West Boca Raton Survives Armwood

     The West Boca Raton Bulls went on the road and barely got by the Armwood Hawks 14-13 in the FHSAA Class 6A state semifinals in Seffner on Friday night. The Bulls title reign continued and they will attempt to capture their second straight state championship in Miami next week. 

     West Boca Raton(12-2) was able to take a 7-0 lead on their second possession of the contest with five minutes remaining in the first quarter. They struck with a 30-yard touchdown pass. 

      Armwood(13-1) tied the contest up 7-7 in the final minute of the opening quarter. They got into the end zone on a 13-yard touchdown pass. 

      The Hawks jumped to a 13-7 advantage with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. They scored on a five-yard touchdown run, but missed the extra point. 

      The Bulls got the ball back with five minutes to go in the final quarter. West Boca Raton finished the drive on a one-yard touchdown run with under a minute left in the fourth quarter to take a 14-13 lead. Armwood had a final chance to win the contest and missed a field goal with no time remaining. 

Magic Squeeze By Heat

     The Orlando Magic beat the Miami Heat 106-105 on Friday night at Kia Center. The Heat ended a two-game road swing and will host the Sacramento Kings tomorrow. 

     Orlando(14-9) had a slight 30-28 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. Miami(14-9) eased in front and led 60-57 at halftime. 

      The Magic outscored their opponent 30-19 during the third quarter and were up 87-79. They were able to hold off the Heat in the final seconds of the contest. 

      Bam Adebayo led Miami with a double-double of 24 points and 15 rebounds. Norman Powell dropped in 28 points while Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 16 points. 

      Franz Wagner placed in a game-high 32 points for Orlando. Jalen Suggs was able to contribute 22 points in the victory. 

Cardinal Newman Outduels Carrollwood Day

     The Cardinal Newman Crusaders outscored the Carrollwood Day Patriots 48-33 in a FHSAA Class 1A state semifinal on Friday night. It was held at Sam Budnyk Field in West Palm Beach. Crusaders head coach Jack Daniels will return to the state title game for the first time since he coached Dwyer to a state championship in 2013. 

     Carrollwood Day(12-1) rocketed out to a 7-0 lead at the start of the contest. Brooklyn Maxey returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. 

     Cardinal Newman(11-3) answered back on their first possession of the game to tie it up 7-7 three minutes later. Janarro Sumpter scored on a touchdown run. 

      The Crusaders would then intercept a pass. It led to a a rushing touchdown and a 14-7 advantage with six minutes to go in the first quarter. 

      They intercepted another pass and returned it to the end zone with 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter. It gave them a 21-7 advantage.

      The Patriots loss the ball on downs at the Crusaders 10-yard line. It became 28-7 for Cardinal Newman with three minutes left in the second on a touchdown pass. 

      Cardinal Newman extended their lead to 34-7 on their first possession of the second half. They picked up a running touchdown two minutes into the third quarter. 

      Carrollwood Day responded on their next drive to make it 34-13 with eight minutes left in the third. They scored on a touchdown run, however they missed on the extra point. 

       The Crusaders reached the end zone again for a 41-13 lead with five minutes remaining in the third quarter. They did it on a touchdown completion. 

       The Patriots fired back and cut it to 41-19 with two minutes to go in the quarter. They scored on a touchdown run, however they failed to make the two-point conversion. 

       Carrollwood Day did get another rushing touchdown with three minutes left in the final quarter. The Patriots took control of the ball on a fumble by the Crusaders and scored on a touchdown run with one minute to go. They made the two-point conversion run and closed it to 41-33. 

      Cardinal Newman recovered a failed onside kick by the Patriots and had great field position. They finished up the drive on a touchdown run with less than a minute left for a 48-33 lead. 

West Broward Upsets Buchholz

     The Buchholz Bobcats were upended by the West Broward Bobcats 24-17 in a FHSAA Class 6A state semifinal game on Friday night. The contest was held in Gainesville.

      It was a low-scoring contest during the first half. Buchholz(12-2) got out to a 3-0 lead on a 32-yard field goal from Jay Giunta with three minutes left in the first quarter. They would be up by three points at halftime. 

      Buchholz increased their lead to 10-0 with seven minutes to go in the third quarter on a touchdown pass. West Broward(12-2) matched it with a 79-yard touchdown run with four minutes to go in the third and they trailed 10-7. 

      It would become 14-10 for West Broward one minute into the fourth quarter on a nine-yard touchdown run. They extended their lead to 21-10 on a touchdown pass with five minutes remaining in the fourth. West Broward added a field goal for a 24-10 lead with two minutes to go in the quarter. Buchholz picked up a five-yard touchdown pass with under a minute left in the fourth and they were down 24-17. 

Predators Top Panthers

      The Nashville Predators came back on the Florida Panthers 2-1 in overtime on Thursday night at Amerant Bank Arena. Both teams faced each other for the second time in 11 days. Both clubs had two of the six worst records in the NHL entering tonight. 

      Florida(12-12-4) moved out to a 1-0 lead with 3:34 left in the first period. Sam Bennett angled a pass from the top left circle and Carter Verhaeghe put in a wrist shot from the left side of the crease past Juuse Saros for his fifth goal of the season. A.J. Greer picked up a secondary assist on the sequence. 

      After no scoring during the second period, Nashville(10-13-4) evened it up 1-1 at the 6:19 mark of the third period. Nicolas Hague pushed the puck from the left point and Michael Bunting released a shot from the low left circle which was saved. Ryan O'Reilly scored his ninth goal of the campaign on a backhand shot from the left side of the crease by Sergei Bobrovsky. 

      The Predators won the contest with 57 seconds left in overtime. Roman Josi made a drop pass in the high slot. O'Reilly carried it to the below the right circle and passed to the middle. Steven Stamkos scored on a forehand shot from the top of the crease for his eighth goal this season and 590th NHL goal in his career. 

North Miami Beach Downed By Dunnellon

      The North Miami Beach Chargers were defeated by the Dunnellon Tigers 13-7 in the Florida Invitational Tournament 3A-1A state title game at The Villages on Thursday. It concluded the inaugural FIT held by the FHSAA. 

      It turned out to be a quick start at the beginning of the first half.  Dunnellon(8-6) leaped out to a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.

      North Miami Beach(6-7) would tie the contest up 7-7 with seven minutes to go in the first. John Gray rushed in for a touchdown from 28 yards away. 

      The Tigers were able to reclaim the lead 13-7 with one minute left in the second quarter. They scored on a touchdown pass and missed the extra point. 

Dr. Joaquin Garcia Blanks Tate

      The Dr. Joaquin Garcia Bulldogs were victorious over the Tate Aggies 10-0 on Thursday night in the Florida Invitational Tournament 7A-4A state championship game at The Villages. The Bulldogs completed their third season as a high school football program. 

      Neither teams scored in the first two quarters of the contest. Dr. Joaquin Garcia(11-3) pulled ahead 7-0 with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter. They were able to score on a touchdown pass. 

      Tate(10-4) missed on a field goal attempt during the first minute of the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs responded with a field goal on their next possession midway through the final quarter for a 10-0 lead. The Aggies failed on another field goal when it was blocked with three minutes left in the fourth. 

Early National Signing Day Broward County

      It was early national signing day on Wednesday for high school football players in Broward County. The region saw plenty of players that will go to the next level.

      Chaminade-Madonna had a bunch of players who have won three state titles. They consisted of Derrek Cooper(Texas), Denairius Gray(Kentucky), Jasen Lopez(Florida State), Bryant Julius(Appalachian State), Leonazay Merzlus(Western Kentucky), Noah Sidan(FIU), R.J. Alphonse(Eastern Michigan) and Ekeem Atehotua(Alabama State), 

      St. Thomas Aquinas had their share of players with three state championships who signed. They included Brady Palmer(Temple), Justice Fitzpatrick(Georgia), Daniel Norman(Oklahoma), Jermiyah Douglas(Western Carolina), Phillip Goodrich(Army) and Christien Moreau(Middle Tennessee State).

       American Heritage had several of their players decide. They were Dia Bell(Texas), Brandon Bennett(Florida State), Col Jean-Noel(Georgia Tech), Kymani Morales(Georgia Tech), Jamar Denson(Troy), Justin Cassini(Rochester), Tre Nichols(South Florida), Cory Simon(Eastern Michigan), Issac Tanis(Western Kentucky) and Theodore Welch(Rhode Island). 

       Other players included from Cardinal Gibbons Gary Hadley Jr.(Tulane), Somerset Academy Kaj Baker(Central Florida), Cypress Bay Ben Gula(Colorado), Flanagan Michael Smarts(FIU) and West Broward Alejandro Schmitt(FAU). 

Early National Signing Day Dade County

      Wednesday was early national signing day in Dade County for high school football players. There were not as many signings in 2025 as there have been in previous years from the region. 

      Goleman Gators defensive back Darryl Bell III signed his letter of intent with the Florida State University Seminoles. Miami Northwestern Bulls defensive lineman Jordan Campbell decided to stay in the South Florida area with the University of Miami Hurricanes. 

Early National Signing Day Palm Beach County

     It was early national signing day for high school football players in Palm Beach County. There was more signing in this region this year than there were in previous years. 

     The reigning FHSAA Class 6A state champions West Boca Raton had 10 players sign their letters of intent. Javian Mallory heads to Miami, Jaydein Broudnax goes to Louisville and Demetrius Geathers is off to South Florida. Other athletes included Grant Edmond(Wagner), Chris Medina(Bethune-Cookman), Kyle Andrews(West Georgia), Xavier Reid(Liberty), Calerbe Hermane(Murray State), Tayegan Briskey(Air Force) and Decarlo Alvarez(Presbyterian). 

     Atlantic had their share with seven players. They had Mark Hanniford(Ball State), J'Von Hatcher(Northern Illinois), Horace Glenn III(Eastern Michigan), James Jones(North Dakota State), Kemari Walcott(Concordia-St. Paul), Jamari Holiday(Livingstone) and Trevor Wellington Jr.(Livingstone).

      Palm Beach Central had three signings. Travis Jackson stays local at FAU while Cam Dwyer and Antoine Sharp leave for West Virginia. 

      There were three players signing from Cardinal Newman. Adam Balogoun-Ali choose Auburn, Jyron Hughley picked West Virginia and Brayden Charney selected Syracuse. 

      North of Palm Beach County, Vero Beach had four impact players. They included E.J. White(Florida State), Jordan Crutchfield(Florida State), Champ Smith(Illinois) and Xavier Stinson(Iowa). 

Dodgers Re-Signing Miguel Rojas

     The Los Angeles Dodgers will be re-signing infielder Miguel Rojas to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million. Next year is expected to be his final season in the majors. He will remain in the organization in the player development department beyond 2026. 

     Rojas was with the Miami Marlins for eight seasons from 2015 to 2022. He contributed to the Dodgers winning two straight World Series titles in 2024 and 2025. 

Miami Ratings November 2022

      The ratings were issued for Miami/Fort Lauderdale sports talk radio stations. The time span was from the third week in October to the second week in November. 

      104.3 Sports WQAM-AM trended up for the third straight time as it moved up from a 1.0 to a 1.1 in the month. The Florida Panthers had a 8-7-1 record and were not in postseason contention. The Miami Heat began their 2025-26 campaign with an average 7-5 record. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team struggled during the middle of their regular season losing two of three conference games and having a 7-2 overall mark. 

      Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM remained at a 0.5 in the period. The Miami Dolphins were near the bottom of the AFC East Division with a 3-7 record and five games behind for first place. 

      Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM rose from a 0.1 to a 0.2. The Florida Atlantic University Owls football team was mediocre with a 4-5 record. 

      The WINZ stream on WZTU-FM-HD2 increased to a 0.4 after two months at a 0.3. The WQAM-FM stream shifted from a 0.0 to a 0.1. 

Kim Ng On Contemporary Baseball Era Committee

     The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced the members of the contemporary baseball era committee. Former Miami Marlins executive Kim Ng is one of the 12 representatives. The committee's decision for any new inductee will be make in Orlando on Sunday. 

     Ng was the general manager of the Marlins from November 2020 until October 2023. She is currently the commissioner of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. Ng was once the assistant general manager of the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2001 and the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2001 to 2011. 

Heat Lose To Mavericks

      The Miami Heat fell to the Dallas Mavericks 118-108 at American Airlines Center on Wednesday night. It was a rematch of the 2006 and 2011 NBA Finals. 

      Miami(14-8) strolled out to a 33-28 advantage by the end of the first quarter. Dallas(8-15) bounced back as they outscored the Heat 36-21 in the second quarter for a 64-54 halftime lead. 

      The Mavericks extended their lead to 93-80 by the conclusion of the third quarter. The Heat cut into the lead slightly during the final quarter. 

       Kel'el Ware led Miami with a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds. Bam Adebayo dropped in 21 points while Tyler Herro had 20 points. 

       Anthony Davis collected a double-double as he finished with 17 points and 17 rebounds for the Mavericks. Connor Flagg had a team-high 22 points and Klay Thompson ended up with 17 points. 

2025 FHSAA Playoffs Regional Final Results

       The regional finals of the 2025 FHSAA Playoffs occurred on Friday night. Nine South Florida tri-county teams from Palm Beach County, Broward County and Dade County advanced to the state semifinals. 

       Class 7A in Region 4 had #1 Palmetto outscore #3 Goleman 65-41. The Panthers will travel up to Vero Beach in the next round. 

       In Region 3 of Class 6A, #2 West Boca Raton routed #5 Mitchell 41-3. The Bulls will head to Armwood in the state semifinals. Region 4 resulted in #2 West Broward slipping by #1 Southridge 30-27. The Bobcats make a long trip to Gainesville against Buchholz. 

       #1 St. Thomas Aquinas handled #6 McArthur 34-7 in Region 4 of Class 5A. The Raiders will host Riverdale in the state semifinals.

       Class 4A in Region 4 had #2 American Heritage got by #1 Archbishop McCarthy 25-20. The Patriots will fly up to Fort Walton Beach and take on Choctawhatchee in the following round. 

       Region 4 in Class 3A saw #1 Miami Northwestern outlast #2 Miami Central 50-29. The Bulls will be at home against Bishop Moore in a state semifinal. 

       In Class 2A, #3 Cardinal Gibbons held off #1 Immaculata-La Salle 20-17 in regional finals. The Chiefs head for Jacksonville and face Bolles in the next round. 

       Region 4 in Class 1A had #1 Chaminade-Madonna roll by #2 True North Academy 35-14. The Lions will host Trinity Christian Academy in the state semifinals. Region 3 saw #2 Cardinal Newman upend #1 St. Petersburg Catholic 42-13. The Crusaders will host Carrollwood Day in the state semifinals. 

       There will be no local South Florida high school in the Class Rural championship game. #4 Pahokee fell to #1 Blountstown 30-3 in the state semifinals. 

Elijah Moore Lands With Broncos

      Former Broward County high school football player Elijah Moore has agreed to join the Denver Broncos. He will be placed on their practice squad. He was released by the Buffalo Bills last week.

     Moore contributed to the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders capture three consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state championships in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He split his first four NFL seasons with the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns. 

Michael Badgley Waived By Colts

     The Indianapolis Colts have waived kicker Michael Badgley. He signed with the team back on October 7 and played in seven contests. 

     Badgley played college football with the University of Miami Hurricanes. He has been in the National Football League since the 2018 season. 

Alek Manoah Inks With Angels

     Former Dade County high school baseball player Alek Manoah has signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels. The deal is worth $1.95 million. 

     Manoah played high school baseball with the South Dade Buccaneers. He spent four seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2021 to 2024. 

Carlos Delgado Hall Of Fame Nominee

      One-time Florida Marlins first baseman Carlos Delgado is one of eight nominees for the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the contemporary baseball era committee. It consists of baseball players who participated since 1980. The final results for induction will be announced on December 7 in Orlando. 

      Delgado was with the Marlins for only one season in 2005. He compiled 33 home runs, 115 runs batted in and a .301 batting average in 144 games with the Fish. 

Mark Buehrle Nominated Again

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle has been nominated again for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The results for the 2026 inductee by the Baseball Writers Association of America will be announced on January 20. 

     Buerhle spent just one season with the Marlins in 2012. He finished with a 13-13 record and a 3.74 earned run average with Miami. He won a World Series title with the Chicago White Sox in 2005. 

Jack Studnicka Makes Panthers Debut

      Florida Panthers forward Jack Studnicka made his debut with the team on Tuesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played eight games with the Panthers AHL affiliate in Charlotte this season.

      Studnicka entered the NHL with the Boston Bruins and played four seasons with them. He later was with the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks. 

Maple Leafs Freeze Panthers

      The Toronto Maple Leafs stepped by the Florida Panthers 4-1 at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night. It was a rematch of the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

      The Cats now have the worst record in the Eastern Conference. Jack Studnicka made his debut with the Panthers. 

      Toronto(12-11-3) rolled out to a 1-0 lead at the 5:24 mark of the first period. Troy Stecher got his first goal with his new club. He released a wrist shot from the right point past Sergei Bobrovsky. 

      The Maple Leafs expanded their lead to 2-0 at 7:54. Dakota Joshua took a forehand shot from the left of the crease for his fourth goal of the campaign.

      Florida(12-12-3) cut the deficit to 2-1 on a shorthanded goal with 5:17 remaining in the second period. Anton Lundell fed a centering pass from the low left circle and Sam Reinhart scored his 14th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the inner right circle by Joseph Woll.  

      In the third period, the Leafs increased it to 3-1 with 7:42 left. Scott Laughton was able to collect his first tally this year on a shot from the top of the crease. 

      The Panthers gave up one more goal in the final minute of the third. John Tavares got an empty-net goal with 50 seconds to go as he carried the puck down the ice alone from the neutral zone.