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 7-10 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.