Despite playing without two of its best players, Booker T. Washington surged to a 16-8 win over Jackson on Friday night to clinch the District 16-3A championship. 
Eduardo Clements, Washington
File photo by Lou Novick
The Tornadoes (8-0), ranked No. 3 in the state by MaxPreps' Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard, won their seventh consecutive district championship, the longest active streak by any Miami-Dade County team, without quarterback Jeremiah Hay and highly touted running back Eduardo Clements.
The Tornadoes were led by senior defensive lineman Gerald Taylor and running back Dwight Hopkins.
Taylor recorded three of the unit's seven sacks, while Hopkins, also a senior, rushed for 67 yards on 17 carries and a score.
Bulls clinch district
For the fourth time in five years, Miami Northwestern clinched the District 13-6A championship after a 59-21 win over Miami Springs. The Bulls (6-1), ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 6A, received a big lift from running back Corvin Lamb, who churned out 138 yards and two touchdowns.
Young Viking makes statement
Sophomore running back Randy Duke Johnson is continuing his mission to finish the season as Miami-Dade County's leading rusher. Johnson rushed for 184 yards on seven carries and four TDs while leading Norland to a 56-0 win over Hialeah Gardens on Friday. Johnson currently leads the county in rushing yards (1,090) and touchdowns (18).
Gibbons keeps streak alive
The Cardinal Gibbons swim teams kept their incredible win streak alive after defeating Douglas and Cypress Bay at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex on Wednesday. As a result of the victory, both the boys and girls teams have amassed a 38-meet win streak. Their last defeat was to Douglas in 2006.
T.I.P. Award
This week's top individual performance award goes to South Broward running back Kevin Grooms. Grooms led the Bulldogs to a 38-14 win over Nova by rushing for 222 yards and three scores, while also catching a 40-yard touchdown pass.
Top performers (Miami-Dade County)
RB Steven Braddy, Ferguson, rushed for 142 yards on 20 carries with four touchdowns in a 27-20 win over Southwest.
QB, Jeffrey Godfrey, Central, completed 13-of-16 passes for 177 yards and four scores, while also rushing for a score in a 48-0 win over Hialeah.
QB, Stephen Morris, Pace, completed 9-of-14 passes for 204 yards and six touchdowns in a 46-0 win over Somerset.
ATH, Richard Leonard, Killian, finished with 258 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in a 42-39 loss to South Dade.
QB, Rakeem Cato, Miami Springs, completed 19-of-38 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns in a 59-21 loss to Northwestern.
Top performers (Broward)
QB, Steven Garitty, Coral Springs, passed for a career-high 323 yards and kicked a 27-yard field goal in an 18-10 win over Monarch.
WR, Phillip Dorsett, St. Thomas, caught three touchdown passes in a 49-7 win over McArthur.
QB, Michael German, Ely, threw for 182 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for a score in a 26-0 win over Boyd Anderson.
RB, Dareyon Chance, Cardinal Gibbons, scored three touchdowns in a 50-0 win over Pompano Beach.
Recruiting tracker
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) running back Giovanni Bernard has verbally committed to Notre Dame. Bernard (5-foot-9, 200 pounds) is the Raiders' third all-time leading rusher with 2,875 yards on 365 carries and 31 touchdowns.
Other South Florida verbals came from University School defensive lineman David Perry (University of Miami) and Sheridan Hills lineman David Delsoin (FIU).
On deck
St. Thomas (7-0), the nation's No. 1-ranked team according to MaxPreps' Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard, faces a tough opponent in Deerfield Beach on Friday at Lockhart Stadium. Last time these two faced off, St. Thomas smashed the Bucks 65-10 in front of a national television audience.
The Bucks (5-2) enter the contest with one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in Broward County, senior Donte Dotson. Dotson has rushed for 710 yards and eight touchdowns, while passing for 623 yards and seven scores with only one interception.
The Raiders have won 31 consecutive games, the state's longest active winning streak, and have not allowed more than seven points to any Florida team this season. Quarterback Jacob Ruddock, who has totaled 1,022 yards and 17 scores, leads an offense that is averaging 44.4 points per game this season.
