Deerfield Beach at St. Thomas Aquinas
When: Friday, Oct. 17
Where: Brian Piccolo Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Television: CBS College Sports, 8 p.m.
Rankings: St. Thomas Aquinas (No. 1 Florida, No. 1 nationally), Deerfield Beach (No. 7 Florida)
By Stephen Spiewak
MaxPreps.comOne school is a 5A program that has been a dominant program for decades; the other is a 6A team quickly establishing itself as a state - and national - power.
One is a large public high school in a city of only 76,000, the other, a Roman Catholic institution located in one of Broward County’s busiest tourist destinations.
But when Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas (5-0, No. 1 in MaxPreps Florida rankings) and Deerfield Beach (5-0, No. 7) take the field Friday night as part of MaxPreps High School Football presented by Burger King, the two schools, in many ways, will be reflections of one another.
“We’re not in the same classification or district, but the last few years, its kind of been like, we’re right in tune with what they’re doing, and they’re in tune with us as far as being successful after the game,” veteran Aquinas head coach George Smith said. “There’s a rivalry, but a tremendous respect.”
Smith’s point is certainly valid. Last year, his team went undefeated and captured a 5A state title after losing to Deerfield Beach in a 43-41 shootout, the Raiders’ only loss of the season. STA gave up nearly 600 yards of offense to the Bucks and also missed two extra points, minor miscues that had a profound effect on the outcome.
“Those things, we have to stay away from,” Smith said. “Or the result will be the same.”
Deerfield Beach shared in Aquinas’ success after their meeting. The Bucks advanced all the way to the 6A semifinals, where they were matched up against a buzzsaw, the Northwestern Bulls. But Deerfield Beach refused to lie down and let Northwestern march to the state crown.
The Bucks were up 14-12 late in the fourth quarter, and were driving deep in Northwestern territory, when they turned the ball over on the one-yard line. Current Miami quarterback Jacory Harris led the Bulls to a game-winning score with less than 20 seconds to play.
“They probably should’ve beaten Miami Northwestern last year, and were in the state finals [in 2005],” Smith said, respectful of how strong Deerfield Beach has been recently. “It’s very similar…what the schools are trying to accomplish and have been able to accomplish.”
Despite coming up short against Northwestern, Deerfield Beach head coach Art Taylor believes that loss has helped his team mature.
“We didn’t get beaten in that game, we lost that game,” Taylor said. “That’s a bitter feeling for us, and we won’t take anyone for granted. It helps us to play all four quarters. That game helped us build character.”
Taylor was also quick to point out the commonalities between the two programs.
“They are a team a lot like us…good speed, great athletes,” Taylor said. “A lot of these kids will be playing on Saturdays next year. We can’t afford any mistakes. They’ll take advantage of that.”
Last year’s classic contest, a see-saw battle decided in the final seconds by a Diego Ramos field goal, was perhaps the best example of how alike the two programs are.
“I knew it’d come down to that, who had the ball last,” Taylor said. “What a game. I would’ve spent $20 to watch that game.”
One of the athletes that made last year’s game special and will likely make a big impact on this year’s contest is Deerfield Beach quarterback Denard “Shoelace” Robinson, a dual-threat signal caller who has been clocked in the sub-4.4 range for the 40-yard dash.
“Even sometimes I get caught up,” Taylor said. “My jaw drops watching him run the ball.”
Smith is aware of Robinson and will look to curtail his tendency to make the big play.
“We need to keep him in moderation. He’s a tremendous athlete with tremendous speed.”
Aquinas, ranked No. 1 nationally by MaxPreps, features some top-notch talent as well. Duron Carter, son of former Minnesota Viking star Cris Carter, and Dwayne Difton form a dynamic receiving duo. Six-foot-four tight end Gabe Holmes is another dangerous threat for quarterback Ryan Becker, a third team All-State selection last year as a junior.
“They’re all different, but pretty good high school players,” Smith said of Becker’s trio of targets.
The leader on the Raider defense is Conor O’Neill, a senior who recently committed to play for Wisconsin.
“He is the heart of our defense,” Smith said. “A big play kid who is very, very smart.”
If O’Neill and the rest of the Aquinas defense have their way, it could be a low-scoring battle, a departure from last year's barrage of touchdowns. While the level of scoring could be different, Friday night's CBS College Sports-televised showdown pits evenly matched teams and very similar programs from two noticeably different schools.