Fresh off a pivotal 22-14 win over district rival Central last Thursday night, the Northwestern Bulls have reclaimed their position as the top high school football team in Florida’s Class 6A.
Photo by Lou Novick
Teddy Bridgewater, Northwestern
The Bulls surged to victory with 20 unanswered second-half points powered by the tandem of junior quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (12-of-23 passing for 163 yards and two scores) and senior receiver Michaelee Harris (nine catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns).
Off the field, Northwestern established a spark led by some of its alumni. Former Bull and current Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Vernon Carey ripped into his old team at halftime and lit a fire amongst them.
"Big Vern scared the hell out of me," Bulls defensive lineman Todd Chandler told the Miami Herald. "He said, ‘Rarrrr.’ I was like, ‘OK Big Vern, whatever you say.' I was kind of scared. I just backed up out of his way. But I thank Vernon Carey for giving us what we needed. He came in and let us know what it means to be a Bull."
Then, the young Bulls were coached by some of their players from the 2007 mythical national championship team, including receiver Aldarius Johnson, linebacker Sean Spence and quarterback Jacory Harris. The former Bulls, who are currently leading the resurgence at the University of Miami, took ownership of their individual positions and coached their young apprentices on everything from route-running and coverage reads to snap counts.
Castellanos leads Team USA to gold
After being cut from the 18-under USA baseball team a year ago, Archbishop McCarthy third baseman Nick Castellanos made it a priority to do whatever he needed to do to make the team this year. His dedication and commitment not only earned him a spot on this year's team, but he also led the team to its first gold medal during the Pan American Games by defeating the Cuban National Team 6-3 in the title game Oct. 3 in Venezuela.
Throughout their previous nine attempts, the team won three silver and two bronze medals. This season, Castellanos didn't just prove that he belonged on the team, but solidified himself as one of the squad's top players. Throughout the tournament, Castellanos hit .356 and led all players with 14 runs scored. Batting in the clean-up spot, Castellanos recorded six doubles and nine RBI and was named to the all-tournament team.
Tindal ties Broward County passing record
Stranahan quarterback Willie Tindal tied a Broward County record for touchdown passes in a game with seven while leading the Dragons to a 53-6 win over Forest Hill. Tindal, a senior, threw for 334 yards to go along with his seven scores. So far, the standout senior has completed 73-of-103 passes for 1,186 yards with 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions this season.
Jassany Williams commits to Auburn
Nova's Jassany Williams gave her verbal commitment to Auburn last week. The 6-foot-2 Williams, a first-team all-state selection, chose Auburn after receiving offers from Georgia Tech, Miami and Pittsburgh. As a junior, Williams led Nova to its first berth in the state tournament, posting 15.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.
T.I.P award
Last week’s top individual performance award goes to Calvary Christian running back Dominick Pierre. Pierre led the Eagles to a 47-46 win over Pope John Paul II with a total of six touchdowns. Pierre, a senior, rushed for 246 yards on 20 carries and four touchdowns, while also catching two touchdown passes. As if his offensive presence wasn’t dominant enough, Pierre also led the Eagles' defense with a total of 12 tackles.
Other top performances (Miami-Dade)
Jakhari Gore, RB, Columbus — Gore, a senior, led the Explorers to a 40-14 win over Coral Gables with a total of four touchdowns — two rushing, one receiving and one passing.
Jerron Seymour, RB, Hialeah — Seymour, a junior, led Hialeah to a 33-7 win over Miami Beach after rushing for 137 yards and five touchdowns.
Richard Leonard, ATH, Killian — Leonard, a senior, led the Cougars to a 22-19 win over Coral Reef after rushing for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
Michaelee Harris, WR, Northwestern — Harris, a senior, led the Bulls to an amazing 22-14 comeback victory over top-ranked Central in front of a national audience. Harris finished the contest with nine catches for 133 yards and two scores.
Other top performances (Broward)
David McKnight, RB, Cypress Bay — McKnight, a senior, led the Lightning to a 36-18 win over Flanagan by rushing for 218 yards on 20 carries and three scores, while also catching a 33-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Kevin Grooms, RB, South Broward — Grooms, a senior, led the Bulldogs to a heroic 27-26 comeback victory over McArthur after returning a punt 71 yards for a score with 15 seconds remaining in regulation. Grooms also rushed for a game-high 127 yards on 18 carries.
Donte Dotson, QB, Deerfield Beach — Dotson, a senior, led the Bucks to a 27-6 win over Northeast by rushing for 159 yards on 12 carries and a score, while also throwing a touchdown pass in the win.
Brandon Doughty, QB, North Broward Prep — Doughty, a senior, led North Broward to a 44-28 win over Pine Crest by completing 16-of-24 passes for 272 yards and two scores.
On deck
St. Thomas Aquinas (5-0), the nation’s top-ranked team in Max Preps’ Xcellent 25, welcomes the Miramar Patriots (5-0) on Friday. Last season, the Raiders dominated Miramar 49-2, but this season, the Patriots are a different team and have not given up more than seven points in a game all year. The Raiders, on the other hand, enter the contest averaging 46.2 points per game, while holding opponents to 13.5 points per game.
Fresh off its 22-14 win over 6A power Central, Northwestern will have another tough contest against 6A foe Columbus (5-0). The Explorers, who enter the contest led by Miami-Dade County’s top rusher in Gore, have won 25 of their past 27 games, with the two losses coming to the Bulls. Gore enters the contest with 871 yards and 12 touchdowns on 79 carries.