MaxPreps 2012 Preseason Xcellent 25 Football preview: No. 9 Booker T. Washington

In one of high school football’s most fertile football hotbeds, Washington (Miami) could be top dog this fall.

Last season, the Tornadoes lost narrowly to Bolles in the Class 4A title game. This season, with a whopping 18 starters back, there’s simply no reason to think this team won't be playing for a state title once again.

On offense, it starts with returning quarterback Treon Harris, son of head coach Tim “Ice” Harris. A member of Booker T.’s highly touted 2014 class, Harris tossed for 1,320 yards and rushed for another 892 as a sophomore.

Receivers Lamar Parker and Nicholas Norris return on the outside while Krondis Larry and D'von Ballard, the team’s top two running backs a year ago, are also back in addition to 2015 standout Shaquille Green. The offensive line is led by blue-chip recruit Denver Kirkland.



Defensively, Booker T. might be even stronger. One of the nation’s top defensive players dons black and orange in linebacker Matthew Thomas. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound blue-chip recruit boasts a 4.6 40 time along with a 34-inch vertical jump.

Along with junior Chad Thomas, he gives the Tornadoes a pair of superb pass rushers with requisite speed to thrive in Dade County.

The secondary, led by Florida State commit Michael Johnson, will have good speed and good size.

Local looks: “Booker T. Washington is a program that has the right balance of senior leadership mixed in with a number of underclassmen who have already left their mark. The Tornadoes have built through their nationally rated youth football program that is still going strong in Overtown. In addition, having three coaches on staff who have been head coaches and know the community as well as anyone gives this program a huge lift within the region.”
- Larry Blustein, Miami Herald

"After seeing the performance level during the 2011 Class 4A state final against Jacksonville Bolles, you could see that this team has what it takes to be a winner in 2012. The talent level is exceptional and to return most of your roster from last season is a huge plus for the Tornadoes. With Ice Harris, he is there to win and it would be very shocking not to see the Tornadoes representing Class 4A South in the 2012 Class 4A Final come December."
- Joshua Wilson, FlaHSFootball.com
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Size: Class 4A


Enrollment: 1,050 (approx.)




2011 finish: 12-2, Class 4A finalist


Head coach: Tim Harris


Career record: 69-9


Years at school: 7 (2002-2007; 2011-present)


Notable players coached:
DB Brandon Harris (Miami, NFL)

DB Davon Johnson (Miami)



WR Quinton Dunbar (Florida)
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No. of returning starters: 9 (offense), 9 (defense)

Key losses:
OL Jovon Wooten

OL Danny Arzu

SS/OLB Kevon Caffey

Key returners:
QB Treon Harris



LB Matthew Thomas

DE Chad Thomas

DB Michael Johnson

RB Krondis Larry

Key newcomers:
LB Tyrone Robinson

LB Terry Jefferson



RB Shaquille Green
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Toughest game: Miami Central. We could have given the nod to the Tornadoes’ road showdown with Cedar Hill (Texas). However, the Central has beaten Booker T. each of the last three seasons. If Booker T. is to demonstrate its Dade County supremacy this year, beating Central is imperative.

Question mark: Can Booker T. hang with the big boys? In many parts of Florida, school size is hardly a factor in how good teams are. After all, the cluster of talent that Booker T. has is greater than that found in several small states. However, it’s a very competitive landscape, and Booker T. needs to prove itself against much bigger opponents.

Local look: Per usual, South Florida will have its share of strong teams. Central, as mentioned, will be strong. In Broward County, St. Thomas Aquinas should be much-improved. Palm Beach County features a very talented American Heritage squad as well as perennial power Dwyer, which is loaded on defense.

Overall outlook: This team is drawing comparisons to the 2007 squad that finished undefeated and was among the nation’s best teams. However, it needs avenge last year’s losses while dealing with pressure and expectations for a dream season. The talent and coaching is not in question, but the schedule is brutal. Because they fell short last season, the Tornadoes are both experienced and hungry and should make another trip to Orlando this December.

Coach quote: “All of us down here (in Dade County) have our strengths and weaknesses coming back. But looking at the numbers and key players, the guys that made the biggest plays, we have more coming back than any other team down here. Everybody in the Miami area is looking for us to be the team down here.”
- Offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr.
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