St. Thomas Aquinas receivers help maintain national power's dominance

The state of Florida is historically known for churning out some of the most exciting athletes the sports world has ever seen. Players like New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (Westminster Academy in Miami) and NFL Hall of Fame running back Emmit Smith (Escambia High School and Univerity of Florida) are just a few products from the state who have become legends within their respective sports.

Aside from the many notable athletes it has produced throughout the years, the Sunshine State also has a knack for developing solid teams. At the prep level, Florida's south region is home to one of the nation's most dominant football teams in St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale).

Throughout the last three seasons, the Raiders (5-0) have won two Class 5A state championships (2007, 2008) and a national title in 2008. This year, they have a star-studded offense that has amassed 1,810 yards and 20 touchdowns headlined by two skilled receivers in Rashad Greene and Phillip Dorsett. Arguably the nation's top receiving duo, both have helped propel the Raiders to the No. 4 spot in the nation in the Max Preps Xcellent 25 Rankings presented by the Army National Guard.

The play of these two receivers has caught the attention of football fans from across the nation, including current NFL Hall of Famers. On his morning show, The Dan Marino Show, Marino was asked how would he like to have the two wideouts on his team and he quickly replied, "Yea, I think I'd do OK with them."

Greene, a Georgia native and Florida State verbal, is in his second year with the Raiders after transferring from Westover High School (Albany, Ga.). Last year, Greene caught 32 passes for 522 yards and 10 scores, while averaging 16.3 yards per catch in a run-first offense. Greene, who ran as low as 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, knows the reputation that Florida has with producing top-notch talent and is proud to be a part of that group now.

"I'm glad to have spent my last two years of high school at St. Thomas," said Greene. "I've gotten stronger and faster since I've been down here. This is a great school and great football program. Coach Smith teaches you to be a man on and off the field and how to take care of your responsibilities. That's helped me become better overall."

Greene (6-foot-2, 180 pounds) has definitely improved this season by catching 12 passes for 341 yards and four scores (averaging 28.4 yards per catch) in four games. His speed and play-making ability are some of the reasons why the Seminoles made him a priority. His decision to choose them over some of the nation's top collegiate programs including Miami, Florida, Georgia and Notre Dame was not as difficult as he thought.

"With Jimbo Fisher taking over, I felt the team was headed for a major turnaround," he said. "He was a former player so he knows how it is out there. That was important to me and, when I get there, I'm going to try my best to help them win."

Greene, who was named MVP for the receivers at the Miami Nike Camp this summer, plays the receiver position similar to Arizona Cardinal receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Both have a potent combination of size and speed that make them legitimate deep threats. Green's game can frustrate defenders, which leaves room for Dorsett.

Dorsett, a University of Miami verbal commit, has Anquan Boldin-like skill. Like Greene, Dorsett (5-9, 160) is a polished route runner who can turn a 10-yard hitch into an 80-yard touchdown catch. Not as bruising of a receiver as Boldin, the shorter Dorsett is known to break tackles and score at will. A 73-yard touchdown reception in last season's 42-34 win over Byrnes (S.C.) defined his relentlessness.

Dorsett, who has been clocked as low as 4.3 in the 40, is also on pace to exceed his production from last season when he caught 30 passes for 586 yards and nine scores. The Hurricanes landed a play-maker who has already had some big games for his team this season, including the 42-28 win over Camden County (Ga.) where he caught touchdown passes of 45 and 80 yards in front of a nationally televised audience two weeks ago.

"I'm comfortable with Miami," he said. "Coach Shannon and the other coaches were great to me when I went down there. I can get along with them and that's important."

The Hurricanes fell to the Seminoles, 45-17, on Saturday night a rivalry game that steadily showcases a large number of former prep standouts from the Sunshine State. When asked how the two could potentially impact the rivalry in the future, Greene quickly replied, "Just to be a part of that tradition is amazing. It'll be fun."

Dorsett, who is averaging 31.6 yards per catch, stepped his game up in the Raiders' 45-0 win over Nova this past weekend where he caught five passes for 119 yards and a score. Greene did not play. He feels that he is ready for the next level and credits his family, both on and off the field, for his achievements.

"My Dad did a great job of helping me," he said. "Not many people in my family have gone to college and I'm thankful to be the one of them who has. I've also learned a lot from the coaching staff here, especially the receiving coaches."

The production of these two talented receivers is one of the reasons why the Raiders are back amongst the top teams in the nation again. Having a solid quarterback in Iowa commit Jacob Rudock helps, but Raider coach George Smith is convinced that the chemistry the three of them have is one of the reasons why they're successful.

"Those guys are good friends and connect very well with each other," said Smith. "Rashad and Phillip add to the overall picture, starting with their work ethic. We have a young core of receivers and the hard work that those two put in every day sets a great example for them."

The senior wideouts have the potential to lead the Raiders back to the state championship, similar to Fitzgerald and Boldin when they helped lead the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl in 2009. With Rudock having the year he's having (13 touchdown passes, no interceptions), the sky is the limit for St. Thomas.

As for the rivalry, "We're not worried about that right now,” says Dorsett. "I think we both can agree that playing for those schools are dreams that came true for us and I know we will do our best to help them win. Right now, we're focused on helping St. Thomas Aquinas win the Class 5A state championship."