Miramar linebacker Jamal Bass said something after his team’s 21-14 win against Miami Central that was mostly hyperbole. He called the Patriots’ defense the best "in the world." Obviously, that’s unlikely to be the case, but Miramar’s defenders certainly have a right to boast. After all, the Patriots (13-1) allowed no more than seven points in 12 of their 13 wins and recorded six shutouts.
On Saturday, though, another team hopes to prove that Miramar doesn’t even have the best defense in the state. DeLand faces the Patriots at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Florida Citrus Bowl to decide the Class 6A state championship, and the Bulldogs’ defense also has a right to bark. DeLand recorded eight shutouts and has allowed an average of 4.3 points per game over its last 11 games.
Defense, though, isn't the only area where the two teams draw similarities. For the first time since 2005, neither team playing in the 6A championship game has ever done so before. DeLand, in fact, had never been past the regional semifinal round until the Bulldogs defeated rival Daytona Beach Mainland three weeks ago. Miramar's best finish came last December, when the Patriots lost 42-23 in the state semifinals to powerhouse Miami Northwestern.
As it stands, one of these schools heads home from Orlando with a major piece of hardware for the trophy case. The question, of course, is which team it will be, and the answer hinges on a few key factors, which I've dubbed here as my Five Things to Watch.
Five things to watch
Junior DeAnte "Poppa" Saunders turned his ankle late in the team's 20-7 state semifinal victory at Apopka. That's no small concern. Poppa, also known as "Pop", is the heart of the DeLand offense. He has rushed for 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns during the regular season. Teammate Shontrelle Johnson has more rushing yards this season, but Saunders took over at quarterback at the state of the playoffs after teammate Nick Ciciarelli suffered complications from a blood clot. Ciciarelli might dress Saturday, but he certainly isn't going to play. If Saunders isn't able to go, DeLand must turn to a third option, and it's unclear at this point what that might entail. Saunders, though, is undergoing extensive daily treatment on his ankle. Although he wore a protective boot and used crutches to hobble around school Monday, he says he'll be ready to go Saturday. If that's the case, how well he runs on the ankle might determine how many times his number is called.
A knowledgeable South Florida reporter said last week that Miramar doesn't pack the stands the way some of its storied rivals do. Meanwhile, DeLand, located just 25 miles north of Orlando, is the home team. The Bulldogs should receive plenty of support. Of course, DeLand never had much trouble playing on the road. After all, their runner-up finish in District 6A-2 left the Bulldogs loading up the bus in each of its four playoff games. What's certain is that the residents of DeLand, a century-old city where roots run deep, support the home team like few others. That could give the Bulldogs a major boost Saturday.
Ryan Williams' legs might be the single most important factor for Miramar. The senior quarterback certainly has the passing ability to do some damage. He threw the game-winning touchdown pass in the Patriots' 21-14 win against Miami Central last week, and he threw for more than 2,000 yards with 20 touchdown strikes during the regular season. This time, though, he'll be facing a DeLand defense that attacks the passing game with quarterback pressure. The Bulldogs swarm to the ball. They recorded 25 sacks and had 16 interceptions in their first 12 games despite mainly playing teams that run the ball. Williams will need to scramble a bit to avoid the rush. If he can do that, he can make some big plays.
The team that wins the special teams game might win this one. With two defenses pounding away at each other, there's a chance that the line of scrimmage primarily moves on punts. DeLand punter Ryan Rodwell repeatedly pinned Apopka inside its own 5-yard line last week, and that proved to be a key to stopping the Blue Darters, who ultimately lost the game when the Bulldogs got a safety and followed it with a Johnson touchdown run. What DeLand lacks is a kicking game. In fact, it is not rare for the team to miss on extra-point attempts. Sophomore Hunter Haire has improved, but it's a lot to ask a sophomore to make a field goal in a stadium that seats 70,000 fans. Perhaps his troubles are over. Patriots punter Derius Silas didn't assume the starting job into Oct. 23 this season, but he has steadily improved. He averages 32 yards per boot and has put 10 of 24 punts inside the 20-yard line. Miramar kicker Julian Garcia kicked just four field goals for the Patriots, but he also had 36 extra points.
Since the teams come from entirely different areas of the state, familiarity is at a minimum. Game film from this season only shows you so much. For any team that makes it this far, preparation is not an issue. The bigger issue might be how to prepare for something they don't know is coming. Trickery might be called upon. The defenses need to be ready for anything. Mark Joyce, DeLand
File photo by Chad Pilster
Class 5A preview
Much of the prep football world, including MaxPreps.com, anointed St. Thomas Aquinas the best team in the nation this fall and also put Lakeland in an elite class. Certainly, the teams warranted such praise. After all, Aquinas took a 10-0 record into the playoffs and marched to a regional championship to extend its winning streak to 37 games. Plus, the Raiders were the two-time defending state champion and featured lots of top college recruits. Lakeland, meanwhile, won 13 straight games and features an incredible history. The Dreadnaughts won a trio of state titles from 2004-2006 and lost to Aquinas in the title game in 2008.
But there's not much more to say about those two teams. Both lost in shocking state semifinal upsets last Friday, and neither will play in Friday's 7 p.m. 5A state championship game. Instead, the teams that upset them, Tampa Plant and Manatee, are loading the buses bound for the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. While it might not be the matchup most expected, both programs have a long history of success. Manatee is a four-time state champion with 45 playoff wins. It last won state in 1992, when the team defeated Fort Lauderdale Dillard 44-14 at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Plant (13-1) has 24 playoff wins and won the Class 4A state title in both 2006 and 2008 before moving up to Class 5A last winter during the FHSAA's redistricting process.
Plant, which defeated Lakeland 20-0 in the state semifinals, features a familiar name to Florida’s football fans. James Wilder Jr., the son of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back James Wilder, rushed for 858 yards and 14 touchdowns during the regular season. Wilder shares carries with T.J. Glover, who had 914 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns during the regular season. The team also mixes in the pass quite well with mobile quarterback Phillip Ely. He threw for 1,737 yards and 19 touchdowns during the regular season, and Ely, the latest in a long line of talented Plant quarterbacks, added seven touchdown runs. Ely's favorite target is Allen Sampson, who caught eight touchdown passes during the regular season. Glover and DeAndre Queen also must be covered. They combined for 10 touchdown catches. With its balanced attack, Plant scored 40 or more points six times during the season.
On defense, Wilder looms even larger. The two-way player made 125 tackles during the regular season with 60 solo tackles and also had 17 quarterback sacks. Joining Wilder in pressuring the quarterback is David McCarthy, who had 15 sacks, and Rip Chambers, who had 13 sacks.
Plant's pass rush might have its hands full if Manatee quarterback Brion Carnes has his way. Carnes, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior, has thrown for 2,245 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he added 441 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Carnes threw for 178 yards in Manatee's 28-20 win against Aquinas last week. Carnes' favorite targets are Ace Sanders and Quenton Bundrage, who have combined for 19 touchdown catches and more than 1,600 receiving yards. When Carnes isn't doing the work, he's mostly handing off to Mike Blakely, who has rushed for 1,323 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Manatee's defense features Darius White and Taylor Shipley, who combined for 270 tackles this season. Another force is Quinton Pompey, who has 12 sacks and 101 tackles. The Hurricanes (13-1) are the clear underdogs. In fact, Manatee, which defeated two of its opponents by a touchdown or less during the regular season, needed a fourth-quarter touchdown to put away St. Petersburg, 21-14, in the regional semis. St. Petersburg was driving late in the fourth quarter with a shot to tie it 14-14 when the Hurricanes applied the brakes. Then Blakely put it away with a long touchdown run.
Class 4A Preview
Niceville and Dwyer hook up in the Class 4A state title game Saturday at 1 p.m. Dwyer arrives at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando looking for its first state championship. In 2000, Dwyer, a school located in Palm Beach Gardens, dropped a 77-14 game against Venice to finish as the runner-up in Class 5A. In 2007, Dwyer reached the regional finals only to lose a crushing 7-6 game to Miami Washington, which marched to win a state championship. Last season, Dwyer moved a notch further in its quest for a state title. The team redeemed itself against Washington with a 24-21 win. Tampa Plant, though, knocked off Dwyer in the state semifinals.
Niceville started the season with a return to the level where it won its only state title. In 1989, Niceville defeated Bradenton Southeast 48-14 to claim a Class 4A state championship. A year later, Niceville moved to Class 5A, where stiff competition from the likes of St. Thomas Aquinas, Lakeland and Plant kept the team from advancing past the regional semifinals in all but one of the past 18 seasons. In 2005, Niceville lost in the state semifinals, 28-21, to eventual state champion Lakeland.
This season, the Eagles (13-0) simply outscored the opposition. The team had only one shutout and allowed four or more touchdowns five times. Niceville also won three of its first four games by a combined 18 points.
If any team stands ready to take advantage of Niceville's sometimes porous defense, it's probably Dwyer. All the Panthers have done this season is put up 40 or more points in 13 games. Dwyer (13-1) also has dominated on defense. The Panthers have seven shutouts and have allowed just 41 points since losing 21-7 to Glades Central back on Sept. 4. Without a doubt, the advantage in this one goes to Dwyer.
Class 3A
Pensacola and Miami Belen Jesuit meet Friday at 1 p.m. to decide the Class 3A state championship. Both teams roll into the Florida Citrus Bowl looking for their first win. Cindarella would approve of these two squads. Belen Jesuit slides on the glass slipper after being one of those teams strong enough to make the playoffs but not strong enough to win more than a few playoff games over the course of its history. The Wolverines have just a 9-11 playoff record, and four of those playoff wins came this season. In 2003, Jesuit reached the regional finals before falling to Chaminade, 49-7.
In its long history, Pensacola has just a 15-10 record in the playoffs. In 2004, Pensacola advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals before falling 30-29 to Lake Gibson. In 1996, Pensacola lost 43-21 to Hillsborough in the regional finals, which was then one step from the state championship game. In 1986, Pensacola lost 13-0 to Tarpon Springs to end its season one spot short of the state championship game. The Tigers last played in the state championship game in 1959, and they're ready to make the most of this trip, which is putting some financial strain on the school due to travel costs.
This year, Pensacola turned the tide in its tough district and region with a swarming defense that keyed several wins by simply shutting down the opposition. The Tigers, who have allowed only six points in their four playoff games, recorded their sixth shutout last week against Tampa Jefferson to improve to 13-1. Two of the shutouts, though, were 9-0 and 7-0 wins. Against Jacksonville Jackson, Pensacola squeaked past with a 7-6 win in the regional quarterfinals. The Tigers also defeated Rutherford 14-13 earlier this season and lost to Pine Forest 6-3 in their season-opener.
It says a lot that Pensacola was unable to put many points in the board in several games. After all, its defense certainly provided the team with plenty of chances. If Pensacola relies too heavily on its defense Friday, it might be a long day for the Tigers. Belen Jesuit (11-3) didn't seem like it was bound for a state championship season when it started 2-3. Since then, though, Belen Jesuit is unbeaten. It stretched its win streak to nine games last Friday with a 21-14 win against Lake Wales.
The Wolverines' wins include a 20-17 game against Glades Day and a 19-17 playoff game against Miami Washington. Glades Day won the 1B state championship last Friday. In total, Belen Jesuit has defeated its four playoff opponents by just 20 points, an average win margin of just five points. That likely makes Pensacola the favorite. As it turns out, though, the Florida High School Athletic Association has this silly rule where they make the teams actually play the games. Go figure.