Armwood (Seffner, Fla.) vs. Central (Miami)
14-0 Armwood hopes to upset the nation's No. 7 team in the Florida Class 6A final this week.
Photo by Del Mecum
A rematch of the 2011 Class 6A final that Armwood won (40-31), but later was changed to a double forfeit because of player eligibility issues for both teams. This year's Armwood team (14-0) advanced to play the final weekend of the season because of its 35-28 triple-overtime win against Bartram Trail (St. John's). Junior quarterback
Noah Johnson ran for a pair of touchdowns, including the game-winner from 11 yards out. In the other semifinal, seventh-ranked Central (13-1) knocked off Mainland (Daytona Beach), 28-15, despite playing without star senior running back
Joseph Yearby. The Miami commit fractured his leg in the Rockets' quarterfinal win against Heritage (Palm Bay).
Just the facts: Central is the first team from Miami-Dade County ever to reach a state championship game four years in a row. A win Saturday would give the Rockets their third state title since 2010. … Armwood is trying for its first official unbeaten season since 2003. The Hawks won back-to-back titles in 2003-04. They reached the state finals again in 2005, 2010 and 2011.
Mitch Stephens: Central 28, Armwood 17
Kevin Askeland: Central 35, Armwood 14
Jamie DeMoney: Central 27, Armwood 13
Stephen Spiewak: Central 20, Armwood 17
Leland Gordon: Central 28, Armwood 27
Colin Ward-Henninger: Central 35, Armwood 14
