Winker’s South Florida High School Football Update- Week 7

This is the part of the season where the order of business for teams trying to get to the postseason is… take care of business. And Columbus, St. Thomas Aquinas and Central did just that with dominant wins over opponents looking to make a statement.

Regular season games between Dade-Broward rivals are always a highlight of the season, and Carol City’s trip to Brian Piccolo Stadium to play St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday night was a close game for one half.

But the undefeated Raiders, ranked number one nationally in a number of polls, overwhelmed Carol City in the second half in a 45-24 victory.

The Chiefs fell to 2-4 after a brutal stretch of playing Deerfield Beach, Northwestern, Central, Chaminade-Madonna and Jacksonville Trinity Christian, and head to Ocala to play another tough game against the Vanguard Knights (3-1).

Columbus Explorers (3-2) win 45-18 over Miami High Stingarees (4-1).

The previously unbeaten Stingarees visited Columbus Thursday night and Coach Dunn had the Explorers back on track as running back Henry Parrish, scored three touchdowns in three minute, putting the game out of reach.

Columbus plays at Monsignor Pace (2-4) Friday night at 7:30 for the first meeting between these two Catholic schools.

Thursday Night Game of the Week

3A Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors (3-3) at 4A Booker T. Washington Tornadoes (4-2),Traz Powell 7.

Head Coach Ben Hanks has Booker T. hitting on all cylinders and the visitors from Jacksonvile, who are coming off back to back wins against Carol City and Pahokee and are expected to be in Daytona for the state finals, will be a good test for the Tornadoes.

Last week the Tornadoes travelled to IMG Academy (5-0) and lost 52-14. Arvis Lawson of FANIT was invited to Bradenton to see the game and get a tour of IMG. “I came away impressed with the program and the state of the art facilities and nutritional program, which rival most D1 college programs,” said Lawson. “The Tornadoes held tough, but IMG, which really is more like a JUCO team in size and depth, eventually overcame Booker T.’s speed and fight,” he said.

The Ascenders travel north of the border to take on Clarkson Football North (Mississauga, Ontario).

Friday Game of the Week

Northwestern Bulls (3-2) vs. Central Rockets (5-1), Traz Powell 7:30

Miami-Dade’s 6A Class of Death- Carol City, Northwestern and Central, which combined for the last seven Class 6A state titles- was broken up in the offseason.

Only Central remains in 6A, with back to back 6A champion Northwestern now paired with Key West, Miami Springs, Jackson and Killian in 16-5A and Carol City in 4A.

So this is no longer a district showdown, but remains the matchup of the year in Miami-Dade County and Traz Powell will be packed as these neighborhood rivals, located two miles from each other, battle it out.

The Bulls, whose only losses are to IMG and a road loss in Valdosta against Lowndes (6-0), take on a Rockets team that has rattled off five impressive wins in a row, including beating the Belen Jesuit Wolverines (3-3) 38-14 last Friday, since losing their season opener to St. Frances Academy (5-1)

American Heritage Patriots (4-1) at Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs (4-1), Friday, 7.

This is another rivalry game that no longer has district implications, as the defending 5A state champion Chiefs were moved to 4A, but should be a slobberknocker as usual, particularly in light of the fact that Heritage’s attempt at a third consecutive 5A state title last season was crushed by the Chiefs in the regional final.