Winker’s South Florida High School Football Week 9 Update

Those famous words of Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Mora come to mind as yes, dear readers, the playoffs start this week for five Miami-Dade and Broward teams.

Defending 2A champ Champagnat Catholic (5-2) starts their title defense in a play-in game at Glades Day (2-5) because of the random draw used this year by the FHSAA because of the shortened season.

While Champagnat was able to get 7 games in, because South Florida public schools were not able to start until the end of October Roland Smith’s Central Rockets have gotten in just 6 quarters of football before hosting the winless Immokalee Indians (0-6) at Traz Powell Stadium at 7:30pm.

[UPDATE: Central advances after COVID-19 issues at Immokalee force them to forfeit the play-in game]

The other South Florida playoff action this week includes:

▪ Everglades Prep Academy (1-3) at St. John Paul II Academy

▪ Westminster Christian (3-1) at Benjamin (1-3)

▪ Champagnat Catholic at Glades Day

▪ Westminster Academy (2-6) at Fort Myers Evangelical Christian (2-6)

Feature games this week

Palmetto Panthers (2-0) vs. Northwestern Bulls (1-1) at Traz Powell Thurs Nov 5 7:30pm

As Ric Flair famously said, “To be the man, you got to beat the man.”

There is no doubt that the 5A Bulls are the class of Dade County and 8A Palmetto will be looking to make a statement. Northwestern lost to the nation’s number one team IMG Academy 49-14 in Bradenton last week.

Palmetto beat Homestead 35-7 last week. This is an important warm up for both teams, who will begin the playoffs next week.

The game is the second of doubleheader at Traz, with the Norland Vikings (1-1) playing the Edison Red Raiders (1-1) at 3:30.

American Heritage Patriots (5-1) at St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (2-1) Fri Nov 6 8pm

This is a monster game at Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium that will be nationally televised on ESPN2 against the Miami Hurricanes-N.C. State game.

Pat Surtain’s American Heritage is coming off an emotional 23-17 victory over the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs last week. The Patriots started the season with wins over Chaminade-Madonna, Clearwater, and Jacksonville Bartram Trail before stumbling on the road at Jacksonville Trinity Christian.

Roger Harriott took his Raiders on the road to Deland last Friday and came away with a 31-7 win after a season opening loss to Cardinal Gibbons.

Cardinal Gibbons (3-1) will play at Archbishop McCarthy 1-5 Friday.

Miami High Stingarees (1-1) at Columbus Explorers (2-0) Fri Nov 6 5pm

In a matchup last Saturday of state champs that won’t be defending their crowns, Columbus beat the Booker T. Washington Tornadoes 28-12. Dave Dunn's Explorers actually look better than last year and it is such a disappointment we won't be able to see them defend their 8A title.

Coral Reef Barracudas (0-2) at Coral Gables Cavaliers (1-0) Fri Nov 6 2pm

Roger Pollard's Cavaliers started their season with a strong 41-14 victory at Southridge and will look to continue the winning the streak this week at Coral Reef.

Thursday games

• Belen Jesuit (2-3) at LaSalle (2-1) 7pm
• Hialeah vs. Dr. Krop at Ives Estates Park, 3:30pm
• Hialeah-Miami Lakes vs. Westland Hialeah at Hialeah-Miami Lakes, 7pm
• North Broward Prep at Pines Charter, 7pm
• Reagan vs. Braddock at Tropical Park, 3:30pm

Friday games

• Miami Springs vs. American (1-1) at Ives Dairy, 7pm
• North Miami (2-0) at Homestead (0-2) 7:30pm
• Ransom Everglades (2-0) Palmer Trinity (3-1) 2:30pm
• South Miami (1-0) at Miami Beach (0-0) 3p
• Marathon (0-4) at Archbishop Carroll (0-1) 3:30pm
• SASH (0-5) at Somerset Academy (1-1) 4pm
• Dade Christian (3-4) at Gulliver Prep (3-0) 4pm
• Dade Christian 3-4 Cardinal Newman (4-3) 6pm
• Deerfield Beach (0-0) at Dillard (1-0) 7pm
• Florida Christian (3-3) Coral Shores (3-2) 7pm
• Calvary Christian (4-0) at King's Academy 7pm
• Mater Academy Charter ( 1-4) at Doral Academy 7pm
• Somerset Academy Silver Palms (3-3) at Key West (3-1) 7pm