Miami High @ Coral Gables
WEEK 4 | 2024 SEASON
September 16, 2024
by Jake Lazar
Miami, Fla. | “Miami High Stings Cavs”
Florida Man Sports is back with some Week 4 South Florida high school football action! Friday Night, under the lights, we had a matchup between the Coral Gables Cavaliers and the Miami Stingarees. Coral Gables started the season 2-0, allowing just six points in their first two contests. Miami was coming off two dominant wins against South Miami and Coral Reef with a combined point differential of +98. Both teams looked to stay hot at Curtis Park in South Florida.
With it being Coral Gables’ white-out game, there was a lot of hollering from the Cavaliers fans while the Stingarees were walking into the stadium. The fans were ready to roar; however, that energy died down quickly when the game started with two fairly uneventful drives from both offenses.
Anyhow, the excitement for Gables was restored when 2025 ATH Zion Chery put an end to the Stingarees drive with an acrobatic interception in the red zone. Coral Gables was feeling good, but Miami’s defense stopped them again and put their offense in great field position. This led to a Miami High touchdown when 2027 QB Marcus “Boobie” Smith delivered a 20-yard strike to 2026 WR Jermaine Berry. The Stingarees were up 7-0 with 30 seconds left in the 1st.
Now in the second quarter, the Cavaliers offense was ready to take over. The Cavaliers kept trying to get the ball to Chery. At the start of the drive, he had a solid hurdle and looked speedy on an end-around that earned Coral Gables a first down. Things were looking up for Gables when 2025 QB Deandre Pique connected with 2026 ATH Ruben Quiros which made many fans in Curtis Park go “BLURRRR.” However, Gables couldn’t put points on the board and Miami High was back on offense.
This Stingarees drive belonged to 2025 WR Xavier Flanders after he took a bubble screen 25 yards down the field, which put Miami High in the red zone. And on the very next play, Flanders had a 15-yard touchdown catch thrown to him by Smith. The Stingarees were now up by two scores, 14-0.
Miami High 2026 DL/LB Jayden Henry came onto the field with a mission, laying a big sack on the Cavaliers QB to put an end to their drive. However, Gables had an opportunity to get the ball back with a minute left in the half when Chery had another interception, but on the return, he fumbled, and it was recovered by Miami High. The Stingarees were not able to cash in after getting a second chance, which ultimately led us into halftime: Miami High 14, Coral Gables 0.
The second half started, and for pretty much the whole half, it looked like the game was all but over. However, after an uneventful 3rd quarter, it looked like there was life reinstated back into the game. After struggling on offense for nearly the whole game, Chery had a ridiculous catch in the endzone, a forty-yard tipped pass touchdown, late in the quarter. However, it seemed like it was too little too late for the Cavaliers with just less than two minutes left down 7. After that amazing play, Coral Gables lined up for the onside kick, and after a very fortunate Gables bounce, the Cavaliers recovered.
There was a magical feeling at Curtis Park, and there was a sense of anxiety on the Stingarees sideline. Although it almost felt like Gables had a real chance, three straight incomplete throws, and quality play from a disciplined Miami High defense ended their drive and Miami High defeated Coral Gables 14-0.
FINAL SCORE:
Miami High beats Coral Gables 14-7
About Jake Lazar:
Jake Lazar is a beat writer covering high school football for Florida Man Sports. Lazar is a sophomore at Miami Palmetto Senior High, involved in TV Production, and has previously written for sports blog FL Teams.
