December 16, 2024
by Jake Lazar
Pitbull Stadium, Miami, Fla.
Florida Man Sports is HERE with STATE CHAMPIONSHIP coverage from South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the FIU campus. These teams worked so hard to get to this point with one more game left, and each one left it all out there on the field. This article serves as my recap of the 3A, 4A, and 5A games.
5A – St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Lakeland
First up, we have a matchup between the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and the Lakeland Dreadnaughts. The Raiders went 8-3 in the regular season and started their postseason run with a dominant 58-0 win over North Miami, before beating Blanche Ely, Atlantic, and Manatee to make it to the 5A State Championship game. Lakeland went 10-0 in the regular season and came off a thriller in the State Semifinal game where they defeated Niceville 34-33 in triple overtime. Both teams handled business on their respective sides of the bracket and the title game was set. Raiders vs. Dreadnaughts. For the title, for it all.
Lakeland could not get anything going all game, and it all started when they turned the ball over on downs in the redzone. Aquinas took over and put up three on their first drive. The first of many three-and-outs for the Dreadnaughts made them punt the ball away from inside their own 20. Once they got the ball, the Raiders wasted no time when 2025 RB Cedric Wyche II made a couple of men miss and scored off a 20-yard slip screen. After the 1st quarter, STA led 10-0.
The issues continued for Lakeland when a bad exchange was picked up and returned to the 18 by the Raiders. St. Thomas made it clear it was their intention to get 2025 RB Chance Washington into the endzone and after three straight rushes, he found his way across the goal line. With nine minutes to go in the first half, the score was STA 17 – Lakeland 0.
Lakeland did not drive all the way from Orlando to get blown out and was looking for the big play to slim STA’s lead. But 2027 CB Jaden Carey had other plans and picked off the Lakeland QB to set up the Raiders offense at around midfield. 2025 QB Andrew Indorf connected with 2025 TE Cameron Roberts on a 35-yard pass up the seam to put them in a first-and-goal situation at the 10. Looking to put his team up by over 20 before halftime, Indorf looked toward the endzone but threw an interception to Dreadnaughts 2025 CB and Towson commit Kavon McKinney.
Aquinas got the ball at the half and marched down the field before Lakeland held strong in the redzone. STA’s field goal was good, and they were now up by 20. Although Lakeland’s offense would not score a point all game, their defense had some flashes. One of which was when 2026 LB Malik Morris stripped the ball loose and it was picked up by 2025 FS Keon Young and returned to the 36.
The Raiders’ defense came right back at them with a turnover of their own as 2027 Zayden Gamble picked off Lakeland at the one-yard line and returned it 80 yards to set up St. Thomas in the redzone.
As the PA Announcer at Pitbull Stadium would’ve put it, Chance Washington again had “reservations for six,” and after three straight rushes, he was in for his second touchdown of the night. Aquinas 24- Lakeland 0.
All was pretty much over as the game entered the 4th quarter. The Raiders got one more touchdown with five minutes to go as Indorf rushed into the endzone on a QB sneak. It was a dominant performance in the 5A State Championship from the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders as they shut out the Lakeland Dreadnaughts 34-0.
FINAL SCORE: St. Thomas Aquinas beats Lakeland 34-0
Florida Man Sports Player of the Game: STA 2025 RB Chance Washington, 2 TDs
4A – American Heritage (Plantation) vs. Jones (Orlando)
Next up, with a chance to bring home a state title, it was the American Heritage Patriots versus the Jones Fightin’ Tigers. The main storyline on Friday night was that American Heritage’s top receiver and University of Miami commit, 2025 ATH Malachi Toney, had to step in at QB for their playoff run after 2026 QB Dia Bell and Texas commit was ruled out for the remainder of the season. On the opposite sideline, it was the other University of Miami commit in 2026 QB Dereon Coleman who was ready to dice up the Patriots defense. Both the one-seeded teams from their regions, both top-50 in the overall national rankings, and both electric offenses, the 4A State Championship was set to be a good one.
You could feel it in the stadium when on the first play of the game, Dereon Coleman rushed for 30 yards on a QB keeper. Later that drive, he kept it himself again for a 16-yard rush into the endzone. Jones 7 – American Heritage 0.
Mali and Co. took over, and Toney found 2026 WR Jamar Denson for the first of many completions Friday night for a 30-yard connection to move them past midfield. The Patriots settled for a field goal to make the score 7-3, Jones.
American Heritage ended up getting the ball back after Jones punted and wasted no time moving the ball downfield. First, it was Jamar Denson for 20 yards, then it was 2026 WR Jeffar “Coi” Jean-Noel for 40 yards, and the icing on the cake, Malachi Toney found Jamar Denson once again for a 30-yard touchdown up the seam to go up three. 10-7, Patriots.
Once they got the ball back, Jones 2025 ATH Jaquail “Nyquil” Smith started to get hot after a 40-yard rush to the Patriots’ 30, then right after a 15-yard rush to the 15. No touchdown there for the Fightin’ Tigers but a field goal would tie the game at 10 a piece with six minutes left in the first half.
Heritage’s own rushing attack started to heat up when Florida Gators signee, 2025 RB Byron Louis, had a 30-yard rush. The Patriots found themselves in the redzone, and after a long drive, Toney rushed into the endzone on a 1-yard QB keeper to the edge. American Heritage led 17-10 going into the half.
The Patriots were set to receive the kickoff after halftime and boy, did they make it count. 2026 WR Brandon Bennett took it 97 yards to the house, and just like that American Heritage was up by two scores.
Coleman and the Tigers wasted no time marching down the field after he used his legs for a 40-yard gain and connected with 2025 WR and Florida Gators signee Vernell Brown III for a 30-yard gain which put Jones at the 4-yard line. And after getting his second rushing touchdown of the night on a 2-yard QB draw, Coleman was feeling himself.
It truly was an offensive battle as American Heritage converted on a big 3rd down with Toney finding 2025 WR Judah Stubbs across the middle for 25 yards. Another completion that drive made Malachi 15/15 through the air. Once the Patriots got to the 3-yard line, Byron Louis found the endzone for the first time. Patriots 31 – Tigers 17.
Jones quickly responded with the rushing attack of their own. First, a 30-yard gain by 2026 RB Daunte Wallace. Then, a 20-yard catch and run by 2026 WR Larry Miles set the Fightin’ Tigers up 1st and Goal from the 5-yard line. Coleman’s legs must have been on fire because he rushed for his third touchdown of the game to cut the Patriot lead down to seven. 31-24 Heritage.
Even though Malachi Toney kept a perfect passer rating through the first three quarters, Jones ended up getting the ball back early in the fourth. With a chance to tie the game, Jones did exactly that as a catch from Vernell Brown III set them up at the 10, and “Nyquil” Smith punched it in to tie the game at 31. Even though it was Nyquil who tied it up, Pitbull Stadium was far from asleep with an eventful nine minutes to go.
Heritage’s Louis wasn’t having any of it and immediately killed Jones’ momentum after an 80-yard rushing touchdown on the first play of the drive. A missed extra point made it 37-31 Patriots.
Although Jones still could’ve won it with a touchdown, all hope was lost after Coleman was hit from behind and fumbled while rolling out to his right. 2026 DL Isaac Tanis forced and recovered the fumble. A 30-yard field goal pretty much put the game to rest, and the American Heritage Patriots were crowned 4A State Champions after an amazing performance by both teams. Final score: American Heritage Patriots 40 – Jones Fightin’ Tigers 31.
FINAL SCORE: American Heritage (Plantation) beats Jones (Orlando) 40-31
Florida Man Sports Player of the Game: AHS 2025 RB Byron Louis, 2 TDs
3A – Miami Northwestern vs. Raines (Jacksonville)
The Final State Championship, after an amazing few days at Pitbull Stadium, was the 11-2 Miami Northwestern Bulls, aka “Da West,” who had a dominant playoff run, taking on the undefeated Raines Vikings, who traveled all the way from Jacksonville. The Northwestern crowd was the largest and loudest at Pitbull Stadium this week, and Raines’ sideline included an appearance from comedian/actor Lil Duval. The big question: Will Teddy Bridgewater lead Miami Northwestern to a State Title? Teddy and the Bulls answered Saturday Night…
Things started slow for Raines as they went three-and-out on their first drive, however, Northwestern wasted no time and already found themselves in the endzone after a 2-yard rushing touchdown from 2026 ATH Elijah Hardy. Bulls 7 – Vikings 0.
After another three-and-out from the Vikings, Northwestern found themselves just two yards away from scoring yet again. But this time it was 4th down after they had 1st & Goal from the 5. Raines was able to hold them, and it was a huge stop from the Vikings defense after things were starting to look grim early on.
The 2nd quarter began with a 25-yard rush on a QB keeper by 2026 QB Timothy Cole which set the Vikings up with a 1st & Goal from the 4. However, just like the Raines defense did, Northwestern’s defense was able to come up with a huge goal line stand.
The two teams traded weak offensive drives, and Northwestern got the ball back on Raines’ 32 with 2:30 to play in the first half. Their drive started with a 30-yard screen by none other than 2026 WR Calvin Russell. A penalty after the play pushed the Bulls back 10 yards, but 2026 QB Leon Strawder found Russell again on the very next play, which resulted in a 10-yard gain for the West. Then one more time, Strawder tossed it up in the back left corner of the endzone for Russell to grab it and the Northwestern crowd went BLUUUU as Russell was able to get his foot down and make an amazing play to put the Bulls up 14-0 before halftime.
The third quarter opened with a 65-yard touchdown down the sideline between Leon Strawder and Elijah Hardy, after Hardy burned the Raines DB on a go route and Strawder threw a perfect moon ball that dropped right into Hardy’s hands. It was Hardy’s second touchdown of the night, and Northwestern started to pull away up 21-0.
Once Northwestern got the ball back, Strawder found 2027 WR Nicholas Lennear up the seam for a 50-yard gain to set up the Bulls with 1st & Goal from the 3. Then, after scrambling around in the backfield, Strawder found Calvin Russell in the middle of the endzone for Russell’s second touchdown Saturday night. Bulls 28 – Raines 0.
It was complete domination by Northwestern, and frustration from Raines caused a fight to break out, causing players from both sides to be disqualified and ejected from the contest. Quickly after, Nicholas Lennear got an interception which turned into a score for him on the offensive side of things when Strawder placed a perfect ball, and Lennear made an incredible catch down the sideline for a 52-yard touchdown. The score was now 35-0 which made it a mercy rule running clock, and Strawder put the icing on the cake by stepping up into the pocket and maneuvering into the endzone with his legs. Strawder capped off the night with his fifth touchdown (4 pass, 1 rush) and hit the Cam Ward celebration. Bull Pride was bumping all night long as the Miami Northwestern Bulls routed the Raines Vikings from Jacksonville, 41-0.
FINAL SCORE: Miami Northwestern beats Raines (Jacksonville) 41-0
Florida Man Sports Player of the Game: MNW 2026 QB Leon Strawder, 5 TDs
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.
