_{August 22, 2025}
by Jake Lazar
Miami, Fla. | “Buccaneers Sail Through Tornadoes”

Florida Man Sports is back at Traz Powell for Week 1 of the South Florida high school football season! Could not be more excited for the upcoming season with all of South Florida’s best battling week in and week out. The first Traz Powell matchup of the year was a high-scoring affair between the South Dade Buccaneers and Booker T. Washington Tornadoes. South Dade is not coming off a winning or losing season, having finished 6-6 and 2-2 in district play. On the other side is Booker T. Washington, who lost 4-star cornerback Ben Hanks III and Head Coach Tim “Ice” Harris, who had many coaches and players follow him to Mater. The Tornadoes have a lot to prove, but the young talent to do so.

​South Dade received the ball to start the game, but had a slow start as they went three and out on their first drive. The Tornado offense wasted no time in getting active with 2029 WR Tyrell Johnson breaking hard tackles on multiple first-down receptions for big gains. Johnson capped off that drive with a 25-yard slip screen and a 15-yard receiving touchdown in the back of the endzone, but a missed extra point meant Booker T. Washington was only up by six.

​However, just moments later, 2028 WR James Hope took the kick return all the way back to the house, and just like that, the Tornado lead was gone. 7-6 South Dade. After Booker T. Washington turned the ball over on downs, the Buccaneers immediately fumbled the ball on their own 35, and with just a minute to go in the first quarter, 2028 WR Jaymarius Peltier got free for a 35-yard touchdown catch to end the quarter. However, another missed extra point by the Tornadoes meant only a 12-7 lead.

​South Dade was hungry to strike back, and after 2028 RB Andrew Simmons broke off a couple of explosive runs, he found his way into the endzone to make it 14-12 Buccaneers. Then, Booker T. Washington went three and out, but it didn’t mean much because 2029 CB Amos Leggett closed the half with an interception.

​Booker T. Washington opened up the second half with a poor sequence of plays from their own 25, and a fifteen-yard tackle for loss by 2029 DE Uriah Gomez, who had an incredible game, meant the Tornadoes had to punt from their own ten-yard line. Unfortunately for them, the situation got worse as the snap flew over the punter’s head, the ball rolled into the back of the endzone, which meant a safety for South Dade that made the score 16-12 for the Buccaneers. Quickly after, Amos Leggett once again picked off South Dade, continuing to fight and keep the Tornadoes in the game. However, Leggett’s fight wasn’t enough, and Booker T. Washington’s offense fumbled the ball, giving South Dade amazing field position, just sixteen yards away from the goal line.

​Andrew Simmons capitalized on his workload again, breaking a ten-yard rush and waltzing into the endzone for his second touchdown of the game. South Dade 23 – Booker T. Washington 12.

​Throughout this game, South Dade’s defense was phenomenal, racking up multiple interceptions and swarming on every offensive player, giving Booker T. no breathing room. The first interception came from 2026 DB Martavious Jean-Baptiste. Then, a deflected pass taken from the air by 2027 DB Malachi Cruz was returned fifty yards for a touchdown. Next, 2026 DB Ronnie Thornton III snagged one and took his ball to the house. Finally, 2027 WR/CB Jerome Pendergrass, who went viral for cooking NFL standout WR Tyreek Hill, got an interception of his own to end the run of picks.

​After that defensive rally, it was all but over. Backup Booker T. Washington 2029 QB Ijamyn Gray, scrambled outside the pocket and ran 30 yards for a touchdown, then 2027 RB Jayden “Boss” Shropshire from South Dade responded with a 47-yard touchdown run to close the game.

​The final score was 43-20, South Dade.

​South Dade moves to 1-0 to start the season after an upset win that seemed mighty easy on the road at Traz Powell. 2028 RB Andrew Simmons earned player of the game with over one hundred yards and two touchdowns. The Buccaneers’ defense was outstanding after letting up two touchdowns in the first. Next up on their schedule is Homestead, who will have to have a quick turnaround after their Monday contest against Palmetto.

​Booker T. Washington looked nothing like their old selves to start the season. Apart from the first quarter, it was an absolute beatdown, most likely because of the absence of their old head coach as well as many other coaches and players who he took with him to Mater. It will be hard for the tornadoes to bounce back quickly with a road game against Palmetto next week. 

FINAL SCORE:
South Dade beats Booker T. Washington 43-20

About Jake Lazar:
Jake Lazar is a beat writer covering high school football for Florida Man Sports. Lazar is a Junior at Miami Palmetto Senior High, involved in TV Production, and has previously written for sports blog FL Teams.