HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

FINAL BEEF'O' BRADY'S TOP 25 (12-19-07)

JACKSONVILLE -- The Miami Northwestern Bulls have another piece of hardware to add to their trophy case.

Northwestern claimed its second Beef 'O' Brady's Top 25 trophy with an impressive 41-0 domination of Orlando Boone in the 6A Dodge FHSAA Finals from Orlando.

The Bulls went wire to wire - the third team to do that in the 12 year history of the Top 25. After a scare from Deerfield Beach in the 6A semi-finals, and a dominating performance by Pahokee (2B, 14-0) in the first weekend of championships, the Bulls lost two additional first place votes and needed to make a statement. Northwestern came out and sent a message loud and clear to sports writers and broadcasters present - 2007 is the Year of the Bull.

Naples, which went 15-0 for the first time in school history, claimed the 3A title and finished sixth, followed by Osceola, Nease (13-2, 4A), St. Augustine (13-2, 3A), and Armwood (4A, 13-1).

"The two games that sold me on Pahokee being my #1 was the way the Blue Devils took it to Chaminade in one half," said panelist Larry Blustein. "And then went to Glades Central - a place that Anquan Boldin never won - and dominated Glades Central, an unbeaten and defending state champs."

Miami Herald prep writer Andre Fernandez disagreed with Blustein.

"I think a lot of people thought just because Northwestern struggled against Deerfield and even though they won 41-0, they played sloppy against Boone. The way Pahokee dominated Newberry was impressive, but Northwestern was on auto pilot for a majority of the season" Fernandez said. "I don't think anyone has a secondary that can handle that many weapons on the field all at once. Then you add Jacory Harris to the mix and the only people who can stop Northwestern is Northwestern."

"The best game they played all year was against Southlake Carroll. From that point, there wasn't a doubt in their minds that they could win any game - at any time."

"You could take any of the top 10 teams out of this poll and play a state champion from anywhere and I think Florida would be victorious" Poll moderator Steve Berrey said. "It showed on ESPN when Washington ran right past the South Carolina powerhouse Summerville, and again on ESPNU when Northwestern beat the three-time defending Texas Champion - Southlake Carroll. It all boils down to speed."

The Bulls shared the trophy with Lakeland last year and won the trophy in 1998. They become the first three-time winner in the 12 year history of the All-classifications poll.

Rnk Team (FPV) Class w-l lw pts
1 Miami Northwestern (11) 6A 15-0 1 298
2 Pahokee (2) 2B 14-0 2 283
3 Miami Washington 4A 14-0 3 279
4 Madison County 2A 13-1 4 261
5 St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale) 5A 14-1 7 252
6 Naples 3A 15-0 6 242
7 Osceola (Kissimmee) 5A 14-1 5 214
8 Nease (Ponte Vedra Beach) 4A 13-2 9 213
9 St. Augustine 3A 13-2 8 204
10 Armwood (Seffner) 4A 13-1 11 181
11 Deerfield Beach 6A 11-3 14 167
12 Pace 4A 13-1 12 164
13 Boone (Orlando) 6A 14-1 10 160
14 American Heritage (Delray Beach) 1A 13-1 13 148
15 Apopka 6A 12-2 15 122
16 Largo 5A 13-1 17 102
17 North Miami Beach 6A 12-1 22 84
18 Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) 4A 12-1 21 77
19 Cocoa 3A 10-4 18 72
20 North Marion (Citra) 3A 12-2 16 71
21 Bartram Trail (Jacksonville) 5A 9-5 19 51
22 Jupiter Christian 1B 13-1 25 49
23 Newberry 2B 13-1 20 48
24 North Florida Christian (Tallahassee) 1A 12-2 23 35
25 Bolles (Jacksonville) 2A 11-1 NR 23

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES -- Tampa Catholic, 2A, 11-3, 20; Plant (Tampa), 4A, 11-2, 18; Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens), 4A, 10-2, 16; First Coast (Jacksonville), 4A, 10-3, 14; Glades Central (Belle Glade), 3A, 11-2, 14; Columbus (Miami), 6A, 10-1, 12; Lakeland, 5A, 10-2, 6

PAST WINNERS

1995 - Jacksonville Bolles - 14-0 Class 4A Champs - ranked in top 15 of USA Today

1996 - Lake Butler-Union County - 14-0 Class 3A Champs - third straight title and won 52 straight before losing.

1997 - Miami Carol City - 14-1 Class 6A Champs - defeated unbeaten Lake City-Columbia.

1998 - Miami Northwestern - 15-0 Class 6A Champs - held Southeast to -6 yards rushing. Led by Antonio Bryant.

1999 - Lakeland - 15-0 Class 5A Champs - beat Springfield Rutherford 41-14. Went on to win 60 straight regular-season games.

2000 - Belle Glade Glades Central - 15-0 Class 3A Champs - won three straight 3A titles and made four straight championship game appearances - won 47 straight before losing in third round of the playoffs in 2001.

2001 - Tallahassee Lincoln - 14-0-1 - Class 4A champs, beat St. Thomas Aquinas. Only tie was to Valdosta.

2002 - Pompano Beach Ely - 14-1 - Class 5A Champs - beat Tampa Wharton

2003 - Chaminade Prep Lions - 13-1 Class 2A Champs - beat #1 Madison Co. 27-0 in title game. Only loss was to Bolles.

2004 - Armwood (Seffner) - 14-0 Class 4A Champs - wire-to-wire. Second straight 4A title. Scored more points than any team in FHSAA history.

2005 - Lakeland - 15-0 Class 5A Champs - second straight year - ranked #1 in USA Today. Second wire-to-wire champion.

2006 - CO CHAMPIONS - Lakeland, 15-0 Class 5A champs - third straight year. Ended the season with a 45-game winning streak. Miami Northwestern - 15-0 Class 6A champs. Helped set an all-time single-game attendance record with over 24,000 at the 6A finals.

“MOVING ON”

NO LONGER A BRIDESMAID: For the Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders football team, the fourth time was a charm. The Raiders (14-0) defeated top-ranked Osceola (Kissimmee), 35-20, to win the Class 5A state championship after three consecutive losses in the final to the Lakeland Dreadnaughts. Osceola defeated Lakeland twice this year, including in the playoffs, to prevent another rematch. With the 'Naughts out of the way, the Raiders finally kicked in the door. It was the fourth state championship for the Raiders under coach George Smith (1992, 1997, 1999), who has amassed a 319-65 career record in 31 seasons, all at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. That mark is good for third on the all-time Florida coaching victories list. Smith is a 2005 inductee into the Florida High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Smith was recently named to the All-Century Team coaching staff by the Florida High School Athletic Association, as part of its “100 Years of Florida High School Football” celebration.

Meanwhile, Lakeland head coach Bill Castle was named Coach of the Century by the FHSAA. Castle has compiled a 308-74 record in 32 years as head coach of Lakeland High School, which has never had a losing season under his leadership. His Dreadnaughts have won six state championships, including three consecutive state titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006; a state record 53 consecutive victories (the streak was ended this season by Osceola); and two mythical national championships in 2005 and 2006. Castle was inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.

There's always talent at these two football powerhouses, like Michael Irvin (St. Thomas Aquinas) and Chris Rainey (Lakeland). Lakeland and St. Thomas are two great programs with two great coaches. Rich with tradition.

GOD'S WILL: One of the more interesting stories of the high school football season was the recent and seemingly untimely firing of North Florida Christian coach Casey Weldon. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Weldon was relieved of his duties four days following NFC's heart-breaking 31-28 loss to American Heritage (Delray Beach) on a 40-yard field goal on the final play of the Class 1A state championship game. The former Florida State quarterback coached two seasons with the Eagles and led NFC to the title game in each season. Weldon, who starred at NFC in the 80s and had his jersey retired last season, had a record of 23-5 in two seasons.

The school's president and pastor of the church called the firing a part of "God's Will." It has left many in the Leon County area searching for answers as to why Weldon, who was said to have loved the school he starred and coached for, would have been let go. The school has announced that former NFC coach Tim Cokely, who led the Eagles to five state titles in 10 seasons before leaving to coach in Georgia (Colquitt County), will take over duties beginning in January.

HURRICANES ON TOP: It may have been a tough season for the Gainesville football program this year, but the GHS basketball team is hoping to ease the pain by winning a state title in March. The 'Canes are ranked number one in the preseason Class 5A state poll to start the year. It was a difficult fall season to say the least for the Purple Hurricanes football team, which won only one game this year and had its head coach, Eddy Moore, fired at the end of the season. But, the Hurricanes basketball team, coached by Tony Wise in his sixth season, is off to an undefeated start (5-0 overall, 5-0 district), following a Class 5A-District 4 win over Columbia Tigers, 55-42, at the Purple Pallace (Dec. 15).

The 'Canes, who have been led early by the play of junior Greg Gantt (career-high 33 points in the win over the Forest Wildcats on Dec. 11), must now get ready for a touch stretch of games the next two weeks. The 'Canes play against USA Today #1 St. Benedict (NJ) at the prestigious City of Palms in Fort Myers (Dec. 22) and against 2007 Class 6A Final Four participant Miami Northwestern in the Tampa Bay Classic (Dec. 26). This is a talented GHS basketball team, but comparisons to the Orien Greene (UF/Boston Celtics) led team that won back-to-back state titles ('99 & '00) may be premature. The pieces are there for a special year, but this team will have to stay humble and grounded if it wants to win it all.

Preseason Class 5A Basketball Poll (First-place votes in parenthesis):

1. Gainesville (1) 101
2. Fort Lauderdale Dillard (7) 97
3. Clearwater (2) 72
4. Lee (Jacksonville) 70
5. Charlotte (Punta Gorda) 63
6. Brandon 46
7. Pinellas Park (Largo) 45
8. Plant (Tampa) 38
9. Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) 37
(tie) Wolfson (Jacksonville) 37

Also receiving votes: St. Pete Lakewood 26, Naples Barron Collier 22, Gainesville Eastside 17, Winter Park Lake Howell 11, North Port 9, Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee 9, Stuart Martin County 6, Tallahassee Lincoln 4, New Port Richey Ridgewood 2, Gulfport Boca Ciega 2, Fort Pierce Central 1.

ROCK'S APPEAL DENIED: According the Gainesville Sun, the FHSAA voted unanimously to uphold the $10,000 fine and multiple suspensions it had levied against The Rock's athletic program for infractions related to its international missions program, including stripping the school’s boys basketball team of its 2006 1A state runner-up trophy. FHSAA officials cited previous examples of schools that received the same punishment for similar infractions. The program will remain on one-year restrictive probation and not be allowed to participate in any pre- or postseason play this year. After that a two-year probationary period will begin where heavier penalties can be assessed if more violations are found. The program must also forfeit all 2006 victories in which ineligible athletes participated.

“If we have reached the point where we are unable to comply with the rules of the (Florida High School Athletic) Association,” The Rock’s vice principal, Jim McKenzie, read in a seven-minute statement prepared by the school’s faculty that outlined the infractions and showed a strong resolve to uphold their international program. “we will withdraw our participation before we will consider abandoning our international missions program.”

The infractions were The Rock’s first in 11 years. The school has cleared all of it students-athletes for the current school year and are compliant with FHSAA standards, school officials said. The school says that it is confident that it can remain compliant and stay active in high school athletics.

JOIN THE CLUB: The Buchholz (Gainesville) volleyball team won its first-ever state volleyball title this past November by sweeping Plant City Durant (25-17, 25-16, 25-15) in the Class 6A state championship. It was the first Class 6A championship in area history. The Bobcats (27-5) are coached by Jeff Reavis, a former assistant under Cindy Boulware at Gainesville High School which has won three state titles. PK Yonge and Oak Hall are next in the area with two state titles, giving the city a total of eight titles overall. Now, Buchholz joins the club.

""We put Buchholz on the map," Buchholz senior libero Ashley Skidmore told John Patton of the Gainesville Sun. ""Growing up watching all those schools win state titles...well, now we've grown to be state champs. There is an increased sense of pride for each other and our school."

Overall, it was a big year for volleyball in the city of Gainesville. Oak Hall (Class 2A) lost in the state semifinals, while Eastside (Class 5A), PK Yonge (Class 3A) and St. Francis (Class 1A) all lost in their respective region finals.

DOGS DO IT AGAIN: When it comes to the state swimming & diving championships, there is one school that reigns supremacy over all others in its classification - Bolles (Jacksonville). In fact, the Bulldogs appearances in the state finals have often been referred to by some members of the media as the "Bolles Invitational." Well, this year was no different at the FHSAA Swimming & Diving Finals in Ft. Lauderdale as the Bolles Bulldogs captured both the boys and girls Class 1A state titles this year. The girls won their 17th consecutive state title, while the boys won their 20th consecutive title. In fact, it was their 30th in school history.

"We were confident, but it was nice to have Pine Crest pushing us to do our best," Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace of Bolles told the Florida Times-Union. She finished second in the 100 butterfly and third in the 200 freestyle. She also helped the 400 free relay team take first place. The Bulldogs scored 426.5 points, while Pine Crest (Ft. Lauderdale) finished second with 319 points. The boys finished with 338 points, while Pine Crest again took second with 151 points.

SIMPLY THE BEST: Pensacola Escambia High School, University of Florida and Dallas Cowboys running back great Emmitt Smith was named Player of the Century according to the FHSAA. Smith, who played for Escambia from 1983-86 and led the Gators to back-to-back state championships in 1984 (Class 3A) and 1985 (Class 4A), holds the Florida high school career rushing record with 8,804 yards on a record 1,127 carries. His 45 100-plus-yard games also is a state record, and ranks second nationally. He scored 106 career touchdowns, which is third on the state’s all-time list.

Smith holds UF records for rushing touchdowns (37), total touchdowns (36), rushing yards per game (126.7), 100-yard rushing games (23), consecutive 100-yard games (8) and longest rushing play (96 yards).

He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 1990 draft and over the next 13 seasons became a national phenomenon. He helped lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl championships, lead the NFL in rushing four times, was the league MVP in 1993, was MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII and made eight Pro Bowl appearances. Smith was the first player in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in 11 consecutive seasons. He spent the last two years of his 15-year pro career with the Arizona Cardinals, and finished as the league’s all-time leading rusher with 18,355 yards on a record 4,409 carries.

“It truly is an honor to be selected to the All-Century Team,” Smith said. “When you look at all the players, the great players, who have come from the state of Florida; and to be named, to be mentioned with all of those guys, is truly a great honor."

Emmitt Smith

The Trophy Shop Athlete-of-the-Week Presented by Mark McGriff's State Farm Insurance of Gainesville.

Congratulations to all of our award winners during the 2006-07 season and best of luck in 2007-08! To nominate an athlete, please send an email to mike@theprepzone.com no later than 5 p.m. each Monday.

Our Athlete-of-the-Week for the week of December 10 is Amber Franzluebbers*
of the Union County girls basketball team

*The senior small forward averaged 17 points, eight rebounds, 3.3 assists
and four steals while shooting 65 percent from the 3-point line in three games
for the Tigers.

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