4A PREVIEW: It’s Cardinal Gibbons Once Again
It took Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons and head coach Matt Dubuc a few years to get where this program is at – winning state titles in two of the past three years. But now that the Chiefs are there, you…
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Continue ReadingIt took Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons and head coach Matt Dubuc a few years to get where this program is at – winning state titles in two of the past three years. But now that the Chiefs are there, you can guarantee that beating them will not be easy.
Heading into the 2021 season as overwhelming favorites – with perhaps the best line of scrimmage in 4A, this is a team that is ready for any program – and after beating national power St. Thomas Aquinas last season, you can see that the talent level is where it needs to be.
Once again this is a team that will be challenged along the way, but let us all be realistic. They beat two undefeated playoff teams (Miami Gulliver Prep and Cocoa) by a combined 74-22 score and have the talent and coaching to do it all over again in 2021.
While the Chiefs will be huge favorites again, programs such as last year’s state runner up Jacksonville Bolles and head coach Matt Toblin will be loaded up with talent once again.
While Miami Booker T. Washington is not what they were a few years back – and play one of the toughest schedules around, head coach Gerald Cox and the Tornadoes will need to rely on some young prospects.
Making the move from 3A this season, Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian and veteran head coach Kirk Hoza have prospects and are well coached, so ignoring a team that lost just three times in the past two years would be foolish.
The one thing that head coach Dorrean James and his Carol City (Miami) program has been looking to do is improve. While this is no way the teams that this program has fielded through the years, they are still gifted.
One of the programs that everyone will need to start watching are the Clewiston Tigers. Veteran head coach Pete Walker and this impressive group of athletes certainly has the talent to make a huge impact in 2021.
With just that one loss to eventual state champion Cardinal Gibbons, head coach Ryan Schneider and his Cocoa Tigers have worked all off season to plug those holes needed to finish the job this season.
After a tremendous season in 2020, head coach Corey Fuller and his Gadsden County football team comes back with plenty of talent and a chance to make some positive things happen.
Like Cocoa, head coach Earl Sims and his Miami Gulliver Prep Raiders found that Cardinal Gibbons was truly a tough matchup last season. This year, there are, once again, some impressive playmakers.
If you follow high school football, you already know that head coach Cory Moore and his Lakewood (St. Petersburg) program are in the playoff mix every year, and with some quality prospects, 2021 will be very exciting.
When Mario Perez arrived at Monsignor Pace (Miami), he said that this would be a playoff team and make some noise. Advancing to the playoffs in the first two years, look for this impressive Spartans’ team to pull some surprises in 2021.
Ty Lawrence put in many years as an assistant coach, learning plenty about the game – and as the head coach at South Sumter (Bushnell), he has continued to build and develop – and will be a team to keep an eye on this season.
MORE PROGRAMS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Class 4A will really be competitive, and while we gave you a few teams to watch, there are so many others to keep an eye on this coming season.
Besides Jacksonville Bolles and Havana Gadsden County, Region 1 is loaded with up-and-coming programs – such as Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville – up from 3A), Baldwin (up from 3A), Bay (Panama City), Fernandina Beach, Marianna, North Bay Haven (Panama City), (Panama City), South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach), West Nassau (Callahan) and Wolfson (Jacksonville – up from 3A).
Region 2 also boasts some additional talent like Astronaut (Titusville), Central (Brooksville – down from 5A), Hernando (Brooksville – down from 5A), Keystone Heights, Santa Fe (Alachua), Space Coast (Cocoa), The Villages and Umatilla.
With a mix of impressive schools and programs on the rise, Region 3 is stacked with potential contenders. Schools like American Heritage (Delray Beach), first year program Davenport, Discovery (Lake Alfred), longtime power Glades Central (Belle Glade), Lemon Bay (Englewood), Parrish, Somerset Canyons (Boynton Beach) and Tenoroc (Lakeland).
Like the rest of 4A, Region 4 will also have programs who could pull some surprises in 2021. Coral Springs Charter, Immaculata-LaSalle (Miami), North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek), NSU University School (Fort Lauderdale) and Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale) will be teams to keep an eye on as well.
TRACKING FLORIDA: Teams Look At 2021 Season. https://prepredzone.com/2021/03/tracking-florida-teams-look-at-2021-season/
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com. We are also on Social Media on @PrepRedzonefl