3A PREVIEW: Can Chaminade Rekindle Dynasty?

There are very few football teams in the history of football in the Sunshine State can make the claim that <strong>Hollywood’s Chaminade-Madonna </strong>can make. What the Lions have done the past five seasons in advancing to the state title game – winning three of five. If you can imagine what it may be like to get to one state championship appearance, head coach <strong>Dameon Jones</strong> and his football program has a legitimate opportunity to head to the title game for the unheard of sixth straight time. Still stinging from last year’s loss to Jacksonville Trinity Christian (now 2A), the Lions have reloaded and are ready. As they come in as the team to certainly beat, there are others who are really making some major strides. Traveling to over 11 college camps this summer, you see many of these gifted football players – live and in person and NOT just on tape, judging what these prospects are ALL about. Programs such as yearly powerhouse <strong>Clearwater Central Catholic </strong>and head coach <strong>Chris Harvey, Fort Myers Bishop</strong> <strong>Verot</strong> with a new coaching staff under <strong>Richie Rode </strong>and <strong>Coach Luther Campbell</strong> and his always improving and competitive <strong>Miami Edison Red Raiders</strong>. Other program who has really been a force over the past few years is gifted <strong>Lakeland Christian</strong>, where head coach <strong>Danny Williams</strong> has this program in the mix in a very competitive region. <strong>Ocala Trinity Catholic</strong> is definitely a team that should gran the spotlight this year – as some who have watched them believe that this is a state type of team that <strong>John Brantley </strong>and the staff continue to build on. Another impressive team that will once again be right in the mix is head coach <strong>Jarrod Hickman</strong> and a solid <strong>Tallahassee Florida High</strong> program that knows its way to the state title game. The success of <strong>Tampa’s Berkeley Prep</strong> football program can easily be traced to coaching, and veteran head coach <strong>Dominick Ciao</strong> and his staff have built a dynamic program that is more than capable of standing toe-to-toe with the best. Speaking of top programs, first year head coach <strong>Marshall McDuffie </strong>is loaded with talent – and his <strong>Tampa Carrollwood Day </strong>program has put in the work and has several key football players. Two programs that will keep everyone guessing will be an up-and-coming Tampa Catholic squad, making a move down from 4A, and a well coached West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman program. <strong>Tampa Catholic</strong> and head coach <strong>Jeris McIntyre</strong> have been making some major strides the past two years and embrace the chance to compete with some of the best around. This is a gifted team who has a chance to be special. Veteran head coach <strong>Jack Daniels</strong>, who had so much success at Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer for so many year, returns to guide a talented <strong>Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach) </strong>squad, and he has already started to pout his signature on this team. In addition to Florida High and Ocala Trinity Catholic, Region 1 has <strong>Chipley </strong>(up from 1A), <strong>Crescent City</strong> (up from 1A), <strong>Episcopal (Jacksonville), Interlachen, Maclay (Tallahassee </strong>– up from 2A), <strong>P. K. Yonge (Gainesville), Pensacola Catholic, Providence (Jacksonville) </strong>and <strong>Walton (DeFuniak Springs).</strong> As Lakeland Christian will once again be a solid team in 2021, Region 2 also boasts quality programs who are capable of making a run as well. Among those schools include <strong>Avon Park</strong> (down from 4A), <strong>Benjamin</strong> <strong>(Palm Beach Gardens), Cornerstone Charter (Belle Isle), First Academy (Orlando), Frostproof, Lake Placid </strong>(down from 4A), <strong>Melbourne Central Catholic, Trinity Preparatory (Winter Park)</strong> and <strong>Windermere Prep</strong>. With Tampa Berkeley Prep, Tampa Carrollwood Day Tampa Catholic and Fort Myers Bishop Verot fielding some competitive programs, Region 3 will also showcase <strong>Calvary Christian (Clearwater), Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota), Gateway (Fort Myers), Oasis (Cape Coral)</strong> and <strong>St. Petersburg Catholic</strong> to keep an eye on. With the success Chaminade-Madonna has enjoyed through the years, Cardinal Newman and its coaching and Miami Edison, there are some amazing programs. But 3A in Region 4 also has some programs very much on the rise. <strong>Everglades Prep</strong> <strong>(Homestead), Florida Christian (Miami), The King’s Academy (West Palm Beach), Palmer Trinity (Palmetto Bay), Somerset South Homestead, Somerset Silver Palms, St. Andrew’s (Boca Raton), St. John Paul II (Boca Raton) </strong>and <strong>Westminster Christian </strong>(Miami) have all worked hard in the off season. <strong>TRACKING FLORIDA: Teams Look At 2021 Season. </strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/03/tracking-florida-teams-look-at-2021-season/">https://prepredzone.com/2021/03/tracking-florida-teams-look-at-2021-season/</a> <strong><em>You Can Contact [player_tooltip player_id="111610" first="Larry" last="Blustein"] with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com. We are also on Social Media on @PrepRedzonefl</em></strong>