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[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]St. Thomas shuts out Creek 38-0[/FONT]
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica]Fitzgerald plays well in place of injured Carroll[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica]
By Shandel Richardson
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted November 25 2006
[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] FORT LAUDERDALE ? It's almost certain St. Thomas Aquinas quarterback Wesley Carroll will be in uniform next week.
But just in case he isn't healthy, backup Sean Fitzgerald has one thing to say: He's more than ready to step in if needed.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] Fitzgerald replaced the injured Carroll in the second half and threw for 123 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-0 victory against Coconut Creek in the Class 5A regional finals. St. Thomas will host Bradenton Manatee in the state semifinals next week, the winner advancing to the state championship Dec. 8 at Dolphin Stadium.
"Every week they tell me to be ready," said Fitzgerald, who completed all three of his passes. "I try my best to do that, and that's what I did tonight."
Carroll left the game after being injured on the final play of the first half. He was slammed to the ground on his right throwing shoulder while scrambling, and he spent the remainder of the night wearing a sling. Coach George Smith said Carroll suffered a bruised shoulder and should be ready as early as Wednesday.
But Smith said it's a relief knowing he has a capable backup. A senior, Fitzgerald only played this season during blowouts, but Friday he entered with the game still in doubt. St. Thomas (11-1) led 17-0 until Fitzgerald connected with Leonard Hankerson on a 61-yard touchdown pass to break things open. On the next possession, the two hooked up again, this time for a 54-yard scoring play.
"Wes Carroll's injury is not serious," Smith said. "We expect him back by midweek, but I thought Sean came in and did a nice job. The offensive guys kind of rallied around him."
The play of Fitzgerald overshadowed an impressive performance by St. Thomas running back Jeremiah Harden in the first half. Coconut Creek entered having not allowed an individual to run for 100 yards in a game. Harden needed just two quarters to end that string, running for 180 yards in the first half. He finished with 186 yards on 21 carries, including a 64-yard touchdown to put St. Thomas ahead 10-0 with 9:10 left in the first half.
"The line stepped up," Harden said. "We came out ready and prepared. All we had to do was execute and hit the holes. I was just playing my game."
Coconut Creek (11-2) never recovered after losing fullback Terrence Covin to a rib injury in the first quarter. He had rushed for more than 900 yards this season and was a key component to its power running game. Without him, Coconut Creek was forced to turn to its passing game.
"When we lost [Covin], we lost our inside running game," Coconut Creek coach Dan Marguriet said. "We just didn't play the game we needed to play. ... When you get down like that, you're forced to do things that you don't normally do."
St. Thomas has outscored its opponents 147-8 in three postseason games. A win against Manatee could set up a third consecutive meeting against top-ranked Lakeland in the state finals. Lakeland, which has won the last two titles, plays Daytona Beach Mainland in the other semifinal.
But first both teams must take care of business in the semifinals.
"We played Manatee last year, and obviously we went over there and won pretty big," Smith said. "I don't think that they're going to be real easy to deal with coming over here. I think they're going to be real tough."
[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]St. Thomas shuts out Creek 38-0[/FONT]
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica]Fitzgerald plays well in place of injured Carroll[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica]
By Shandel Richardson
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted November 25 2006
[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] FORT LAUDERDALE ? It's almost certain St. Thomas Aquinas quarterback Wesley Carroll will be in uniform next week.
But just in case he isn't healthy, backup Sean Fitzgerald has one thing to say: He's more than ready to step in if needed.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica] Fitzgerald replaced the injured Carroll in the second half and threw for 123 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-0 victory against Coconut Creek in the Class 5A regional finals. St. Thomas will host Bradenton Manatee in the state semifinals next week, the winner advancing to the state championship Dec. 8 at Dolphin Stadium.
"Every week they tell me to be ready," said Fitzgerald, who completed all three of his passes. "I try my best to do that, and that's what I did tonight."
Carroll left the game after being injured on the final play of the first half. He was slammed to the ground on his right throwing shoulder while scrambling, and he spent the remainder of the night wearing a sling. Coach George Smith said Carroll suffered a bruised shoulder and should be ready as early as Wednesday.
But Smith said it's a relief knowing he has a capable backup. A senior, Fitzgerald only played this season during blowouts, but Friday he entered with the game still in doubt. St. Thomas (11-1) led 17-0 until Fitzgerald connected with Leonard Hankerson on a 61-yard touchdown pass to break things open. On the next possession, the two hooked up again, this time for a 54-yard scoring play.
"Wes Carroll's injury is not serious," Smith said. "We expect him back by midweek, but I thought Sean came in and did a nice job. The offensive guys kind of rallied around him."
The play of Fitzgerald overshadowed an impressive performance by St. Thomas running back Jeremiah Harden in the first half. Coconut Creek entered having not allowed an individual to run for 100 yards in a game. Harden needed just two quarters to end that string, running for 180 yards in the first half. He finished with 186 yards on 21 carries, including a 64-yard touchdown to put St. Thomas ahead 10-0 with 9:10 left in the first half.
"The line stepped up," Harden said. "We came out ready and prepared. All we had to do was execute and hit the holes. I was just playing my game."
Coconut Creek (11-2) never recovered after losing fullback Terrence Covin to a rib injury in the first quarter. He had rushed for more than 900 yards this season and was a key component to its power running game. Without him, Coconut Creek was forced to turn to its passing game.
"When we lost [Covin], we lost our inside running game," Coconut Creek coach Dan Marguriet said. "We just didn't play the game we needed to play. ... When you get down like that, you're forced to do things that you don't normally do."
St. Thomas has outscored its opponents 147-8 in three postseason games. A win against Manatee could set up a third consecutive meeting against top-ranked Lakeland in the state finals. Lakeland, which has won the last two titles, plays Daytona Beach Mainland in the other semifinal.
But first both teams must take care of business in the semifinals.
"We played Manatee last year, and obviously we went over there and won pretty big," Smith said. "I don't think that they're going to be real easy to deal with coming over here. I think they're going to be real tough."
[/FONT]
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OSUBuckeye4Life
"THE" Ohio State Buckeyes
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11/26/06
Wright will only be taking officials to USC and Florida at this juncture. Will decide around NLOI day.
11/26/06
Wright will only be taking officials to USC and Florida at this juncture. Will decide around NLOI day.
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Rebuilt to perfection
A restocked St. Thomas Aquinas team has outscored opponents 147-8 after three playoff games this season
JOHN LEMBO
Herald Staff Writer
George Smith stopped short. Have his Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders exceeded his expectations this year?
"I don't know if I'd say that," Smith, the team's long-time head coach, said Monday.
After all, these are the Raiders, who haven't missed a postseason since 1990. They have a quarterback, placekicker, wide receiver and linebacker mulling over offers from a plethora of top-tier schools. And they're back in the final four for the third consecutive year.
Aquinas advancing deep into the Class 5A football playoffs registers little on the shock meter. Nonetheless, Smith is more than happy with the result.
When the Raiders (11-1) host Manatee (9-4) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Class 5A semifinal at Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium, they will look a little different than last year's club, which beat the Hurricanes in the semifinals before losing to Lakeland in the state championship game.
The 2005 Raiders sent 10 players to Division I schools. Eight of them signed with BCS conference schools. And two of them, offensive lineman Sam Young (Notre Dame) and placekicker Brett Swenson (Michigan State), start as true freshmen.
"There's no replacing those guys, and you never know what you're going to get," Smith said. "But these kids have made every effort to step up, and they've done that."
The Raiders roster ripples with talent even without those aforementioned studs. Quarterback Wesley Carroll (Duke, Mississippi State and N.C. State), receiver Leonard Hankerson (Miami, Ohio State, Florida and Georgia) and linebacker Major Wright (Ohio State, Florida, Georgia, Miami and Notre Dame) all have fielded offers, while placekicker Wes Byrum has verbally committed to Auburn. Byrum also received an offer from Colorado.
Consequently, Aquinas, a postseason qualifier since '91, is rolling. Their lone loss came to Class 6A-District 9 champion Deerfield Beach - 18-15 on Oct. 6 - and the Raiders' average margin of victory is more than 38 points. The momentum has carried into the postseason, where Aquinas has won its first three games by a combined score of 147-8.
"They lost some great linemen," Manatee coach Joe Kinnan said, "but they just restock there. And they've got more experience at quarterback because (Carroll's) a year older."
The contributors have been plenty. Byrum has connected on 64 of 65 point-after attempts and 10 of 13 field-goal tries, and he's 3 for 4 on attempts of 40 yards or longer. Hankerson has pulled in 29 catches, Jeremiah Harden is averaging 8.1 yards on 125 carries and punter Michael Groody is averaging 40.4 yards a boot.
They have depth, too - when a shoulder injury forced Carroll to miss the entire second half of last week's Region 4 championship game with Coconut Creek, backup Sean Fitzgerald came in and threw two touchdowns.
(As for Carroll's status for Friday, Smith's response was, "We'll see").
Now they're up against Manatee for the second consecutive year. A tradition-rich program in its own right - the Hurricanes have won four state championships to the Raiders' two - Manatee has Smith feeling a little uneasy.
"They're well-coached," Smith said. "Their quarterback is young and smart, they have a good, running back, their defense is very good and they're a better team than they were last year. They've gotten bigger up front, and we haven't gotten bigger."
Kinnan agreed.
"We think defensively, we're better than we were last year," he said. "Offensively, we've got some young kids, but we've got some talented kids. We can't rely on our defense to go over there and win the game. Our offense has to do something, too.
"Had we not been where we are now, you'd see some disappointed people, because this was a given. We were going to be playing this week - somebody, somewhere."
Rebuilt to perfection
A restocked St. Thomas Aquinas team has outscored opponents 147-8 after three playoff games this season
JOHN LEMBO
Herald Staff Writer
George Smith stopped short. Have his Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders exceeded his expectations this year?
"I don't know if I'd say that," Smith, the team's long-time head coach, said Monday.
After all, these are the Raiders, who haven't missed a postseason since 1990. They have a quarterback, placekicker, wide receiver and linebacker mulling over offers from a plethora of top-tier schools. And they're back in the final four for the third consecutive year.
Aquinas advancing deep into the Class 5A football playoffs registers little on the shock meter. Nonetheless, Smith is more than happy with the result.
When the Raiders (11-1) host Manatee (9-4) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Class 5A semifinal at Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium, they will look a little different than last year's club, which beat the Hurricanes in the semifinals before losing to Lakeland in the state championship game.
The 2005 Raiders sent 10 players to Division I schools. Eight of them signed with BCS conference schools. And two of them, offensive lineman Sam Young (Notre Dame) and placekicker Brett Swenson (Michigan State), start as true freshmen.
"There's no replacing those guys, and you never know what you're going to get," Smith said. "But these kids have made every effort to step up, and they've done that."
The Raiders roster ripples with talent even without those aforementioned studs. Quarterback Wesley Carroll (Duke, Mississippi State and N.C. State), receiver Leonard Hankerson (Miami, Ohio State, Florida and Georgia) and linebacker Major Wright (Ohio State, Florida, Georgia, Miami and Notre Dame) all have fielded offers, while placekicker Wes Byrum has verbally committed to Auburn. Byrum also received an offer from Colorado.
Consequently, Aquinas, a postseason qualifier since '91, is rolling. Their lone loss came to Class 6A-District 9 champion Deerfield Beach - 18-15 on Oct. 6 - and the Raiders' average margin of victory is more than 38 points. The momentum has carried into the postseason, where Aquinas has won its first three games by a combined score of 147-8.
"They lost some great linemen," Manatee coach Joe Kinnan said, "but they just restock there. And they've got more experience at quarterback because (Carroll's) a year older."
The contributors have been plenty. Byrum has connected on 64 of 65 point-after attempts and 10 of 13 field-goal tries, and he's 3 for 4 on attempts of 40 yards or longer. Hankerson has pulled in 29 catches, Jeremiah Harden is averaging 8.1 yards on 125 carries and punter Michael Groody is averaging 40.4 yards a boot.
They have depth, too - when a shoulder injury forced Carroll to miss the entire second half of last week's Region 4 championship game with Coconut Creek, backup Sean Fitzgerald came in and threw two touchdowns.
(As for Carroll's status for Friday, Smith's response was, "We'll see").
Now they're up against Manatee for the second consecutive year. A tradition-rich program in its own right - the Hurricanes have won four state championships to the Raiders' two - Manatee has Smith feeling a little uneasy.
"They're well-coached," Smith said. "Their quarterback is young and smart, they have a good, running back, their defense is very good and they're a better team than they were last year. They've gotten bigger up front, and we haven't gotten bigger."
Kinnan agreed.
"We think defensively, we're better than we were last year," he said. "Offensively, we've got some young kids, but we've got some talented kids. We can't rely on our defense to go over there and win the game. Our offense has to do something, too.
"Had we not been where we are now, you'd see some disappointed people, because this was a given. We were going to be playing this week - somebody, somewhere."
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HIGH SCHOOLS | CLASS 5A STATE SEMIS
Defense set for challenge
Despite missing starting quarterback Wesley Carroll, St. Thomas Aquinas is confident its defense will get the job done.
BY JOSEPH GOODMAN
[email protected]
TOM ERVIN / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD
REMEMBERING LAST YEAR: 'They're going to want to come here and make up for that. It's going to be a tough game,' Major Wright said, referring to the Raiders' 40-17 victory against Manatee last season.
If you have spent all week wondering who will start at quarterback for St. Thomas Aquinas tonight, then you're missing the bigger picture. It doesn't matter -- not when the other team can't score.
Because as good as the Raiders' offense has been this postseason, its defense has been better. Led by a core of hard-hitting seniors, St. Thomas (11-1) enters tonight's Class 5A state semifinal against Bradenton Manatee (9-4) with one of the best defenses in the state.
After allowing a touchdown and a two-point conversion in a 45-8 first-round win against Ely, St. Thomas got serious and shut out Delray Beach Atlantic (64-0) in the second round and Coconut Creek (38-0) in the Region 4-5A final. Only one defense in the state has allowed fewer playoff points. Pahokee enters Saturday's Class 2B state championship game at Dolphin Stadium having outscored its opponents 152-0.
''We're just doing our jobs, really,'' senior defensive lineman Vinnie Zann said. ``It's good coaching. Our defensive packages are so complex that they're tough to figure out.''
ANOTHER QB?
As for St. Thomas' quarterback situation, senior backup Sean Fitzgerald will likely start tonight in place of injured senior Wesley Carroll. Carroll, a two-year starter, strained the shoulder of his throwing arm last week against Coconut Creek while trying to move the Raiders' into field goal range at the end of the first half.
Carroll, who has thrown 20 postseason touchdowns in two seasons, worked with trainers during Thursday's practice while Fitzgerald ran the first-team offense.
Losing a quarterback of Carroll's caliber is a blow, but don't expect the Raiders to simplify their offense if Carroll can't play. St. Thomas is confident that Fitzgerald can fill the void.
''We have total confidence with Fitz out there as the starting quarterback,'' senior linebacker Jeffrey Fuller said. ``He can start for any team in the county and would be out there all the time.''
Fitzgerald played the second half against Coconut Creek with the look of a polished quarterback. He completed all three of his pass attempts and two went for touchdowns. Both scoring plays were post patterns to senior wide receiver Leonard Hankerson.
''Things shouldn't have to change when I come in,'' Fitzgerald said after the win.
St. Thomas had a 17-0 lead when Carroll went down and Coconut Creek's offense lacked the passing game for a second-half comeback. With St. Thomas' defense playing so well, little pressure was on Fitzgerald. Senior safety Major Wright hopes to keep it that way. He says it's the defense's job to give Fitzgerald a stress-free night.
''It's [Fitzgerald's] time to step up and he will,'' Wright said. ``But the defense still has to do the best we can to pitch the shutout.''
A TOP SAFETY
Wright is one of the most highly rated high school safeties in the country. A finalist for the U.S. Army's national Player of the Year award, he will be remembered as one of the hardest hitters ever to come out of Broward County. He remembers last season's postseason trip to Bradenton Manatee. St. Thomas won 40-17.
''They're going to want to come here and make up for that,'' Wright said. ``It's going to be a tough game.''
Wright is one of several two-year starters that helped shut down Manatee in last season's 5A state semifinal. Zann, Fuller and Matthew Douglas -- St. Thomas' leading tacklers -- all started against Manatee. Zann, who played linebacker last season, now starts on the defensive line. Fuller and Douglas are two of the best linebackers in Broward.
Only one round separates St. Thomas from a return trip to the state title game. Fuller says he knows how to get there.
''We play women, children and babies the same,'' Fuller said. ``We go in thinking every team is the same.''
ST. THOMAS VS. BRADENTON MANATEE
? What: FHSAA Class 5A state football semifinal.
? Who: Bradenton Manatee (9-4) at St. Thomas Aquinas (11-1)
? When and where: Tonight, 7:30, at St. Thomas Aquinas' Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium (2801 SW 12th Street).
? Road to the semifinals -- St. Thomas: d. Ely, 45-8; Delray Beach Atlantic, 64-0; Coconut Creek, 38-0. Manatee: d. Fort Myers, 28-7; Dunedin, 31-6; North Fort Myers, 23-19.
? Scouting report: It's doubtful St. Thomas quarterback Wesley Carroll will play. Carroll, who strained the shoulder of his throwing arm during last week's win against Coconut Creek, tossed a few passes with the medical training staff during Thursday's walk-through practice. Carroll took a few snaps with the first-team offense but backup Sean Fitzgerald handled most of the reps. . . . St. Thomas senior defensive lineman Matt Shula practiced this week and is expected to play a limited role tonight. Shula strained his lower back earlier in the season. . . . For all of those Broward County football fans looking to compare Chaminade-Madonna and St. Thomas Aquinas, tonight's game should offer some insight. Chaminade beat Bradenton Manatee 14-13 in the final game of the regular season.
KEY PLAYERS
? St. Thomas: RB Jeremiah Harden (125 att., 1,055 yds, 14 TD); WR Leonard Hankerson (29 rec., 672 yds, 13 TDs); QB Wesley Carroll (84-155 passes, 1,359 yds, 23 TD, 5 INT); QB Sean Fitzgerald (9-17 passes, 268 yds, 5 TD); K Wes Byrum (10-13 FG, 64-65 PAT); LB Matthew Douglas (44 T); LB Jeffrey Fuller (44 T, 2 INT, 2 FR) S Major Wright (38 T, 2 INT, 2 BK).
? Manatee: RB Shawn Williams (272 att., 1,398 yds, 16 TD); FB Nick Roehl (72 att., 641 yards, 2 TD); WR Eric Williams (18 rec., 290 yds, 1 TD); Edgard Theliar (18 rec., 231 yds, 3 TD); QB Brion Carnes (94-187 passes, 940 yds, 4 TD); LB Josh McCoy (66 T); S Brody Kraft (35 T, 3 INT, 4 FR).
? Prediction: St. Thomas 30, Manatee 7
HIGH SCHOOLS | CLASS 5A STATE SEMIS
Defense set for challenge
Despite missing starting quarterback Wesley Carroll, St. Thomas Aquinas is confident its defense will get the job done.
BY JOSEPH GOODMAN
[email protected]
TOM ERVIN / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD
REMEMBERING LAST YEAR: 'They're going to want to come here and make up for that. It's going to be a tough game,' Major Wright said, referring to the Raiders' 40-17 victory against Manatee last season.
If you have spent all week wondering who will start at quarterback for St. Thomas Aquinas tonight, then you're missing the bigger picture. It doesn't matter -- not when the other team can't score.
Because as good as the Raiders' offense has been this postseason, its defense has been better. Led by a core of hard-hitting seniors, St. Thomas (11-1) enters tonight's Class 5A state semifinal against Bradenton Manatee (9-4) with one of the best defenses in the state.
After allowing a touchdown and a two-point conversion in a 45-8 first-round win against Ely, St. Thomas got serious and shut out Delray Beach Atlantic (64-0) in the second round and Coconut Creek (38-0) in the Region 4-5A final. Only one defense in the state has allowed fewer playoff points. Pahokee enters Saturday's Class 2B state championship game at Dolphin Stadium having outscored its opponents 152-0.
''We're just doing our jobs, really,'' senior defensive lineman Vinnie Zann said. ``It's good coaching. Our defensive packages are so complex that they're tough to figure out.''
ANOTHER QB?
As for St. Thomas' quarterback situation, senior backup Sean Fitzgerald will likely start tonight in place of injured senior Wesley Carroll. Carroll, a two-year starter, strained the shoulder of his throwing arm last week against Coconut Creek while trying to move the Raiders' into field goal range at the end of the first half.
Carroll, who has thrown 20 postseason touchdowns in two seasons, worked with trainers during Thursday's practice while Fitzgerald ran the first-team offense.
Losing a quarterback of Carroll's caliber is a blow, but don't expect the Raiders to simplify their offense if Carroll can't play. St. Thomas is confident that Fitzgerald can fill the void.
''We have total confidence with Fitz out there as the starting quarterback,'' senior linebacker Jeffrey Fuller said. ``He can start for any team in the county and would be out there all the time.''
Fitzgerald played the second half against Coconut Creek with the look of a polished quarterback. He completed all three of his pass attempts and two went for touchdowns. Both scoring plays were post patterns to senior wide receiver Leonard Hankerson.
''Things shouldn't have to change when I come in,'' Fitzgerald said after the win.
St. Thomas had a 17-0 lead when Carroll went down and Coconut Creek's offense lacked the passing game for a second-half comeback. With St. Thomas' defense playing so well, little pressure was on Fitzgerald. Senior safety Major Wright hopes to keep it that way. He says it's the defense's job to give Fitzgerald a stress-free night.
''It's [Fitzgerald's] time to step up and he will,'' Wright said. ``But the defense still has to do the best we can to pitch the shutout.''
A TOP SAFETY
Wright is one of the most highly rated high school safeties in the country. A finalist for the U.S. Army's national Player of the Year award, he will be remembered as one of the hardest hitters ever to come out of Broward County. He remembers last season's postseason trip to Bradenton Manatee. St. Thomas won 40-17.
''They're going to want to come here and make up for that,'' Wright said. ``It's going to be a tough game.''
Wright is one of several two-year starters that helped shut down Manatee in last season's 5A state semifinal. Zann, Fuller and Matthew Douglas -- St. Thomas' leading tacklers -- all started against Manatee. Zann, who played linebacker last season, now starts on the defensive line. Fuller and Douglas are two of the best linebackers in Broward.
Only one round separates St. Thomas from a return trip to the state title game. Fuller says he knows how to get there.
''We play women, children and babies the same,'' Fuller said. ``We go in thinking every team is the same.''
ST. THOMAS VS. BRADENTON MANATEE
? What: FHSAA Class 5A state football semifinal.
? Who: Bradenton Manatee (9-4) at St. Thomas Aquinas (11-1)
? When and where: Tonight, 7:30, at St. Thomas Aquinas' Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium (2801 SW 12th Street).
? Road to the semifinals -- St. Thomas: d. Ely, 45-8; Delray Beach Atlantic, 64-0; Coconut Creek, 38-0. Manatee: d. Fort Myers, 28-7; Dunedin, 31-6; North Fort Myers, 23-19.
? Scouting report: It's doubtful St. Thomas quarterback Wesley Carroll will play. Carroll, who strained the shoulder of his throwing arm during last week's win against Coconut Creek, tossed a few passes with the medical training staff during Thursday's walk-through practice. Carroll took a few snaps with the first-team offense but backup Sean Fitzgerald handled most of the reps. . . . St. Thomas senior defensive lineman Matt Shula practiced this week and is expected to play a limited role tonight. Shula strained his lower back earlier in the season. . . . For all of those Broward County football fans looking to compare Chaminade-Madonna and St. Thomas Aquinas, tonight's game should offer some insight. Chaminade beat Bradenton Manatee 14-13 in the final game of the regular season.
KEY PLAYERS
? St. Thomas: RB Jeremiah Harden (125 att., 1,055 yds, 14 TD); WR Leonard Hankerson (29 rec., 672 yds, 13 TDs); QB Wesley Carroll (84-155 passes, 1,359 yds, 23 TD, 5 INT); QB Sean Fitzgerald (9-17 passes, 268 yds, 5 TD); K Wes Byrum (10-13 FG, 64-65 PAT); LB Matthew Douglas (44 T); LB Jeffrey Fuller (44 T, 2 INT, 2 FR) S Major Wright (38 T, 2 INT, 2 BK).
? Manatee: RB Shawn Williams (272 att., 1,398 yds, 16 TD); FB Nick Roehl (72 att., 641 yards, 2 TD); WR Eric Williams (18 rec., 290 yds, 1 TD); Edgard Theliar (18 rec., 231 yds, 3 TD); QB Brion Carnes (94-187 passes, 940 yds, 4 TD); LB Josh McCoy (66 T); S Brody Kraft (35 T, 3 INT, 4 FR).
? Prediction: St. Thomas 30, Manatee 7
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Major Wright, St. Thomas Aquinas senior strong safety: Wright led the Raiders with 10 tackles against Manatee, including a touchdown-saving stop in double overtime. Wright's third-quarter interception and 84-yard return was one of the season's highlights. Wright intercepted Manatee quarterback Brion Carnes at the St. Thomas Aquinas 4 and returned it to the Manatee 12. Along the way, Wright broke three tackles, hurdled two player and nearly outraced the entire Manatee offense.
miami.com
miami.com
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dingyibvs
Senior
Next up, STA vs. Lakeland, part III. Let's see if Leonard Hankerson can finally break Black and Wilks's contain, and if Wright can finally make a TD-saving tackle on Rainey. I think STA has a great chance this year, primarily because of the nepotism going on at Lakeland with the coach's son starting at QB. Blair Castle is an absolutely horrible QB, yet he's starting for the supposedly #1 team in Florida, and he can't run the option like the previous QB either. The Lakeland offense has completely relied on Rainey and Taylor this year, which is good for their stats(and bad for Wilson, the star WR's stats), but the Lakeland offense is not as consistent as they were a year ago. Unlike the previous two title games, STA can focus entirely on the run this year, and Rainey and Taylor must work some magic to shake off the STA defense.
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The same could be said for Wright, a 6-2, 200-pound safety from St. Thomas, who is said to be choosing between Ohio State, Florida, USC and Miami. Wright's teammate, 6-2, 195-pound receiver Leonard Hankerson is being recruited by Ohio State and Miami.
''Major Wright is a player everybody should see right now,'' Long said. ``He's the best playmaker in the state.
miami.com
''Major Wright is a player everybody should see right now,'' Long said. ``He's the best playmaker in the state.
miami.com
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heisman;681340; said:
You know we would love to tell people every detail, but to maintain our relationship with Scout and Rivals, we have to leave a little to the imagination...
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