When his Somerset Academy Homestead team beat True North Classical Academy, 21-14, to end the season, head coach Andre Daniels pointed to the victory as a stepping stone.
In an inaugural season that saw the Hurricanes finish 1-9, the result was not the concern for this program. What the coaches and players wanted to get out of the first season was a direction, and that was accomplished.
Just one year removed another state championship, 3-4 happened to Miami Booker T. Washington.
To credit then first year head coach Gerald Cox, the season came with many valid reasons and plenty of obstacles.
Looking back at the 2020 season and the choice that head coach Mike Manasco and his Miami Palmetto Panthers made to compete for a state title, turned out to be a win/win.
With one of the best defensive units in south Florida, the Panthers played just seven games, but in everyone of those contests, we were watching some of the top football talent in the nation that played every contest to the very end.
Even though the South Dade football program finished 4-1 in a Covid-shortened season, veteran head coach Nate Hudson and his football left the season not satisfied.
Losing to Monarch in the Tri-County playoffs, the Bucs never fully got untracked this past season.
During the course of a year, we are fortunate to watch thousands of south Florida high school football players live and in person.
Because we have the pleasure of seeing so many athletes and prospects perform – from the very beginning – it gives us a huge opportunity to see these athletes in season during games and practices as well as at nearly every camp or combine.