Since they were edged out by eventual 4A state champion Miami Booker T. Washington in the second round of the state playoffs last year, head coach Earl Sims and his Gulliver Raiders pointed to this day.
Nearly 11 long months that included a pandemic and numerous delays this program had to wait to return to the playoffs – and this evening, in what has been a crazy year, this 4-0 team will open things up on the road against Monsignor Pace.
When the first Tri-County Football Championship Poll was released on Wednesday, a team that has everyone’s attention stood atop the 16 Class 7A teams who are competing.
Coach Steve Davis and his Plantation Colonels – who lost just twice a year ago (both to state champion and district rival St. Thomas Aquinas) are off to a 1-1 start in this pandemic-shortened season.
When the news was passed down that 75 percent of the high school football teams in south Florida would not be competing for a state title, there was plenty of sadness and anger.
The athletes had worked so hard to get ready for this season – and because of Covid and the FHSAA making a decision that ended up hurting plenty of programs in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, there were many officials who wouldn’t stand by and let this season become a waste for so many athletes.
Some years ago, Plantation American Heritage had a team that many felt was among the best in the state – if not the entire country.
When the Patriots scheduled St. Thomas Aquinas for a game at Dolphins’ Stadium, there was a lot of talk how this program was ready to join the elite – like the Raiders had become.
With the state playoffs a week away from getting started, two of the programs who figure to be in the mix for titles will be in action this evening.
Class 8A Miami Palmetto (2-0) and 5A Miami Northwestern (1-1) will clash tonight (7:30) at Traz Powell Stadium.