Bald Predictions District Previews: District 8-4A
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This district lost a team – Gulliver Prep, which elected to play independently – but replaced it with another Dade County team. However, this group is still under the rule of the squad from Overtown. But that doesn't mean the race between the other four teams won't be exciting.
Booker T. Washington Tornadoes
2015 Record: 9-5 (District Champion; Class 4A Champion)
Coach: Earl Tillman/Tim "Ice" Harris
2016 Outlook: The champs are still here.
Just when everyone was ready to cast Booker T. Washington aside, saying that its days of dominance were over – get ready for another one of those quintessential Tornadoes teams that blows by opponents.
2015 was a "down year" for Booker T. – going 5-5 during the regular season. However, all of Booker T.'s losses were against teams in larger classifications. The Tornadoes haven't loss to a Class 4A opponent since 2011 when they were defeated by Jacksonville Bolles in the state title game.
They've won 30 straight games against 4A teams since – including four straight championships (2012-15).
Also, Tim "Ice" Harris returns to the program that he built. Harris teams up with coach Earl Tillman and they'll lead a team that has arguably South Florida's top offensive line and one of the best quarterbacks in the state.
Sophomore signal caller Daniel Richardson, who led Miami-Dade in passing as a freshman, returns and has complete control of the Tornadoes offense – which has a new weapon in Miami Jackson transfer Sharod Johnson.
Richardson will operate behind an offensive line that was already anchored by returners Willa Pierre (6-foot-3, 290 pounds), Teaki Fuller (6-foot-3, 315 pounds) and Dontae Lucas (6-foot-3, 320 pounds) and was only further bolstered by the arrival of 6-foot-6, 320-pound Norland transfer Kadeem "Tiny" Telfort.
Like in years past, the Tornadoes' defense is brimming with speed. Junior linebacker Jaquan Beaver is already one of the most productive defensive players in South Florida.
He'll team with defensive end and Auburn commit Robert Hicks along with Guy Thomas – the brother of former Booker T. standout Matthew Thomas that came over from Christopher Columbus – to provide a pass rush while Dedrick Mackey anchors the secondary.
Booker T. Washington is all about the "drive for five" – straight.
Edison Red Raiders
2015 Record: 6-4
Coach: Napoleon Joseph
2016 Outlook: If anyone benefits from Gulliver Prep dropping out of district play – it's Edison.
The Red Raiders were close to making the playoffs in 2015 but fell just short because it couldn't make winning plays in crucial games.
Now the playoff door is open for an Edison team that will probably have one of its most talented rosters in quite some time. Edison has always had talented players flow through the program – Jeff Godfrey, Devonta Freeman, Brandon Washington – the key was getting them to stay.
Head coach Napoleon Joseph enters his third year at the helm and he's been working hard to bring a winning culture to 62nd Street.
The player that has gotten all the buzz since the offseason has been safety Nadab Joseph. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound defensive back is an LSU commit and is a player that many people are anxious to see compete.
Cornerbacks Kareem Gaiter and Jamauri Laguerre are probably the best pass-defending duo that not enough people are talking about.
Also, senior running back Eldridge "E.J." Thomas is the unsung hero. He's a bit of a hidden gem, but much of the Red Raiders' offensive success will be tied directly to his performance in 2016.
Hialeah-Miami Lakes Trojans
2015 Record: 4-6
Coach: Tyronn Johnson
2016 Outlook: It's a general misconception that Hialeah-Miami Lakes is just some downtrodden program.
Things haven't been grandiose, but the Trojans are 9-11 over the past two years.
HML welcomes new head coach Tyronn Johnson. Johnson, a former professional player in both the NFL and AFL as well as Miami Northwestern alumni, was Miami Edison's defensive coordinator this past season. He also was a part of a pair of state championship staffs – Killian in 2004 and Northwestern in 2007 – as a defensive line coach.
Johnson takes over an HML team that returns a nice of players – including two-way standout Keshawn Brownlee. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior can make plays as a receiver and a cornerback and is arguably the Trojans' best overall football player.
Senior nose tackle Alfonso Ervin has potential as a major run-stopper – showing the ability to fight double teams on the interior and occasionally break through the offensive line and make a play in the backfield.
Coach Johnson must continue to fight to change the perception of HML's program and show the area's talented youngsters that becoming and staying a Trojan is a good thing.
It'll be an easier task now that Hialeah-Miami Lakes has made the move down to Class 4A and will be able to build a schedule – both district and non-district – that is more conducive to where the program is.
Monsignor Pace Spartans
2015 Record: 2-8
Coach: Joe Zaccheo
2016 Outlook: Legendary coach Joe Zaccheo came back this past season and is trying to crank the motor on this program that was once among the best in South Florida.
The win total wasn't as high as he would have liked, but Zaccheo is doing everything he can to make Pace an attractive program.
It looked like the Spartans were getting things going when top rated prospect Trenell Troutman transferred in from Miami Northwestern. But Troutman's decided to move again – on to St. Thomas Aquinas.
But that doesn't mean Pace is without talent.
6-foot-3, 210-pound defensive end/linebacker D'Andre Ragin – who received an FAU offer during the offseason – has all the physical tools to be a disruptive force off the edge.
Also, 2018 athlete Divaad Wilson is a two-way weapon – quarterback and defensive back – for the Spartans and will be relied heavily to make plays on both sides of the ball.
Keys Gate Charter Knights
2015 Record: 3-6
Coach: Chevas Clements
2016 Outlook: Since its inception, Keys Gate Charter has been one of those programs that will have a handful of talented players, but won't have enough, on the whole, to seriously contend with the big fish in the pond.
Enter head coach Chevas Clements.
Clements, who previously coach at Coral Reef, is an established coach that works with a chip on his shoulder and will demand that his players play with the same intensity and passion.
Once again, the Knights have some very good players that will try to buoy the team.
Keys Gate has two physically gifted receivers in 6-foot-3, 185-pound Angelo Gonzalez and 6-foot-2, 180-pound Isaac Lipscomb. Both have to show that they can live up to the buzz that they've created during the offseason – and if they do, the Knights will be much better for it.
Offensively, Keys Gate is fine. The Knights' defense needs big years out of linebackers Devin Hardy and Deaundre Wynter (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) if they are to challenge for a playoff spot.
Bald Prediction
There's no doubt about it – Booker T. Washington will win this district again.
The Tornadoes haven't even lost a district game in the past half-decade. At one point, they had a streak of consecutive shutouts against district opponents. Their sights are set on a fifth straight state title.
Where things get interesting is the district runner-up spot.
I believe Edison nabs a playoff berth for the first time since 2005. The Red Raiders were a few plays away from earning a spot in the postseason last year. Now, they've assembled an impressive roster – especially defensively – and they should be able to hold off Keys Gate Charter for the No. 2 spot.
Keys Gate too has improved. But the Knights may still be a few players away from earning a playoff berth.
Hialeah-Miami Lakes should come in and find a way to knock off Monsignor Pace to take the fourth spot – leaving the Spartans to look up at the rest of the district, but Pace's coaching staff will make sure that it puts up a fight every week.
Predicted Champion: Booker T. Washington
Predicted Runner-Up: Edison
District MVP
As much as I would've liked to go more boldly with this honor, the unavoidable pick is Booker T. Washington quarterback Daniel Richardson.
The sophomore has a year under his belt, a college offer (FAU) in hand, and he's going to be "the man" for this Tornadoes offense in 2016.
While he was Miami-Dade's passing champ this past season (2,553 yards & 30 touchdowns), Richardson's youth showed as did not have the best statistical game during the 2015 Class 4A state title game – four interceptions in the win.
But, that's the encouraging thing – for Booker T. – and simultaneously the scary thing – for everyone else – he's still very young.
There is no reason to think Richardson won't be among the top passers in South Florida and why he won't lead the Tornadoes to another state title.
Bold Prediction
Booker T.'s defense will be in the running for most total sacks in Miami-Dade County.
Jaquan Beaver and Robert Hicks were already disruptive forces. Now add in Guy Thomas, and opposing teams won't know where to slide their protection.
The Tornadoes secondary will help in this cause, too.
Top Players
Alfonso Ervin – Hialeah-Miami Lakes
Angelo Gonzalez – Keys Gate Charter
Blake Veargis – Monsignor Pace
Christopher Carter – Keys Gate Charter
Corey Hammet – Booker T. Washington
Craig Nelson – Booker T. Washington
D'Andre Ragin – Monsignor Pace
Daniel Richardson – Booker T. Washington
DeAndre Williams – Booker T. Washington
Deaundre Wynter – Keys Gate Charter
Dedrick Mackey – Booker T. Washington
Demetrius Mingo – Keys Gate Charter
Devin Hardy – Keys Gate Charter
Divaad Wilson – Monsignor Pace
Dontae Lucas – Booker T. Washington
Eldridge "E.J." Thomas – Edison
Guy Thomas – Booker T. Washington
Isaac Lipscomb – Keys Gate Charter
Isaac Readon – Booker T. Washington
Jamauri Laguerre – Edison
Jaquan Beaver – Booker T. Washington
Kadeem Telfort – Booker T. Washington
Kareem Gaiter – Edison
Kayode Oladele – Edison
Keshawn Brownlee – Hialeah-Miami Lakes
Nadab Joseph – Edison
Patrick Joyner – Keys Gate Charter
Rey Dorta – Monsignor Pace
Richard Dames – Booker T. Washington
Rishard Dames – Booker T. Washington
Robert Hicks – Booker T. Washington
Rodney Mompremier – Booker T. Washington
Sharod Johnson – Booker T. Washington
Teaki Fuller – Booker T. Washington
Tyquan Thornton – Booker T. Washington
Willa Pierra – Booker T. Washington
