The high school football scheduling overlords blessed us early in the season with heavy hitters facing off on Thursday, a national matchup between two top-5 teams in the Super 25 as No. 3 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) took on cross-town Miami Central (Fla.)
The Chaminade-Madonna Lions staved off the Central Rockets with a 31-28 that consisted of a high-powered offensive dual in the first half, defensive dominance from both sides in the second, and a weather delay that forced a pause of almost two hours.
The teams combined for 52 points in the first half as Chaminade-Madonna quarterback Cedrick Bailey, a North Carolina State commit, passed for four touchdowns, two of which were caught by five-star Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith. On the other hand, the Rockets went to the ground, as three players rushed for touchdowns. At one point, Central held the lead but finished the half trailing 31-21.
Chaminade-Madonna and Miami Central are putting on a SHOW. 🤩🍿
The Florida powerhouses are going down to the wire live on ESPN2 📺@Nadeboyz | @Roc__Nation pic.twitter.com/IcxZVCUOz1
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) September 22, 2023
Central shut out Chaminade-Madonna in the second half. The team could barely make up any ground because the Lions’ defense matched them step-for-step, trading interceptions and punishing offensive players.
How did @Curtisjanvier hold on to this INT 🫣⁉️
Huge takeaway by the FAU commit! pic.twitter.com/XrrEqfjsHG
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) September 22, 2023
Miami Central takes it RIGHT back 😤‼️
4⭐️ Amari Wallace with the impressive snag! @begreat_mari | @Roc__Nation pic.twitter.com/9YRpiBJRpK
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) September 22, 2023
4⭐️ Miami commit Zaquan Patterson THREW HIM. 🥴‼️@PattersonZaquan | @Nadeboyz pic.twitter.com/ybWIVRKsPt
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) September 22, 2023
The Rockets managed a third-quarter touchdown, but neither team scored in the fourth quarter and Central spoiled the chance to tie with a missed 26-yard field goal attempt.
In the end, after an explosive first half, the defense sealed the game. Three-star Chaminade-Madonna safety Curtis Janiver, a Florida Atlantic commit, had two interceptions, including one with less than a minute and a half remaining to put the game away.
FAU commit Curtis Janvier with the CLUTCH takeaway 🤯‼️ @Curtisjanvier @Nadeboyz pic.twitter.com/7ZzbBKQM3p
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) September 22, 2023
Chaminade-Madonna maintained its spot as the best team in Florida and improved its record to 5-0 as Central fell to a 1-2 record that completely misses the mark on how good of a team it is — its two losses are both to top-3 teams, with this three-point defeat at the hands of the Lions and a four-point loss to No. 2 Bishop Gorman.
Central’s schedule is brutal. Chaminade-Madonna made a case as not just a top-3 team but maybe a top-2 or top-1. Once again, thank you to the schedule overseers for putting this rotation together.
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