This article was written by Hotbed’s Jon Alcindor
Its finally here, the AYFL Superbowl. In what Football Hotbed likes to call the toughest division in youth football in South Florida, the 140lb Division in the American Youth Football League for 13U players. The Davie Broncos will take on the defending champion Pasadena Panthers from last year’s 120lb division.
Both teams came into the season with high expectations but early hiccups. Last season the AYFL champs came up a point short of a south Florida championship falling to Rod Mack’s 110lb Miami Gardens Ravens. With the off season fallout of the SFYFL, Jaylen Floyd and Justin Brown along with a host of the Ravens decided to join their toughest competition, the Pasadena Panthers. Pasadena’s head coach Ruben Ramirez, had all the talent but chemistry issues caused the Panthers two early season losses to the Cooper City Cowboys and Plantation Wildcats.
After those losses, Pasadena regrouped and the team began to gel, winning out the regular season including a hard-fought victory against the Davie Broncos. Making the playoffs as a fourth seed as they did last season, the Panthers made quick work of the Ft. Lauderdale Jaguars and a late game interception against PPO put them into the Superbowl.
With addition of talent by way of the Tacolcy Red Raiders, Davie came out the gate strong with early season moppings of Plantation and the PPO Bengals. At the end of week two it was reported that Davie had an ineligible player and they were stripped of their wins. In a division this tough it was assumed Davie would have to win out the remainder of the games to get in the playoffs as a low seed. Davie dropped three more games to Pasadena, Cooper City, and Weston. Finishing the season 6-5, Davie got in the playoffs as an eighth seed. As if the Broncos hadn’t been through enough they ended up facing Football Hotbed regular season number one team Cooper City. Davie “shocked the world” beating not only top seed Cooper City, but the second seed Weston Warriors as well en route to a Superbowl showdown with Pasadena.
It has been said it is hard to beat a good team twice, Davie is proof of that. The Broncos have avenged two of their three on field losses. Next up Pasadena. The AYFL’s 140lb division was supposed to be the best in South Florida so far it has been all it was expected to be and more…
Catch the finale today at PAL field in Plantation between Pasadena and Davie. Kickoff time is slated for around 5:30 p.m.
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