This Miami-Dade County district has always played the role of “sleeper”. Whether it be through some of the great athletes that reside in this district or through one of the programs as a whole making a deeper-than-expected playoff run – this group deserves attention. 2017 surely won’t be any different.
Hialeah American Patriots
2016 Record: 4-6 (2016 District runner-up)
Coach: Joe Morgan
2017 Outlook: It would appear that American has been going in reverse.
The Patriots won the district title in both 2014 and 2015, but saw their record worsen year to year. American finished as the district runner-up this past season, but saw its overall win total slip again.
Head coach Joe Morgan returns for his second season at the helm and hopes to make 2017 the year that the Patriots put their foot down and try to turn around their fate.
If the Patriots do turn things around, it’ll largely be on the shoulders of the offensive trio of quarterback Wanya Williams, running back Chaaleb Womble and receiver Khalil Love.
All three were statistical leaders at their respective positions in 2016 and will have to – at the very least – match their output in order for American’s offense to have some punch this season.
Defensively, American will need a new group of leaders to emerge. The secondary has a couple of nice pieces in senior Javon Gray and junior Jared Mack, but the linebacker corps and defensive line will have to show improved if the team wants to contend against a loaded schedule.
Dr. Krop Lightning
2016 Record: 5-5
Coach: Mike Farley
2017 Outlook: Dr. Krop has always had access to pretty good vein of talent, but 2017 looks like the year that the right collection is in place – along with a solid coaching staff led by head coach Mike Farley – for the Lightning to make some noise.
Farley, a West Virginia supplant, enters his second season leading the program and has seemed to found a formula that will lead to success for the Lightning.
Krop finished in the middle of the pack in this district a year ago, but they could vault to the top because they return one of Miami-Dade County’s most underrated playmakers in senior running back Lawrence Papillon.
After putting a near-transfer situation in the rearview mirror, Papillon will once again be Krop’s offensive cornerstone. He rushed for just under 1,000 yards and accounted for 11 touchdowns this past season and should replicate that production in 2017.
Papillon’s best friends will undoubtedly be 6-foot-5, 285-pound junior offensive tackle Christopher Manzini and 6-foot-3, 270-pound sophomore offensive guard Isaac Joseph.
Senior linebacker Francky Jean-Louis (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) will be one of the defensive anchors along with Dovran Ellington (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) and 6-foot-2, 175-pound defensive back Timothy Williams.
Optimism shot through the roof from the spring when Dr. Krop went up to Palm Beach and smacked a young, but still talented Dwyer High team. Dwyer has been a perennial power in Class 7A, but the Lightning romped to a 30-10 victory.
Krop has a tough non-district schedule ahead of it. The Lightning will face off against two defending state champions – Miami Carol City (Class 6A) on Sept. 22 and Miami Southridge (Class 8A) on Nov. 3 – as well as traveling to Vero Beach High School on Sept. 8.
The Lightning’s main objective will be staying healthy and winning its district games in order to capitalize on its talent and capture the district crown.
Hialeah Thoroughbreds
2016 Record: 3-6
Coach: Pierre Senatus (1st year)
2017 Outlook: For just about a decade, Hialeah has been one of those “unlucky” programs. Over that time, the T-Breds have either been in a district with some of the elite programs Miami-Dade has to offer or they have had to deal with seeing players develop their skills in a Hialeah uniform but then transfer out and never get to reap the full benefits.
The T-Breds found themselves near the bottom of this district this past season and will enter 2017 with renewed optimism because of new head coach Pierre Senatus.
Senatus landed at Hialeah after a bit of “coaching musical chairs”. Senatus himself stepped down at Miramar High in February and was brought in in June to replace Steve Smith, who ultimately stepped down at Hialeah to take the head coach position at Miami Killian.
Senatus, a former Miami Booker T. Washington assistant coach, hit the ground running with Hialeah – taking the team on a college tour and building trust between his players and new coaching staff.
One of the latest examples of Hialeah not reaping the benefit of a players’ full career is the transfer of 2018 running back Bobby Nelson. Nelson was a big part of the team’s offensive attack the past two season, but has taken his talents to Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy.
A player that the Thoroughbreds are investing in is junior quarterback JuZion Wade. Wade split time as the starting quarterback for Hialeah in 2016, but should be the lone signal caller in the backfield this season.
Senior athlete Jason Lubin should see his offensive role expand this season. The 5-foot-8, 160-pound spark plug can contribute as a receiver and running back while also being able to line up as a defensive back.
6-foot-2, 225-pound senior defensive end Nicholas Rivera must step into a leadership role on Hialeah’s defense this season and set the tone while fellow defensive end Franco Acosta and linebacker Kacey Obsaint help buoy the unit.
Hialeah Gardens Gladiators
2016 Record: 1-8
Coach: Greg Magner (1st year)
2017 Outlook: Hialeah Gardens walks into the 2017 season with the hopes of putting a positive stake in the ground that can help turn the program’s fortunes around for the better.
Since it began its varsity football program in 2009, the Gladiators have amassed a 9-68 record – with three winless seasons (2009, 2011 & 2013) sprinkled in while the program’s best year was a 4-6 season in 2014.
Hialeah Gardens does have a new head coach in Greg Magner. Magner spent the past 25 years at the now defunct Miami Archbishop Curley High School, and replaces Joseph Harrington as the Gladiators’ coach.
Senior defensive lineman Cristian Gonzalez is in line to be one of the team’s top players this season.
Also, running back/linebacker Christian Delcorro – the team’s second leading rusher in 2016 – returns for his senior campaign as does quarterback Darian Hernandez.
North Miami Pioneers
2016 Record: 5-4
Coach: Patrick Colon (1st year)
2017 Outlook: North Miami is trying to get back to where it was just three and four years ago – atop the district and in the playoffs. It seems like “forever ago” that the Pioneers went 19-4 in the two-year span of 2013 and 2014.
If North Miami does climb back to that height, it will be new head coach Patrick Colon that leads them there. The former Carol City assistant coach takes over for Ed Williams, who led the Pioneers for five seasons.
Even though this marks Colon’s first time as a head coach, he has earned a surplus of experience at a handful of South Florida programs. To add some punch to his coaching staff, Colon reportedly brought in former Miami Jackson head coach (2012-13) Antonio “De-La” Brown to be offensive coordinator.
Looking at North Miami’s 2017 roster, you see a team full of potential.
2019 quarterback Karon Johnson will take over as the team’s starter this season and will grow with 2019 receiver Achim Edmond and 2020 running back/slot receiver Marco Lorquette.
The Pioneers offense, which scored 20 or more points in all but one game this past season, should be a productive unit once again with the return of running back Derrick Jackson – the team’s second-leading rusher in 2016 – as well as receivers Alvin Johnson III and Andy Pierre-Antoine.
North Miami also welcomed the transfer of running back Quino Mauricette from Miramar.
6-foot-2, 190-pound safety Nicholas Days will be looking to have a big individual season – garnering attention from colleges – while also trying to uplift a defense that bent a lot more than it wanted to in 2016.
North Miami Beach Chargers
2016 Record: 6-4 (2016 District champion)
Coach: Jeff Bertani
2017 Outlook: North Miami Beach comes into the 2017 season in a familiar position.
The Chargers will have a small core of upperclassmen that will be relied heavily upon to make plays each week and set the example for what head coach Jeff Bertani wants his team to be.
Bertani demands his team be tough – physically and mentally – and to play disciplined hard-nosed football. South Florida’s longest tenured head football coach – since the retirement of Belen Jesuit’s longtime leader Rich Stuart – still only fields a roster of about 35 athletes and uses almost all his players on both sides of the ball.
It works – considering NMB has produced five future NFL players (Louis Delmas, Max Jean-Gilles, E.J. Biggers, Kemal Ishmael and Jonathan Cyprien) in Bertani’s tenure.
This year’s leaders will be senior quarterback Wendell Morrison and offensive tackle Kahric Belle.
Belle is one of South Florida’s top lineman prospects as a 6-foot-6, 295-pounder with good mechanics and powerful hands. Belle, who has offers from Florida, Kentucky, N.C. State and Florida Atlantic, has a leg up on a lot of other O-Line prospects because he also plays defensive line – which means he has a bit more gas in his endurance tank.
Morrison threw for nearly 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns this past season and should see those numbers increase since he’ll be entering his second full season learning under Bertani – a former quarterback and the team’s play-caller.
Bald Prediction
I think this is the year that Dr. Krop captures this groups district championship.
With Krop taking the automatic playoff bid, I think North Miami Beach will earn one of the at-large bids and finish as the No. 2 team in this district. Coach Bertani will work his typical magic and get his Chargers into the playoffs.
The next three spots are fluid. American, Hialeah and North Miami are all trying to figure out how their respective puzzles will fit together – so the one that works it out first will take the third spot.
Right now, I’d give the nod to the Pioneers to finish third, then I’d pick American fourth and Hialeah fifth.
Hialeah Gardens could see an uptick in its overall outlook but it will finish in the basement of this district.
Predicted Champion: Dr. Krop
Predicted Playoff Team(s): North Miami Beach
Bold Prediction
Look for Krop’s Lawrence Papillon to be a top 15 rusher in Miami-Dade County this season.
Doubling down, I’ll also say that “Pop” will return at least two kicks (punts or kickoffs) for touchdowns this season.
District MVP
It’s not often that an offensive lineman will be named the most valuable player, but I think North Miami Beach’s Kahric Belle is worthy of the honor – edging out Lawrence Papillon.
The Chargers’ big man is one of South Florida’s top O-Line prospects and any coach worth his whistle will tell you that a talented offensive tackle can be a cornerstone of an offense.
What makes Belle a further shoe-in is the fact that he’ll also play some defensive tackle for NMB, which means he can anchor both lines.
Top Players
Adler Mompremier – North Miami
Alvin Johnson III – North Miami
Andy Pierre-Antoine – North Miami
Anthony Morejon – Hialeah Gardens
Cedrick Mesidor – Dr. Krop
Chaaleb Womble – American
Christian Delcorro – Hialeah Gardens
Christopher Manzini – Dr. Krop
Cristian Gonzalez – Hialeah Gardens
Daniel Simon – Dr. Krop
Danny Pierre-Louis – Dr. Krop
Daryl Lefevre – North Miami Beach
Demetrie Massey – North Miami
Derrick Jackson – North Miami
Dorian Mathis – American
Dovran Ellington – Dr. Krop
Eddie Gabriel – Dr. Krop
Edwin Reed – Dr. Krop
Elvis Polanco – Hialeah Gardens
Emmanuel St. Germain – Dr. Krop
Ethan Santiago – Hialeah Gardens
Francky Jean-Louis – Dr. Krop
Franco Acosta – Hialeah
Isaac Joseph – Dr. Krop
Jakari Dozie – North Miami Beach
Jared Mack – American
Jason Lubin – Hialeah
Javon Gray – American
Jean Desir – North Miami Beach
Jovon Smith – Hialeah
JuZion Wade – Hialeah
Kacey Obsaint – Hialeah
Kahric Belle – North Miami Beach
Karon Johnson – North Miami
Kevin Foo – Dr. Krop
Kevin Georges – American
Khalil Love – American
Lawrence Papillon – Dr. Krop
Leroy Wilson – North Miami Beach
Marvin Francois – North Miami Beach
Nicholas Days – North Miami
Nicholas Rivera – Hialeah
Quino Mauricette – North Miami
Ramses Rizo – Hialeah
RayJae Grant – North Miami
Richard Sam – North Miami
Rolph Michel – North Miami
Stanley Petit-Fard – North Miami
Timothy Williams – Dr. Krop
Wanya Williams – American
Wendell Morrison – North Miami Beach
Xavier Lopez – Dr. Krop
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