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Central Reach State Title Game For Second Straight Year, Blast Palmetto 49-20

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Miami, FL — Last season, Miami Central and Palmetto met in the 6A Florida High School state semifinal round, and the game came down to the wire with the Rockets escaping Manatee County with a 34-30 win.  Central would go on to win easily in the state championship game, but the game against the Tigers was their toughest against a team outside of South Florida in the 2019 playoffs.

This year, the two teams would meet again in the same round Friday night, this time in the rain at Traz Powell Stadium.  

The outcome was not close.  

Miami Central dominated Palmetto with an emphatic 49-20 win to advance to the state championship game for the second year in a row.  Sophomore quarterback Keyone “Lyghtz Out” Jenkins threw for five touchdown passes and rushed for another score to help the Rockets coast to a playoff victory.

“This is my first time, I’m so excited,” said Jenkins about making it to the state championship game.  “But the mission is not over.”

Jenkins, who joined the team this summer from Miami Carol City, feels he now has full control of the offense.  The 2023 prospect completed 16 of his 23 passes for 366 yards and five touchdown passes.  

“I’m new to the offense and new to the system,” said Jenkins.  “I’m learning every week and getting better and better.”

Palmetto would get on the scoreboard first, however, as senior running back Jacquez Hughes maneuvered his way to paydirt for a 12-yard touchdown in the first quarter.  Jenkins on the first play of the second series threw a dime to Texas A&M commit Yulkeith Brown for a 74-yard touchdown (Two-point conversion failed).  Brown also played as a defensive back during the game.

Yukeith Brown, Athlete, Miami Central

The Rockets would blast through the Tiger defense on their next possession with Jenkins scoring on the ground with a 12-yard touchdown rush.  The sophomore added five rushes for 24 yards and also scored on the ground with a two-point conversion.  


Lightz Out would continue the aerial display hitting Robert McMinn in stride for a 50-yard touchdown.  The two would connect from the red zone right before halftime to help make it a 27-7 game at the break.  


The patented Central running game would come on late in this game as senior Amari Daniels finally would break loose for an invigorating touchdown run at the end of the third quarter. The score would help increase the Rocket lead to 33-14 going into the fourth quarter.  


Daniels, a Texas A&M commit, would finish with 17 carries for 111 yards and the touchdown.  

In the fourth quarter, the lefty Jenkins would add touchdown passes to junior Zaylan Reese and his second to the senior Brown to bookend his big night.  


Miami Central (7-1) will look to win their seventh state title which would move the Rockets into a tie with Miami Northwestern for the most from Dade County.  Northwestern was eliminated by American Heritage Plantation in the 5A playoffs two weeks ago.  Palmetto (9-4) will have to wait until next year to see if they can reach their first championship game since 1986.


“This what we play this for, to win state championships,” said Head Coach Roland Smith.  “We have an opportunity to win another one and I’m excited about that, but it’s not over until we go up there and take care of our business.”

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Marcus Benjamin works as the senior writer and editor for FootballHotbed.com. He attended Florida A&M and Florida Memorial University completing a bachelors degree in communications in 2010. He's covered high school football in the South Florida area since 2010 for the Miami Herald, Miami Sports Tribune and ShawSports.net. He is married and lives in Fort, Lauderdale, FL.

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