Playoff Preview: After A Year, Gibbons And Gulliver Meet Again

Posted on November 25, 2021 by Marcus Benjamin

Round 3 Fight!

Round three of the playoffs in the state of Florida may be the most exciting yet.  Familiar foes return to the football field to settle the score.  Some of the matchups we’ve anticipated for months are finally here.  

GAME OF THE WEEK

Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) (8-2) Vs. Gulliver (Miami) (8-1)

Friday 7:30 Tropical Park

Last year, Cardinal Gibbons took care of business against Gulliver in a workmanlike fashion as the Chiefs beat the Raiders 29-7 in the 4A playoffs. The Chiefs would go on to win their second state title in school history.  This year the two teams meet again in the playoffs with aspirations of winning yet another state title for South Florida. 

Raiders AND Chiefs Got Skills

The strength for Gulliver is at the skill positions.  Tulane commits Carson Haggard and De’Carlo Donaldson have been a deadly combination all season.  At 6-2, 215, Donaldson is a big target that can also get downfield in a hurry.  

Haggard can also burn you over the top with speedy wide receiver Jalen Brown.  Both played with the seven-on-seven team Immortals in 2021 and continued their chemistry throughout the regular season.  

Haggard’s weapons don’t stop there.  Two-way player and West Virginia commit Travious Lathan is a threat down the middle and may play linebacker on the next level.  At running back, Notre Dame commit Sedrick Irvin Jr. can catch the ball out of the backfield as well as in between the tackles and adds balance to the explosive Raider offense.  

Haggard has thrown 27 touchdown passes to just four interceptions this season averaging 282 yards per game.  

Gibbons has its fair share of playmakers as well.  Junior running back Kamari Moulton leads a rushing attack along with Willie Reed that must be respected and quarterback Dylan Rizk can make plays with his legs as well as he averages 7.2 per rush.  Senior wide receivers Elisha Edwards and Davon Kiser are threats on the outside. 

MATCHUP TO WATCH

Gibbons D-Line Vs. Gulliver’s O-Line

As opposed to previous years, the strength of the Gibbons football team is on the defense instead of the offense.  The Chiefs can still light up the scoreboard, but that front seven on defense is scary.  Mason Thomas, Ahmad Moten, Greg Otten, and Tray Brown dominate up front and force teams to beat them with the passing game.  

Tray Brown, Linebacker, Cardinal Gibbons

The question is will the Gulliver offensive line give Haggard enough time to get the football to his playmakers?  If not, this could be over quickly.  If so, this could be a shootout.  

Columbus (8-3) Vs. Palmetto (9-2) For the third time this season

Friday 7:30 Harris Field

It’s the rubber match for district rivals Miami Columbus and Miami Palmetto.  The actual rematch of the rematch will decide which team will represent South Florida in the 8A state semifinals.  

Based on the scores of the last two matchups, this should be a close one.  The first game ended 7-3 in controversial fashion with Palmetto running away with the victory.  The second would go to Columbus as a late field goal would be the difference in a 10-7 win in the inaugural GMAC championship.  

The winner in this game will likely go to the team that commits the least amount of turnovers.  If quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza of Columbus and Kevin Smith of Miami Palmetto want to live to play another day, they must take care of the football.  

Two-way Palmetto athlete Mike Jackson is coming off an amazing game last week.  The senior had 5 catches for 116 yards scoring three touchdowns.  Jackson also had two interceptions including one returned for a touchdown in a 27-14 win over Deerfield Beach.

Columbus recovered three fumbles in its 27-8 win over Western last week.  Darren McQueen Jr. had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery to help swing the score in the Explorers favor.    

Turnovers will be key.

Northwestern (9-3) Vs. Plantation (9-2)

Friday 7:30 Traz Powell Stadium

Will We Have A Ball Game At Traz?

The Colonels of Plantation have proven that they belong in this round, but going into Traz Powell Stadium, considered the mecca of high school football in South Florida and home game for the Bulls, will be a tough.  Now granted, this isn’t the best Bulls team defensively compared to recent years, but ‘The West’ can score with anybody.  

The triple threat of QB Taron “Tyga” Dickens, RB Jamari Ford, and WR Andy Jean is virtually impossible to stop.  Dickens accounted for (six touchdowns, 4 passing, 2 rushing) in last week’s playoff victory over Naples. 

Jamari Ford, Running Back, Miami Northwestern

Plantation has a triple threat of their own with Luca Foerch, Reginald Johnson, and Jamari Haynes that are helping the Colonels average 43 points in their first two playoff games.  

Miami Central (9-2) Vs. Killian (12-0)

Saturday 7:30 Tropical Park

Is Killian For Real?

I know it’s kind of odd to ask that question in the third round of the playoffs but the question is legitimate. Besides being blown out in a preseason game by Gulliver and beating playoff teams Miami Palmetto by two scores, Miami Booker T. Washington twice and Miramar by a touchdown the Cougars were rarely tested this season.  

Killian comes into this game undefeated and ready to prove that they can hang with the state’s elite.  It is going to take a monumental performance to take down Miami Central.  

Killian quarterback Khalil Anglin orchestrates the offense for the Cougars with running backs Maurice Jones and Ryan Bullard and standout wide receiver Robby Washington.  Killian will be seeking to win its first state championship since 2004. 

Other Games To Watch

Seminole (Sanford) Vs. Apopka

Orlando Jones Vs. Vanguard (Ocala)

Palm Beach Central Vs. Treasure Coast

Madison County Vs. Blountstown

Pahokee Vs. Hawthorne

About Marcus Benjamin

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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