Published Friday December 19, 2008 in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
St. Thomas a win away from historic season
It'd be hard to argue against 15-0 Raiders as county's best ever
By Christy Cabrera Chirinos, Staff Writer
Tonight, history is theirs for the taking.
When the players from St. Thomas Aquinas take the field in the Class 5A state championship game in Orlando, they'll have the opportunity to do what no other football team in Broward County has ever done.
A win over their formidable foe, Lakeland, will likely cement the Raiders as the country's No. 1 high school football team in three national polls. It will make them the first in St. Thomas' storied past to win back-to-back titles. And the first team in Broward to go 15-0.
Will a victory mean this St. Thomas team is remembered as Broward's best ever?
Some think it's entirely possible.
"If they win, I think they'll be remembered as the best-ranked team we've had here," said former Hollywood Hills coach Dick Saltrick. "They run a good program, and they have good athletes. That's why they're successful."
Saltrick knows all about success and high school football lore. It was his Spartans team that in 1973 defeated Jacksonville Raines 22-9 at Lockhart Stadium to give Broward its first state football championship.
It was the game that put this county on Florida's high school football map. Since then, teams from Dillard, Ely, Chaminade-Madonna, Westminster Academy and, yes, St. Thomas, have added to Broward's rich championship history.
Dillard was dominant in the late '80s, its teams winning titles in 1986 and 1989 and producing plenty of NFL talent. Ken Scott, a former assistant under legendary coach Otis Gray, believes those teams were plenty special.
But even they would have their hands full with this St. Thomas squad.
"It'd be a great game to watch. Even in that time, we had some great matchups with St. Thomas," Scott said. "It would have been a barn-burner. This St. Thomas team just seems like it has everything. Coming off one state championship and going for another and being 15-0? They'll be remembered as one of the best ever. They'd have a claim to it."
No doubt it's a difficult comparison to make, but the fact is while Broward has produced dominant teams, none—not even one that donned a Raider uniform—has played like this. In the first half of their first 14 games, the Raiders have outscored opponents 420-46. How does Raiders coach George Smith think this team compares to others in Broward history during his 32 years as coach?
"We're trying to win a state championship. That's the mantra here," Smith said. "I think you'll see that [tonight.]"
Dominating play
St. Thomas started the season on the national stage, playing Ohio power Cincinnati Elder in the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series. There, the Raiders rallied from a first-quarter deficit to earn their first win.
After that came victories over district rivals and county powerhouses. St. Thomas, which started the season ranked in many of the nation's top polls, crept higher and higher in them each week.
There was a 65-10 win over an also-ranked Deerfield Beach team. A 49-2 victory over Miramar. An impressive playoff performance against Dillard.
With every game, the stakes got higher, bringing St. Thomas to tonight and a Lakeland team the Raiders know so well.
Three straight years, St. Thomas watched as Lakeland walked off the field as state champions. After two of those games, the Dreadnaughts were named mythical national titlists.
Each time, the Raiders entered the game as the underdog.
This year is different.
St. Thomas' high-powered offense and smothering defense have made it a favorite. Its list of future college players has earned high praise from Dreadnaughts coach Bill Castle.
"They've got the best team they've ever had and that's saying a lot," Castle told the Tampa Tribune last week. "They have one of those teams that comes around maybe once in a lifetime."
A lifetime.
Castle is himself more than a footnote in the state's football history books.
That he recognizes what St. Thomas can accomplish tonight drives the point home.
For St. Thomas' players and coaches, this won't be a game they forget when they walk off the field.
It will stay with them long after the final snap, and they relish the opportunity ahead.
"This is probably the biggest experience they'll ever have," said Hallandale girls' basketball coach Gerald Bain, who played on the 1973 Hills championship team.
"This is something they'll cherish. We were state champions. No one can take that from us."
But before the celebration, before the cheers, the Raiders know there's one more game.
Without it, there will be no talk of legacy, no mythical national championship, but more importantly—no state title.
"We've had a successful season, but it's not done yet," quarterback Ryan Becker said.
Adds linebacker Conor O'Neill: "It's been such a great ride this year. One more step will make it even better."
St. Thomas vs. Lakeland: Capsule & Prediction
December 19, 2008
Class 5A state championship
Lakeland (14-0) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (14-0)
Site: Citrus Bowl, Orlando
When: Tonight at 7. TV: SUN
About Lakeland: The Dreadnaughts are six-time state champions, winning four times against St. Thomas, including 2004-06. Running game is split between Aaron Truedell (710 yards), Steward Butler (587 yards) and Rodney Watson (556 yards). Top receiving threat comes from sophomore wide receiver Javares McRoy, who has 42 receptions for 914 yards and 13 touchdowns.
About St. Thomas Aquinas: The Raiders are ranked No. 1 in the country by nearly every national high school poll. They have won 23 consecutive games. During the streak, the defense has allowed eight or fewer points in 15 games. Junior running back Giovanni Bernard has rushed for 1,474 yards on 152 carries and 18 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Ryan Becker has thrown for 1,927 yards with 27 touchdowns and four interceptions. Senior wide receivers Duron Carter and Dwayne Difton have combined for 68 receptions, 1,255 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Prediction: St. Thomas Aquinas 38, Lakeland 17
--Dave Brousseau
Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
