Legendary Batavia coach tops Section V Best
That's only one high school story of note from this week. Athletes from Aquinas, Finney, Irondequoit and Wheatland-Chili are also making noise. All part of this week's Section Five Best.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
Here are the top games in Broward for the 2025 high school football season
Broward County high school football teams once again have a challenging slate of games on the road to possible state championships, which will once again include tough opposition both locally and nationally. Here's a look at the best games involving Broward County teams: NOTE: All games at 7 unless noted. Chaminade vs. St. Frances Academy (Md.), 8, Aug. 23: As it has in recent years, the annual Broward Football Showcase is a perfect blastoff point for the season as three Broward teams are immediately tested against other nationally-ranked teams from around the country. The county did not fare well in last year's event, losing six of seven games so Chaminade, ranked No. 7 by MaxPreps, will be motivated heading into a matchup with fifth-ranked St. Frances Academy. The game wraps up what will be an eight-game slate over three days in this year's event, and will be one of three televised on ESPN networks. Mater Dei at St. Thomas Aquinas, 4, Aug. 23: Many consider this the main event of the weekend as the top-ranked team in the country, Mater Dei, makes the trek to Fort Lauderdale to take on the six-time reigning state champion Raiders. Aquinas has been playing national opponents going on two decades and nearly knocked off Las Vegas Bishop Gorman in this event last year so don't expect them to be intimidated by this California juggernaut. American Heritage vs. St. Joseph's Prep (PA), Aug. 22: Heritage kicks off the ESPN-televised portion of the Broward Showcase on Friday with a matchup against MaxPreps No. 30-ranked St. Joseph's. This will be the first true test for the Patriots as they begin their bid to repeat as Class 4A state champions. More games to watch - Aug. 21: Piper vs. Peachtree Ridge (Ga.) (Dillard), 4; Archbishop McCarthy at Cardinal Gibbons; Monarch vs. Jacksonville Bolles (Dillard), 8 Aug. 22: West Broward vs. Corner Canyon (UT), 4; Orlando Dr. Phillips at Dillard, 8 Chaminade at McArthur, Aug. 29: There's been plenty of buzz surrounding McArthur this offseason after the arrival of several transfer starters figures to make the Mustangs a postseason threat. Their schedule is no joke as at this point McArthur will have played American Heritage in the preseason and now another nationally-ranked powerhouse. More games to watch - Aug. 28: Cypress Bay at Flanagan; Aug. 29: West Broward at Camden County (Ga.), 7:30; Piper at Coconut Creek. St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Columbus (Tropical Park), 7:30, Sept. 5: This matchup should once again attract a big crowd with both schools home to two of the most passionate fanbases in South Florida. Aquinas quickly turned last year's matchup into a 42-6 rout. Columbus is eager to prove it is still among the state's best overall and a legit state title contender in Class 7A. This is a good early test to prove that. Chaminade at American Heritage, 7:30, Sept. 5: If both survive their early tests, this matchup could have major national championship implications. Regardless, when Heritage and Chaminade have played each of the past four seasons, they've provided some of the most thrilling games in South Florida. More games to watch - Sept. 5: McArthur at Miramar; Monarch at Don Bosco Prep (NJ). West Broward at Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 11: West Broward took a big step forward last season, and figures to be geared up for another playoff run in 2025. The Bobcats' roster might be their deepest ever and this was the game where they made their mark last season. Gibbons would love payback and a chance to remind people it is a state title contender in Class 2A. More games to watch - Sept. 12: True North at Archbishop McCarthy; American Heritage at New Orleans Edna Karr; Piper vs. Plantation (PAL). Central at American Heritage, 7:30, Sept. 19: Echoes of the 2022 state title game continue to come up when these two meet. Heritage will be battle-tested by this point after a brutal early schedule. For a younger, but not any less talented Central squad now coached by Derrick Gibson, this is a good measuring stick game. More games to watch - Sept. 19: St. Thomas Aquinas at McArthur; West Broward at Flanagan; Miramar at Dillard. Western at Chaminade, Sept. 26: Western wants to prove it is still among the best teams in the state despite heavy roster turnover this offseason. The Wildcats face a daunting obstacle in the Lions, who should be rounding into form by this point in the season as they vie for a fifth consecutive state title and maybe more. More games to watch - Sept. 26: Goleman at Cypress Bay; Deerfield Beach at Blanche Ely. Dillard at Blanche Ely, Oct. 4: The Soul Bowl has been competitive in recent years and should be again as both traditional county powers vie to make deep playoff runs this season. Count on this one to be heated again with bragging rights on the line as usual. More games to watch - Oct. 3: Monarch at Chaminade; Western at West Boca Raton, 6:30. Blanche Ely at Chaminade, 7, Oct. 10: Coming off the Soul Bowl, Ely must brace for a motivated Chaminade squad likely looking for some payback for a stinging loss at the start of last season. Ironically, that loss dropped the Lions to 0-2 and kickstarted their run to a fourth consecutive state title. More games to watch - Oct. 10: Norland at American Heritage, 7:30; Western vs. Goleman (Milander). Miramar at West Broward, 4, Oct. 17: The playoffs won't be too far away at this point and this game should be an intriguing matchup as both Miramar and West Broward gear up for the postseason. A victory here is a momentum-builder for either side. More games to watch - Oct. 16: Cardinal Gibbons at Boca Raton, 6:30; Oct. 17: St. Thomas Aquinas at Monarch (Coconut Creek); Western at Cypress Bay; Coral Springs at Douglas. St. Thomas Aquinas at American Heritage, Oct. 24: Heritage beat Aquinas for the first time ever in last season's matchup. It marked a milestone victory for the Patriots and the last loss for Aquinas before recovering and surging to another state title. The Raiders will be looking for payback. More games to watch - Oct. 24: Chaminade at Cardinal Gibbons; Monarch at Piper. Chaminade at St. Thomas Aquinas, Oct. 31: Could this be part 2 of an Aquinas revenge tour? The Raiders also suffered their first loss to Chaminade in decades last year so just like their matchup with Heritage the week before, expect them to be motivated in what could be another game pitting nationally-ranked foes. More games to watch - Oct. 30: Blanche Ely vs. Monarch (Coconut Creek); Oct. 31: Plantation at South Plantation; Miramar at Cardinal Gibbons; Flanagan at Cooper City. Nov. 14: Regional quarterfinals; Nov. 21: Regional semifinals; Nov. 28: Regional finals; Dec. 5: State semifinals; Dec. 10-13: State championships at Pitbull Stadium (FIU).
Miami Herald
05-08-2025
- Miami Herald
Top international prospect Dame Sarr commits to Duke
Duke gained a commitment from Dame Sarr, the top international 2025 prospect, on Thursday, helping the Blue Devils to ease the sting of losing four of their top five scorers to the 2025 NBA Draft. The 18-year-old announced his commitment to Duke via ESPN, calling it "my dream school." "My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA," Sarr said. "There's no better place to prepare you for that than Duke." A 6-foot-8 wing from Oderzo, Italy, Sarr made his Spanish ACB league debut for Barcelona in 2023. Then 16, Sarr became the second-youngest player in club history. He had a strong performance at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Ore., in April, where he recorded 17 points and four boards in 25 minutes against the top high school players in the United States, including future Duke teammates Cameron and Cayden Boozer. Sarr's commitment further bolsters the Blue Devils' recruiting class, which ranks third in the nation, according to the 247Sports composite behind only Houston and Arizona. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
USA Today
17-07-2025
- USA Today
Cameron Boozer called Duke 'overlooked,' and I can't wait to hate again
I'm going to share something in confidence this morning and all I ask in return is for it not to be thrown in my face at a later date: I was kinda rooting for Duke last season. I know, I know. It pains me to admit as much as it pains you to read, but hear me out. I wasn't directly rooting for the Blue Devils. Growing up a Terps fan, I hated them as much as anyone. The problem is I just really enjoyed watching Cooper Flagg play basketball. So, while I didn't actually care about the result of their games, my hope of seeing a great Flagg performance was, by extension, me rooting for Duke. I feel gross even typing that. It brings me immeasurable shame, only eased by the suspicion that my split interests weren't unique last college basketball season. A lot of us hate Duke. A lot of us also enjoy great players -- and Flagg was able to have one of the greatest freshman seasons ever without being that traditional Duke brand of dislikable. Those two things were hard to reconcile. Luckily, today, I have good news for those of us who want to restore the feeling: the Boozer twins are here. Specifically, I'm talking about Cameron Boozer, the five-star kid of Carlos who was named the Gatorade National Athlete of the Year last night at the ESPYs. He wasn't given time for a speech, and judging by a recent interview he gave ESPN, that was probably for the best. Because diving into that story this morning, I couldn't believe what I was reading. Boozer actually let these words come out of his mouth about Duke: "I think we're very overlooked right now, but once the season starts, that'll change for sure. ... I think just playing together, playing hard, defending, competing, we're going to be in a spot to get [to the Final Four] just like they did last year." Excuse me, what?? Duke... overlooked!? Next thing you know he'll be telling me about the uphill battle he faced to become a top prospect as the son of a former NBA All-Star. I know a Cowboys-Lakers-Yankees fan when I hear one. ESPYS: 16 fabulous photos from the red carpet This is nonsense of course. Nobody is overlooking Duke. The Blue Devils just played in the national championship game and they have the third-best odds (+1300) at BetMGM to win next year's title. Though the team is moving forward without Flagg and its other freshman standouts lost to the draft, Duke once again brought in the top recruiting class, which is simply the new normal down there in Durham. That class includes two other five-star players, Boozer's four-star twin Cayden, and the crowned jewel himself, Cameron -- a projected top-three pick in Bryan Kalbrosky's early 2026 NBA mock draft. At this point, we just expect Duke to be good every year. If Flagg said something similar last summer, forgive me for missing it. I would have reacted the same way. But thank you, Cameron Boozer, for bringing me to my senses. Comments like that are an easy way to make sure I never get caught slipping again. 2026 NBA Mock Draft While Cameron Boozer is a top-three pick in BK's new mock, he isn't the projected No. 1 pick. That distinction belongs to AJ Dybantsa of BYU (still weird to think about), who Bryan has landing in Utah, because of course: "The Jazz have an obvious plan as they enter this phase of their rebuild process after losing key rotation players like John Collins, Collin Sexton, and Jordan Clarkson. They're trying to get a high draft pick, and the connections to AJ Dybantsa are obvious. The 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup MVP transferred to prep school in Utah before committing to BYU, where Jazz governor Ryan Smith and CEO Danny Ainge are both alumni and donors. Dybantsa would pair well on the wing with talented Utah rookie Ace Bailey." BK is the best draft prognosticator in the game, so definitely check out his early mock to familiarize yourself with some of the top names to be on the lookout for. The NFL has a 2nd-round pick crisis NFL training camps are due to begin soon, but 30 of the 32 players selected in the second round of April's draft have yet to ink contracts with their respective teams. As FTW's Christian D'Andrea wrote, the reason might have to do with the guaranteed deals of the two players who did sign: "The answer may lie in Schwesinger and Higgins' contracts. The two signed fully guaranteed deals -- the first time that's happened under the NFL's most recent collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed in 2020. Higgins received four years and $11.7 million. Schwesinger got four years and $11.8 million. While there's no one official reason for this rash of holdouts, the most likely culprit is that teams don't want to dole out all those guarantees." Here's more of the context of that from Christian, including the names of all 30 players still holding out. Quick Hits: Mahomes on Flagg ... Klagan?? ... and more Thanks for reading. We'll be back next week with more. This was For The Win's daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here.
