Armed with the most challenging schedule in school history, the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders defended their national championship for the first time last Saturday - Alabama - on a hot, muggy afternoon.

While the Raiders showed some rust at a number of positions, the outcome for head coach Rocco Casullo is the same that George Smith has enjoyed for decades.

Casullo and the Raiders, shaking off rust and mistakes, beat one of the best teams in the country, 34-31, on a day where things went wrong, but they also went right in the victory over a very talented Prattville squad.

With Cypress Bay, Concorde De La Salle (California powerhouse) and Miramar on this challenging schedule along with many of the local emerging programs, the Raiders will need to improve.

Making his first start behind center, senior quarterback Max Lescano showed plenty of athleticism, and with a solid ground game of junior Fred Coppet and Dami Ayoola, there were some playmakers.

The Raiders showed they were indeed solid up fron with a tremendous offensive line, but those playmakers from last year - Rashad Greene (FSU) and Phillip Dorsett (Miami) have moved on to the next level.

The defense is very solid with University of Miami-bound Jelani Hamilton, Joey Bosa and Brian Cox, Jr. making up a portion of that front 7 which will ease in the newcomers in the secondary.

Cox, in his debut with the team, came up with a crucial interception.

Seniors Tyler Drake and Cole Champion continue to be the most dependable tacklers this quality unit has. Both were instrumental in last weekend’s win, especially Drake, who has emerged as one of the top players on the team.

Prattville, which is touted to have as many as 22 Division I prospects on its 2011 squad,  finished with 202 yards rushing and 140 passing – 342 total. St. Thomas Aquinas had 153 yards rushing and 167 passing for 320 yards.

St. Thomas (1-0) will enjoy the week off before a much anticipated match-up with Cypress Bay, a team the Raiders scored 60 on last year, but a team that did come within three points of playing for a 6A state championship.

Here is a look at how opening weekend around the BCAA shapes up. Get out and check out a game in your neighborhood!

THURSDAY
(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)
Coral Glades at Taravella at Coral Springs High
McArthur at West Broward at Cooper City High

FRIDAY
(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)
Blanche Ely at Stranahan at Lockhart Stadium
Boyd Anderson at Dillard
Cardinal Gibbons at Archbishop McCarthy
Coconut Creek at Douglas
Everglades at Cooper City
Northeast at Coral Springs
Deerfield Beach at Cypress Bay
Pembroke Pines Charter at Flanagan
Fort Lauderdale at Pine Crest
Hallandale at Plantation at PAL Field
Nova at South Plantation
Pompano Beach at Piper
Western at South Broward

Have any feedback - or something to add? Direct all E-Mails to Floridakids1@aol.com. Catch Larry Blustein each and every Tuesday night for the Maroone High School Gridiron Report from 9-10 on WQAM (560 AM).