When Mark Guandolo watched his team turn the ball over six times in a 21-20 win against Miami’s Dr. Krop in a fall football classic, he let each one of the players know that this is NOT the way things would be done at the state’s largest school.
For Guandolo, who began his coaching career at Hallandale High back as an assistant in the early 1980s, and then went on to become a successful head coach at Chaminade, Miami Monsignor Pace, Miramar, Miami Southridge and then back to Chaminade, that kind of play would not fit the style of coaching that has brought this impressive coach two state titles and a pair of runner-up trophies in the past decade.
You see, when Guandolo left Chaminade this past spring to take over the job that Billy Hobbs had before moving on to Georgia, his plan all along, like it has been at every stop he’s made, is to win a state title.
While the narrow win didn’t change things, it did give Guandolo and opportunity to let the players, new to his coaching style, that being second best is not going to be all right. In fact, this is a team that has the opportunity to do some big things as soon as this year.
After beating Dillard, soundly in the opening game, where his running game clicked for over 400 yards, Guandolo and his team now looks to Boyd Anderson. This is a Cobra team that many picked to upset Miami Northwestern and win the 6A state title this year. After narrowly escaping at home against Patrick Johnson and Ely in the opener, this game on Friday night (7:00) may be a preview of something we may see later in the year. But Deerfield Beach may have something to say about that as well!
When Guandolo arrived in Weston, he found some talent. Remember, Hobbs and the Lightning lost to North Miami Beach, 8-3, in the playoffs last year, so there was talent on board.
What Coach Guandolo and his staff have done is raise the bar and bring in a brand of football that is proven to get results against any opponent at any level. The big difference at Cypress Bay they have four times the student population the coaches saw at Chaminade.
While the name of the game will be defense, with junior linebackers Philip Walker and Austin Gamble, there are also other players who have continued to help this program grow and mature. Players like senior safety Brentley Harstad, and linemen Mark Jean-Baptiste and Jordan Rae.
The defensive unit, which should rank toward the top all year round, is guided by Guandolo’s longtime assistant Marcelo Rodriguez.
Guandolo’s trademark as a football coach throughout his career have been his offenses. The trademark Wing-T has found its way out west, and senior Alex Greaner and sophomore Zach Green are learning an attack that could feature a pair of 1,000 yard runners in senior Mike Decaro and junior Jason Douglas.
While nobody is thinking Miami Northwestern right now, they are talking championship football as the school’s most impressive team ever is loaded and will be one of the elite schools in the BCAA in 2007.
Want to know more about high school football? Check Larry Blustein’s weekly evaluations at www.floridafb.com. You can also reach him via E-Mail at Floridakids1@hotmail.com
