It may be seven months before the state football championships are decided in
Orlando, but there are those who area already starting to pick their favorites from
the BCAA.

While St. Thomas is always a program that everyone speaks about this time of
year, and most recently Miramar for what the Patriots have been able to do.

While the focus has been on those powers as well as others, there is a program
that has been getting better and better over the past few years, and many of those
same players who were left at the doorstep two years ago when the Cypress Bay
Lightning dropped a heart-breaker to eventual state champion, Miami Central, are
ready to make that run.

Everyone in the state of Florida realized that when head coach Mark Guandolo
arrived in Weston, there was no way that this program wouldn't be in the mix
every year. He had proven it at Miami Southridge, Chaminade-Madonna,
Monsignor Pace and Miramar, so why wouldn't he be able to get it done where
there are so many student/athletes to draw from.

With the loss of several quality teams over the past two years, 8A is not as
impressive as the largest class in the state of Florida used to be. The region has
the BCAA teams such as Flanagan, Miramar, South Plantation, Coral Springs,
Taravella and Everglades as well as Miami-Dade programs South Dade, Palmetto,
Killian, Coral Reef, Southridge and Christopher Columbus, which lost to Miramar
last year.

The thing that makes Cypress Bay so tough is a core of seniors such as quarterback
Jaranta Lewis, running back Matt Dayes and receiver Alex Montgomery. All three
have played together since youth football, and have all grown together, putting
everything on the line this season.

It is also an offense generates plenty up front with big men such as Jason Rae and
Dylan Seidle, and tight end Blake Worbington.

Defensively, this is a fast unit with linebacker Nico Marley and a secondary that
features Deion Hallmon, Marquese Dudley-Gordon and South Plantation transfer
Boaz Joseph.

The Lightning will have their work cut out with a very challenging schedule that
will take them to nationally-rated Bradenton Manatee, St. Thomas Aquinas as well
as a schedule that includes Homestead in the South Florida High School Sports
Kickoff Classic.

Have something to add to BLU'S CORNER? Drop Larry Blustein a note at Floridakids1@hotmail.com. You can also follow Larry each week on WQAM (560
AM) Radio and on Twitter @larryblustein.