After losing to Everglades to start the season, Hallandale bounced back last week with an impressive win at McArthur.

While the loss to Everglades was unexpected for a Dameon Jones-coached team that many had predicted big things from, the real test is yet to come for a team that won a playoff game last year.

Miami's Booker T. Washington, which has dominated the district since Miami Jackson, Nova, Fort Lauderdale and Hallandale all joined, is still the team to beat, and while the Chargers figure to close the gap, until they beat the Tornadoes, many will talk about second place and not winning the title.

If the Chargers are to have a real chance of winning the district, there will need to be a lot more of what we saw last week against McArthur and not what happened to the Chargers in the opener against a good, but not great Everglades team. Certainly a team that Hallandale should have beaten.

This is a program that we talked a bit about during the summer when they did so well at the University of South Florida Sling & Shoot 7-on-7 event. This is a program that is loaded with quality talent on both sides of the ball.

Ricardo Dixon & Victor Marc

The senior class begins with quarterback Victor Marc, a 6-0, 210-pound Miami Dr. Krop transfer, who committed to attend the University of South Florida. Marc is a very impressive talent who has the athletic ability to play on both sides of the ball.

Others seniors expected to make a contribution include defensive end Greg Smith (6-0, 215), linebacker Roderick Lott Jr. (5-10, 195), University of South Florida-bound defensive back Ricardo Dixon (5-11, 170), linebacker Cleveland Seymour (6-0, 200), speedy receiver/running back Korvic Neat (5-9, 180), running back Rayquan Jones (5-7, 155), defensive back Shawn Mohammad (5-11, 175), and linemen Derek Wimberley (6-4, 260) and Demerick Goolsby, a 6-0, 275-pounder.

One of the key losses for the season is safety A'Kevis Anderson. Regarded as one of the top players in Broward County the past three years, this gifted athlete injured his leg and will be lost for the season. Anderson had 12 interceptions in his first two years at Hollywood Hills before transferring to Hallandale.

As impressive as the Chargers are with the senior class, they are equally as talented with the quality underclassmen such as Michael Anderson, Jr., a 6-0 180-pounder, who is playing in the defensive seconday, but is regarded by many as the top junior running back in Broward County this season.

In addition to Anderson, the Chargers feature defensive backs Caleb Francois (5-11, 155), Mario Michel (5-8, 155), Breyon Sampson (5-9, 160), Javier Hernandez (5-7, 155), and linebackers Rashad Gaitor (6-0, 180), Dontray Goolsby (5-8, 175) and Joel West, a 5-10, 185-pounder.

Other juniors for the Chargers are linemen Shamar Joyer (5-9, 280), Justin Smith (5-11, 246) and Christian Braggs (5-10, 240). Receivers Leonerist James (5-10, 145) and Michael Lee (5-9, 130) are also players to keep an eye on.

There are also sophomores Marken Michel (QB/WR, 5-9, 190), defensive back Dwayne Malcolm (5-10, 150), running back Joseph Lyles (5-6, 135), linemen Josh Victorin (5-8, 255), Raymond Abel (6-3, 270) and talented receiver Chris Pena, a 5-7, 145-pounder.

Freshman defensive back Dashad Tucker (5-7, 160) is also a player to watch for in the future.

This week, the Chargers will clash with Miami-Dade 3A program Belen Jesuit.

NEXT WEEK: It’s Miramar and Plantation; and St. Thomas against unbeaten Everglades!

You can reach Larry Blustein via e-mail at FloridaKids1@hotmail.com. He can also be heard every Thursday night (9-10) on the Miami Dolphins High School Gridiron Report on WQAM (560 AM).