It all began last spring. On football fields in Fort Lauderdale and Deerfield Beach. Two programs spending the spring, trying to see what it would take for them to be in Orlando the following December.

Last Friday night, each program moved one step closer to making dreams come true with huge wins.

For the Raiders, it has been a bitter pill to swallow the past few years, losing to powerhouse Lakeland. Last year left emotional scars on those who watched the team come all the way from behind only to lose on a call at the end of the game.

This year has been one that head coach George Smith and his team had plenty to prove after losing key players, and of course, some top-flight coaches. It was a season that gave this team, which is loaded up and down the lineup and on the sideline, a chance to show that this is not just a good team, but it is a tremendous program. One that has dominated area opponents at an impressive rate.

Winning at St. Thomas has come to the point where losing is simply not an option. The team is as well coached as you can get, even in the special teams department, where Tim Conrad has more kickers and punters in college than some schools have position players!

The Raiders have become a familiar face on the football landscape as well as being more than competitive in every other sport, and is recognized nationally for its academics. It’s the blueprint for what every program wants to be like, and if you look at the student/athletes who have competed here over the years, it’s impressive – at every level.

The Raiders moved to this week’s 5A south region final at Largo in Pinellas County with a 59-14 win over a very good Palm Bay team. But St. Thomas is playing at another level, and just the knowledge that its “Kryptonite” Lakeland has been knocked out, is enough motivation to get the job done this Friday – on the road.

Despite an opening night game that could have been a disastrous stumbling block against a very athletic Ely team, St. Thomas has been in control. Against Dillard, they were patient and made the young Panthers make the mistakes.

This week, the 12-1 Raiders will be matched against an unbeaten (13-0) Largo team that has several playmakers on defense, and one of the top running backs in the state, Brynn Harvey.

While I respect Largo and the job the Packers have done over the past three plus years with so many talented football players moving on to play at the next level, but this is a different situation. This is not a good Clearwater Central Catholic team coming to play. This is St. Thomas Aquinas, which has won more playoff games in the past three years than Largo won this year!

It may be close early on because of emotion, but when the speed, talent and great coaching comes into play, I see the Raiders winning this game.

LARRY’S PICK: St. Thomas Aquinas 38, Largo 24

Having known Art Taylor for many years, I have long been impressed by how he raises the coaching bar up to a place that very few can reach. He is also one of the most competitive people I’ve been around.

It’s no surprise that Taylor would lead a team into Miami-Dade County against an unbeaten team that nobody has gotten close to and coming home with a win. Guess what? The Deerfield Beach Bucks have the chance to do it again this week – and the stakes are extremely high!

Two years ago as an assistant coach for Deerfield Beach, Taylor was part of a team that “shocked the world” with a stunning win over a talented Miami Northwestern team that nobody ever thought would ever lose. While that team was talented, the Bucks are looking straight down the barrel this Friday at the most talent-rich football team in the history of high school football. You heard it. The Bucks are against a wall the likes nobody has been able to climb.

The Bulls have run to the top of the national rankings. They have more kids committed to major college programs than Deerfield has had in the past five years combined. Northwestern has humiliated every opponent in the playoffs, including unbeaten Miami Columbus. The odds are stacked. Guess what? The Bucks will show up in Miami and will not quit.

While going out on a rather short limb and saying that Deerfield Beach has a chance against Northwestern, it would really not be a rational statement. But you, we are in the midst of the playoffs, and if you look around, there are some very impressive teams sitting home this week.

For Deerfield to have a shot at pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the state this year, they have to play defense and force the Bulls to make mistakes – like they did against Homestead and Miami Central.

Having watched Deerfield and Northwestern three times each this year, I have to think that this one won’t be close. But I have been wrong before – and I’m sure that it won’t be last.

LARRY’S PICK: Northwestern 44, Deerfield Beach 21

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).