A few weeks back, I spoke about how high school football ans from all over South Florida owed it to themselves to go out and watch Eugene Smith throw the ball and lead Miramar's offense. After all, having watched every top-fight quarterback since 1966 around this region, Smith is the real deal – and then some!

Eugene Smith

Thanks to the play of the 6-3, 180-pound senior, you will be able to see him again – this Friday night when the Patriots travel to Coral Springs High School Stadium for a meeting with Deerfield Beach in what promises to be a showcase game like we seldom see this late in the season between two area programs.

A week after beating Carol City on a touchdown pass with 12 seconds left, Smith once again gave head coach Damon Cogdell and Patriot fans everywhere something to worry about when he waited until there were three seconds left on the clock to rally the Patriots to a 34-29 win at Cypress Bay, which had gone ahead moments earlier and felt comfortable about beating Miramar for the second time this year.

"He loves the drama," Cogdell said. "But there is never any doubt in his mind that when goes out there, he will bring this school a victory."

When Smith found junior receiver Donte Chambers, who hauled in the game-winner and Smith's fourth touchdown pass of the second half, the Patriots had once again come from behind, and there was never reason to think the West Virginia University-bound standout wouldn't get the job done.

''There was never a doubt in my mind,'' Smith told reporters after finishing 25 of 32 for 343 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. ``You give us the ball with a second left, we're going to score. That's basically what we do in practice -- two-minute drill all day.''

The Lightning had taken a 29-28 lead when David McKnight, the son of former Miami Dolphin James McKnight, hauled in a 25-yard touchdown pass from Zach Green. It capped a comeback that gave veteran head coach Mark Guandolo and his team a reason to look toward the much-anticipated showdown with Art Taylor's Deerfield Beach Bucks.

Miramar has been taking lumps all season from critics that felt the Patriots didn't have the team to compete this far down the line. By beating a very hot Carol City team and then dashing the hopes of the Lightning, a program that many felt could end up in Orlando, you would have to imagine that all excuses are now off. There isn't a reason why Miramar cannot extend the season this week, but you have Deerfield, which has turned out to be a team that you never know what they will perform like.

Obviously, this is not the Deerfield Beach team that many felt it would be at the start of the season. A few key losses on top of a team that had little depth, and the huge win over Boyd Anderson was a true surprise. This is not to say that the Bucks, with Denard Robinson and Cassius McDowell leading the way on offense, cannot repeat a 50-point plus performance against the Cobras.

While Miramar is not know for its defensive unit, the Patriots are as impressive as you get on the offensive side of the ball. There is so much at stake in this game, and don't think for a second that the Bucks have forgotten the 19-14 loss to Miami Northwestern in the region finals last year.
BLU'S PICK: Miramar 44, Deerfield Beach 41

RAIDERS ROLL ON!
Okay, you can check Coconut Creek and Dillard off the list, and now, unheralded Stuart South Fork, which pulled stunners against Palm Bay and previously unbeaten Delray Beach Atlantic. The Raiders are not panicking over a 9-3 team that in no way matches up against the mighty Raiders.

Last Friday, the Raiders mauled Dillard 49-8, and as they have done in the past 11 games, this team looked impressive, using a pressing defense and a high powered offense to get the job done.

Dillard did jump ahead 8-7 for a moment, but then standout junior running back Giovani Bernard sprinted down the left sideline 65 yards for a touchdown to put St. Thomas ahead 14-8.

St. Thomas went up 21-8 when senior quarterback Ryan Becker hit receiver Duron Carter with a 10-yard touchdown pass. Becker ended any hopes of a Dillard comeback with two more touchdown passes in the second quarter.

Becker and Carter made it happen again from 11-yards out. Just before halftime, the Panthers botched a punt snap that rolled all the way to their 24-yard line. The Raiders needed just two played to punch it in from there. Running back Ronnie Kennedy gained 14 yards on first down to the Dillard 10. Becker then dumped a screen pass to running back Beau Bucci, who went 10 yards for the touchdown with 39 seconds left before halftime.
BLU'S PICK: St. Thomas 48, Stuart South Fork 12

NEXT WEEK: Who survives? We’ll bring you the teams who still have hopes of winning a state title.

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).