As the cameras rolled, some 50 of the best football players in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, came to the Under Armour Football Challenge and Fastest Man Competition at the Miami Dolphins' Bubble.
Dressed in orange shirts and blue shorts, each player invited, many from the BCAA, went through drills with each division awarding a champion in this "made for TV" production.
Among those looking for "facetime" when the CBS 4 TV event airs on Father's Day will be Blanche Ely standout Avery Johnson, the younger brother of former Ely and current LSU cornerback Patrick (Johnson) Peterson, who is already projected as an early NFL 2011 draft picks.
Johnson, a 6-3, 185-pound receiver, is projected to be one of the nation's top Class of 2012 players. he took part in the defensive back/receiver challenge, which showcased his skills.
"This is a fun event," Johnson said. "A long day and we're all a bit hungry, but fun."
The event was a lot like a commercial shooting, where there is time between each scene (competition), but as players from both counties soon found out, these are the best ways to meet people and to see what the "competition" is all about.
"It was fun to just hang with our players, too," Johnson said.
As the competition began to heat up on the field, no team was closer to the action than a group of linemen from Cypress Bay. The impressive line won battles against Miami Belen Jesuit, Christopher Columbus, Miami Northwestern, Southridge and Booker T. Washington.
In addition to the weight-lifting, the tug-o-war was the determining event that would eventually produce a winner. It was in the tug-o-war that Cypress Bay dug in and never moved, beating Southridge in the finals.
A number of other players from Broward were among the group on this afternoon, but to me and others on hand for the day-long challenge, this was about healthy rivalries with no talking or finger-pointing.
What this event represented what something positive to see some of the best football talent that this area produces at one, competitive location.
FLYING HIGH – AGAIN!
For Flanagan head baseball coach Ray Evans, losing is something he doesn't live well with, so when his baseball team played Hialeah American for the 6A state title, he made sure that there was no doubt in the outcome of the game.
The Falcons scored 10 runs in the first inning and went on to a convincing third state baseball title in Port St. Lucie.
The marathon bottom of the first inning started with an infield single by Geoffrey Jimenez, and he scored the game’s first run on a three-base throwing error. Juan Torres added an RBI single and with two outs David Gonzalez’s two-run single gave Flanagan a 5-0 lead.
RBI hits from Jimenez, Collin Martindale, Ricky Santiago and Mike Melendez would follow as Flanagan (25-2) sent 15 batters to the plate in the inning.
Larry Blustein is now on Wednesday night from 9-10 on WQAM (560 AM) Radio talking sports.
You can reach Larry Blustein via e-mail at FloridaKids1@hotmail.com. |
