It has been a very unique season for South Plantation High’s football team, but on Friday night, the Paladins can erase the memory of four tough losses when they host rival Plantation.

South Plantation

Despite dropping games to nationally-rated St. Thomas (38-10), Boyd Anderson (26-0), Everglades (14-10) and Cypress Bay (21-7), the Paladins cane make the playoffs with a win against the Colonels, who have also struggled this season at 5-3.

While these rivalry games are always interesting – this year, coach Steve Davis and Plantation, and coach Rich Maresco and his Paladins realize that the winner here will produce a second place team that will most likely open at Deerfield Beach in the first round, for the second straight year.

Watching the Paladins play last week against South Broward had to make many South Plantation fans believe that a win this week could give this team plenty of momentum. This is a program that could have one of the best coaching staffs in South Florida. Three former head coach (Jack Chapman, Doug Gatewood and Kurt Bossie) and Maresco have been able to take good athletes and translate that over to the next level.

With standout junior Marcus Thompson (6-2, 220) on the sideline with an injury last week, the Paladins took it to South Broward 38-23 as running back Meshach Waite ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Waite, a 6-0, 215-pound junior, along with Thompson is what this Paladin team is all about. They have plenty on hand for the future – not withstanding the rest of the season, either.

"This is a young team," Maresco said. "We have made mistakes, but have also found a way to stay in games with almost everyone on our schedule."

Keep in mind, the junior varsity team posted a 6-1 record, losing only to St. Thomas, so you can understand why this is a team that certainly believes it has a bright future.

This is not South Plantation's first brush with recent playoffs or success. They advanced last year, playing Deerfield Beach in the first round. The same Deerfield squad that they played to end the season – a week before. If the Paladins are going to the playoffs again, they have to beat Plantation this week and then worry about two possible matchups with Deerfield Beach – within seven days!

The senior class is lead by defensive standouts (linebacker) Daren Davis (6-1, 196), defensive backs Royel Knight (6-0, 180), Andre Williams (6-0, 185), Jamal Stephen (6-0, 165) and Mario Francois (6-0, 170), and defensive lineman Darrell Young (6-2, 225). Receivers Terrell Harden (6-1, 175) and Chris Denton (5-10, 175), and offensive linemen Edwin Pierre-Charles (6-3, 220) and Justin Wiley (6-2, 205) are also very impressive.

Thompson and Waite aren't the only juniors who have made an impact. Athlete Derwin Brown (6-0, 175) is a potential top-flight recruit. So are defensive back Khari Burke (5-10, 175), defensive end Tevin McCray (6-2, 195) and linebacker Pablo Quiroga (6-0, 195),

Class of 2011 standouts such as offensive lineman Kurt Joseph (6-2, 220), defensive lineman Jose Salazar (6-0, 220), defensive tackles Cameron Young (6-1, 225) and David Wallace (5-9, 215), and talented quarterback Kyle Sinclair (5-11, 175) are already making a contribution. Freshman receiver Manny Abad (6-0, 155) certainly has the opportunity to make some great things happen over the next three and a half years.

"We have to rely on plenty of young kids in important roles," Maresco said. "By now, the younger players have been exposed to a very tough schedule, so they are probably more advanced than most at the same stage."

NEXT WEEK: The regular season winds down as teams finalize plans for the post season.

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).