Aquinas’ players come out to the field for their game against the DeSoto High part of the 2026 Broward County National High School Football Showcase, in Fort Lauderdale , Florida, on Saturday August 29, 2026.
Pedro Portal
pportal@miamiherald.com
Longtime Miami powerhouse Christopher Columbus garnered more national attention this past weekend by toppling the country’s top-ranked high school football team in Las Vegas Bishop Gorman.
Can the Explorers take down the nation’s top-ranked team twice in less than a week?
Columbus will be right back on the same field Friday, but this time facing the host Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, who took over the top spot in multiple polls, as it should.
Even for Aquinas, winners of seven consecutive state titles, this is a monster team, which has shown it is complete from top to bottom and torn through three quality opponents so far (counting its preseason classic) by a combined score of 129-14.
The game between the top two teams in the latest Miami Herald South Florida rankings isn’t the only marquee matchup on the slate this week as Hollywood Chaminade hosts Plantation American Heritage in a contest that isn’t just for bragging rights this time around.
Here’s the new Top 20 with how each team fared a week ago, and my picks for week 3 in South Florida.
SOUTH FLORIDA TOP 20 – WEEK 3
1. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (2-0) d. DeSoto (Texas), 38-14
2. Miami Columbus (2-0) d. Bishop Gorman (Nevada), 33-28
3. Miami Central (1-0): Idle
4. Palmetto (2-0): d. Mater Academy 42-7
5. Miami Carol City (1-1) lost to Lee County (Georgia) 23-20
6. Miami Northwestern (2-0): d. Miami Jackson 42-0
7. Plantation American Heritage (1-1): d. East St. Louis 35-28
8. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1-1) lost to Sierra Canyon (California) 24-7
9. Coconut Creek (2-0): d. True North 33-32
10. Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (2-0): d. McArthur 47-41 (OT)
11. Miami True North (0-1) lost to Coconut Creek 33-32
12. Coconut Creek Monarch (1-1) d. Miramar 48-41
13. Hollywood McArthur (0-2): lost to Cardinal Gibbons 47-41 (OT)
14. Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy (0-1): lost to Jacksonville Bolles 21-14
15. Fort Lauderdale Dillard (1-1): lost to St. Peters (New Jersey) 17-7
16. Weston Cypress Bay (2-0) d. Flanagan 42-7
17. North Miami Beach (2-0) d. North Miami 27-7
18. Miami Southridge (1-1) d. Homestead 24-6
19. Miami Norland (1-1) lost to Ocala Vanguard 21-7
20. Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy (1-1): lost to Palmetto 42-7.
On the cusp: Killian (1-1), Miami Springs (3-0), Miami Immaculata-La Salle (2-0), Western (1-1), Blanche Ely (2-0).
GAMES OF THE WEEK
2. Columbus (2-0) at 1. St. Thomas Aquinas (2-0), 7, Friday.
No one externally expected Columbus to have a chance against Bishop Gorman last week. And yet the 33-28 upset win wasn’t even that close. A’Mir Sears was the headliner with his three interceptions and two touchdown catches.
But it wasn’t just Sears.
Kai Moore was accurate, throwing four touchdown passes without an interception. Columbus also gained traction up front on both sides of the ball, establishing a running game led by Cecil Smith that gained 180 yards and protected Moore (one sack allowed). And on defense, the Explorers forced three turnovers with one more by their kickoff coverage team.
But take that whole effort and multiply it by two or three because that’s what it’s going to take against one of the deepest teams Aquinas has ever had.
Columbus running back Cecil Smith takes off on a 47-yard catch-and-run touchdown that gave the Explorers a 7-0 first quarter lead during Saturday’s game against Las Vegas Bishop Gorman at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Bill Daley Special to the Miami Herald
DeSoto made the grave mistake of ticking off the Raiders before kickoff by not shaking hands during the coin toss. Aquinas never relented with its band of Ohio State and Notre Dame commits such as Wyatt Smith, Julius Jones, Zayden Gamble and Jaden Carey leading the way. Pitt commit Tyler Reid’s big run ignited a 38-14 rout that would have been another shutout had the Raiders not emptied their bench and taken their foot off the gas a little bit.
Columbus is vastly improved from a year ago, and won’t look like a team that doesn’t belong on the same field as Aquinas. But the Raiders are on a different level this season. Dre’s pick: Aquinas 28, Columbus 14.
7. American Heritage (1-1) at 8. Chaminade-Madonna (1-1), 6:30, Friday.
This series has been pretty even in recent years and delivered down-to-the-wire thrillers almost every time. This year’s meeting has the potential to be the same. A short-handed Heritage offensive line struggled to protect quarterback Neimann Lawrence or generate any offense in a season-opening loss against West Boca Raton. But the Patriots rebounded impressively with a 35-28 victory over East St. Louis High led by Lawrence’s 371 yards and four touchdown passes. Senior Michael Stringer caught nine of those passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns.
Chaminade looked great offensively against Monarch, led by Brady Quinn’s five touchdown passes. But Quinn struggled last week, throwing three interceptions against California powerhouse Sierra Canyon in a 24-7 loss. The Lions showed they have some playmakers on defense, but need to be more consistent on that end if they want to continue their dominant run of the past decade. Dre’s pick: Heritage 34, Chaminade 31.
American Heritage High School quarterback Neimann Lawrence at High School Football Media Day at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, Saturday, August 15, 2026. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
12. Monarch (1-1) at 10. Cardinal Gibbons (2-0), 7, Friday.
Monarch quarterback Jeremiah Milcent might be off to the hottest start of any quarterback in the state. After throwing for 334 yards and three touchdowns against Chaminade, Milcent topped it last week with four more touchdowns and more than 400 yards passing against Miramar to get the Knights their first win. Gibbons will be a tougher obstacle than last week, but Milcent is showing that he’s hard to contain no matter who is on the other side. The Chiefs have proven they can win with either offense or defense so far, following a 14-7 win against Miramar and a 47-41 shootout win over McArthur. Tyler Chance is no slouch either. Gibbons’ quarterback completed 29 of 34 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns last week, and Donte Findeson showed his versatility with five touchdowns overall. Dre’s pick: Cardinal Gibbons 38, Monarch 37.
9. Coconut Creek (2-0) at 15. Dillard (1-1), 7, Friday.
Coconut Creek showed its resilience during a back-and-forth shootout last week that ended with a 33-32, last-second victory over True North. Junior quarterback Josiah Sanchius threw four touchdown passes, and the Cougars showed why they may be ready for a deeper playoff push than their second-round exit a year ago. Dillard started strong with a 44-21 win over Piper before a tough road loss last Saturday in New Jersey where its offense was stymied by St. Peter’s Prep. The Panthers can run the ball and will need to in order to keep the Cougars’ high-powered offense grounded. But that’s going to be easier said than done this year for a lot of Creek opponents. Dre’s pick: Coconut Creek 34, Dillard 28.
Coconut Creek Cougars wide receiver Everett Butler (6) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the True North Classical Academy Titans in the first half of their Broward Football Showcase game at Coconut Creek High School on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Coconut Creek, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com MORE TOP 20 GAMES
Miami St. Brendan (0-2) at 3. Central (1-0), 4, Thursday.
Dre’s pick: Central 48, St. Brendan 2. District games must be played. But hey, the Rockets can do this one at school.
4. Palmetto (2-0) at 18. Southridge (1-1), 7:30, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Palmetto 34, Southridge 7. For years, this rivalry was dominated by Southridge. Times have changed.
19. Norland (1-1) vs. 5. Carol City (1-1), 7:30, Friday, Traz.
Dre’s pick: Carol City 38, Norland 13. The Chiefs felt they should have come back from Georgia with a win. They take out their frustration on their neighborhood rivals.
6. Northwestern (2-0) vs. Hialeah (0-2), 7:30, Friday, Milander.
Dre’s pick: Northwestern 52, Hialeah 2. Once again, a district game that must be played.
Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (1-1) vs. 11. True North (0-1), 7:30, Friday, Tropical.
Dre’s pick: Mooney 41, True North 38. This is going to test both teams’ resolve as both would like to avoid a second loss this early.
Sunrise Piper (1-1) at 13. McArthur (0-2), 7, Friday.
Dre’s pick: McArthur 30, Piper 17. The Mustangs have had a tough slate to start, but finally get in the win column.
Pembroke Pines West Broward (0-1) at 14. Archbishop McCarthy (0-1), 7, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Archbishop McCarthy 27, West Broward 14. If the Mavericks start getting healthy, they’ll be dangerous again.
16. Cypress Bay (2-0) at Coral Springs Coral Glades (1-1), 7, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Cypress Bay 35, Coral Glades 7. Lightning should have little trouble racking up another victory here.
17. North Miami Beach (2-0) at Miami Gardens Monsignor Pace (1-1), 7:30, Friday.
Dre’s pick: North Miami Beach 34, Pace 6. The Chargers have one of the more talented teams in recent years and cruise to another early victory.
20. Mater Academy (1-1) at Miramar (0-2), 7, Friday.
Dre’s pick: Miramar 17, Mater 16. Miramar is the tough luck team of South Florida through two weeks after coming close to beating Cardinal Gibbons and Monarch in consecutive weeks. They finally, barely, get a win.
OTHER GAMES
Thursday — Miami-Dade: American vs. North Miami (Milander), 7; Am 28-12; Southwest vs. Miami High (Curtis), 7; MHS 28-7; Archbishop Carroll at Coral Gables, 4; CG 21-20; South Miami at Parkridge Christian, 7; SM 16-3; Hialeah Gardens at Reagan, 3:30; HG 14-7; Coral Reef vs. Krop (Ives), 7; Reef 24-2; Westminster Christian at Somerset Silver Palms, 7:30; WC 38-7; Broward: Taravella at Cooper City, 7; Coop 38-6; Pompano Beach at Everglades, 7; Ever 28-8; Hollywood Hills vs. Fort Lauderdale (Lockhart), 7; FTL 28-2; Pines Charter at North Broward Prep, 6; PPC 27-14; West Palm Beach Kings Academy at NSU University School, 7; US 29-24.
Friday — Miami-Dade: Killian vs. Booker T. (Curtis), 7:30; Kil 42-6; La Salle at Edison, 3:30; LaS 44-3; Doral at Ransom Everglades, 7; RE 24-23; Varela at Ferguson, 3:30; Ferg 24-10; Gulliver at Naples St. John Neumann, 7; Neumann 27-20; Miami Beach at Florida Christian, 7; MB 28-14; Boca St. Andrews at Palmer Trinity, 4; SA 38-3; Broward: Western at Flanagan, 7; West 42-7; Delray Atlantic at Blanche Ely, 7; ATL 35-23; Deerfield Beach at Boyd Anderson, 7; 19-16; Coral Springs Charter at West Palm Beach Forest Hill, 7; CSC 10-7; Hallandale at Northeast, 6:30; Hall 14-7; Plantation vs. Stranahan (Lockhart), 7; Stran 8-6; South Plantation at Lake Worth Park Vista, 7; PV 24-21; Naples First Baptist at Somerset Academy, 3:30; FB 41-14; Westminster Academy at Belle Glade Glades Day, 7; WA 34-24; Calvary Christian at Jupiter Christian, 6:30; Cal 35-24; Tavernier Coral Shores at Pine Crest, 7; PC 21-20.
Saturday — Miami-Dade: Belen at Fordham Prep (NY), noon; Bel 20-17; Key West vs. Jackson (Traz), 5; Jac 16-14.
Andre Fernandez’s record — Last week (Top 20 games): 10-6 (.625); Overall: 35-14 (.714); Season – (Top 20): 23-8 (.742); Overall: 70-23 (.753).
This story was originally published August 31, 2026 at 9:35 AM.
Miami Herald
Andre Fernandez is the Deputy Sports Editor of the Miami Herald and has covered a wide variety of sports during his career including the Miami Marlins, Miami Heat, Miami Dolphins, University of Miami athletics, and high school sports.