Local talent question for Liberty City El, gogeta, et al

[canesfanmpls]

I had a question for LCE and others. I watched that documentary on the VICE channel a couple of months back about the Liberty City youth program and "The Boom Squad" and their rivals "Gwen Cherry Bulls". What high school territory is that officially? Also do they ever play against that young Canes team that traveled to Vegas etc. and beat up on all of those out of state teams?

Gwen Cherry Park: Northwestern, Charles Hadley Park(LCO): Jackson/Northwestern. They're in Pop Warner, different league than FTL Canes.

Thanks Rattler!

 

[DTP]

STA has always been there but they really took it to another level when they started recruiting beyond Broward county lines. If you're cherrypicking the tri-county area for top-level talent, you should pummel 99% of America's high schools. Before then, they'd still have seasons with them being the best team in Broward but not consecutively and by such wide margins. There a **** of a lot more parity. Now Chaminade and especially AH are new on the scene. I can clearly remember when Chaminade was nothing. That all changed my 11th grade year when they hired Guandolo, who grew tired of the commute from Broward to the Ridge. Enter guys like Beason, Cook, etc. They fell off again when he went to Cypress Bay but they're back. AH used to be Pace's personal heavy bag until the boosters had enough. Call them STA Lite because they've definitely adopted the Aquinas model and ran with it. Drew's supposed to be at Carol City, Ty's home school is Everglades and the QB came from AH-Delray.

Chaminade can't decide if they want to be a football powerhouse or not. From what I've heard, the school was struggling for money. Their tuition is expensive but their enrollment has gone way down recently and they were trying to cut back "athletic scholarships". Although recently, it seems they want to invest in the football program again.

Private schools aren't the only ones pulling in athletes outside their districts either. A couple years ago when Flanagan made a run to states, almost half their football team had an address in the same Pembroke Pines apartment complex. So, either that apartment complex was putting something in the water or there was some shady business going on under Devon Bush.

 

[GR8]

STA has always been there but they really took it to another level when they started recruiting beyond Broward county lines. If you're cherrypicking the tri-county area for top-level talent, you should pummel 99% of America's high schools. Before then, they'd still have seasons with them being the best team in Broward but not consecutively and by such wide margins. There a **** of a lot more parity. Now Chaminade and especially AH are new on the scene. I can clearly remember when Chaminade was nothing. That all changed my 11th grade year when they hired Guandolo, who grew tired of the commute from Broward to the Ridge. Enter guys like Beason, Cook, etc. They fell off again when he went to Cypress Bay but they're back. AH used to be Pace's personal heavy bag until the boosters had enough. Call them STA Lite because they've definitely adopted the Aquinas model and ran with it. Drew's supposed to be at Carol City, Ty's home school is Everglades and the QB came from AH-Delray.

Chaminade can't decide if they want to be a football powerhouse or not. From what I've heard, the school was struggling for money. Their tuition is expensive but their enrollment has gone way down recently and they were trying to cut back "athletic scholarships". Although recently, it seems they want to invest in the football program again.

Private schools aren't the only ones pulling in athletes outside their districts either. A couple years ago when Flanagan made a run to states, almost half their football team had an address in the same Pembroke Pines apartment complex. So, either that apartment complex was putting something in the water or there was some shady business going on under Devon Bush.

I believe they all played together at PPO (Bengals optimist team) and wanted to remain together in High School. Once Dad became the coach he brought them over. Charter schools our doing it now as well, Doral Academy has some young talented kids that would be at the West or Booker T. I think Miami High will be good, coaches and some players from Booker T have transferred there, some kids from Gables like Roscoe Jr are there too.

 

[North Florida Cane]

What's the story with Champagnat?

I understand it's a really small school, but they seem to have a number of D-I recruits each year even though it seems like they've changed coaches a few times. I thought I read once the school didn't have its own practice field.

What's the attraction?

Elite academics, maybe?

 

[RattlerCane305]

Great stuff. Thanks for all the input.

I didn't know that about Western or Miami Springs.

I was thinking maybe Homestead, Southridge (back rolling again), Gables and Killian — because some of the top players down south always seem to end up at the private schools in that area.

What about North Miami and North Miami Beach?

Is there much talent in that area?

North Miami and NMB have talent as well(imo more in the former) but they're a step or two behind the more prominent areas. One of the problems NM would have back when I was in high school was losing their best players to Central(the schools' zoned neighborhoods border & merge with each other). Bryan Pata(R.I.P.) was the most famous example....

 

[Barboni]

Pretty much a lot of the teams that are already successful in their region (even though many of them have benefitted from transfers as well).

Carol City, MNW, BTW & Central, would all still be powerhouse programs.

Teams like Norland, Jackson, probably Killian & some Homestead/ South Dade area squads would probably benefit as well.

Dillard, Coco Creek, Blanche Ely, Boyd, Deerfield & other Broward schools like that would be drastically different if those type of transfer rules were implemented & they got to keep more of their homegrown kids.

It would definitely affect a school like Oxbridge, in terms of the top level talent they have every year.
Pahokee, PB Lakes, Gardens etc, would benefit both positively & negatively.

Southridge & Colombus probably wouldn't have as much talent as they do either.

I'm gonna say a school and some people are gonna think I'm crazy when I mention it. Springs, yes, Miami Springs. Of course Springs has benefited from re-zoning that relieved overcrowding at Jackson & the West since back in the late 70's(when my mom started school). The majority of its athletes come from the small western section of Brown Sub/Liberty City(Gladeview) and Seminola. I'm talkin MLK park, the Tree Bar, 46 Graveyard, Turf Motel, the Boxing Gym... Main problem they've always had is keeping the guys that are zoned there(myself included, I only attended for a week, never played for them). The one time I remember everyone staying was back in '94. They had the best defense in the state, arguably the country. They went 12-1, losing 14-6 in the State Semis to Southridge who won it all. Held the Davis Bros. to 120 yards combined. That Ridge team used to have 21 on the board during pre-game stretching. Southridge went on to score a still-standing title game record of 69 points. For example, I grew up with & attended Springs Middle with four dudes that made it to the NFL(3 of them are Canes as well),Willis, Nuke Jenkins, Javon Nanton and Zack Ville. Out of the 4, Javon Nanton was the only one who stayed at Springs all 4 years. Willis was gone by his junior year, Nuke left the same week I did, and Big Zack went straight to the West. From back in the days with Lomas Brown, Freddie Miles, and T.Y. Hilton's pops to now, that school has had some major talent come through there. El, I know you remember Ben Jones from the MNW 8. He came from Springs. Tommy Streeter & Brandon Harris are also guys from the area.

Don't forget Rakeem Cato and Tommy Shuler

I definitely didn't but I could write a novel of a post if I included all of the cats from around the way. Those two, Gartrell Johnson(Shavers), Chad Simpson, Big Cliff who played for the holes, etc. El, speaking of Easterling, that's another guy from the area. It's effin' ridiculous...

Add Devin Aromashodu,Willis Wright, and lesser known prospects like Brandon Diaz (Center at Tulane).

 

[5XNC]

wilton manors high school. most go there as a tight end and come out a wide receiver.

 

[BornAcaneDieAcane]

Great stuff. Thanks for all the input.

I didn't know that about Western or Miami Springs.

I was thinking maybe Homestead, Southridge (back rolling again), Gables and Killian — because some of the top players down south always seem to end up at the private schools in that area.

What about North Miami and North Miami Beach?

Is there much talent in that area?

North Miami and NMB have talent as well(imo more in the former) but they're a step or two behind the more prominent areas. One of the problems NM would have back when I was in high school was losing their best players to Central(the schools' zoned neighborhoods border & merge with each other). Bryan Pata(R.I.P.) was the most famous example....

you're absolutely right rattlercane305. I went to school with Bryan Pata's older brothers Edwin and Edrick at North Miami back in the 90's. Edwin was an assistant coach for Famu. I'm not sure if he is still coaching with them because I lost contact with him and his brother over the years.

 

[DTP]

wilton manors high school. most go there as a tight end and come out a wide receiver.

Fort Lauderdale High School is practically in Wilton Manors.

 

[RattlerCane305]

Great stuff. Thanks for all the input.

I didn't know that about Western or Miami Springs.

I was thinking maybe Homestead, Southridge (back rolling again), Gables and Killian — because some of the top players down south always seem to end up at the private schools in that area.

What about North Miami and North Miami Beach?

Is there much talent in that area?

North Miami and NMB have talent as well(imo more in the former) but they're a step or two behind the more prominent areas. One of the problems NM would have back when I was in high school was losing their best players to Central(the schools' zoned neighborhoods border & merge with each other). Bryan Pata(R.I.P.) was the most famous example....

you're absolutely right rattlercane305. I went to school with Bryan Pata's older brothers Edwin and Edrick at North Miami back in the 90's. Edwin was an assistant coach for Famu. I'm not sure if he is still coaching with them because I lost contact with him and his brother over the years.

Yeah I remember playing against the twins when I was at Central and American. Edwin's still coaching but at a bigger school now. I wanna say USF or UCF but I may be wrong...

 

[BornAcaneDieAcane]

Great stuff. Thanks for all the input.

I didn't know that about Western or Miami Springs.

I was thinking maybe Homestead, Southridge (back rolling again), Gables and Killian — because some of the top players down south always seem to end up at the private schools in that area.

What about North Miami and North Miami Beach?

Is there much talent in that area?

North Miami and NMB have talent as well(imo more in the former) but they're a step or two behind the more prominent areas. One of the problems NM would have back when I was in high school was losing their best players to Central(the schools' zoned neighborhoods border & merge with each other). Bryan Pata(R.I.P.) was the most famous example....

you're absolutely right rattlercane305. I went to school with Bryan Pata's older brothers Edwin and Edrick at North Miami back in the 90's. Edwin was an assistant coach for Famu. I'm not sure if he is still coaching with them because I lost contact with him and his brother over the years.

Yeah I remember playing against the twins when I was at Central and American. Edwin's still coaching but at a bigger school now. I wanna say USF or UCF but I may be wrong...

oh ok. It's good to know Edwin is progressing in his coaching career. Back then, I used to see Bryan when I used to chill with his brothers. kid loved football. I was happy for him when he became a Cane. I got a call from a friend when he got killed, before the news got out.

 

[Memnon]

Great stuff. Thanks for all the input.

I didn't know that about Western or Miami Springs.

I was thinking maybe Homestead, Southridge (back rolling again), Gables and Killian — because some of the top players down south always seem to end up at the private schools in that area.

What about North Miami and North Miami Beach?

Is there much talent in that area?

North Miami and NMB have talent as well(imo more in the former) but they're a step or two behind the more prominent areas. One of the problems NM would have back when I was in high school was losing their best players to Central(the schools' zoned neighborhoods border & merge with each other). Bryan Pata(R.I.P.) was the most famous example....

you're absolutely right rattlercane305. I went to school with Bryan Pata's older brothers Edwin and Edrick at North Miami back in the 90's. Edwin was an assistant coach for Famu. I'm not sure if he is still coaching with them because I lost contact with him and his brother over the years.

Yeah I remember playing against the twins when I was at Central and American. Edwin's still coaching but at a bigger school now. I wanna say USF or UCF but I may be wrong...

Edwin was Coaching at FIU for a few years but he went back to FAMU as the OL Coach, good dude.

He was at one of Miami's camps awhile ago for 7v7.

 

[DB4]

What's the story with Champagnat?

I understand it's a really small school, but they seem to have a number of D-I recruits each year even though it seems like they've changed coaches a few times. I thought I read once the school didn't have its own practice field.

What's the attraction?

Elite academics, maybe?

Definitely NOT elite academics lol. I'm not sure what they promote. The chance to win state titles in a lower classification and the chance to play college football. The facilities are non-existent from what I've heard. The school looks like it should be in a mechanic's shop in Hialeah.

 

[Astcloud11]

Carol city for sure!

CC would split the talent with Norland, so not so much so.

 

[Astcloud11]

Dade
Carol City - youth programs (all the teams in Miami Gardens, ravens, chiefs, Vikings & bulldogs) American & Norland would land some kids as well.
The West (gwen cherry, pretty much direct feeder & liberty city)
Booker T (overtown)
Central
Coral Gables (grove)
Jackson (liberty city, Miami youth)

all the Miami Gardens teams that play on that old North Dade Bulldogs field would end up at Norland (those residential to the area at least).

 

[GR8]

Forgot the cowboys, bunche park

 

[Coach Macho]

Western? Interesting. I remember when it was first built. Redneckville! There was no 575, no Sawgrass, no mall. And the biggest bugs I had ever seen in my life. Western was also the ONLY football team we could beat. Oh, them and maybe Cardinal Gibbons.

Western had the only rubberized track in the whole county and the county track meet would be held there. A certain playmaking wide receiver from St. Thomas would run 51.xx for the 440 and throw 51' in the shot put there (and he had to sit out a year for transferring; otherwise, he would have been at Piper with the Blades. The same neighborhood fed: Dillard, Ft. Lauderdale, BA, Piper, Northeast and Stranahan).

Things sure have changed.

I hear you. Things have definitely changed. Affordable housing in their zone has changed everything.

In the 90's and early 2000's you'd barely see any brothas on their team. Go watch them now. It's even changed a lot since I was there from 2008-2013. Most of our WR's and RB's were white kids, now almost all of their skill players are black.