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I had the chance to attend two games today loaded with top division-1 talent. The first was a 4PM matchup between Westminster Christian and Chaminade-Madonna and the second was the much-anticipated rematch from the playoffs last season in American Heritage and Jackson.
Westminster vs. Chaminade
**I didn't expect this to be much of a game due to Westminster's playmaking ability and Chaminade's overall lack of talent this year, but I was kind of surprised how lopsided it was. I left with about 10 minutes remaining in the game when it was 37-0 and the final score was 44-6.
**I've seen Tim Irvin in live game action three times now and come away more impressed each time I watch him. In this game, he took a screen about 45 yards for a touchdown after making a couple guys miss on the outside and picked up a good amount of yardage on the ground as well. There is no doubt about his playmaking ability with the ball in his hands, but I believe his real value comes on the defensive side of the ball as a slot corner. Westminster moves him around from corner to deep-safety and even as a safety in the box and he is a great hitter. Probably the most impressive part about him though is that he is always around the football. He had an interception on the last play of the first half that he returned for about 20 yards as well. He is a natural football player.
**2015 WR/TE Devonaire Clarington is a prospect who I've had mixed feelings about. Although he looks the part from a physical standpoint, he hasn't been overly impressive when I've seen him at camps and he didn't do much to change my opinion about him today. He has a hard time creating separation at the high school level, which doesn't translate well to the next level. He had a 17-yard touchdown reception today, though. He actually played some defensive line which I thought was interesting, but I don't know if he would be willing to play that in college.
**All 2015 ATH Jordan Cronkrite is produce. Cronkrite had a 41-yard rushing touchdown and is another guy who Westminster moves around in different spots as they do with Irvin. He is the most physically impressive player on the Westminster roster.
Jackson vs. American Heritage
**The headlining game in South Florida this weekend did not disappoint. Heritage took a 14-0 lead into the half and the Jackson offense could not get anything going early on until the Generals opened the second half with a scoring drive to cut the deficit to 14-8. Heritage scored again to make it 20-8 and then Jackson scored two touchdowns to take a 22-20 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Torrance Gibson led a Heritage scoring drive as the Patriots scored with about three and a half minutes left and Jackson could not score on their final possession. The final score was 26-22.
**Starting off with the obvious, Quinton Flowers is still a force to be reckoned with. Flowers played one of the best halves of football I've seen in a while in the second half of tonight's game against a star-studded Heritage defense. Although most think he would be best suited playing wide receiver at the next level, he would make an incredible running back. DMoney made the observation that he would be comparable to a bigger, stronger Dallas Crawford. Flowers played safety on Heritage's last possession and he made a jaw-dropping hit on Isaiah McKenzie where he had a lot of ground to make up too. Safety is still his NFL position, but if he wants to stay on the offensive side of the ball at a Miami level, then running back could be his spot. At quarterback, he played the smartest game I've seen from him in the three years watching him. I only remembered one or two throws that he forced all game and he hit Jovon Durante in stride on a perfectly-thrown bomb to take the lead in the fourth.
**This was my first time seeing Jovon Durante in a Jackson uniform and he was one of the stars of the night. He has good size at 6-1 and long arms. Durante moves very similarly to Herb Waters when he was at Homestead, where he seemingly glides by the defense. His only mistake of the night was a costly one, where he dropped a potential first down catch on fourth down of their last possession. There is no doubt he is a Miami-caliber receiver, which says a lot considering the amount of talent that Miami is potentially bringing in at the position over the next two years.
**Sony Michel looks like he's officially back. His cuts tonight were ridiculous and he still has that breakaway speed that he had pre-acl injury. Michel had an 85-yard TD run.
**Juwon Dowels is a very good-looking corner prospect. He is only about 5-8, but has tremendous cover skills and is pesky. He had an interception in the first half and had a chance at another one later in the second quarter. Durante toasted him deep in the fourth, which was his major mistake of the night.
**A prospect that I want to see more from before calling him "elite" is 2015 CB Tarvarus McFadden. Rivals has McFadden listed as an early 5-star for next year's class, but I don't see that at al right now. He's a 6-3 corner who isn't incredible in coverage. Durante had multiple catches on him without much resistance and I think he might be better suited as a cover safety.
**Torrance Gibson is such a smooth athlete when running and he is definitely an elite talent, just not at the quarterback position. He is a long strider who is a receiver all the way in my opinion.
**Isaiah McKenize once again did Isaiah McKenzie things. He is just electric with the ball, not much else needs to be said about him.
Westminster vs. Chaminade
**I didn't expect this to be much of a game due to Westminster's playmaking ability and Chaminade's overall lack of talent this year, but I was kind of surprised how lopsided it was. I left with about 10 minutes remaining in the game when it was 37-0 and the final score was 44-6.
**I've seen Tim Irvin in live game action three times now and come away more impressed each time I watch him. In this game, he took a screen about 45 yards for a touchdown after making a couple guys miss on the outside and picked up a good amount of yardage on the ground as well. There is no doubt about his playmaking ability with the ball in his hands, but I believe his real value comes on the defensive side of the ball as a slot corner. Westminster moves him around from corner to deep-safety and even as a safety in the box and he is a great hitter. Probably the most impressive part about him though is that he is always around the football. He had an interception on the last play of the first half that he returned for about 20 yards as well. He is a natural football player.
**2015 WR/TE Devonaire Clarington is a prospect who I've had mixed feelings about. Although he looks the part from a physical standpoint, he hasn't been overly impressive when I've seen him at camps and he didn't do much to change my opinion about him today. He has a hard time creating separation at the high school level, which doesn't translate well to the next level. He had a 17-yard touchdown reception today, though. He actually played some defensive line which I thought was interesting, but I don't know if he would be willing to play that in college.
**All 2015 ATH Jordan Cronkrite is produce. Cronkrite had a 41-yard rushing touchdown and is another guy who Westminster moves around in different spots as they do with Irvin. He is the most physically impressive player on the Westminster roster.
Jackson vs. American Heritage
**The headlining game in South Florida this weekend did not disappoint. Heritage took a 14-0 lead into the half and the Jackson offense could not get anything going early on until the Generals opened the second half with a scoring drive to cut the deficit to 14-8. Heritage scored again to make it 20-8 and then Jackson scored two touchdowns to take a 22-20 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Torrance Gibson led a Heritage scoring drive as the Patriots scored with about three and a half minutes left and Jackson could not score on their final possession. The final score was 26-22.
**Starting off with the obvious, Quinton Flowers is still a force to be reckoned with. Flowers played one of the best halves of football I've seen in a while in the second half of tonight's game against a star-studded Heritage defense. Although most think he would be best suited playing wide receiver at the next level, he would make an incredible running back. DMoney made the observation that he would be comparable to a bigger, stronger Dallas Crawford. Flowers played safety on Heritage's last possession and he made a jaw-dropping hit on Isaiah McKenzie where he had a lot of ground to make up too. Safety is still his NFL position, but if he wants to stay on the offensive side of the ball at a Miami level, then running back could be his spot. At quarterback, he played the smartest game I've seen from him in the three years watching him. I only remembered one or two throws that he forced all game and he hit Jovon Durante in stride on a perfectly-thrown bomb to take the lead in the fourth.
**This was my first time seeing Jovon Durante in a Jackson uniform and he was one of the stars of the night. He has good size at 6-1 and long arms. Durante moves very similarly to Herb Waters when he was at Homestead, where he seemingly glides by the defense. His only mistake of the night was a costly one, where he dropped a potential first down catch on fourth down of their last possession. There is no doubt he is a Miami-caliber receiver, which says a lot considering the amount of talent that Miami is potentially bringing in at the position over the next two years.
**Sony Michel looks like he's officially back. His cuts tonight were ridiculous and he still has that breakaway speed that he had pre-acl injury. Michel had an 85-yard TD run.
**Juwon Dowels is a very good-looking corner prospect. He is only about 5-8, but has tremendous cover skills and is pesky. He had an interception in the first half and had a chance at another one later in the second quarter. Durante toasted him deep in the fourth, which was his major mistake of the night.
**A prospect that I want to see more from before calling him "elite" is 2015 CB Tarvarus McFadden. Rivals has McFadden listed as an early 5-star for next year's class, but I don't see that at al right now. He's a 6-3 corner who isn't incredible in coverage. Durante had multiple catches on him without much resistance and I think he might be better suited as a cover safety.
**Torrance Gibson is such a smooth athlete when running and he is definitely an elite talent, just not at the quarterback position. He is a long strider who is a receiver all the way in my opinion.
**Isaiah McKenize once again did Isaiah McKenzie things. He is just electric with the ball, not much else needs to be said about him.
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