Northwestern Bulls sit atop first state football poll

BY ANDRE C. FERNANDEZ
a1fernandez@MiamiHerald.com

The debate over the top high school football team in the country began last week.

USA Today thinks highly of Miami Central, ranking the Rockets No. 2 nationally. But ESPN's Fab 50 preseason poll has rival Miami Northwestern in its top 10 at the No. 8 spot.

The top spot in the state rankings in Class 6A?

That went to the Bulls on Monday.

Northwestern is ranked No. 1 despite No. 2 Central earning nine of the poll's 12 first-place votes in the first state poll released by The Associated Press.

Central beat Northwestern for the first time in the playoffs last year before losing to eventual state champion Miramar in the state semifinals. Miramar was ranked third.

Central and Northwestern will play each other Oct. 9 at FIU Stadium, site of their past three meetings. Central opens the season with road games against Camden County High in Georgia and Dallas Madison in Texas, and plays host to Alabama powerhouse Prattville in October.

Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, which opens the season in Arlington, Texas, against Dallas Skyline on Sept. 6, was ranked No. 2 in Class 5A behind defending state champion Tampa Plant.

CLASS 6A


1. Miami Northwestern (2) 106

2. Miami Central (9) 94

3. Miramar (1) 88

4. Apopka 71

5. Dr. Phillips 68

6. DeLand 66

7. Miami Southridge 36

8. Plantation 23

9. Mainland 23

10. Olympia 16

Others receiving votes: Miami Krop 12, Miami Carol City 8, Park Vista Community 8, Winter Park 7, Orange Park 7, Treasure Coast 4, Columbus 4, South Dade 3, Vero Beach 3, Palm Beach Gardens 3, Atlantic Community 3, Boca Raton Community 3, Homestead 2, Lake Brantley 1, Hialeah 1.



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