After struggling with a nasty case of writer's block all summer, I'm pleased to announce my first website feature article is finished, and published. Here's an excerpt for you:
Eersnation.com Feature Article: The Miramar Connection
by Cameron J. Underwood
1,094 miles.
That’s the distance from Morgantown, WV to Miramar, FL.
While that may seem like a great distance, these 2 cities, and the football programs that call them home, are much closer than it would appear on any map.
For years, players have graduated from Miramar High School and migrated north to Morgantown
in pursuit of athletic greatness, and academic success. This transition is not an easy one, and took a
trailblazer to forge a path where there had not been one before.
By now, if you follow Miramar Football, you’ve heard the
name Jermaine “Country” Grace. The 6’1”, 196lb linebacker was one of the key
parts of the Darkside defense in 2011, and figures to be its leader in 2012. A
gifted defender, Grace totaled 115 tackles, 5 sacks, and 4 interceptions in 2011, and made life very
difficult for opposing offenses.
Based upon his past performance, and future potential, Grace
has already been classified as a 4 star recruit by ESPN and Rivals. He has also
been named a 2013 U.S. Army All-American, and was one of a select group of players
who participated in Nike’s The Opening in Beaverton, Oregon.
I saw Jermaine while we both were working out at Xtreme Competition Fitness in Hialeah. (Yes, I work out. Shut up.) After finishing our
respective sessions, I spoke with Grace about a number of topics. Here’s what
he had to say:
Miramar Sports (MS): Thanks
for taking a minute to talk to me today, Country.
Jermaine Grace (JG): No problem.
MS: Alright, let’s
get right into it. Last weekend you went to Nike’s The Opening where you
competed with and against some of the top talent in the country. Tell me a
little bit about that experience.
JG: It was crazy. I mean, it was really good to go out there
and compete against those guys, and see where I stand against really good
players.
MS: What did you
learn about your game and what might you want to improve?
JG: I’m pretty good in my technique, so that’s not a
problem. But, I just gotta keep working and get bigger, faster, and stronger.
MS: I saw that you
weighed in at 196lbs, which is up about 10lbs from where you were last season.
What’s your goal weight heading into this season?
JG: I don’t have a particular number in mind. I’m just going
to continue working hard in the weight room, listening to what [Strength and
Conditioning Coach] Gary [Sanchez] says, and push everyday to be a little
faster and stronger.
MS: That makes sense.
So, are you able to add weight and maintain your athleticism?
JG: Yeah, because I’m not gaining too fast. I’m still able to
run and jump and do everything I need to do to be a playmaker on the field.
MS: Nice. So, do you
have numbers you’re targeting for this season, in terms of tackles and sacks
and the like? Or are you most focused on team success?
JG: I really just want to play hard, and show the young guys
how it’s done. The one thing I’m really working on is to get that 5th
star. I’m a 4 star recruit right now, but I’m really working hard to improve
this season and earn that 5th star.
MS: Speaking of the
young guys, you’re the only returning starter on the Darkside Defense. Has
Coach Cogdell spoken to you about being a leader for this unit?
JG: Yeah, I’ve spoken to Coach about it. I know that I have
to step up and be a leader on this team. A lot of the young guys look up to me,
because I’ve been around. Some even want me to mentor them, and I’m ok with
that. I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team be great.
MS: Now, we all know
the Darkside Defense is always one of the best in the State, and we run a lot
of complex schemes. How will having 10 new starters on the field with you
impact the types of coverages and packages we run?
JG: It’s not going to affect anything. We haven't changed anything, and we're not going to. We’re pushing the young
guys everyday to increase their game and be able to fit in to what we’re doing.
Other teams won’t take it easy against us, so we can’t take it easy on
ourselves. And the young guys are really working hard to get better. Trust me,
the defense you see will not change just because the players are different.
MS: Ok. Now,
switching gears, you missed the spring game with a hamstring injury. What’s the
status of that injury now?
JG: I mean…it’s a lot better than it was. It’s not 100%,
probably about 80-85% or so. I’m just working smart and trying to build it back
up. I will be ready to go by the season opener though.
MS: That’s what I
like to hear. Now, let’s talk recruiting. Who are your top schools at this
point of the process? Do you have a top 10?
JG: I don’t have any favorites, or even a top 10. There are
a lot of schools who have contacted me, and I’m just trying to take my time and
do my research on them right now. My goal is to have a top 10 by the start of
the season, then narrow that to 5 so I can set up my Official Visits.
MS: Sounds like a
good approach.
JG: Yeah, I can only do this once, so I’m trying to make the
right decision.
MS: Very true. Now, I
know you’re looking at a lot of things in your research, but what are your top
3 things you’re looking at when comparing schools?
JG: I am looking for a good coaching staff who can teach me
and prepare me to get to the next level. I am looking at their defensive
systems, you know, to make sure I can fit in and have an impact. And I’m
looking for a good atmosphere with the team.
Jermaine Grace and Artie Burns (Miami Northwestern) at Nike's The Opening
MS: With former
Miramar teammates Tracy Howard, Malcolm Lewis, and Ryan Williams at Miami, and
Coach Cogdell in the past and about 9 players at West Virginia now, are you
considering joining one of those groups?
JG: I mean, I’m looking at all the schools who are
recruiting me. Obviously, knowing those guys is a plus. I’ve known all those South Florida guys
at The U for a long time, and they talk about getting me there to play with
them. The West Virginia guys are doing that too. Coach Cogdell is not pushing
any school, but it would kind of be cool to see what he loves so much about
Morgantown.
MS: Now,
hypothetically speaking, if you were to go to WVU, would you try to get the #1 jersey
that Cogdell wore when he was in college?
JG: Yeah, if I went there I would probably try to get that
number. He’s a great coach, and it would be awesome to follow him and be a
great playmaker wearing that #1 jersey.
MS: Obviously
academics are important at every level. What are you thinking about studying in
college?
JG: I was kind of undecided and thinking about a lot of
different things. But now, I’m really interested in studying Business. I think
it would be a good fit for me.
MS: Sounds good. Thanks for the time. Good work today.
JG: No problem.
For your viewing pleasure, here's Jermaine Grace's 2011 highlights. You'll see why he's such a highly touted recruit.
That's all for now. Share your thoughts in the comments.
So, after a rather heated conversation on Twitter last weekend, I'm seeing people wondering what our schedule for this year will look like.
Well, wonder no longer. It's right here.
Games in bold are home games.
Games in blue are district games.
Miramar Patriots 2012 Game Schedule
Fall Classic: vs. McArthur - August 24
Game 1: @ Bradenton Manatee – September 2nd *Date/Time dependent upon ESPN Television Schedule (has been changed 4 times already, so hopefully this time is right)
Game 2: vs. Blanche Ely – September 7th
Game 3: @ Northeast – September 14th
Game 4: @ West Broward – September 21st
Game 5: vs. Cypress Bay – September 28th
Game 6: vs. St. Thomas Aquinas - October 5th
Game 7: @ Boyd Anderson - October 12th
Game 8: vs. Everglades
- October 19th – HOMECOMING AND MAYOR’S CUP
Game 9: vs. Western - October 26th – SENIOR NIGHT
Game 10: @ Flanagan – November 2nd
Playoffs - TBD
Which game(s) are you looking forward to? Add a comment and let us know.
I know I'm a little late with this update, but hey, it's summer.
Anyways, in case you hadn't heard, your Miramar Patriots have picked up a sponsorship from Adidas. This means that they have designed new gear for the upcoming football season. Helmets, Jerseys, Gloves (which are my favorite detail piece). The whole 9 yards. I like them, and I think you will too.
Here they are:
Get ready Patriots. Your team is going to be styling this year!!
For the past 7 years, the Quarterback position for the
Miramar Patriots has been one of the most high profile positions in all of High
School Football.
Geno Smith, 2005-08
Beginning with Parade magazine All-American Geno Smith, this
group has been incredibly productive over the better part of the last decade.
Smith led his team deep into the playoffs for 4 years, culminating in the first
Regional Championship in school history, and a berth in the 2008 Class State
Semi-Final, where the Patriots lost to Miami Northwestern.
Ryan Williams, 2009
After transferring from American Heritage, Ryan Williams
built on that success and guided the team to the 2009 Class 6A championship. In
the title game, Williams had a record breaking performance, where he shattered
previous marks set by players you may have heard of: former Wake Forest QB Riley
Skinner and Florida Gators 2 time National Champion and Heisman Trophy winner
Tim Tebow.
Camren Hudge, 2010-11
Following those prototypical QBs for the previous 5 seasons,
Miramar went in another direction the last 2 years. Undersized at 5’9”, but
possessing a big arm and huge heart, Camren Hudge took the reigns under center
for the Patriots, and led the team to a 22-4 record. Hudge led the team to the
2011 Class 8A State Championship game, where his team was defeated by Tampa
Plant.
Now, with those former Miramar QBs all having moved on to
the FBS (Division 1A) college ranks at West Virginia, University of Miami, and
Florida Atlantic, the Patriots are in search of the next player who can
continue to guide this program into the upper esceleon of State and National
powers.
This year, there are 3 players who are competing to be the
next Miramar Quarterback. Let’s meet the candidates (in alphabetical
order) and look at their strengths and weaknesses:
#18 Gernald Hawkins, Sophomore, 5’10” 175lbs
Hawkins is the only returning player at this position. He’s
already played some good games in Branca Stadium, both as the JV starter and the
Varsity backup.
Strengths
Prior knowledge of the system with his 2 years in this
version of the Spread Offense.
Very athletic, and can use his running ability as a weapon in the Read Option game
Has been around the program, and understands the Patriot Way
A proven winner, having led the JV team to a 11-1 record over the last 2
seasons, including their first undefeated season this past year.
Weaknesses
Like Cam Hudge, less than prototypical size for the position
Not very consistent throwing the ball
Struggles to read the defense
Tends to panic and run if first option is covered on a pass play
#12 Nick Jeanty, Sophomore, 6’2” 180lbs
Jeanty has starting experience from his time at Archbishop
McCarthy, earning a reputation as one of the next great South Florida
quarterbacks. No Miramar player has worn #12 since Geno Smith wore the Red,
White, and Blue. That could change with Jeanty on campus.
Strengths
Great height for the position. Looks the part.
Good feel for the rush in the pocket.
Has a good on-field relationship with 2 receivers who will see lots of snaps
(Kwasim West and Tyler Williams)
Previous starting Varsity experience, so he understands what it takes to
compete at the highest level
Throws a beautiful ball up the sidelines
Weaknesses
A bit on the thin side. Needs to add size to his frame
New to this system, so he can be confused by his reads at times
Not as accurate on intermediate and crossing routes as he is on sideline throws
Not fleet afoot. Needs good protection to be effective
#14 Lee “Bud” Martin, Sophomore, 6’1” 210lbs
Another player with experience playing for a top program
after being at St. Thomas for the last 2 years. He's the biggest of the players at this position, and uses his size well on the field.
Strengths
Tough, Physical approach to the game from his days at
Linebacker as a youth
Very strong arm, can make all the throws in any offense
Surprising overall athleticism. A good dual threat player, who runs with power
when outside the pocket.
Very upbeat demeanor. Seems to have connected with all of his teammates
Weaknesses
Accuracy needs to improve
to take advantage of his arm strength in this offense
Can be overly emotional on the field at times
Tends to fall in love with chasing the big play, sometimes missing other more
effective options
Only player in competition for QB job who has never taken a Varsity level snap.
Handicapping the competition
As
Spring Practice ends, and summer workouts begin, I don’t anticipate hearing
anything official on a decision on this position from the coaching staff until the week of the Norland
game in August.
The motivation for this is simple: push each player to work their hardest
to improve, which will add depth and quality at this position, no matter who
ends up winning the job heading into the season.
In my opinion, Nick Jeanty has the inside track for this job
after a strong showing this spring. He has shown good accuracy, and is
advancing in his knowledge of the system. Bud Martin would be my #2 right now.
His arm strength and fiery demeanor lend themselves well to this team, and this
offense. Gernald Hawkins is a nice player, but I just don’t think that he has
the arm strength or consistency throwing the ball to make up for his lacking ideal size for a Quarterback.
Obviously, it’s early, and each player has a long time to
develop their skills and prove to the coaches that they should be the next player
at the controls of the potent Miramar offensive attack.
Spring football is a time for every team to work on fundamentals,
install new intricacies to their offensive and defensive systems, and start the
process of finding the players who will hopefully lead them to glory in the
Fall.
For Miramar, the hard work that was done this spring
culminated in the annual Red-Blue intrasquad scrimmage. In the end, the Blue Team beat the Red Squad 36-24. Let’s take a look at what happened:
Red Squad Recap
For the Red Squad, this game was a little uneven. The offense
was all or nothing in the first half: 4 3-and-outs, and 1 touchdown. The
offense just seemed to be slightly out of rhythm, which can partially be attributed
to the enthusiastic defense of the Blue team.
On offense, the Red Squad running backs were the stars of
the game. The 5 backs who saw time in the game all ran hard, displaying a wide
array of skills. Juniors Alex Lee and
Malik Mapps started finding space on the last drive of the first half, and
should continue to play key roles into the fall. Sophomores Trevon Rolle and Cameron Rigby showed good
speed, balance, and vision to find open spaces in the defense. Lastly, Darrel
Swanson ran very hard in his limited touches as he tried to catch the eye of the
offensive coaches. His grit, toughness, and speed stood out in the last few
possessions of the game.
The receivers played a decent game. Junior Khalil Webster led the
team with 5 catches, and was a huge mismatch, using his 6’4” frame on seam and
crossing routes all game long. Junior Sean Avant didn’t get too much work, but
definitely made an impact with his limited opportunities. His leaping 40 yard
touchdown late in the first half gave his team life, and showed why he’s
considered one of the top receivers in Florida. Sophomores Tanares Robinson and Delano
Whitehead showed their speed and athleticism, and Freshman Shelby Vertus showed very
nice technique and potential in the second half of the game.
The offensive line had their struggles to start, but
starting playing very well after a 2nd Red Squad timeout. While this
unit is still working to find the right combination, they have the size and
toughness to once again be known as one of the top units in the state.
As with any team, the battle at Quarterback is the headline
story. For even more info on this battle, check back later for a full
breakdown. As far as the Spring Game is concerned, the Red team can only be
mildly pleased with the play from this crucial position. Sophomore Gernald
Hawkins started the game, and failed to move the team across midfield in the
first 3 drives. After fellow Sophomore Lee “Bud” Martin came into the game, the
offense started to have some life. His 40 yard touchdown pass to Sean Avant
late in the first half was one of the highlights of the game, and displayed
impressive arm strength.
On Defense, 3 players stood out to my eyes in the bell
tower: Michael Shivers, Sanka Harris, and Deonta Fair. Shivers and Harris, both
linebackers, played with speed and skill, and made life for the Blue team
offense difficult. Both players ended the game with 5 tackles by my unofficial
count, and will provide quality depth at this position. Fair, a Sophomore Safety,
provided solid coverage in the secondary, and had one of the 2 interceptions in
this game. His combination of size and speed will be a welcome sight in the secondary
this upcoming season.
Blue Team recap
Coming into this game as the “underdogs” to the offensively
loaded Red Squad, the Blue Team played with a chip on their shoulder, and came
out fast and ended even faster to prove that they were the better team on
Thursday night.
Starting with the defense, the front 7 provided constant
pressure to the Red Squad offense, stuffing running lanes, and forcing quick
decisions from the Quarterbacks. Sophomore DE Anthony Barrow showed a good
motor, and impressive strength in his first game action since a knee injury at
the end of his Freshman year. Juniors Darius Young and Jaquan Smith also had solid
performances on the defensive line.
Linebackers Damarious Graham and Kaywon Davis, both Sophomores, played very
well in the spring game. Both were terrors from sideline to sideline, and
showed good technique when forced with containing a Red Squad skill player in
the open field. Graham finished with 7 tackles, and Davis with 5. If this is a
true preview to the production they will be able to provide this fall, the
Darkside defense will once again be one of the best units in the State. Adding
solid play to this group were Anton Whatley, Shawn Stephens, Alex Trotman, and
Wenly Geffrard, who recorded an interception on the last play of the game to
seal the win for the Blue Team.
In the secondary, Juniors Terrence Gaskin and Darren Wilcox
played well, and will face the unenviable task of replacing Tracy Howard at
cornerback. Freshman Tyrek [Ty-reek] Cole has good size (5’11” 170), and played
a nice game on the outside and has a chance to earn significant playing time in
the fall.
Moving to the offense, the skill position players worked as
a complete unit to sprint out to an early lead, and then put the game away
after the Red Squad tied it up late in the second half. Many different
receivers had good games, including Sophomores Malcolm Anderson, Kwasim West,
and Tyler Williams all showed great hands and above average speed. West was the
leading receiver with 5 catches and 105 yards in the game, highlighted by a 46
yard touchdown grab to give the Blue Team an early lead. Freshmen Keygon Dunnings and Khalil Lewis also
had a nice outings in this game, each ending with 3 receptions on the night.
All was not well with the receivers, however. Sophomore
Geonte Smith dropped 3 passes in the game, and did not seem comfortable at all.
Smith, the younger brother of Miramar Alumni and West Virginia Quarterback Geno
Smith, will need to improve his performance, or risk losing playing time to the
other members of a stacked receiving corps.
The running backs played very well for the Blue Team. Sophomore Khalil Lewis (not to be confused with the Freshman receiver of the same name) played well, and Freshmen Jason Narcisse and Alex Anderson showed they will push hard for playing time among a group of 8 talented backs.
The Blue Team Quarterbacks did a great job of moving the
offense and making big plays when they were available. Sophomore Nick Jeanty showed
why he is such a highly touted player. Save for an overthrown interception, he
was very accurate and made smart decisions with the football. His touchdown
throw to Kwasim West up the right sideline was a thing of beauty, and could be
something we seen often in the fall.
Freshman Malik Atkins had a nice game in the second half. He
showed decent athleticism and a live arm, and could be a nice player down the
road.
Injuries
While there were no injuries to players during the spring
game, physical maladies did keep a couple players out of the game completely.
The biggest name on the team, Junior Linebacker Jermaine “Country”
Grace, was held out of spring practice entirely after injuring his left
hamstring at the Orlando Nike training camp back in March. Obviously, his
presence was missed and his impact in the game would have been palpable. In the
end, the coaches and training staff agreed that it is more important to get him
healthy for an entire season.
Junior Defensive Back D’Kambui Greaves was also held out of the game due
to a concussion suffered earlier in the spring. This 6’1” 200lb athlete has the
potential to be an impact player in the secondary. I anticipate him turning
heads and opening eyes as soon as fall practice starts.
In the end, both teams performed well, with both impressive plays
and room for improvement. Many wondered where the production would come from
after losing 38 players in the 2012 graduating class. The Red-Blue game was the
first glimpse of the talent that is still on this team, and should have given
all Patriot fans optimism as this team prepares for a tough and grueling
schedule this season.
Be sure to check back on Memorial day for the QB Competition
breakdown. It will be your full guide to knowing the players who are competing
to be the starter, their strengths and weaknesses, and my thoughts on where the
competition stands right now.
Last season, the Miramar Patriots were unable to find a game
for week 1 of the season. The previously scheduled 2nd game of the
home-and-home series with DeSoto (TX) was cancelled late in the summer, and Head Coach and Athletic Director Damon Cogdell could not find a replacement to fill out the 10 game
slate.
This year looked to be more of the same, with many teams
locked into their full schedule, and unable to add an extra game.
Until last weekend.
News spread that defending 7A State Champion Bradenton
Manatee’s opener at Skyline (Sammamish, WA) had fallen through, and the Hurricanes were searching for a first week game.
After quickly making contact, and a few conversations to iron out the details,
Coach Cogdell booked the marquee game he was looking for to complete a challenging
schedule for the Patriots.
“I called [Bradenton Coach and Athletic Director Joe] Kinnan, and said if he was
looking for a team to play in the charity game week 1, then Miramar should be
that team,” Cogdell said when I spoke to
him on Wednesday. “They are a great team, a consistent championship level
program, and this is a great opportunity to play a team with their talent and
tradition.”
Getting this game on the schedule is big for both teams, but
the event will be about more than football. Proceeds from this game will go to
benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization whose goal is
assisting the nation’s injured servicemen and women.
“Here at Miramar, we are all about Family, and giving back
to the community,” Cogdell said. “Being able to give back to brave men and
women who were injured while defending the liberty and freedom of the United
States of America is one of the greatest acts of charity that we could possibly
do.”
So, in the end, you’re going to see 2 great teams playing to
support 1 great cause.
And when that happens, everybody ends up a winner.
