What many regard as the two top teams in high school football in the country, Miami Booker T. Washington and Miami Central face each other in Traz Powell Stadium this Friday.  Speculation about the winner will be high and rampant leading up to the game but what are the most important questions that need to be asked going into this clash of the titans?  Here are my thoughts.

Is Revenge a Factor?

Booker T. had what appeared to be a comfortable lead in the 2012 game before Central made a stormy comeback and stole victory from the jaws of defeat.  Now can Booker T. return the favor?  How much of an emotional edge does revenge give Booker T. in preparing for and playing this game?  Will Central relax a little on last year’s result?

Can the Tornado’s tackle the Rocket tandem of Joseph Yearby and Dalvin Cook?

Through two games, it seems that Cook and Yearby can’t be stopped. The duo stomped through a pair of very respectable opponents in Dwyer and American Heritage Plantation.  In last year’s matchup, the duo came out of the halftime locker room like they were on something and that something ended up being Booker T.  Can the Tornados prevent another highlight worthy performance from these two top recruits?

Does Central have the flight patrol to stop the Booker T. air show?

Booker T.’s aerial assault looked like an impossible physics equation to Norcross HS in a nationally televised game.  It seemed every move Norcross made was the wrong one as Treon Harris conducted a session of routes on air.  Can Central’s secondary avoid a similar fate?

Can Central’s massive offensive line wear down Booker T.’s front seven?

The Rockets have seen what we have all seen.  Booker T.’s offense spreads across the field like spilt milk on a kitchen counter.  No doubt a big part of Central’s game plan will be to control the clock and the line of scrimmage since it appears they have an advantage there.  Can Miami Central’s much heralded and big offensive line impose their will on Booker T.’s front seven?  Will Booker T. play highly recruited Chad Thomas at tackle as they did for many snaps vs. Norcross HS?  Will such a move be enough to stop a Central attack that rushed for 400 yards last week against American Heritage Plantation?

How many points will be scored in this one?

Last year’s game saw a total of 63 points scored with 34 of those points coming from Central in the 2nd half of the contest.  What does this year’s contest hold in store? Any chance that the two defenses in this game can stand up and grab the headlines?  The majority of the stars are on the offensive units for these two teams but defense has long been the pride and joy of Dade County football.  Can the point total fall under 63 points or are we looking at some arena football numbers?

There are just so many things to think about heading into this grand clash that we are sure the answers will be hotly contested from barber shops to car washes throughout the streets of Dade County. The lovely thing about football is that unlike some other things in life,  we have a chance to get the answers this Friday Night.  High School football in America, you gotta love it!

 

Who’s going to win this contest? Drop me a comment below with your answer !

 

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