FORT LAUDERDALE -- The second week of the FHSAA State Championships kicked off with a bang in South Florida as Broward's own Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons held down South Florida's fort to beat a tough Cocoa team 21-19 in the first game of action at the beautiful DRV PNK Stadium. Tonight, another South Florida team, the dynastic Miami Central, will attempt to win another state championship in their own backyard. The Class 5A State Championship between the Defending Back-To-Back State Champs Miami Central Rockets (11-2) and the resurgent Merritt Island Mustangs (13-1) will be held Friday afternoon December 17, with kickoff at 1PM Eastern.

A LOOK AT THE CLASS 5A STATE FINAL'S TEAMS

Miami Central Rockets Team Hub
Miami, Florida
Miami-Dade Area


DEFENDING CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPS

TEAM RECORD: 11-2


BIG WINS: Miami BTW, Miami Northwestern (x2), Miami Edison, Plantation American Heritage, Miami Killian, Baker County
LOSSES: Only 2 losses come to National Powerhouses St. John Bosco (CA) and Las Vegas Bishop Gorman (NV) in the first two weeks of the season

HEAD COACH: Roland Smith

Roland Smith is LEGEND!
High School Alma Mater: Miami Northwestern
Alma Mater: University of Miami Hurricanes (1997)

KEY PLAYERS:
#1 LB Wesley Bissanthe (Miami signee)
#12 QB Keyone Jenkins (JR)
#2 RB Ghana Oboh
#14 WR Lamar Seymore
#5 RB Ean Pope
#7 DB Alfonzo Allen
#11 Rueben Bain
#81 WR Corey Washington
#78 OL Daughtry Richardson

MIAMI CENTRAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY (7)

DEFENDING BACK-TO-BACK CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPS

D-Y-N-A-S-T-Y

8 STATE FINAL APPEARANCES, 7 STATE TITLES:
2020 6A STATE CHAMPION
2019 6A STATE CHAMPION
2015 6A STATE CHAMPION
2014 6A STATE CHAMPION
2013 6A STATE CHAMPION
2012 6A STATE CHAMPION
2011 6A State Runner-Up
2010 6A STATE CHAMPION

---

Merritt Island Mustangs Team Hub
Merritt Island, Florida
Space & Treasure Coast Area

TEAM RECORD: 13-1


BIG WINS: Melbourne, Rockledge (x2), Viera, Sebring
LOSSES: The Mustangs have not lost to a team in Florida... Only loss is a defeat to Cairo (GA)

HEAD COACH: Hurlie Brown

Hurlie Brown was a star at Merritt Island. He would later take his talents to the Miami Hurricanes.
High School Alma Mater: Merritt Island
Alma Mater: University of Miami Hurricanes (1997)

KEY PLAYERS
#15 B. Denaburg (SR): 236-387, 2972 yds, 28TD, 3INT
#34 D. Shields (SR): 167 carries, 744 yards, 7TD
#1 D. Donahue (JR): 96 rec, 994 yds, 12TD
#4 B. Koby (SR): 60 rec, 944 yds, 11TD
#8 A. Session (SR): 11 Sacks
#48 D. Duke Smith (SR): 8 Sacks
#36 J. McFadden (SO): 7 Sacks
#6 J. Bennett (SR): 6INT
#35 S. Mayo (JR): 3INT

MERRITT ISLAND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY (3)

4 STATE FINAL APPEARANCES, 3 STATE TITLES:
1979 4A STATE CHAMPION
1978 4A STATE CHAMPION
1972 4A STATE CHAMPION
1989 4A State Runner-Up

---

BY THE NUMBERS

SCORING DIFFERENTIALS

Official 2021 State Championship Game Page on Florida Gridiron

---

MORE RELATED LINKS

2021 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
2021 Class 5A Playoff Brackets
2021 FHSAA Class 5A Final RPI Rankings

---

VIDEOS OF THE 2021 CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Subscribe to the Florida Gridiron Preps YouTube Channel to get the latest on our video uploads!
SUBSCRIBE NOW