Reports are that Champagnat Catholic will be closing its school doors before the 2022 school year. Champagnat Miami campus first opened its classroom doors on September 8, 1968. 54 years later marks a sad chapter in a vibrant school closing which not only a great education for students, but also a football program that is annually designated as one of the nation's top small high school football programs.

Champagnat Catholic has been a perennial state contender since Mike Tunsil built the small school program into a blueprint of success, winning the 2A State Championship in 2013 after only playing in their second season.

Dennis Marroquin took the reins and continued on Tunsil's legacy bringing more state title trophies back to Hialeah.
Hector Clavijo then took it til the "wheels fell off" by taking the Lions to the last 3 State Title times. Clavijo recently left Champagnat before the announcement headed to become head coach of the Santaluces High in Palm Beach county.

Champagnat has produced nothing but state championship head coaches. Champagnat's coaching tree has been phenomenal with the lineage starting with blueprint architect Micheal Tunsil, to Marroquin to Clavijo. Along the way lies one of the best state championship head coaches to ever field a time... although he didn't find his pinnacle of championship success until after leaving Champagnat. Dameon Jones coached the Lions to a state championship appearance in 2016. Jones would head to Chaminade-Madonna in 2017 where he would have unbelievable success. Since his first year at Chaminade, Jones has coached the Chaminade-Madonna to a 3-Peat from 2016-2018 winning 3 straight State Championships for the larger classification Class 3A same-named Lions. Jones would lead his Lions back to the state final game in 2020, and then for a redemptive victory in 2021.

LION'S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

The Champagnat Catholic Lions have appeared in 7 State Final games, have been in the last 6 State Championship games, and have brought back 4 State Championship trophies to Hialeah.

2021
TRINITY CHRISTIAN beat Champagnat Catholic 41-23
2021 Class 2A State Championship Game

2020
CHAMPAGNAT CATHOLIC beat University Christian 41-27
2020 Class 2A State Championship Game

2019
CHAMPAGNAT CATHOLIC beat Victory Christian 35-14
2019 Class 2A State Championship Game

2018
NORTH FLORIDA CHRISTIAN beat Champagnat Catholic 28-20
2018 Class 2A State Championship Game

2017
CHAMPAGNAT CATHOLIC beat University Christian 24-7
2017 Class 2A State Championship Game

2016
UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN beat Champagnat Catholic 24-8
2016 Class 2A State Championship Game

2013
CHAMPAGNAT CATHOLIC beat Victory Christian 14-7
2013 Class 2A State Championship Game

This article will be updated after we continue to gather more information on the situation. Please stay tuned!