Best of the Best Florida: St. Thomas Aquinas 2015 High School Football Preview

Written by Ryan Wright

There are several high schools across the nation with the name St. Thomas Aquinas but there is only one true St. Thomas Aquinas. With all respects to the hard work and determination put forth on the other St. Thomas Aquinas’ fields of play, but this St. Thomas Aquinas football team out of Fort Lauderdale is always among the best of the best.

The Raiders have a long history of success in football having won eight Florida high school state championships since 1992 (1992, ’97, ’99, ’07, ’08, ’10, ’12, and ’14). With two of those eight state championships teams also earning a national championship; 2008 and 2010.

With a little bit of luck, a bus load of top Division-I talent, and a lot of hard work, the Raiders are in position to earn a second consecutive Florida Class 7A state championship title in 2015 with hopes of a national title to follow. Preseason polls have St. Thomas Aquinas ranked: No. 3 PrepNation, No. 5 USA Today, No. 16 MaxPreps Xcellent, and No. 2 by the MaxPreps Computer.

Overview
The Raiders posted a 15-1 record a year ago with their only defeat coming on the road to another national power, Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey), by a score of 24-7. After the loss to Don Bosco, the Raiders shutout seven teams including blanking Osceola 31-0 in the state championship game.

Few teams can boast losing 15 seniors to Division-I programs like Florida, Duke, Utah, Boston College, Oregon State, Syracuse, Louisville, Central Florida, Ohio State, and Rutgers and be in the hunt for a state and national title the following season. Well the Raiders can. Aquinas has at least 13 Class of 2016 recruits expected to ink letters of intent on National Signing Day.

Offense
Class of 2017 quarterback Jake Allen has transferred in from Cardinal Gibbons to help bolster the offense. Allen was a backup for the Chiefs last season passing for 751 yards with six touchdowns against five picks connecting on 63-of-120 attempts. Even though Allen’s touches may have been limited he is already a Gator commit.

When the junior drops back to pass, or whoever wins the job under center, he will have a wealth of talent to target running up and down the field. Two University of Miami commits are lining up at wide receiver for the Raiders in 2015, 4-star Sam Bruce and 3-star Michael Irvin Jr. The receiving talent on the squad does not stop with Bruce and Irvin, Illinois commit Dominic Thieman will be out there too. Lookout for Class of 2017 receiver Trevon Grimes (6’3”, 180), one of the top ranked wide outs in his class, to make some noise in 2015 as well. Other juniors to watch for include Mike Harley and Josh Palmer.

Helping out the passing attack are all-purpose backs James Charles (Florida Atlantic) and Devontae Henry-Cole (Utah). Pushing for time behind the seniors is Class of 2017 Mike Epstein (5’11”, 182), an Illinois commit.

Paving the way up front for the running backs are linemen Louie Berkowitz (6’1”, 286) and David Swaby (6’9”, 300). Berkowitz is a transfer from American Heritage and is expected to settle in at center for the Raiders. Junior Cody Bowes (6’3”, 268) is yet another up and coming 2017 talent expected to pickup a starting spot somewhere along the Raiders line.

Defense
The defense is led up front by 5-star defensive end Nick Bosa, an Ohio State commit. Bosa is a shutdown end pushing everything to the other side of the field. On the other side of Bosa is end Arjay Jean (6’3”, 217) and in the middle tackles Colin Nace (6’3”, 260) and Josh Paul (5’11”, 267) are expected to anchor down positions.

Another transfer expected to receive a lot of playing time, if not contend for a starting spot, is end Nikolas Bonitto from University School. Class of 2017 talent Kedonis Haslem (6’4”, 290), son of Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem, is another transfer (Dade Christian) who could start at tackle this season.

If there is a potential weakness or unknown with the Raiders defense it’s in the middle at linebacker. Senior Michael Iamunno will get plenty of help from junior 4-star recruit Tyler Dunning (6’0”, 220), another Miami commitment. Other Class of 2017 linebackers ready to make their mark includes Drew White, Patrick Moody, Ryan Maine, and Greg Astle.

The secondary is quick-on-quick and without a doubt a strength of the defense. Cincinnati commit Dontye Carriere-Williams and Vanderbilt commit Frank Coppet, along with rated defensive backs Mark Williams and Justin Wright are a force in the back four. Underclassmen in the secondary ready to hit the field include Albert Tucker and Myles Wright.

Schedule
The 2015 season opens with one for the ages, St. Thomas Aquinas against three-time Class 4A state champs Booker T. Washington (Miami). The game is expected to be a big enough draw moving it to Sun Life Stadium where the Miami Dolphins play made sense.

Aquinas gets a warm-up game against Dillard on Aug. 21 to workout any needed kinks before facing Booker T.

The Raiders have 11 games on the book including the showcase against Dillard. Aquinas has six home games and one neutral field game (Booker T.) that should help towards contending for another state and national championship title.

Raiders 2015 Schedule
Aug. 21 Dillard at St. Thomas Aquinas
Aug. 28 Booker T. Washington vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (neutral field)
Sept. 4 Miramar at St. Thomas Aquinas
Sept. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas at Plantation
Sept. 18 Cypress Bay at St. Thomas Aquinas
Sept. 25 St. Thomas Aquinas at Hallandale
Oct. 2 Boca Raton at St. Thomas Aquinas
Oct. 9 St. Thomas Aquinas at Deerfield Beach
Oct. 16 Fort Lauderdale at St. Thomas Aquinas
Oct. 23 Bye
Oct. 30 St. Thomas Aquinas at Blanche Ely
Nov. 6 Flanagan at St. Thomas Aquinas

Photo credit: bleacherreport.com; Nick Bosa comes up with the ball for the Raiders.