Chaminade-Madonna tunes up for St. John Bosco (CA)

What we learned from the Lions preseason rout of Archbishop Carroll

Chaminade-Madonna coach Dameon Jones addresses team after 56-0 preseason win over Archbishop Carroll on Aug. 16, 2024. / Joe Frisaro

HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA – At Chaminade-Madonna, there’s a new scoreboard, a new sound system and a roster filled with many new players at key positions. 

What has remained the same is the Lions’ standard of excellence.

Chaminade-Madonna will enter the 2024 season as a serious state and national championship contender. They will be severely tested Aug. 26 against St. John Bosco (Calif.) in the Broward County National Football Showcase at St. Thomas Aquinas. 

As a tune up for the regular season, the Lions on Friday night faced Miami Archbishop Carroll in a preseason game. 

It didn’t turn out to be much of a contest.

At Zappone Field, Chaminade-Madonna breezed to a 56-0 win over the run-happy Bulldogs, who threw just one pass in the exhibition. 

The game was a chance for both teams to game action leading into the regular season. And while the Bulldogs were not sharp, they’ve been extremely competitive.

These two teams met in the 2023 Class 1M state semifinals, with the Lions rolling, 47-7.

Friday’s game was made possible because after another opponent Archbishop Carroll had scheduled cancelled. The Bulldogs checked around, and Chaminade was available. 

SBLive Florida was on hand, and breaks down five takeaways from the Lions’ win:

1. Two sophomores continue to battle to be QB1

For the past few years, the quarterback position was in the capable hands of Cedrick Bailey, who is now at North Carolina State.  

Now, a true starter has not been set.

On Friday night, Tyler Chance and Zach Kratz split time at quarterback, alternating every other series until the last few minutes of the game. 

The Lions are prepared to give both ample opportunities.

“For the run we got, we need everybody on deck,” coach Dameon Jones said. “We’re going to need both of these guys.”

Considering how effectively the Lions moved the ball on Friday, neither quarterback was severely tested. Both led multiple scoring drives, and each threw touchdown passes. 

Both sophomores have upside. 

“Both do something different,” Jones said. “Both have strong arms. Both of them are smart. So it’s not good to leave one or the other on the bench.”

2. The Lions still have game changing receivers

On their first offensive play, Chance flipped a pass to Koby Howard, who did the rest, breaking loose for a greater than 40-yard touchdown play. It was the first of two scores for Howard, who added a second TD on a 10-yard pass play from Kratz, to make it 14-0.

The changing of the guard at the receiver position is something that will be closely followed this year.

The past few years, the Lions had star receivers like Jeremiah Smith (now at Ohio State) and Joshisa Trader (Miami). 


Now, Howard (formerly at Western) is joined by Jabari Brady (previously at Monarch), and Kyle Washington, who caught a TD pass on Friday, has been in the program. 


Friday was another opportunity for the receivers and quarterbacks to work on their timing.


“Just getting a different look,” Jones said. “This [game] is not going to prepare us for Bosco, but still we’ve got to prepare for Bosco.”

3. A defense that can score points

The Lions defense wasn’t tested in the passing game because Archbishop Carroll runs the ball on just about every play. So the Bulldogs’ style of play is not what the Lions will see against more traditional teams. 

Still, Chaminade tossed a shutout, and in the process added two touchdowns on a pair of fumble recoveries. 

Angelo Smith and Jaiden Roper each returned fumbles for scores.

Like their offense, the Chaminade defense is young and talented.

“You’re going to expect Chaminade’s offense and defense to just get better over the course of the year,” Jones said. “You’ve got some young guys. Some talented guys that just got here. They just got into the system. We’ve got to find our way. We’re going to be really good towards the end of this thing.”

Archbishop Carroll’s offense was led by running back Joshua Rivera, who picked up some tough yards.

4. Derrek Cooper and Arwin Jackson lead a revamped running game

It didn’t necessarily turn out this way on Friday night, but the Lions anticipate being more of a balanced run and pass team than the last couple of seasons.

On Friday, it was more passing than running the ball. 

Davion Gause (now at North Carolina) handled the bulk of the running attack in recent years. 

Now, Derrek Cooper (previously at Cardinal Gibbons) and Arwin Jackson will be two of the primary backs.

Cooper, a junior, had a 27-yard touchdown run on Friday. Jackson, a sophomore, ran for 731 yards and 10 touchdowns last year.

The ground game wasn’t used much. But it’s worth noting Bulldogs linebacker, Kendrick Pembleton and cornerback Sebastian de la Pava each had impressive games.

5. A strong kicking game will be a weapon

Excelling in all phases of the game is a sign of a championship-caliber team.

Chaminade-Madonna demonstrated that on Friday night. 

Placekicker Noah Sidan, who transferred from Miami Norland, is a weapon.

Sidan converted all of his extra point attempts, and he had numerous touchbacks on kickoffs.

“He definitely adds to us,” Jones said. “He takes away those [possible long] kickoff returns. And he can kick. If we have to kick a possible 40-yarder, 45-yarder, he can do it. That’s another weapon. Special teams are big.”