Sports

NEW GOLF TEAM REACHES REGIONALS

By Ashlie Handie

Thirteen student golfers from Miami Beach Senior High reached the regional championships this year.  The team was the first to be formed in several years after a five player minimum was introduced.

“It’s hard work, but its fun!” exclaimed Sophomore golfer Aaron Groff. “I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it.”

The team managed to achieve a 9-1 record, place second in districts, and close the season by finishing fourth in regionals. 

“We would like to be district champs,” said Golf Coach Michael Perez.  “We’re all working hard to grow and make Beach High proud.”  Perez is a ten year veteran of Miami Beach Senior High.

According to Perez, Senior Patrick Brennan and Sophomore Daniel Peterson have been two of the catalysts for the Beach High team. Brennan has been playing golf at Beach High for several years.  Peterson came to Beach High this year after playing at MAST. 

The team practices from 3:00-6:00 PM Monday through Thursday at the Miami Beach Golf Club, where they receive help from club professionals.

DOLPHINS WINLESS MIDWAY THROUGH SEASON

By Aaron Groff

The Miami Dolphins are struggling this year with a 0-8 record, the team’s worst start in the 41 years of the franchise.

It’s Murphy’s Law: Everything that can go wrong has gone wrong.

First, the injuries: The Dolphins are the most injured team in the National Football League. In the first week of the season, starting safety Yeremiah Bell is out for the season along with quarterback Trent Green and star running back Ronnie Brown.

Before Brown’s week seven knee injury against the Patriots, Brown was one of the few bright spots for the team. He lead the league in all purpose yards and had three straight 100 yard rushing games. Midway through the game against the Patriots, Brown went down trying to make a tackle after the Dolphins backup quarterback Cleo Lemon threw an interception.

The Miami Dolphins are also getting older. Old and unsuccessful are two main ingredients to a recipe for a lengthy disaster in the NFL. The two Dolphins players who are the heart and soul of their defense, Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas, have a combined age of 77.

The old and depleted are the product of poor drafting. Of the Dolphins’ 38 draft picks, spanning from the 1998 to the 2002, not a single player remains on the team. 

Former San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator, Cam Cameron, was brought in to be the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and provide a needed spark to the offense.  While Cameron has done a decent job with the offence, the team’s defense now allows the most points in the NFL.

Another problem for the Miami Dolphins is that their schedule is beginning to get tougher. The Dolphins still have to play the Patriots, the Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New York Giants, all major NFL contenders. 

The Dolphins are the only team in history to have an undefeated season.  If they’re not careful, they may join the Bucs as the only teams to have a winless season, too.

BEACH HIGH FOOTBALL ENJOYS SHORT WINNING STREAK

By Aaron Groff

Two consecutive victories in last month sparked a jolt of life back into the Miami Beach Senior High football team and the rest of the school. On September 19th, the High Tides won their first game in two years with a last second field goal over Miami High. The very next week, the team won again with a 21-7 victory over Miami Coral Park. Although the team has lost games since, the ephemeral winning streak has helped bring Hi-Tide Pride back to Beach High and its football program.

“I like the team,” said Head Football Coach Judd Hayes. “There’s great... senior leadership, and I think each game we are getting better.” Hayes believes the team is improving from years past, in large part due to their work ethic and all of the players coming together.

“Right now, they have a good group of kids that are working hard...” said Coach Juan Camarotti, who was recently named Teacher of the Year at Beach High.

Sophomore Jonathan Castro has noticed a change in the team and in the school. “The team’s a lot happier,” said Castro. “A lot of the people are wearing a lot more red on Fridays.”

The team’s recent success has brought more Beach High football students and alumni to the games. “I like seeing my team win,” said Castro. “Now I really want to go back.”

Coach Hayes has noticed an increase of fan support, which he says has a positive impact on the team’s leaders. According to Hayes, three players have been investigated by college scouts. “They lead by example as well as vocally,” said Hayes of Seniors Hairol Rosa, Rashard King, and Germaine Daniels.

Right now the team has two wins and four losses, after tough defeats to Columbus and rivals at Krop. According to Hayes, Columbus had the best offense and Krop had the best defense of all the teams Beach High has played this year. With four more games to play in the season, the Hi-Tides still have a chance to finish above .500.

“I just hope they keep working hard, which they can, and they will,” said Hayes of his hopes for the rest of the season. “Hopefully, if they take little things, big things will take care of themselves.”

Camarotti said it his own way: “Play hard and the winning will come.”

CANES FOOTBALL FANS BID FAREWELL TO THE ORANGE BOWL

The Miami Hurricanes take the field at the Orange Bowl for the second to last time

By Aaron Groff

After 70 years of football games at the Orange Bowl in Downtown Miami, the Miami Hurricanes will play their last game in the legendary stadium on November 10, 2007 due to its poor condition, and will move to Dolphin Stadium near the Broward County line.  The stadium switch has provoked worry over increased travel times and nostalgia for a Miami institution. 

On August 21st, Donna Shalala, the president of the University of Miami, announced a contract with the Dolphins organization allowing the Hurricanes to play home games in the Opa Locka stadium for the next twenty-five years. The move was decided because the aging Orange Bowl has not been well maintained, and because the switch is said to benefit the University financially.

According to UM alumnus Michael Salvberg, the city of Miami has not put enough money into the Orange Bowl. The city had the choice of investing millions of dollars in renovations or simply switching Hurricanes games to the newer Dolphins stadium, which is currently undergoing a $300 million renovation.

Students are expressing frustration over the longer travel route.  University of Miami sophomore Scott Woolf proclaims, “For noon games I will have to wake up really early.” He mentions that student transportation to the Orange Bowl was quick and easy. It will now take him around an hour to get from the university to Dolphin Stadium.

Not all fans disapprove of the switch. Beach High Sophomore David Dubrow, is in favor of the move. He says simply, “[Dolphin Stadium] is much nicer.”

The move will disproportionately affect students, who often rely on public transportation. Salzverg states, “Does [the stadium switch] affect my ability to get there? No.” He says the drive will be longer, but that he will still be able to easily get there in his car. 

Many local Hurricane football fans are losing heart over the move. Beach High sophomore Rachel Stein says that she is not in favor of the stadium switch. “[Dolphin Stadium]is a nicer stadium, but I like the Orange Bowl because the environment is better.”

Woolf and Salzverg agree. “I like where they used to play” said Woolf.  “There’s a lot of history there.” Salzverg replied that he understands why the university made the switch, but that “on an emotional level, I hate it. The Orange Bowl is special; it’s lively. [Dolphin Stadium] is plain and boring.”

The Orange Bowl is considered by many to be a historic landmark in the world of sports. Opened in 1937, it has played host to college teams and professional franchises. Currently the Orange Bowl is housing the Miami Hurricanes and the Florida International University Golden Panthers. It used to be the home the Miami Dolphins, who moved to their current location in 1986.

Many of football’s most memorable moments have taken place in the Orange Bowl, including three of UM’s five national championships and the 1972 Dolphins only undefeated season in NFL history.  When asked what his favorite Orange Bowl moment was, Salzverg does not even hesitate to answer, “the win for Miami over Nebraska … in the 1983 championship.”