Broward County’s Miramar High School football team is heading to Orlando for the state finals. If they win, they will be Florida’s first ever 8-A division winners.
The Miramar Patriots already have an undefeated season under their belt, and at a lively pep rally Thursday morning, the team promised its school they would bring home the state title Saturday.
“We will win this game. This will be our state championship title,” said Team Captain and Offensive Lineman Kevin Gonzalez.
The pep rally was a fantastic, final send off for the team who left on buses for Orlando Thursday morning.
But for the nationally ranked Patriots football team, the road to the top has been bittersweet because they’re missing a key part of their team: Senior Offensive Lineman Isaiah “Zay” Laurencin.
Laurencin died from cardiac arrest last July after collapsing during outdoor workouts. Even before the Patriots advanced to the finals, Laurencin’s teammates said he knew Miramar would go all the way. They read his prescient words at the pep rally.
“With God, all things are possible. In 2011, 8A state champs. Stay tuned,” Laurenicin wrote.
“Zay said that, and look at where we are now,” said D’Vontis Arnold.
In 2009, Laurencin was on Miramar’s team when they won the state’s 6-A football championships.
Before leaving Thursday, the team said they had a feeling that he would be at Saturday’s big game against Tampa's Rice High School.
