Over the course of 2022, the South Florida sports world had plenty of ups and downs.
You had teams and players overachieving, like the FIU football team winning more games this season that it had in the previous 23 games combined. You also had moments you want to forget, like the Miami Heat losing just one game away from another trip to the NBA Finals.
You had big names making their way to the area and some of the biggest names making their way out of town. Needless to say, 2022 was a year that will not be forgotten in the world of professional, collegiate and even high school sports.
Here are some of the top stories of the past year:
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Miami Dolphins Overcome Offseason of Lawsuits, Suspensions to Become One of NFL’s Surprise Teams
Before the Fins could even take a snap of the preseason this year, the team dealt with a discrimination lawsuit from its former head coach followed by owner Stephen Ross being suspended from team activities following a tampering investigation. For new head coach Mike McDaniel, there was quite a mountain to climb even before the season started.
Fast forward to 11 games into the regular season and Miami looked like a team that was seriously a Super Bowl contender. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was playing at a MVP pace thanks to having other weapons on offense like wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The defense was playing at a championship level and things were looking up.
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Now, a four-game losing streak has dampened some of the hopes of a deep playoff run. But, Miami can still make it to the postseason for the first time since the 2016 season if it wins its last two games or gets a win this Sunday and a loss from the rival New York Jets.
Florida Panthers Finish With Best Regular Season in NHL, Win First Playoff Series in 26 Years
The Cats achieved something not many people thought was possible: winning 10 of the season’s first 11 games last year (with the one loss being in a shootout) under two different head coaches. Even though Andrew Burnette was labeled the interim head coach, he had the team playing at a full-time level for the entire regular season on their way to a 58-18-6 record.
The record gave Florida the first President’s Cup in franchise history as the team with the best record in the league. However, the real highlight game when the Panthers were able to get a win in the first round over the Washington Capitals, giving Florida its first playoff series win since the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals.
Florida would get swept in the second round by rival Tampa Bay, but the Panthers set the stage to be one of the better teams in the NHL for years to come.
Mario Cristobal Returns to Coach Miami Hurricanes in Year With Disappointing Finish
After the ‘Canes fired former head coach Manny Diaz following three years in charge, UM turned to one of their own in a former player and assistant coach who won several titles with the ‘Canes. The new found sense of pride in having a hometown product in charge once again had fans thinking ‘The U’ was back and ready to win a title.
By the end of the season, some fans were wondering what the heck took place as the ‘Canes finished the season with a 5-7 record – the first losing regular season since 2007. Included in those losses was an upset at the hands of Middle Tennessee State, blowout losses at home to Duke and Pitt along with one on the road to Clemson and maybe the worst of them all: the second worst loss to rival FSU in series history.
Miami did bounce back in time for Early Signing Day last week, nabbing the fourth rated class in the country with 26 signees and three of them being five-star prospects. Cristobal will get a chance to show he can turn things around next September 2 when the ‘Canes open the 2023 season against Miami…of Ohio.
UM Basketball Gets to NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight Round for First Time Ever
After three straight losing seasons, some wondered what the future of the ‘Canes would look like for head coach Jim Larranaga’s team. Nine straight wins in the middle of the season, including beating then-No. 2 ranked Duke, were part of a 22-9 regular season that had Miami ready to dance into March Madness.
Despite having 23 wins after a short stint in the ACC Tournament, the ‘Canes earned a No. 10 seed in the Midwest Region. That didn’t matter much to Larranaga’s group as they made quick work of both a ranked USC and ranked Auburn team and made it to the Sweet 16 round for the fourth time in school history.
The ‘Canes would get a blowout win over Iowa State to be one of the last eight teams left. A loss to eventual national champs Kansas may have ended the season, but it set the stage for what is now a Miami team ranked No. 14 in the country with a record of 12-1.
South Florida High School Football Powers Sweep State Title Games for Second Time Ever
There are not many people out there who would argue that Miami-Dade and Broward have some of the best, if not the best, high school football teams in the country. For the second time in the 60-season history of the Florida High School Athletic Association football finals, the case was further amplified.
Six teams from the area filled the eight possible spots in the finals earlier in December, with two of the four games featuring teams from Miami-Dade and Broward playing each other for the titles for the first time ever. When it was all said and done, the powerhouse programs of Chaminade-Madonna, St. Thomas Aquinas, Miami Central and Columbus each brought home the hardware.
It has only happened once before, when all seven teams who were eligible won the title during the 2019 season. It further goes to prove that when you want the best in high school football, you come to the 305 or the 954.
