Miami Booker T. Washington has plenty of talent but has dealt with a roster stretched thin and a recent death.
By EMILY NIPPS
Published December 4, 2003
The Armwood players say they're not nervous. Not the slightest bit.
A silent, five-hour bus ride to Miami? It will be fun.
A Booker T. Washington team that has been tested by tough 6A teams all season? Big deal.
A defense that has allowed one touchdown during the playoffs? One of the most athletic offenses the Hawks have seen? Bring it on.
It's the Tornadoes who should be worried. Right?
"We're really trying to catch up with (the Hawks)," Washington coach Tim Harris said. "I know they've got three guys with over 1,000 (rushing) yards. They're a fast team. They've been exciting to watch on game tape."
Don't be fooled. The Tornadoes aren't nervous either.
They have been on a roll since bouncing back from an 0-2 start by beating defending 6A champion Miami Norland. After beginning the season with just 16 players academically eligible, the Tornadoes are somewhat of a Cinderella team in 4A.
No Miami team can ever be overlooked, and Armwood coach Sean Callahan knows that. He has watched tape after tape of the orange-and-black Tornadoes and has marvelled at their athleticism and passing game.
There's more to the story, though. Washington, one of Miami's oldest public schools (It opened as the first school for black students in 1927.) also has the backing of a rebuilding Overtown community.
"There's been a lot of negative in this community, and these kids understand that this is a way to bring some positive to this community," Harris said. "The team is big in our neighborhood, and that's something we feel good about."
Along with the weight of the community on their shoulders, the Tornadoes recently were touched by something else. The 20-year-old son of their defensive backs coach was shot and killed last week, causing the Tornadoes to mourn as a team.
"The adversity kind of brings us together," Harris said.
All of that aside, Washington will be Armwood's toughest opponent by far. With a solid quarterback (Tim Harris Jr.) and a deep variety of receivers, not to mention a large and quick defense, the Tornadoes represent the next level for the Hawks.
Armwood linebacker Dougie Thompson said the Hawks play better away from home, and records don't dispute that. Armwood's only three losses last season were at home.
The Hawks say they can handle the trip, during which Callahan is not allowing them to talk about anything but football, and stiffer competition.
"We've had a bull's-eye on us all year," defensive back Glenn Lassiter said. "We've been there before."
