Wow.

I mean, what other words can be used to describe what a stunning victory Blanche Ely pulled off in a stunning 35-34 win over SBLive/Sports Illustrated Top 25 ranked No. 8 Chaminade Madonna, who is also ranked No. 2 in Florida.

A solid performance in the Broward County Classic High School Football Showcase against St. John Bosco (CA) in a 35-27 loss was respectable. Now the Lions are faltering and we should dig into the books to see how long it’s been since a Dameon Jones team started 0-2.

We’re going to try to shed some light on this and give you five key points from tonight:

I mean, who could have seen this coming, would have to call themselves Nostradamus, because Blanche Ely beating Chaminade Madonna was not on the 2024 bingo card. Regardless of the rankings or where anyone thought Chaminade Madonna was nationally, the Tigers came to play the game of their lives and they did. The effort put forth, coupled with the heroics of quarterback Omari McNeal, who ultimately scored the winning touchdown, speaks volumes about how much of a target the Lions have on their backs each and every week. Let’s not forget that this team defeated Boyd Anderson 70-7 in Week 1. Let’s just give Blanche Ely the flowers, because this is a win that definitely puts them in the Class 5A discussion.

When they needed it most, Chaminade Madonna simply couldn’t count on special teams to extend the game. Instead, it torpedoed the Lions’ chances of a national championship, likely knocking them out of any Top 25 rankings and making it questionable whether they can win the Class 1A state championship this winter. A blocked field goal to end regulation and a blocked extra point prevented the Lions from coming away with a win or even a tie. It’s proof that special teams play really matters.

We just gave Blanche Ely a whole bouquet of flowers, but we have to wonder what effect the Week 1 loss to St. John Bosco had on Chaminade Madonna? Losing to one of the best high school football programs in the country shouldn’t really hurt a program, especially not by eight points. But maybe this had a different vibe afterward. Lots to think about for Chaminade Madonna, but of course there are always factors that contribute to a loss like this.

To believe that you can pull off an upset of the magnitude of Blanche Ely’s win over Chaminade Madonna, you have to make some positive things happen early on. McNeal certainly played the Houdini role, making magic happen out of nowhere as a playmaker. The Tigers quarterback finished the night with three rushing touchdowns and at one point gave Blanche Ely a 21-7 lead that no one thought possible. There’s a saying that “crazier things have happened,” but when it comes to upsets and the belief that they can happen, there hasn’t been one quite like it in recent memory.

So after two of the best seasons a high school offense could ever have, Chaminade Madonna and fans in general were spoiled. Players like Jeremiah Smith, JoJo Trader, Cedrick Bailey, and Davion Gause were just too rare to have all on one team. This Lions group seemed like it had a chance to be something similar, albeit younger of course. With Koby Howard, Jabari Brady, Jansen Lopez, Kyle Washington, Derrek Cooper, and a host of others, it seemed like there wouldn’t be a long transition process for Chaminade. Instead, it seems like we’re left wondering where this team will end up at the end of the season. The good news is that there’s still plenty of football to be played. It’s only Week 2.

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–Andy Villamarzo | [email protected] | @sblivefl