The Miami Herald projects Ransom Everglades third in District 9-2A for the 2026 high school football season, slotting coach Joe Supple's Raiders behind Miami La Salle and Gulliver Prep in a district-by-district breakdown published Aug. 16.
The ranking sets the table five days before the Raiders open at home against Somerset Academy (Silver Palms) on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. on the Coconut Grove campus. As we reported Aug. 12, the Raiders begin with three consecutive Friday-night home games.
Ransom Everglades went 7-5 last fall and reached the 2A regional semifinals. The Herald names five Raiders to watch: wide receiver-defensive back Colton Smith, a junior; running back-linebacker Noah Alce, a junior; sophomore running back-linebacker Will Duncan; senior offensive lineman-linebacker Hunter White; and senior offensive lineman-defensive lineman Coley Hucks.
Colton Smith leads a group of returning standouts
Smith is the headliner.
He earned first-team all-Miami-Dade County honors last season and visited Syracuse in June for the Orange's Franchise Camp, drawing attention from Sports Illustrated as a "two-way star." Classmate Matthew Guevara earned second-team all-county honors, while Evans Branch, Landon Elfenbein and Hans van de Kreeke each received honorable mention.
The Raiders lost two senior starters to graduation: Edwin Carr signed with Pomona College and Carlos Lavernia with Johns Hopkins, both to continue playing football.
Where the Raiders stand in the district pecking order
La Salle, the district favorite, went 13-1 last season and reached the 2A regional final under coach Helder Valle. Gulliver Prep, coached by Earl Sims, went 6-4 and reached the regional quarterfinals. The Raiders will host Gulliver on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. in what amounts to an early district litmus test.
A county-wide title drought looms over the season
The Herald's preview carries an unusual backdrop: no Miami-Dade team won a state football championship in 2025, the first time that happened since 2009. Jacksonville Raines beat Miami Northwestern 23-22 in the Class 3A final on Dec. 12, 2025, ending Miami-Dade's best remaining shot. The Herald identifies Miami Central, Carol City, Columbus and Palmetto among the programs positioned to end the drought this fall.
Ransom Everglades competes in Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 2A. If the Raiders finish among the state's top eight teams, they could land in the Open Division playoff bracket.
What's on the Raiders' schedule next
The Raiders host Somerset Academy on Aug. 21, Gulliver Prep on Aug. 28 and Doral Academy on Sept. 4, all at 7 p.m. in Coconut Grove. FHSAA regional quarterfinals begin Nov. 13.
