Santaluces football's Hector Clavijo steadfast in goal to put Palm Beach County 'on the map'

Santaluces’ esteemed football coach Hector Clavijo III sat in his office Thursday night, glued to his laptop that showed a detailed weather and lightning map.

Santaluces’ spring game against South Broward was already delayed by rain and lightning but Clavijo noticed something on the map. “It’s passed us," Clavijo declared. “We’re playing this game."

And so the Chiefs did, 90 minutes late, as a rain-soaked defensive struggle ensued with each team mounting only one touchdown in four quarters.

With the second half played on running time, South Broward notched the scoreboard win 7-6 — the difference a successful conversion.

With the spring game behind him, Clavijo can continue vying to keep his promise of putting Palm Beach County football on the map in his second season.

Clavijo, who led Champagnat Catholic (Miami) to state titles in 2017, 2019 and 2020 before the school's closure in 2022, raised eyebrows among some longtime PBC coaches in December when he tweeted his goal to put Palm Beach County football "on the map." Clavijo isn’t backing down.

In his first season of 2022, Clavijo’s Chiefs went from a horrible, one-win season to the district title.

Now he’s aiming for grander things for 2023’s campaign that starts officially in August against powerhouse Pahokee. The program also has scheduled a regular-season game in New Orleans against John Curtis, a top-50 program.

"It’s going to be a big explosion of success next year,’’ Clavijo said. “I think the team is better overall. We have a lot of really good pieces returning with experience."

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Winning three state titles in Miami has perhaps spoiled Clavijo, who still looked at last season’s turnaround as “a little disappointing” because they were knocked out by Stoneman Douglas 48-44 in the first round of state regionals.

“As a program, I thought it was a success going from 1-9 to 8-2, but not winning a playoff game?" Clavijo said. “For me, not going to a state championship game was a little disappointing. For us that was the goal the entire year. It’s not what we wanted but a lot of the kids who come back have a chip on their shoulder. They know what it’s like to win now. So it won’t be a new thing for them. That’s why we’ll be a mentally tougher team this year."

Cardinal Newman coach Jack Daniels was among those most offended by Clavijo’s perceived arrogance, tweeting that Palm Beach County is already on the football map.

Clavijo said his barometer is different than Daniels’, pointing to a dearth of state champions. The last PBC school to win a state football title was Dwyer, 10 years ago.

“That’s a problem with Palm Beach County," Clavijo said. “If we were on the map, there would be state champions teams coming out of Palm Beach County. There hasn’t been, hasn’t been a champion since Dwyer, however long that was. That’s what I meant about putting them on the map. Bringing back championships. That’s my goal for the county."

On Clavijo’s greaseboard is a list of 45 colleges. All of them have visited the Lantana campus since last season, including these four weeks of spring practice. Penn State, Iowa, Tennessee, Miami, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Northwestern highlight the board.

Because of his many college connections gained in Miami, he claims to have helped other PBC programs.

“I’m now a county resident," said Clavijo, who moved with his wife to Loxahatchee. “I live here too. There’s never been this influx of universities coming. They ask me where to go. Some of them typically don’t recruit this area. I’m doing my part in that."

If Clavijo seems brassy, he may have a right to be.

As one college scout said Thursday at the spring game: “He’s great. He gets more out of less. He’s able to get down to their level and relate to them."

Santaluces still must figure out its quarterback situation and the issue festered during the spring game. Competing for the job are freshman Chris Siska and Dwyer transfer Shyeia Deveau, who was not permitted to play spring ball for Santaluces.

Siska showed his youth Thursday, picked off twice. Santaluces’ lone score came on a touchdown reception by Jamar Browder.

Clavijo knows the Chiefs' strength is defense. “Our defense played great," Clavijo said. “Defense will hold the team down next year."

Santaluces will boast a dynamic running back in Derrick Williams. But replacing the redheaded gunslinger in quarterback Will Prichard, who is already taking classes at Arkansas State but showed up for the spring game, is the mystery.

“Our biggest question mark is who’s going to take the helm at quarterback," Clavijo said. “Once you get that figured out, the sky is the limit."

The Chiefs boast two elite defenders in seniors defensive back Amir Gibson and defensive end Kedrick Burley, who are getting scholarship offers. And then there’s defensive back Anatay Smith, who had two picks in the spring game.

The 5-9 Gibson has an offer from Western Carolina and is drawing interest from Ivy League and Patriot League schools, as his GPA is 4.2. Gibson was a state qualifier in weightlifting.

“The kid is phenomenal — hard-nosed tough physical specimen, 3% body fat," Clavijo said. “Strongest pound to pound in the state of Florida."

Burley, Clavijo says, is “unblockable, the most dominant player at his position in the county." He’s sifting through offers from Western Kentucky, Illinois State, Western Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Middle Tennessee State, North Carolina AT&T and Fordham, among others.

While Clavijo was forced to move because of his wife’s job, he has no regrets. The facilities at Santaluces are significantly more plush than at his Miami school which struggled to find a home football field.

“This is the Hilton — I was at the Motel 6," Clavijo said. “We practiced on a non-regulation field. Our field-goal posts were palm trees. Our weight room was outside. I got two weight rooms here — with a roof. Five fields, a stadium."

Facilities aside, Clavijo knows it’s about the work, especially in the offseason. He cites the key is putting Sanaluces in all sorts of offseason competitions — passing leagues, 7-on-7s — across the state.

“The biggest key was instilling the culture of discipline and winning," Clavijo said as the rain fell. “Anywhere you go in Palm Beach County, you’re going to see our face. That’s how they do it in Dade County. Football is 365 down there. I’m trying to bring that here."

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Santaluces football: Hector Clavijo expects 'big explosion of success'