By Dave Brousseau - BCAA Writer
PLANTATION – Never count out what the Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna football team is capable of.
Midway through the fourth quarter and on the verge of falling behind by double digits to rival Plantation American Heritage, the Lions defense stunned the Patriots with a well-executed goal-line stand at the one-yard line.
With momentum on Chaminade’s side, the Lions drove 98 yards for the eventual winning touchdown as freshman quarterback Malik Leonard threw a 12-yard scoring pass to senior Jasen Lopez with 2:42 remaining to earn a hard-fought 28-24 victory on Friday.
It was the Lions fourth consecutive victory over the Patriots after nine consecutive losses to the Plantation school.
“We just had to stay with the guy that was hot,” said Chaminade-Madonna coach Dameon Jones. “Whoever catches hot we stay with. With games like this you go with the guy that is hot.
As for the goal line stand.
“Our defense has been playing all year. I’m just proud of them and they continue to do what they do.”
“We had our opportunity to put the game away at the end and we didn’t,” said American Heritage coach Mike Smith. “We couldn’t have had a better opportunity at the one and we couldn’t do it.”
The Patriots (1-1) never trailed through out the game until the eventual winning drive by Chaminade.
Heritage senior quarterback and Texas commit Dia Bell passed for 325 yards and three touchdowns for a 24-14 lead entering the fourth quarter. His scoring passes were 20 yards and 10-yards to Coi Jean-Noel and 71 yards to Jamar Denson.
Kade Bailey added a 36-yard field goal that gave the Patriots a 17-6 lead with 8:13 left in the third quarter.
Between Chaminade’s two quarterbacks Leonard and Tyler Chance, they combined only two passes on 15 attempts. Then Leonard got hot completing six consecutive passes for 128 yards, including the game winner.
The Lions (2-1) Derrek Cooper scored on a six-yard run with 4:57 left in the third quarter to close within 17-14 of the Heritage lead. Cooper finished his night with 93 yards on 12 carries, and three touchdowns.
His third score of seven yards closed within 24-21 of the Patriots lead.
Dave Brousseau is a veteran journalist who worked at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Need to reach out to him? Contact him at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.