Nobody had to tell Champagnat Catholic head coach Hector Clavijo that his team needed to play a near perfect game to capture the 2A state title on Thursday night. They didn’t!
The two-time defending state champions, making their sixth straight trip to the title game, did not play well – and Jacksonville Trinity Christian and its storied program did and won yet another state title, 41-23, at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee.
It was too much Treyaun Webb (22 carries, 176, scores) and Darnell Rogers (17 carries, 173, 3 scores) led the way for 440 yards.
The Lions (10-3) got on the board right away when freshman quarterback Ennio Yapoor found junior Kelvin Blount from 40 yards out and a 7-0 lead with sophomore Jefry Ramos point after at the 9:31 mark of the first quarter.
The Conquerors, who won last year at 3A, tied the game up at 7 a little less than a minute (8:22) later on a 43-yard run by Webb.
Trinity Christian (10-4) extended the lead to 14-7 at the 3:48 mark of the first quarter on a 14-yard pass from freshman Colin Hurley to junior Seth Bialek. Bialek added the point after.
The Lions started to play turnover and it cost them as the Conquerors capitalized on it with a 12-yard run by Webb and a 21-7 advantage through three quarters.
The fourth quarter was indeed exciting for both teams – with scores in eight minutes.
The first came with 9:57 left when Rogers got into the act with his first of three scores – from three yards out. The point after failed and it was 27-7.
The Lions cut the lead to 27-15 on an 11-yard run for Yapoor, who finished with 332 yards passing (21 of 34) and 53 yards on the ground. His two-point conversion was good when he found Marvin Sims. But Trinity came right back.
When Rogers took it in from the 1, it was 34-15 with 2:53 left, but back came Yapoor and the Lions as he found Sims from 51 yards out. When Mike Caldwell Jr., caught Yapoor’s two-point conversion with 2:13 left and a 34-23 advantage.
The Conquerors wrapped up yet another state title with 1:51 left on a 46-yard run by Rogers.
GREAT PERFORMANCES IN THE TITLE GAME
In addition to those who were spotlighted, the game also had some other key players.
On offense, Trinity had Hurley finishing 7 of 14 for 101 yards…Fred Highsmith caught three balls for 85 yards…Champagnat Catholic had a seven-catch, 80-yard performance, Jaylin Terzado finished with five catches for 68 yards, Sims (3-75).
On defense, Trinity Christian’s Caden Morrell (9 tackles, 1.5 sacks), Cameron Anderson (7 tackles, 2.5 sacks), Johnathan Goddard (6 tackles, 1 sack), Thomas Fryer (6 tackles), Tre Stewart (6 tackles)…For the Lions, Antron Williams (13 tackles, 1 sack), Leroy James (8 tackles), Donavan Philord (7 tackles), Jaquentin Ford (6 tackles).
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSHUA WILSON - https://floridahsfootball.com/
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