FORT LAUDERDALE – The Class 3M state title game last night (Dec. 15) between St. Thomas Aquinas and Homestead was a close one for awhile.
Really?
The tight matchup lasted throughout the first half, as both the Raiders and Broncos were locked into a 7-7 tie at the break.
The only scores in the first half would be the following:
•Touchdown run from St. Thomas Aquinas junior running back Jordan Lyle; 7:55 left in the first quarter; 7-0 lead for Aquinas
•Passing touchdown from Homestead junior quarter Joshua Townsend to senior wide receiver Richard Dandridge; 8:10 left in the second quarter; Game tied at 7-7
Lyle would score again on a blistering punt return to the end zone with 10:31 left in the third quarter.
And with an extra point by sophomore kicker Nick Romero (5-for-5 in extra points), St. Thomas Aquinas (14-0 final record) took a 14-7 lead over Homestead (12-3 final record) and never looked back from that point on.
“We fought hard in the beginning,” Lyle said. “It wasn’t clicking. At our halftime, King [Mack] gave us a great speech. It motivated us. We’re a second half team, so we dominated in the second half. That’s what we do.”
Here’s how St. Thomas Aquinas scored its 38-21 win over Homestead:
Raiders senior quarterback Hezekiah “Champ” Harris engineered a methodical drive that resulted in his 17-yard touchdown run at the 3:26 mark of the third quarter.
With Romero’s extra point, St. Thomas Aquinas extended its 21-7 lead over Homestead.
But Homestead was not going to go down without a fight.
Townsend engineered his own offensive drive that resulted in a short touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Javon Robinson with 1:24 left in the third quarter.
Homestead would cut the St. Thomas Aquinas lead to 21-13 at that point. But a missed extra point would keep Broncos the deficit at eight points.
The end of the third quarter resulted in a blistering 37-yard run from senior running back Gemari Sands, who got St. Thomas Aquinas to the Homestead 6-yard line.
With 10:10 left, Romero connected on a short field goal to extend the St. Thomas Aquinas lead to 24-13.
The dagger play to seal the deal happened at the 7:16 mark of the fourth quarter, as Harris found an open Isaiah Hardge for an end-zone catch.
Romero’s extra point extended the St. Thomas Aquinas lead to 31-13.
Homestead would get another passing score in from Townsend and a two-point conversion run from Robinson to make it 31-21 with 4:36 left.
The game’s final score was made possible by an 8-yard touchdown run from Sands and an extra point by Romero with 1:44 left.
“We just knew coming in that we can’t be selfish,” Lyle said. “We gotta win, no matter who scores. We’re going to be thankful whoever scores, whoever balls out. Keep giving it to the hot hand.”
The special teams made a difference in this one.
“They started us off in the second half,” Lyle said. “We just never looked back from that…We just did our jobs and we won the game.”
St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Roger Harriott recapped his team’s title game effort against Homestead.
“I’m happy that we accomplished the things that we proclaimed,” Harriott said. “We’re really faith based at St. Thomas. We’re servant oriented. We wanted to make sure that our guys fulfilled the theme for this particular game, which was to finish perfect. They were devoted these past few weeks to giving our best effort. I’m just grateful we had the opportunity to represent St. Thomas Aquinas.”
NOTES: The St. Thomas Aquinas-Homestead game was the first Broward vs. Dade state title game in FHSAA history. With the win, St. Thomas Aquinas has won four straight state championships and 14 overall.
PHOTO/VIDEO CREDITS: Kenly Napoleon
