FORT LAUDERDALE – St. Thomas Aquinas has done it again.
It will be the program’s fourth consecutive year going to state finals.
How?
The Raiders (13-0) took on the Tampa Jesuit Tigers (9-5) at home. It was a game we now know as the “Get Back Game” for St. Thomas.
It resulted in a 45-3 win for the home team in the Class 3M state semifinal round on Friday night (Dec. 2).
“The seniors last year were really hurt from that loss, so coming to this game we had to get the win this year for our seniors,” senior defensive back King Mack stated.
Last season’s St. Thomas team was 14-1. The only game loss was to Jesuit, 24-21.
Raiders head coach Roger Harriott and his team played this non-district game as if it was the state championship game.
“The state title is one game at a time,” Harriott stated. “As for as our guys are concerned, this was a state champion-type game.”
The Raiders took the early lead in the first quarter. They were building off a fumble recovery for a touchdown by athlete Maurice Marcellus, who helped them get a 7-0 lead over the Tigers.
Marcellus spoke on capitalizing off their opponents’ “weakness”.
It was special teams, one of the four phases that were advantageous for St. Thomas.
“Coach told me it was going on my side and to get down there and that’s what I did. I recovered the ball,” said Marcellus, who explained the team’s preparation for that play.
Things escalated quickly as Jesuit’s freshman quarterback was under pressure. The Tigers were not able to get into the end zone at all.
St. Thomas Aquinas senior defensive back King Mack ignited his team’s defense after a pick-six in the second quarter.
“We knew their go-to route, so I broke on it and took off,” stated Mack, who also had a kickoff return for a touchdown in this game.
St. Thomas can say that the Get Back Game was a success against Jesuit, a team that was averaging around 30 points per game prior to this one.
NEXT AND FINAL GAME THIS SEASON
St. Thomas Aquinas will take on Homestead for the 3M state title on Thursday, Dec. 15 (7 p.m. kickoff) at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
VIDEO CREDITS: Kenly Napoleon/PMO Sports and Kenneth Stephens
