DELRAY BEACH – Trailing by four points with under two minutes remaining in the game, Chaminade-Madonna took the field looking to take down Atlantic.
As backup QB Brady Kelly traveled down the field, methodically connecting with his wide receivers, the Lions were set up at the goal line with 36 seconds remaining. At that point, Chaminade-Madonna head coach Dameon Jones went back to Thaddius Franklin Jr., who fought his way into the endzone to give the Lions a 17-14 lead, where the score would stay.
“Depends on the situation,” Jones said about bringing Franklin back into the game for the quarterback run. “[Thaddius Franklin] is our guy on the goal line.”
Franklin initially started the game at quarterback, where he gave the Lions the first score of the game midway through the second quarter. However, after the Atlantic defensive line began to get more pressure on Franklin, he was replaced with Kelly.
“We had struggled all game, and we were just trying to muster up some offense,” Jones said about bringing in Kelly, who helped bring Chaminade-Madonna back into the game. “Brady Kelly came in and gave us a spark.”
Going into halftime, Chaminade-Madonna led 10-0, with the Atlantic offense struggling to pass midfield. However, a touchdown pass from Jacoby Dorch to tight end Bryson Clark cut the Lions lead to 10-6.
Early in the fourth quarter, Atlantic took the lead on a BJ Jones 5-yard rushing touchdown after Montahj Joseph set up Atlantic at the goal line.
“Our kids fought hard,” Atlantic head coach T.J. Jackson said about his team’s performance. “We asked them to come out and fight hard, and they fought hard. I’m proud of them.”
Later in that quarter, Atlantic defensive back Jeremiah McClendon came up with a critical interception on Kelly. This play gave Atlantic a chance to put the game away.
However, Atlantic was unable to capitalize.
While a loss like this has the potential to derail a season, Jackson believes the loss will have a separate effect on the team.
“I think this will bring our team closer together,” Jackson said. “We’ll be okay and continue to fight.”
WEEK 6 SLATE
No. 1 (Palm Beach County)/No. 17 (Florida) Atlantic (2-1): Will travel to face off against Olympic Heights (2-3) on Thursday, Sept. 26, 6:30 p.m. kickoff
No. 7 (Florida) Chaminade-Madonna (4–1): BYE
OTHER WEEK 5 SCORES
No. 2 Benjamin 21, John Carroll Catholic 7
Record now: Benjamin (4-0)
No. 3 Palm Beach Lakes 48, No. 10 Pahokee 0 – Thursday night (Sept. 19)
Records now: Palm Beach Lakes (4-0), Pahokee (1-3)
Santaluces 28, No. 4 Cardinal Newman 7
Records now: Santaluces (2-1), Cardinal Newman (2-1)
No. 8 Glades Central 34, No. 5 Palm Beach Gardens 33
Records now: Glades Central (3-2), Palm Beach Gardens (3-1)
Cardinal Gibbons 33, No. 6 Delray Beach American Heritage 0
Record now: American Heritage (2-2)
No. 7 Palm Beach Central 29, Park Vista 21
Records now: Palm Beach Central (4-1), Park Vista (3-2)
Wellington 31, John I. Leonard 28 – Thursday night (Sept. 19)
Records now: Wellington (1-4), John I. Leonard (1-4)
Somerset Academy Canyons 18, Village Academy 15 – Thursday night (Sept. 19)
Records now: Somerset Academy Canyons (1-3), Village Academy (1-2)
Seminole Ridge 28, Lake Worth 18
Records now: Seminole Ridge (2-1), Lake Worth (1-2)
Jupiter 23, Suncoast 13
Records now: Jupiter (4-1), Suncoast (2-2)
Olympic Heights 13, Spanish River 6
Records now: Olympic Heights (2-3), Spanish River (0-4)
Treasure Coast 33, Boca Raton 17
Record now: Boca Raton (2-2)
Westminster Academy 44, Boca Raton Christian 0
Record now: Boca Raton Christian (1-4)
St. Edward’s 13, Jupiter Christian 6
Record now: Jupiter Christian (0-5)
Inlet Grove 12, Gateway Charter 6 (OT)
Record now: Inlet Grove (3-1)
Gulliver Prep 49, King’s Academy 17
Record now: King’s Academy (3-2)
Royal Palm Beach 22, Port St. Lucie 14
Record now: Royal Palm Beach (3-1)
SATURDAY GAME
Berean Christian (1-2) vs. St. Andrews (2-1) at Wellington High School, 7 p.m. kickoff
MONDAY GAME
St. John Paul II (0-2) at Pompano Beach (1-3), 6 p.m. kickoff
WEEK 5 BYES
No. 9 Forest Hill (3-1), Boynton Beach (1-2), Dwyer (1-2), Glades Day (1-2), West Boca Raton (0-3)
PHOTO CREDIT: Keith Forde
