It’s been an historic season for the Bradford football team. They played for the state title for the first time since 1985 on Friday night.
And while the Tornadoes came up short in the 2S state championship game at Bragg Memorial Stadium on Florida A&M’s campus in Tallahassee, there is plenty that can make Bradford and their fans proud.
Cocoa won its second straight state title with a 20-6 win over Bradford. The Tornadoes finished 14-1 as they came up short of their first state football title since 1966.
Bradford’s defense has been its calling card since this run started in 2022 under second-year head coach Jamie Rodgers. This Tornadoes defense had allowed only 70 points in 14 games entering the title game. Cocoa scored 20 points, which was still under the Tigers’ scoring average of nearly 40 points a game.
“If you had told me that we would have allowed that team only 20 points I would have liked our chances at the end,” Rodgers said. “I told some the first one to 21 wins and I was right.”
The problem was on the offensive side of the ball for the Tornadoes. Bradford only had 189 yards of total offense while allowing 316 total yards to the Tigers.
The night started well on offense for Bradford. After recovering a Cocoa fumble at the 30-yard line on the Tigers’ opening drive, Bradford scored on a six-play drive as senior quarterback Dae’jon Shanks connected with senior wide receiver Chalil Cummings on a 15-yard touchdown pass. The Tornadoes missed the extra point but still had the early lead and plenty of confidence.
But Bradford never got on the scoreboard again and Cocoa methodically built a lead.
Cocoa (14-1) took the lead for good on a 36-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Brady Hart to junior wide receiver Nicholas Teeter.
Cocoa extended its lead to 14-6 after a 99-yard drive that was capped off with a 10-yard touchdown by junior running back Latrison Lane.
The only scoring in the second half was two Cocoa field goals as the Tigers kept Bradford off the scoreboard.
“I’m just proud to be their coach,” Rodgers added about his seniors. “Those seniors are going to be successful no matter what they do, whether it be football or something else.”