C.J. Gish
After a big playoff win last week, P.K. Yonge struggled in a 48-7 loss to Class 1S second-ranked Trinity Catholic in Ocala on Friday.
The Blue Wave (4-8) fell in the 1S-Region 2 Final to the same team they lost to in Gainesville, 51-7, on Oct. 28.
“We knew what to expect,” said P.K. Yonge coach Kevin Doelling. “(Trinity Catholic) is big, strong and fast.”
The Celtics took leads of 21-0 after the first quarter and 38-0 at the half.
The Blue Wave advanced to the region final after defeating Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, 35-3, in Melbourne in the regional semifinal round on Nov. 18.
Doelling knew the Blue Wave would have challenges coming into the season.
“We had a pretty decent sized group of seniors who graduated and then had some guys leave the program we thought were coming back, so it was a big change,” Doelling said. “We had guys step up and they did a good job. We got better every day in practice as the season went on.”
Doelling added the program – which has a large group of sophomores – will have an important spring as they hit the weight room and continue to develop their football IQ.
Columbia (Lake City) 20, Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) 14, OT
A Tyler Jefferson 10-yard touchdown pass to Rontravion Tolliver in overtime gave the hosting Tigers a 20-14 Class 3S-Region 1 Final win over Choctawhatchee on Friday.
The Columbia (Lake City) PAT kick was blocked after an unsportsmanlike taunting penalty on the Tolliver touchdown pushed the kick back. The Tigers then survived an incomplete Indians’ pass into the end zone on the final play for the win.
Columbia (9-3) went ahead 14-0 when Caden Bolstein stripped the Indians’ quarterback and Florida commit Jaden Robinson returned the fumble 40 yards for the first score. Tony Fulton added a 7-yard scoring run.
The Indians (7-6) intercepted Jefferson and scored on a 35-yard touchdown pass with 44 seconds left in the first half to get within 14-7. They would tie the game on a 22-yard pass with 3:19 left in the fourth quarter.
Columbia, ranked No. 6 in 3S by MaxPreps, travels to fourth-ranked Lake Wales (13-0) next Friday for a state semifinal contest that will kick off at 7:30 p.m.
Union County (Lake Butler) 41, Lafayette (Mayo) 6
Union County (8-2) used a 21-0 third quarter to blow open its 1R-Region 3 Final over visiting Lafayette (10-3) on Friday.
The Tigers led 14-0 at the half behind touchdown runs from AJ Cortese and Rayvon Durant.
In the third quarter, Dayviontae Thompson scored two rushing touchdowns and Durant added his second of the contest for a 35-0 lead going into the final frame.
Union County will travel to Bratt and play Northview (12-0) next Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Bradford (Starke) 28, Baker County (Glenn St. Mary) 17
In a rematch of the season opener, the hosting Bradford Tornadoes erased a 10-point halftime deficit and shut out Baker County in the second half for a 28-17 2S-Region 2 Final win.
The Tornadoes (12-1) fell behind 17-7 at the half but scored three touchdowns in the second half. Bradford defeated the visiting Wildcats, 21-0, in a Week One contest that was called early due to rain.
Bradford advanced to the regional final following a 37-0 win over Eastside in the semifinal round on Nov. 18.
The Tornadoes – with nine shutout wins under their belt this season – will host the Cocoa Tigers (9-3) in the 2S state semifinal round in Starke next Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Florida High (Tallahassee) 38, Suwannee (Live Oak) 13
Suwannee’s eight-game win streak was snapped when the Bulldogs played the undefeated Florida High Seminoles in Tallahassee on Friday.
Florida High (13-0) led 17-7 at the half en route to a 38-13 2S-Region 1 Final win.
The Bulldogs (10-3) fell behind 17-0 before Bronsen Tillotson found Javarion Smith on a 26-yard touchdown with 7:31 left in the second quarter, but the Seminoles increased their lead to 31-7 at the end of the third quarter.
Marquavious Owens added Suwannee’s final score with a 3-yard run with 5:40 left in the final quarter.
Friday, Nov. 25, results
Regional Finals
Class 1R-Region 3
Union County (Lake Butler) 41, Lafayette (Mayo) 6
Class 1R-Region 4
Hawthorne 21, Pahokee 20
Class 1S-Region 2
Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 48, P.K. Yonge 7
Class 2S-Region 1
Florida State University (Tallahassee) 38, Suwannee (Live Oak) 13
Class 2S-Region 2
Bradford (Starke) 28, Baker County (Glenn St. Mary) 17
Class 3S-Region 1
Columbia (Lake City) 20, Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) 14, OT
Class 4S-Region 1
Buchholz 21, Bartram Trail (St. Johns) 20