Ridaught: HS football state championships underway

Generic football

Last night at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee, the Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) Conquerors defeated Champagnat Catholic (Hialeah), 41-23, to win the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A state title.

That’s back-to-back state titles for the Conquerors (10-4), who won the Class 3A state title in 2020.

It’s also the ninth state title for Trinity Christian’s Verlon Dorminey, who was recently in the hospital and missed the region final win against Monroe (Quincy).

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Dorminey’s nine state titles are one shy of hall of fame coach Corky Rogers, who led Bolles to 10 FHSAA state football titles.

The victory also moves Trinity Christian into a tie for third all-time with University Christian (Jacksonville) for the most football state titles, behind St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) with 12 and Bolles (11).

Since covering high school football in 1991 I’ve always heard about the dominance of South Florida teams. But it should be noted that football in the north part of the state is pretty good too.

As Clayton Freeman of the Florida Times-Union noted in his article above, Northeast Florida has produced at least one state title in football each year dating back to 2008.

That 14-year streak began with Bolles winning the 2A state title in 2008. The ‘Dogs also won state in 2009 and 2011.

Trinity Christian also won a state title in 2010 before winning four straight from 2013-2016.

University Christian won 2A state titles in 2012 and 2015, while Raines (Jacksonville) won back-to-back 4A state titles in 2017-18.

And in the past 14 years, Trenton (2013, 2015), Madison County (2017-2019), and Trinity Catholic (Ocala), which won the Class 2B state title in 2010 under John Brantley, claimed state titles for North Central Florida.

Is Hawthorne next? 

The Hornets, who are seeking their first state football title in school history, will play Madison County for the Class 1A state title on Saturday night. We’ll have coverage of the game on 106.9 FM “I Am Country” with audio online at IAmCountryRadio.com

Meanwhile, Berkeley Prep (Tampa), also seeking its first state title, plays state runner-up Chaminade Madonna (Hollywood), which has participated in the last five state championship games, for the 3A state title at 7 p.m. tonight.

The Class 4A-8A state championship games are next week in Fort Lauderdale.

Aquinas goes for No. 13 next week in the 7A state title game against Tampa Bay Tech, which is seeking its first championship in school history.

We’re down to the final seven football games of the season. Enjoy the games!

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