Under first-year head coach Earnest Graham, Santa Fe (Alachua) has seen a complete turnaround with four-straight wins to begin the season, doubling its win total from the previous four seasons combined.
While the Raiders ultimately dropped Friday’s game at home against University Christian (Jackson), 49-17, Graham still sees the growth in the program from when he first arrived on campus.
Trailing 28-0 late in the first half, Santa Fe scored 17-straight points to hold off a running clock and completely shift momentum in their favor. The scoring began with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Kieran Whitesides to Dantre Little with 12 seconds left in the first half.
“It would have been very easy to quit, especially where we’ve been as a program,” Graham said. “I’m really proud that, you know, that really signals a transformation in regards to our football program.”
Running back Jasiah Powell scored from three yards out to open the second half, marking his 11th touchdown rush of the season, before Santa Fe recovered a muffed punt on the ensuing possession.
Mayer Steen kicked a 36-yard field goal with 3:22 left in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 11 points.
“We got down early, spotted them two touchdowns. Offense wasn’t doing great early, and we came back and we got a spark in the second half through big plays,” Graham said. “I’m really proud of the way they fought. I really am.”
However, the wheels unraveled from there as University Christian scored 21 unanswered points of its own to earn the road win.
Running back Xavier Billings scored from 29 yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter before Donovan Moss added a 94-yard touchdown rush a drive later.
Moss rushed for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
Quarterback Khalil Thompson had a pair of touchdown passes with a 75-yard throw to Amare Mack in the first quarter and a 19-yarder to Carson Bergeron in the fourth quarter. Mack also had a 72-yard completion in the second quarter.
Santa Fe (4-1) begins district play next week at home against Newberry (2-3), which has won two straight, with both wins coming against district opponents. The Panthers knocked off Palatka on Friday, 21-13, after completing a 13-point comeback in the fourth quarter.
While Newberry has been a consistent playoff team since Ed Johnson took over in 2019, Graham is looking to build the same at Santa Fe.
“We know we’re a good football team… The expectation is to win every time we go out,” Graham said. “We believe that we’re a good football team, and we show it in spurts. We want to build a way where we can show it in four quarters.”
Football scores
Thursday, Sept. 25
Florida School for the Deaf & Blind (St. Augustine) 36, Saint Francis Catholic Academy 18
Oak Hall 44, P.K. Yonge 0
Friday, Sept. 26
Buchholz 27, Nease (Ponte Vedra) 7
Eastside 16, Dunnellon 14
Newberry 20, Palatka 13
University Christian (Jacksonville) 49, Santa Fe (Alachua) 17
Williston 49, Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 21
Chiefland 41, Trenton 0
St. Augustine 41, Columbia (Lake City) 21Bell 42, Dixie County (Cross City) 12
Bradford (Starke) 53, Keystone Heights 0
Branford 37, Hilliard 13
Union County (Lake Butler) 21, Paxon (Jacksonville) 17
Wakulla (Crawfordville) 30, Suwannee (Live Oak) 23
OFF – Bronson, Fort White, GHS, Hawthorne
