Upsets and Close Calls in FHSAA Playoffs Week 2

It’s getting down to crunch time in the Florida High School playoffs as the small schools are in the semifinals and the large classifications are in the quarterfinals.

On Friday I covered a better-than-expected Class 3A quarterfinal between Clearwater Central Catholic and Sarasota Cardinal Mooney. CCC came in with the No. 1 ranking but Cardinal Mooney was tough at home. The Cougars took an early 7-0 lead and had the ball in the game’s final minute with a 4th-and-2 on CCC’s 8 yard line. The final play call, a backside post, was perfectly executed and had CCC fooled but the tight end failed to catch the ball and the Marauders held on for a 14-10 victory.

But CCC’s victory didn’t come without a cost as quarterback Jeff Smith appeared to suffer a broken ankle and will be out for the remainder of the playoffs. Smith will likely be the Class 3A Player of the Year and the Boston College commitment was responsible for the majority of the Marauders offense over the last two seasons.

CCC will now go with backup QB Jakob Parks (6-3, 180), a sophomore that won’t be able to run the read option offense that Smith made so explosive. Parks will look to his backfield of sophomore running backs C.J. Cotman (5-10, 175) and Jervon Newton (5-10, 180) and senior fullback Scott DePergola (5-8, 185). Both of the sophomores running backs are potential FBS prospects and it’ll be interesting to see how much responsibility they get without Smith in the huddle.

Around the State

— Clemson Commits Clash: Ray Ray McCloud (Tampa Sickles) and Deon Cain (Tampa Bay Tech) are two of the top Class of 2015 prospects in the state and both are committed to Clemson. They are longtime friends and members of the highly-regarded Unsigned Preps offseason program. On Friday night they had an old-fashioned playoff duel. Cain, who will likely play wide receiver in college, rushed for 213 yards and passed for 120 yards while scoring all three touchdowns for Tech. McCloud, who could play running back, slot receiver or cornerback in college, rushed for 174 yards and threw a touchdown pass for Sickles. But it was Cain that made the game-winning play — an interception off McCloud in the game’s final minute. Tampa Bay Tech will travel to Kissimmee Osecola in the 7A quarterfinal.

— Cocoa Tops Clewiston: Super sophomore QB Bruce Judson threw for two touchdowns and ran for another one as Cocoa held off Clewiston, 26-21, and will now face Booker T. Washington for the fourth straight year in the Class 4A semifinal. Booker T has a 38-game win streak and has beaten Cocoa all three years they faced. However, this Cocoa team with Judson, Jamel Dean (Ohio State commit), and top junior Chauncey Gardner is best equipped to match Booker T.’s speed.

— Manatees Goes to the Wildcat With Success: Manatee will travel to Orlando to face Dr. Phillips in the Class 8A regional final and they will bring a new wrinkle with them. In Manatee’s 47-28 victory over Vero Beach, the Hurricanes went with the wildcat and gave the ball to junior running back Johnnie Lang. Lang rushed for 208 yards out of the formation and his backfield mate, junior Octavious James, rushed for 174 yards. Manatee has one of the top offensive lines around led by senior Jake Walker (6-3, 290) and juniors Sam Cuva (6-4. 295) and Luke Stickler (6-2, 240).

The full state of Friday’s games are as follows:

Class A
Vernon at Port St. Joe
Hamilton County at Dixie County

Class 2A
North Florida Christian at Lakeland Victory
Indian Rocks Christian at Glades Day

Class 3A
Lakeland Christian at Trinity Christian
Delray American Heritage at Clearwater Central Catholic

Class 4A
Jacksonville Bolles at Madison County
Booker T. Washington at Cocoa

Class 5A
Tallahassee Godby at Bishop Kenny
St. Pete Lakewood at Suwannee
Tampa Jesuit at Orlando Bishop Moore
Island Coast at Plantation American Heritage

Class 6A
Jacksonville Ed White at Choctawhatchee
Gainesville at Seffner Armwood
Daytona Beach Mainland at South Fort Myers
Miami Central at Palm Bay Heritage

Class 7A
Niceville at Oakleaf
Tampa Bay Tech at Kissimmee Osceola
Fort Myers at East Lake
Royal Palm Beach at St. Thomas Aquinas

Class 8A
Apopka at Jacksonville First Coast
Manatee at Orlando Dr. Phillips
Wellington at Flanagan
Columbus at Miami Killian