CLASS 2A STATE FINAL PREVIEW: First time team rises to the top while a veteran team makes a comeback

This year’s Class 2A state final is bringing in new team that has never been here versus the veteran kind of team that has been here and done that before, but last did it 18 years ago. Both teams will bring excitement with them and both teams are going to be teams that we will need to be familiar with for the next few years at least as they have risen to the top. Friday afternoon should bring an exciting game that will be nothing like the 69-0 drubbing that North Florida Christian handed out to Admiral Farragut last year.

UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN FIGHTIN’ CHRISTIANS
Head Coach: David Penland III
Current Overall Record At School: 16-5
Years as Head Coach: 2 years
Assistant Coaches:
Matt Hammett – Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line/Defensive Line
Frank Ciresi – Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks
David Penland, Jr. – Defensive Coordinator / Secondary
Lamar Lewis -Running Backs
Aaron Penland – Linebackers
Kevin Wiley  – Outside Linebackers / Wide Receivers
Casey Trigg – Linebackers

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES: 8th appearance in the state finals having won 6 overall titles.
1973 – CLASS A: d. Westminster Christian, 12-3
1987 – CLASS A: d. Glades Day, 13-3
1989 – CLASS A: d. St. Edward’s, 46-13
1990 – CLASS A: lost to Westminster Academy, 6-3
1991 – CLASS A:  d. Westmister Academy, 21-6
1992 – CLASS A:  d. Benjamin, 35-14
1994 – CLASS 2A: d. Benjamin, 26-14

FORMATIONS:
Offense: Shotgun Wing-T
Defense: 4-4

OVERVIEW OF UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN:
It has been 18 years since University Christian last won a state title and was the last time anyone had heard from the storied program that use to once own the record of most state titles won by any school (now held by Bolles).

Coach David Penland II. has this team on the verge of being a team to be known around the state again with both an offense and defense that is not only loaded with playmakers, but with a handful of Division I prospects as well.

Looking at the scoring by quarters through the state semifinals, the Fightin’ Christians like to pour it on early to make teams try to work harder in the second half. In the first quarter alone University Christian has scored 207 points with the second quarter not being far behind with 191 points scored.  Overall, University Christian has scored an average of 44 points per game this season, while only giving up just under 16 points per game.

University Christian is truly more of a running team than a passing team as evident by the stats, but when they want to throw they can do it well. So far the Fightin’ Christians have piled up 3,599 yards rushing and 1,403 yards through the air attack. These numbers are not surprising considering the run out of the Shotgun Wing-T.

Defensively, University Christian is also very tough to get around on with having intercepted 19 passes this year with the return yardage at 471 yards. It is unknown if the team has made any fumble recoveries this season at all from opponents fumbles.

LEADING PLAYERS:
Scoring:
RB/FS Jeremiah Hamlin – 120 points (17 TDs / 9 PAT’s)
RB/D Hussein Howe – 100 points  (15TDs / 2 PATs)
WR/DB Jake Stoshak – 54 points (9 TDs)

Rushing:
RB/D Hussein Howe – 88 attempts – 943  yards – 17 TD’s – 10.71 Avg Per Carry – Longest Run: 90 yards
RB/FS Jeremiah Hamlin – 83 attempts – 934 yards – 15 TD’s – 11.25 Avg Per Carry – Longest Run: 75 yards
QB/FS Tim Betros  – 103 attempts – 679 yards – 8 TD’s – 6.59  Avg Per Carry – Longest Run: 92 yards

Passing:
QB/FS Tim Betros  – 126 attempts – 65 completions – 2 interceptions – 1,320 yards passing – 19 TD’s – Sacked 9 times

Receiving: 
WR Trey Ciresi (injured) –  14 catches – 275 yards – 4 TD’s – 19.64 yards per catch – Longest reception: 62 yards
WR/DB Jake Stoshak – 7 catches – 258  yards – 4 TD’s – 36.85  yards per catch – Longest reception: 76 yards
RB/D Hussein Howe  – 14 catches – 229 yards – 5 TD’s – 17.35 yards per catch – Longest reception: 60 yards

Punting: 
QB/FS Tim Betros – 24 punts – 824 yards – Average Punting Yards 34.33 – Longest Punt 62 yards – 2 punts inside the 20

Kicking:
K Zak Kinsman – 22 PAT attempts – 20 PAT’s made – FG Attempts 0 – FG Made 0

Returns:
RB/DB Stone Lakey – 9 Punt returns – 52 yards – Longest punt return 29 yards
RB/D Hussein Howe – 6 kickoff returns – 186 yards – Longest kickoff return 80 yards
WR/DB Jake Stoshak – 6 interceptions – 194 yards – Longest INT return 91 yards

Tackles (Combined):
TE/DE Marquis Haynes – 65 tackles – 29 tackles for a loss – 15 sacks
LB Drake Warren – 48 tackles – 5 tackles for a loss – 3 sacks
RB/LB Chase Moody  – 40 tackles – 9 tackles for a loss – 3 sacks
OL/DL Jamal Fiffer – 31 tackles – 7 tackles for a loss – 3 sacks

STARTING LINEUP:
Information was provided in team data sheets as released by the FHSAA. Starting lineup can be subject to change.

OFFENSE:

DEFENSE:

DADE CHRISTIAN CRUSADERS
Head Coach: Mike Sonneborn
Current Overall Record At School: 79-21
Years as Head Coach: 9 years
Assistant Coaches:
Dennis Wilson – Defensive Coordinator
Shavar Jackson – Defensive Backs
Julio Perera – Offensive & Defensive Line
Nick Martinez – Linebackers & Special Teams
Shawn Abuhoff – Defensive Backs & Specialists
Marcus Jackson – Wid Receivers
Kadien Bell – Defensive Ends

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES: First appearance in school history.

FORMATIONS:
Offense: Two Back Pistol
Defense: 4-2-5

OVERVIEW OF DADE CHRISTIAN:
Dade Christian has several times knocked on the door of the state finals only to be rejected, but finally pushed over the hump to get to this game for the first time in school history. While it has been impressive that Dade Christian has been unscathed this season, there have been some close ones that could have gone the other way. However, now the biggest concern for Dade Christian is how to counterbalance University Christian which has double the roster size that they do.

On the spread of points scored this season, Dade Christian has averaged 32 points per game with the most points coming during the first quarter of play. However, at the same time Dade Christian has given up only 10 point a game on average meaning the defense has been able to keep things in check each game.

Offensively, the Crusaders are a run first team mostly with 2,751 yards on the ground, while the passing attack just stands with 929 yards total so far this season.

Defensively, Dade Christian, has had 16 interceptions, but has only had 4 fumble recoveries out of the 12 games played so far.

LEADING PLAYERS:
Scoring:
RB Andrew Florvil  – 54 points (9 TDs)
ATH Kenny Lewis  – 54 points (9 TDs)
QB Gary Sampson – 48 points (8 TDs)
RB Marial Steadman – 48 points (8 TDs)

Rushing:
QB Gary Sampson – 88 attempts – 887  yards – 8 TD’s – 10.1 Avg Per Carry – Longest Run: 70 yards
RB Marial Steadman – 94 attempts – 694 yards – 8 TD’s – 7.4 Avg Per Carry – Longest Run: 65 yards
RB Andrew Florvil  – 107 attempts – 505 yards – 9 TD’s – 4.7  Avg Per Carry – Longest Run: 35 yards

Passing:
QB Gary Sampson – 88 attempts – 49 completions – 10 interceptions – 780  yards passing – 7  TD’s – Sacked 5 times

Receiving: 
WR/DB Terrence Alls –  24 catches – 382 yards – 2 TD’s – 12.4  yards per catch – Longest reception: 70 yards
ATH Adrian Sosa – 8 catches – 188 yards – 1 TD’s – 23.5  yards per catch – Longest reception: 65 yards
RB Andrew Florvil  – 8 catches – 102 yards – 1 TD’s – 12.7  yards per catch – Longest reception: 30 yards

Punting: 
WR/DB Terrence Alls  – 14 punts – 448 yards – Average Punting Yards 32.7  – Longest Punt 55 yards – 5 punts inside the 20

Kicking:
K Ivan Arenas – 8 PAT attempts – 7 PAT’s made – FG Attempts 4  – FG Made 3 – Longest Field Goal 31 yards
K Matt Bryant   – 15 PAT attempts – 8 PAT’s made – FG Attempts 1 – FG Made 1 – Longest Field Goal 22 yards

Returns:
WR/DB Terrence Alls  – 5 Punt returns – 32 yards – Longest punt return 15 yards  – 5 kickoff returns – 192 yards – Longest kickoff return 70 yards  – 2 interceptions – Longest INT return 10 yards
RB Marial Steadman – 8 kickoff returns – 159 yards – Longest kickoff return 40 yards

Tackles (Combined):
LB Victor Young – 100 tackles – 9 tackles for a loss – 2 sacks
LB Mike Perera  – 93 tackles – 11 tackles for a loss – 1 sack
DE/TE Vince Young   – 74 tackles – 7 tackles for a loss – 9 sacks
DE/TE Aaron Batten  – 51 tackles – 10 tackles for a loss – 13 sacks

STARTING LINEUP:
Information was provided in team data sheets as released by the FHSAA. Starting lineup can be subject to change.

OFFENSE:

DEFENSE:

OUR THOUGHTS: 
While both teams are running teams compared to passing the ball, the biggest thing is not why lies in the statistics, but rather within the rosters. University Christian is coming loaded with a 51 player roster while it appears that Dade Christian will come with around 30 to 40 players. The difference in the number of players especially in the Class 2A level can be huge considering the talent levels. We feel this one could be a little ugly towards the end, but we feel both teams will nonetheless play their hearts out overall. Also to weigh our decision towards University Christian in this game is experince of not only QB Tim Betros who was on Bolles’ 2011 Class 4A  state championship team, but the experince of the coaches that University Christian has. David Penland Jr. has coached on 5 of the 6 state championship teams (under Robby Pruitt and John Street). If this does not convince you enough, then the game will play itself out once and for all.

OUR PREDICTION:
University Christian 38, Dade Christian 24