CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: Apopka and Columbus meet again to decide state title

NO. 3 APOPKA (11-3) VS. NO. 1 COLUMBUS (13-1)

WHAT: FHSAA Class 4M State Championship

WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET

WHERE: DRV PNK Stadium, Fort Lauderdale

TICKET INFO: Ticketmaster ($14 per game advance purchase & $17 day of)

PARKING: Available via ParkMobile App ($24 per vehicle)

CLEAR BAG POLICY: A clear bag policy is in effect for spectators. Click here for more.

INTERNET STREAM: Spectrum Cable ($9.95 fee per game)

ABOUT APOPKA

COACH: Jeff Rolson, 4^th year (47-12 at Apopka; 107-45 at Apopka, Osceola [Kissimmee], and Rutherford)

ROAD TO FORT LAUDERDALE: d. Boone (Orlando), 17-3 (Regional Quarterfinals); d. Winter Park, 28-7 (Regional Semifinals); d. Lake Mary, 30-23 (Regional Finals); d. Palm Beach Central (Wellington), 27-24 (State Semifinals)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Apopka is 3-3 in state championship game appearances; They won state championships in 2001, 2012, and 2014; They finished as state runners-up in 2013, 2019, and 2021.

KEY PLAYERS: QB Tyson Davison, Fr. (49-of-117, 580 yds, 5 TDs, 4 INTs; 73 car, 459 yds, 2 TDs); RB Zeldrick Roberts, Sr. (221 car, 920 yds, 14 TDs); QB Kaleb Hicks, Sr. (65 car, 455 yds, 6 TDs); LB/RB Rashad Watson, Sr. (141 tackles, 9 TFL, 3 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 FR, 2 blocked punts, 1 blocked kick; 29 car, 215 yds, 7 TDs); CB Malachi Davey, Jr., (43 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 INTs, 6 PBUs, 2 FF); SS Antwone Robinson, Jr. (80 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT, 6 PBUs, 1 FR); DE Kaven Call, Sr. (51 tackles, 8 TFL, 8 sacks, 1 PBUs, 3 FR, 1 FF, 1 blocked punt, 1 blocked kick); OLB Lorenzo Payne IV, Jr., (49 tackles, 7 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 PBU, 1 FR)

SCORING AVERAGES: 20.5 Points For: ppg; Points Against: 16 ppg

ABOUT COLUMBUS

COACH: Dave Dunn, 6^th year (61-15 at Columbus)

ROAD TO FORT LAUDERDALE: d Miami High, 64-0 (Regional Quarterfinals); d. Miami Palmetto, 28-0 (Regional Semifinals); d. Doral Academy, 31-3 (Regional Finals); d. Ocoee, 41-36 (State Semifinals)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Columbus is 1-4 in state championship appearances; They won their lone state championship in 2019; Columbus finished as state runners-up in 1980, 1982, 2014, and 2018.

KEY PLAYERS: RB Sedrick Irvin Jr., Sr. (191 car, 1,050 yds rushing, 10 TDs; 14 rec, 159 yds, 4 TDs); QB Alberto Mendoza, Jr. (186-of-256 passing, 2,470 yds, 34 TDs, 7 INTs; 25 car, 207 yds, 2 TDs); WR Darriel Harper, So. (48 rec, 553 yds, 7 TDs); LB Hector Chavez, So. (54 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 QB hurry, 1 PBU, 3 FR); DB Ahmere Foster, Sr. (29 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PBUs, 2 FR, 1 FF, 1 blocked kick); WR AJ Arellano, Sr (32 rec., 412 yds, 3 TDs); WR Fadrelle Andrus, Jr. (24 rec., 337 yds, 5 TDs); DE Daylen Russell, Jr. (51 tackles, 6 TFL, 7 sacks, 3 QB hurries); P Christian DeVilliers, Sr. (41.7 punt yd average); LB TJ Capers, Jr. (40 tackles, 3 TFL, 5 sacks, 5 QB hurries, 5 PBUs, 1 FR, 1 FF); DE Dylan Stephenson, Jr. (22 tackles, 4 TFL, 5 sacks, 6 TFL, 1 PBU, 2 FR);

SCORING AVERAGES: 37.1 Points For: ppg; 12.9 Points Against: ppg

FLORIDAHSFOOTBALL.COM INTERVIEW WITH COACH DUNN

PREVIEW

This will be the third time these teams will have met for a state championship in the last decade with those matchups being split 1-1 with Apopka winning in 2014 and Columbus winning in 2019. For the Blue Darters of Apopka, they are seeking the first state championship win since 2014 and they struggled in last year’s Class 8A state championship game against Venice where they were steamrolled. For Columbus, this is their first state championship appearance since 2019, and came close to playing for the Class 8A state championship last year, having lost to Venice in the state semifinals. Now when looking at these two teams one team has struggled at times throughout the year having lots of close games which is what we see in the Blue Darters from Apopka. However, those losses all came from playoff teams including a loss to crosstown rival Wekiva. The Explorers, have been a very strong team this year and have had a solid balance offense with a defense that has played extremely well. As a matter of fact, the only loss that the Explorers did have this season was to Miami Central in the GMAC Bowl Championship in Week 9, losing to the Rockets, 42-35. That loss inspired the run to the state championship game having posted three shutouts after that and only giving up three points to Doral Academy in the regional final. It was only in the state semifinal did Columbus run into a challenge from Ocoee, having to fend off the Knights in that one. Overall, the biggest thing here is Apopka’s offense is the one-dimensional single-wing attack that could be shut down looking at the defense that Columbus has. If indeed the Explorers shut down the Blue Darters, that could lend very well to the Explorers winning their second state championship overall in school history.

PREDICTION

Columbus 38, Apopka 17