FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The hype and expectations of a great game were in the air for the Class 2M State Championship game on Friday night at DRV PNK Stadium.
In the end, those expectations lived up to the hype with national championship implications on the line for Miami Central (14-0) seeking their second-ever national championship in school history.
And in the process, the Rockets made more history in the game that will be placed into the state record books with their 38-31 victory over American Heritage (Plantation) (13-2) in front of nearly 10,000 fans.
Attendance tonight for the @FHSAA Class 2M State Championship Game: 9,704 fans here at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale! #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron pic.twitter.com/Zg4xU5nABf
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
THE ROCKETS DOMINATED THE FIRST HALF
On the first drive for the Rockets, Keyone Jenkins made his presence known quickly as he has done all season long against other opponents, showing his ability to get the ball off quickly but also the ability to call his own number getting a 24-yard gain on the sixth play of the first drive.
However, that first drive would stall out at the American Heritage 20-yard line, but not before the Rockets would take the first points of the game on a James London 38-yard field goal with 8:42 left on the first quarter clock.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPJames London with a 38 yard FG for the first points of the game for the Rockets@Roc__Nation 3, @ahspatfootball 0 – 8:42 1st Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jEm2j1 pic.twitter.com/kCCQMyQu6I
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
The Patriots would get their shot at trying to get points up on the board with their first drive of the game but stalled out after going backward thanks to a pass interference call that would end up hurting the drive.
With the ball back the Rockets proceeded downfield with Jenkins’ lead, finding Anjuan Coleman Jr. for a 9-yard touchdown pass to make it 10-0 for the Rockets with 4:57 left on the clock.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPTOUCHDOWN ROCKETS! Keyone Jenkins to Anjuan Coleman for a 9 yard TD pass!@Roc__Nation 10, @ahspatfootball 0 – 4:57 1st Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/dOPImKxBv2
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
Undeterred, the Patriots were looking to not let things slip away early and they did just that with Blake Murphy under center finishing Jeffar Jean-Noel downfield for 26 yards to move the ball which would be followed up with Mark Fletcher getting another 22 yards before the drive would stall out at the Rockets 23 yards line that would set up the first of three Wylie Shaw field goals, the first being from 40 yards to cut the Rockets’ lead to 10-3 with 2:48 left in the first quarter.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPPatriots on the board with a Wylie Shaw 40 yard field goal!@Roc__Nation 10, @ahspatfootball 3 – 2:48 1st Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/9echg4HnUV
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
From there, Miami Central was not looking to let the foot off the pedal as they quickly moved downfield on a five-play, 80-yard drive that took just 64 seconds off the clock that would be capped off with Jenkins finding Cataurus Hicks for a 41-yard touchdown to make it 17-3 for the Rockets with 1:44 left to go in the first quarter.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPROCKETS STRIKE BACK! Keyone Jenkins to Cataurus Hicks for a 41 yard TD!@Roc__Nation 17, @ahspatfootball 3 – 1:44 1st Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/ClJ7wLlMTJ
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
And if the scoring exchanges were going to stop, that would be the case on the next drive for American Heritage who put together a solid possession to get down to the Miami Central three-yard line aided in part by two Rockets penalties for pass interference and holding that gave the Patriots a free 25 yards plus Fletcher rushing up the gut for 32 yards.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPBlake Murphy finds Brandon Inniss for 24 yards down to end the quarter…@Roc__Nation 17, @ahspatfootball 3 – End of 1st Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/kLJb0C63y2
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
That drive would be capped off with Fletcher scoring from two yards out with 9:48 to go before halftime to make it 17-10 Miami Central.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPTOUCHDOWN AMERICAN HERITAGE! Mark Fletcher in from 2 yards out!@Roc__Nation 17, @ahspatfootball 10 – 9:48 2nd Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/DfjDR5LGoz
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
The Rockets quickly turned around in 93 seconds and responded right back to the Patriots’ score when Jenkins found Corey Washington from 37 yards out to make it 24-10 with 8:15 to go before the half.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPTOUCHDOWN MIAMI CENTRAL! Keyone Jenkins to Corey Washington for a 37 yard TD!@Roc__Nation 24, @ahspatfootball 10 – 8:15 2nd Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/c1h1HaNiqo
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
After that, the Rockets’ defense started to make some adjustments and they were able to force American Heritage to punt on the next drive, but not before the Patriots were able to gain two first downs in the process.
From there Miami Central took the second-to-last drive down to the field with running back Omarion Williams working with Jenkins down the field that would be aided by a huge 26-yard pass from Jenkins to Hicks that would set up Jenkins calling his own number for an eight-yard touchdown with 2:33 left before half to go up 31-10.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPTOUCHDOWN MIAMI CENTRAL! Keyone Jenkins calls his own number for a 5 yard QB keeper TD! @Roc__Nation 31, @ahspatfootball 10 – 2:33 2nd Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/JRjkY4AduT
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
American Heritage, determined to get some points on the board started to kick it up on defense when David Vadalia forced Jonathan Harris to fumble the ball at the 32, giving the Patriots a chance and they would capitalize on that through a 27-yard field goal from Shaw with 35 seconds left to make it 31-13.
Fumble for Miami Central! American Heritage recovers with 1 minute before half #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron pic.twitter.com/u9eazBly0z
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPWylie Shaw with a 27 yard field goal for American Heritage!@Roc__Nation 31, @ahspatfootball 13 – 0:35 2nd Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/0eEW1PI4uR
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
AMERICAN HERITAGE STORMS BACK IN THE SECOND HALF
With the score being 31-13, the Patriots needed to get some points on the board to give them a chance to make it a game but failed to do so on their opening drive, getting all the way down to the Rockets’ two-yard line before Murphy fumbled the ball away that would be recovered by Nathaniel Gibson.
American Heritage gets down to the 2 and the Patriots fumble and the Rockets get the ball with a turnover on downs. It was 4th and 1 only needing less than a yard to get it. #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron pic.twitter.com/wigJGwTgv5
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
The Rockets would not do much with the turnover getting just one first down before the Rockets botched the punt with the ball sailing backward would be recovered by the Patriots at the Rockets’ seven-yard line.
Two plays later, Byron Louis would capitalize for the Patriots with a one-yard run to cut the score to 31-21 with 2:26 left in the third quarter. Brandon Inniss converting on the two-point conversion.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPTOUCHDOWN AMERICAN HERITAGE! Byron Louis with the leaping one yard touchdown run! 2 point try from Murphy to Inniss is good!@Roc__Nation 31, @ahspatfootball 21 – 2:26 3rd Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jEm2j1 pic.twitter.com/JdbdbU7mby
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
However, Miami Central, taking offense to the score, responded quickly in just two plays on the following drive thanks to a Harris 73-yard touchdown run to make it 38-21 Miami Central with 1:51 left in the third.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPTOUCHDOWN MIAMI CENTRAL! Jonathan Harris with a 73 yard bruising run down the Rockets sideline! @Roc__Nation 38, @ahspatfootball 21 – 1:51 3rd Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/KZdYf11CNH
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
American Heritage would respond back with a seven-play, 80-yard drive at the start of the fourth quarter that would be capped off with a Murphy pass to Inniss from six yards out to make it 38-28, Rockets with 10:54 left.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPTOUCHDOWN AMERICAN HERITAGE! Brandon Inniss gets the 6 yard TD pass from Blake Murphy! @Roc__Nation 38, @ahspatfootball 28 – 10:54 4th Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/iN6TKKJSE0
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
That amount of time would give the Patriots room to make it a game and would start to do so when they forced the Rockets to punt once more that would give American Heritage a chance to take the next possession all the way down to the Rockets’ eight-yard line before Shaw would boot in a 25-yard field goal with 5:13 left.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 2M
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPWylie Shaw with a 25 yard field goal for American Heritage to draw the score within one possession!@Roc__Nation 38, @ahspatfootball 31 – 5:13 4th Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/Lgh2ZDA7CQ
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
With the Patriots knowing that they need a defensive stop, they would do just that forcing the Rockets into a rare three-and-out punting the ball back to the Patriots.
In the end, the Rockets would come up with the game-sealing defensive play when Malachi Toney fumbled, forced by Ezekiel Marcellin which was then recovered by Miami commit Rueben Bain who earlier had a moment of recording a sack on Murphy and then flashed the “U” sign after the play.
https://twitter.com/FlaHSFootball/status/1603918803645218817?s=20&t=nB-DLeCaickv9GRgJYjJ-w
American Heritage fumbles it with 1:17 left… Rockets recover! That is going to seal this one up! #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @Prep_Gridiron pic.twitter.com/n8QQFmRLsa
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 17, 2022
HISTORY-MAKING
Miami Central becomes the first program in Florida football history to win four consecutive state championships in a row – twice. The first time came between 2012 and 2015 when the Rockets won four straight before missing the playoffs in 2016 altogether.
The win in Class 2M State Championship game also moved Miami Central up to being tied with Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) and University Christian (Jacksonville) with the third most state championship won by a school at nine. The two teams in front of the Rockets are St. Thomas Aquinas with 13 state championships and Bolles (Jacksonville) with 11.
