FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – With a rematch of the 2019 Class 8A State Championship game, the Apopka Blue Darters and the Columbus Explorers have a little bit of known history with each other.
And even an hour weather delay could not take the excitement out of the air of the final football game of the 2022 high school football season with both teams leaving it all out on the field in the end with Columbus (14-1) upending Apopka (11-4) in overtime 16-13 to give the Explorers their second state championship in four years.
DEFENSE RULED THE FIRST HALF
If there is a story for the first half, it was the defense that told the story of how the half evolved.
However, the Blue Darters wanted to make a statement first as they took their opening drive down the field on a seven-play, 70-yard drive taking a 3-0 lead on a Hayden Koscicki 22-yard field goal. That field goal would be set up thanks to freshman quarterback Tyson Davison’s 61-yard run up the sideline prior to the field goal.
Tyson Davison with a huge 61 yard keeper for a first down for @ApopkaFootball! #flhsfb @HSFBamerica pic.twitter.com/l6yyfnHM4I
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Hayden Koscicki 22 yard field goal for the Blue Darters gives us the first points of the game @ApopkaFootball 3, @ColumbusFtball 0 – 9:24 1st Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/9zA1nM24vG
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
From there, the Blue Darters’ defense went to work against the Explorers’ offense, forcing Columbus to go three-and-out to get the ball back. The hopes of getting more points however led to disappointment when Kaleb Hicks fumbled the ball that was forced out by Dylan Stephenson at the Columbus 22.
That fumble would jump-start the offense for the Explorers that would be capped off with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Alberto Mendoza to Jose Leon to take a 7-3 lead with 2:09 left in the first quarter.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN COLUMBUS! Alberto Mendoza to Jose Leon for a 50 yard touchdown!@ColumbusFtball 7, @ApopkaFootball 3 – 2:09 1st Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/gUg47ez5ug
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
If Apopka was looking to respond back to Columbus, they found out the hard way as they found it hard to get things going as Zeldrick Roberts fumbled in a forced popout by Ja’Juan Bradshaw that Jeffery Brandy would recover at the Explorers’ own 43-yard line.
The single wing offense is hurting Apopka right now… second fumble of the night for the Blue Darters. Columbus recovers! #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/O4TqQhUcoS
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
Columbus could not do much with the turnover punting after going three-and-out after Kevin Roberts sacked Mendoza and Apopka drove down the field looking to get more points before the half, but the Explorers’ defense stood up to put for the Blue Darters to attempt a field goal.
Kevin Roberts in for a huge @ApopkaFootball sack on Columbus QB Alberto Mendoza! #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/o81axZIaUL
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
On the 27-yard attempt by Koscicki, Explorers defensive lineman Derrick Hart blocked the kick when he got his hands up bringing the ball down to the ground, and denying the Blue Darters any points with 4:17 to go before the half.
BLOCKED FIELD GOAL!!!! Derrick Hart got in there to block the Apopka field goal for @ColumbusFtball! #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/AdcJuS86fH
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
After that Columbus would punt on their next drive, but Apopka quickly would find themselves fumbling for the third time when Roberts fumbled again after completing a pass from Tyson Davison. That fumble was forced out by Daylen Russell that was recovered by Miles McGee who returned it for 19 yards with just 31 seconds left before half.
Another fumble for Apopka. @ColumbusFtball recovers with 31 seconds before half #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/iEN5tp2peH
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
Columbus quickly capitalized on the turnover with Mendoza completing a 25-yard pass to Daniel Harper to set up a William Allen 32-yard field goal to make it 10-3 for the Explorers going into the half.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
William Allen boots in a 32 yard field goal for Columbus as we hit half time just less than an hour after kicking off! @ColumbusFtball 10, @ApopkaFootball 3 – HALF #flhsfb @HSFBamerica https://t.co/jCe8jEm2j1 pic.twitter.com/uWovhVNh1v
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
APOPKA ANSWERS BACK IN THE SECOND HALF
With an over an hour weather delay due to thunderstorms in the area that arrived in a timely manner at halftime delayed the start of the third quarter.
Columbus, getting the ball to start the second half couldn’t get anything going but Apopka twice ran into the punter that gave the Explorers a fresh set of downs. After a third time stopping the Explorers, the Blue Darters were able to keep the penalties away and get the ball back.
The third-quarter clock rolled by pretty quickly with the defenses battling it out and not allowing either team to get moving with the closest Apopka came to seeing the endzone going into the early fourth quarter was when they got down to the Columbus 25-yard line.
Having the ball back, Columbus could not do much with the ball punting it back to the Blue Darters but the Explorers were not ready for what Apopka had with their freshman quarterback in Davison blasting it up the middle and breaking several tackles along the way for a 46-yard touchdown run with 4:44 left to tie the game up at 10-10.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN BLUE DARTERS! Freshman Tyson Davison with a 46 yard keeper TD! @ColumbusFtball 10, @ApopkaFootball 10 – 4:44 4th Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica https://t.co/jCe8jEm2j1 pic.twitter.com/pJKWu7VxF3
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
Columbus could do nothing on their final drive of the fourth quarter relying on the defense to make any stops needed to keep the game tied at least in theory.
Instead, the Explorers would come up with their second biggest play of the night blocking a second Koscicki field goal from 33 yards out with Ahmere Foster blocking the field goal and forcing the game to go into overtime.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Columbus blocks the field goal and we are going to OVERTIME in South Florida! @ColumbusFtball 10, @ApopkaFootball 10 – End of 4th Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/vkZHuVQ81b
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
EXPLORERS SPECIAL
Columbus chose to go on defense first, and the Explorers were able to hold the Blue Darters and Koscicki to a 22-yard field goal where Apopka would take a 13-10 lead.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Apopka gets a field goal here in the first overtime…@ApopkaFootball 13, @ColumbusFtball 10 – 1st OT #flhsfb @HSFBamerica https://t.co/jCe8jED5l1 pic.twitter.com/0rmTe9jlHV
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
With their turn on offense Columbus started to move the ball but was facing third and goal from the five-yard line when head coach Dave Dunn drew up what is typically known as the Philly Special which was pitched out to Sedrick Irvin who then pitched it back to AJ Arellano who then found Mendoza waiting in the endzone for the score to win the state championship 16-13.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
COLUMBUS WINS STATE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2019 WITH THIS AMAZING TD PASS IN THE ENDZONE IN OT!@ColumbusFtball 16, @ApopkaFootball 13 – FINAL/OT #flhsfb @HSFBamerica https://t.co/jCe8jElutt pic.twitter.com/S1dDh7psqm
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 18, 2022
HISTORY NOTES
This was Columbus’ second state championship victory in four years having defeated Apopka in 2019 for the Class 8A State Championship, coming back from behind in that game.
Also, this game marks the first time since the 2006 season that two state championship games in the same season went to overtime according to the FHSAA football record book.
