CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Chaminade-Madonna’s defense smothers Clearwater Central Catholic in rematch to four-peat

MIAMI – Another year, another rematch for Clearwater Central Catholic and Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) as they met for a third consecutive year in a state championship game.

In the end, the results were nearly identical to those of the past two years, with Chaminade-Madonna (13-2) running roughshod over Clearwater Central Catholic (12-3) 42-7, taking home yet another state championship.

Here are five takeaways from the game that took place at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium:

CCC COMMITS SIX TURNOVERS

If there was anything that could go wrong for the Marauders, it did. Without star quarterback Jershaun Newton available for the state championship game after being injured last week during their state semifinal game against Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach), the Marauders had to rely on sophomore quarterback Khayse Barrett for the game and rushing attack that would need to carry the load. It turned out that having your star athlete out could prove costly, and it did with four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions) in the first half that Chaminade-Madonna converted only into seven points. In the second half, it was a fumble recovery return for a touchdown that added insult to injury when Leonzay Merzius scooped up a Marauders fumble and returned it for 78 yards with 2:36 left in the third quarter. To add insult to injury, a late fourth-quarter interception erupted the Lions’ side into celebration.

CHAMINADE-MADONNA STARTS SLOW

The Lions, who got the four turnovers, couldn’t convert all the turnovers into points, and the slow start left some wondering if it would give a window opening to allow the Marauders to have a second-half comeback. While that did not happen, the Lions punted three times and turned the ball once out of six total drives in the first half, with the opening drive going for points and the interception by Kelly Sejour Jr. being the only two drives converted into points. The two touchdown drives were capped off with a Derrek Cooper 51-yard rushing touchdown with 9:58 in the first quarter and a Koby Howard 27-yard touchdown reception from Tyler Chance with 7:00 to go in the second quarter.  

SECOND HALF DOMINANCE

Chaminade-Madonna took advantage of every drive in the second half to seal the deal for good on another state championship victory, taking all three possessions they had and getting points out of them. That included Denarius Gray hauling in a 20-yard touchdown reception from Chance with 5:32 left in the third quarter while Jasen Lopez hauled in an eight-yard touchdown from Chance with 4:45 left in the fourth quarter and the scoring was capped off with a Camari Hall 30-yard touchdown run with 2:58 left in the game which would make it 42-7, the final score.

CCC HAS ONE SOLID DRIVE

Out of all the mishaps of the night for the Marauders, there was one drive that occurred late in the third quarter and capped off with a touchdown early on in the fourth quarter. That drive, an 11-play, 65-yard drive would be capped with a Keo Jenkins one-yard carry that would give Clearwater Central Catholic their only points of the night. That drive would be aided in a couple of big Chaminade-Madonna penalties, including a pass interference penalty that would aid the Marauders to the touchdown.

FOUR-PEAT, SEVEN IN THE LAST NINE YEARS

Looking at the record books, this was Chaminade-Madonna’s ninth consecutive state championship game appearance, all guided under the direction of head coach Dameon Jones. The victory gives the Lions a four-peat for the first time in program history and marks the seventh time they have won their respective state championship game in the last nine years. It is something that no other program in FHSAA playoff history has been able to accomplish.

CHAMINADE-MADONNA HEAD COACH DAMEON JONES

BOX SCORE

Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final
Clearwater Central Catholic | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | — | 7
Chaminade-Madonna | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | — | 42

SCORING SUMMARY

FIRST

CM – Derrek Cooper 51 run (Noah Sidan kick), 9:58

SECOND

CM – Koby Howard 27 pass from Tyler Chance (Sidan kick), 7:00

THIRD

CM – Denarius Gray 20 pass from Chance (Sidan kick), 5:32

CM – Leonzay Merzius 78 fumble recovery (Sidan kick), 2:36

FOURTH

CCC – Keo Jenkins 1 rush (Nicholas Andreopoulos kick), 9:02

CM – Jasen Lopez 8 pass from Chance (Sidan kick), 4:45

CM – Camari Hall 30 rush (Sidan kick), 2:58