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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – St. Augustine and Mainland (Daytona Beach) were on the hunt for their first state championship in a long time – 18 years for St. Augustine and 20 years for Mainland, only one was going to come away victorious in to be able to hoist the 2023 Class 3S State Championship.
With the Yellow Jackets playing for a state championship for the first time since 2007 and the Buccaneers in their second straight state championship appearance knew that everything was going to be left on the field in front of a solid crowd of fans from both teams at Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
However, it was was a walk-off field goal that would seal the deal for Mainland (14-1) over St. Augustine (13-1) with a 21-19 victory to give the Buccaneers their first state championship victory in 20 years.
Gettman does it for Mainland
Talk about a wild game that saw just two lead changes, all coming in the fourth quarter, it was a crucial stop on third down for Mainland late in the fourth quarter that forced St. Augustine to defend the smallest of all margins of a lead up 19-18.
Relying on DJ Murray who was athletic for the Buccaneers all entire game, to orchestrate the drive of the year for Mainland as they took over at their own 49-yard line after the Yellow Jackets punt.
After one first down thanks to the help of Khamani Robinson, Mainland was facing fourth down and two at the the St. Augustine 29 yard line when a false start penalty was called backing the Buccaneers up to the St. Augustine 34 yard line. It was on that fourth down play that Murray found Marquis McCants from 13 yards out that put the Buccaneers at the Yellow Jackets 23.
On the very next play, knowing that the closer the ball was to the end zone the better the chances would be for Jacob Gettman to kick the game-winning field goal who had already a field goal blocked in the first-half of the game, Murray rushed 18 yards to the St. Augustine five-yard line with the clock ticking down. After a loss of one Rodney Hill that is when head coach Travis Roland called the biggest play of his coaching career to send Gettman out for a 23-yard field goal attempt.
At first, it appeared that the Buccaneers had snapped the ball to kick the field goal which would have missed, but St. Augustine holding a final timeout in the back pocket, called it to try to ice Gettman. That instead gave Gettman time to reset himself and get in better position to knock the game-winning field goal through the uprights to seal the 21-19 victory.
CLASS 3S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
WALK OFF FIELD GOAL!!!! MAINLAND WINS!!! BUCS STATE CHAMPIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS!
Mainland 21, St. Augustine 18 – FINAL https://t.co/HaPIJUVy2F #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB @FACACoach @FHS7v7A @scorestream @ThePrepZone @ridaught… pic.twitter.com/pxN1H0ErTI
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 7, 2023
Special teams and defense rules in the first half
With St. Augustine receiving the opening kickoff, it was Trenton Jones who found the open lane and made the statement to start the game in 63-degree weather returning the opening kickoff for 96-yards to take a quick 7-0 lead with just 14 seconds taken off the clock.
CLASS 3S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN ST. AUGUSTINE!
Trenton Jones takes the opening kickoff back for six! 96 yard return!
St. Augustine 7, Mainland 0 – 11:46 1st Q https://t.co/HaPIJUVy2F #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB @FACACoach @FHS7v7A @scorestream @ThePrepZone… pic.twitter.com/bBj9nYoN54
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 7, 2023
From there it was defense that would dominate for the majority of the first quarter where both teams exchanged punts early on. That is despite the fact that Mainland ended up having way more yardage and plays compared to St. Augustine.
However, as the end of the first quarter came to a close, Jacob Gettman lined up to kick a 37-yard field goal for what would have given the Buccaneers for the first points of the game ended up being blocked by Ja’ki Singleton and recovered by Marquice King for 67 yards to put the Yellow Jackets up 13-0, a score that would carry into the locker room at halftime.
CLASS 3S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN ST. AUGUSTINE!
Special Teams does it for the Yellow Jackets blocking Jacob Gettman’s 37 yard FG and Marquice King returning it for the scoop and score!
St. Augustine 13, Mainland 0 – 0:50 1st Q https://t.co/XjXV6Kw9WA #flhsfb @HSFBamerica… pic.twitter.com/eWSlJj85MX
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 7, 2023
Defense dominated first half outside of special teams
Outside of the two special team scores by St. Augustine, the defense was the story of the game with both teams in the first half despite Mainland running 40 plays for 220 yards compared to the Yellow Jackets running just 13 plays for 40 yards. St. Augustine only recorded a total of five first downs while Mainland had 12 first downs in the half.
STATS AT HALF:
First Downs: Mainland – 12; St. Augustine – 5
Total Yards: Mainland – 40 plays, 220 yards; St. Augustine – 13 plays, 40 yards;It has been two special teams plays that have given St. Augustine the lead over Mainland here at the half. That is the story. #flhsfb
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 7, 2023
Second half proves more fruitful for Mainland
The second half proved more fruitful for the Buccaneers who started to claw back at the deficit to start the second half as Murray orchestrated a 92-yard drive in nine plays that would be capped off with a McCants 15 yard touchdown reception that would cut the score down to 13-6 after the two point conversion failed.
CLASS 3S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN MAINLAND!
DJ Murray finds Clarence McCloud from 15 yards out for their first points of the game. PAT no good!
St. Augustine 13, Mainland 6 – 8:06 3rd Q https://t.co/HaPIJUVy2F #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB @FACACoach @FHS7v7A… pic.twitter.com/yamM46JcT7
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 7, 2023
With the ball back in hand for St. Augustine the Yellow Jackets worked on marching down the field to get more points in the attempt to extend their lead back out to a two possession game but a 30-yard field goal missed by Logan Wandzilak gave Mainland the ball back needing 80-yards to march downfield and did that in seven plays taking just 1:49 off the clock to make it 13-12 St. Augustine going into the fourth quarter as another two-point conversion failed that would have given the Buccaneers the lead. That drive was capped off with a four-yard touchdown run by Hill.
CLASS 3S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN MAINLAND!
Rodney Hill on the keeper from 4 yards out! 2 point conversion is no good!
St. Augustine 13, Mainland 12 – 0:31 3rd Q https://t.co/HaPIJUVy2F #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB @FACACoach @FHS7v7A @scorestream @ThePrepZone… pic.twitter.com/FZxx5vec5r
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 7, 2023
The Buccaneers, fired up, after the latest touchdown saw their defense go at it fast as Jhavin Westbrook intercepted a Locklan Hewlett pass at their own 48-yard line. That interception would result in a 44-yard touchdown run by Murray to put the Buccaneers up 18-13 with 10:28 left in the game and again with a two-point conversion failing.
CLASS 3S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN MAINLAND!
DJ Murray on 4th down breaks free on the QB keeper! 2 point conversion no good but Bucs have taken the lead here at Bragg!
Mainland 18, St. Augustine 13 – 10:24 4th Q https://t.co/HaPIJUVy2F #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB… pic.twitter.com/sNYA9ZUvlF
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 7, 2023
However after giving up three straight touchdowns, St. Augustine was determined to get the game back under control and that is when Hewlett orchestrated a five-play, 73-yard drive that would be capped off with a 52-yard touchdowns reception by Carl Jenkins Jr. to retake the lead 19-18 with 8:40 left to go in the game.
CLASS 3S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN ST. AUGUSTINE!
Locklan Hewlett finds Carl Jenkins Jr. for a 52 yard TD reception and Yellow Jackets retake the lead! 2 point conversion is no good.
St. Augustine 19, Mainland 18 – 8:40 4th Q https://t.co/HaPIJUVy2F #flhsfb @HSFBamerica… pic.twitter.com/Ml3tXAs3p8
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 7, 2023
Roland makes history; Buccaneers extend all-time series lead
For Mainland head coach Travis Roland, he is the first head coach in Volusia County to win a state championship with the same program he also won a state championship with as Roland was a part of the Buccaneers Class 5A state championship winning team! Buccaneers.
Also, according to former St. Augustine Record reporter, Will Brown, Mainland now leads the all-time series with St. Augustine (previously known as Ketterlinus High School prior to the move from downtown in the 1950’s) to 18-5-1. The meeting today between the Buccaneers and the Yellow Jackets marked the first meeting between the program since St. Augustine defeated Mainland 13-10 in 1996.
