TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – You could not have a much better start than the Columbus (Miami) Explorers had on Friday in the Class 4M State Championship Game.
Columbus scored touchdowns on their first three possessions to build an early lead and they never looked back, beating Mandarin (Jacksonville) 38-19 Friday afternoon at Bragg Memorial Stadium on the campus of Florida A&M University.
Columbus (13-2) got revenge on the Mustangs for Mandarin (11-4) after defeating the Explorers 37-35 in the 2018 Class 8A state championship game. The victory also allowed Columbus to repeat as Class 4M state champions and also captured their third state title in five years for head coach Dave Dunn.
Columbus jumps on Mandarin from the get go
Mandarin punted on the opening drive of the game, and Columbus took advantage of a short field, driving only 43 yards and taking a 7-0 lead as junior Hector Chavez scored from 2 yards out.
CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN COLUMBUS!
Hector Chavez with the carry from 2 yards out and the Explorers strike first here in Tallahassee!
Columbus 7, Mandarin 0 – 8:04 1st Q https://t.co/FExbPZFobD #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB @FACACoach @FHS7v7A @scorestream… pic.twitter.com/iaCzsQerj0
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 8, 2023
After another Mandarin punt, the Explorers drove 57 yards in just four plays, with junior running back Agyeman Addae rushing for a ten-yard score and a 14-0 Columbus lead.
CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN COLUMBUS!
Agyeman Addae with the 10 yard rushing touchdown on the next play after the huge reception and the Explorers extend the lead!
Columbus 14, Mandarin 0 – 5:22 1st Q https://t.co/FExbPZFobD #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB… pic.twitter.com/kT6kXd49jZ
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 8, 2023
Then after a Mandarin touchdown cut the Explorers lead to 14-6, Columbus drove 63 yards in seven plays with senior running back Eric Bandy scoring from six yards for a 21-6 lead as the Explorers scored touchdowns on each of their first three drives.
CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN COLUMBUS!
Agyeman Addae with the 10 yard rushing touchdown on the next play after the huge reception and the Explorers extend the lead!
Columbus 14, Mandarin 0 – 5:22 1st Q https://t.co/FExbPZFobD #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB… pic.twitter.com/kT6kXd49jZ
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 8, 2023
Mandarin gets back in the game
Columbus put together another drive later in the second quarter, but fumbled at the Mandarin 13-yard line. The Mustangs  drove 86 yards in nine plays with senior running back Tiant Wyche scoring from 21 yards out with 33 seconds left in the first half, and Mandarin now only trailed 21-13 at halftime.
CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN MANDARIN!
Mustangs cash in on the turnover with a Tiant Wyche 20 yard touchdown run on 4th down! What a run!
Columbus 21, Mandarin 13 – 0:33 2nd Q https://t.co/FExbPZFobD #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB @FACACoach @FHS7v7A… pic.twitter.com/pRMyzSi0yq
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 8, 2023
Third quarter makes things interesting
With the Explorers, they put together a drive to start the third quarter that resulted in a one-yard touchdown by Bandy to extend the lead 28-13 with less than four minutes chipped off the clock.
CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN COLUMBUS!
Edward Bandy punches it in from 1 yard out!
Columbus 28, Mandarin 13 – 8:32 3rd Q https://t.co/FExbPZFobD #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB @FACACoach @FHS7v7A @scorestream @ThePrepZone @ridaught @mpallman pic.twitter.com/KzDw07CMYF
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 8, 2023
Mandarin proceeded to respond quickly to the Columbus score that was in part started thanks to a huge kickoff return by Wyche. That drive, a 41-yard, four play drive was capped off that culminated with junior quarterback Tramell Jones throwing a 30-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Jamie Ffrench.
CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN MANDARIN!
Tramell Jones to Jaime Ffrench for a 30 yard TD pass! Mustangs responded quickly there but are having trouble converting the point after attempts.
Columbus 28, Mandarin 19 – 6:34 3rd Q https://t.co/FExbPZFobD #flhsfb… pic.twitter.com/ylWK0E5l12
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 8, 2023
Mandarin put together an eight play, 54-yard drive on the opening possession of the third quarter, but senior kicker Ben Hipp missed a 36-yard field goal and the Mustangs came up with no points from the sustained driv
Columbus gets back on track and pulls away from Mandarin
From there it was Columbus who would put the game away for good in part to continued special teams miscues after putting together an eight play, 54-yard drive after getting a stop with kicker Ben Hipp missing a 36-yard field goal.
Ben Hipp’s 36 yard field goal for Mandarin is no good. Mustangs come way with no points on that drive. #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/zm9Pni1xAU
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 8, 2023
Columbus would score the game’s final ten points in two and half minutes and that was pretty much it for Columbus as they cruised to back-to-back state titles.
CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN COLUMBUS!
Alberto Mendoza to Bryce Fitzgerald for a 25 yd TD reception and the Explorers extend the lead here to start the 4th Q!
Columbus 35, Mandarin 19 – 11:41 4th Q https://t.co/FExbPZFobD #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB @FACACoach… pic.twitter.com/gFKG6JPmgW
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 8, 2023
CLASS 4M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
FIELD GOAL COLUMBUS!
Explorers get points from the turnover with a Robert Czeremcha 37 yard field goal!
Columbus 38, Mandarin 19 – 8:54 4th Q https://t.co/FExbPZFobD #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @DanLaForestFB @FACACoach @FHS7v7A @scorestream @ThePrepZone… pic.twitter.com/59JSfcNDfa
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 8, 2023
Offenses rule the day
Both teams offenses had a pretty good day, with Columbus only outgaining Mandarin 419 yards to 379. Both teams also had one turnover, as each lost a fumble.
Senior quarterback Albert Mendoza had a huge game, throwing for 149 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 138 yards and a score. Mendoza had 287 of the Explorers 419 total yards. Edward Bandy added 90 yards on the ground and two touchdowns as three different running backs had scores for Columbus.
On the Mustangs side, Jones was 19-of-27 for 229 yards and two touchdowns but was sacked four times by the Columbus defense. Ffrench caught seven passes for 101 yards and those two scores, and Wyche led Mandarin on the ground with 94 yards on 11 carries and another TD.
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