PAHOKEE -- Things looked bright for the University School when senior Jeremy Mathis' 38-yard interception return on the first play from scrimmage put the Suns ahead 6-0.

After that, though, it was all Pahokee. The Blue Devils' 46-6 win ended the Suns' perfect season and put a screeching halt to their dream of winning a state championship in only their third season of football.

The Blue Devils went ahead 7-6 on their next play from scrimmage when De'Jousha Johnson, a surprise starter at quarterback, connected with Nu'Keese Richardson, the regular quarterback, on a 66-yard touchdown pass.

The Suns offense never got on track, totaling only 82 yards in the game. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils added a touchdown late in the second quarter on a 9-yard run by Vincent Smith.

The 14 points the Blue Devils scored in the first half equalled the most the Suns had given up in a game this season.

In the second half, the Blue Devils took control, scoring four more touchdowns and a field goal. Pahokee also scored a safety when a snap to senior quarterback Erik Applegate went through the back of the end zone

''Coming in I felt we were going to win, but they [the Blue Devils] came back and played,'' said Mathis.

Suns coach Roger Harriott was proud of the way his team played, despite the outcome.

''We struggled with some things, but that happens when you're a new school with little experience,'' Harriott said.

Applegate completed only two of 12 passes for 42 yards, while Pahokee's Johnson connected on 10 of 17 for 225 yards. Applegate was sacked six times.

''We gave them great field position at times,'' Harriott said. ``When you give a team liike Pahokee, with the explosive athletes they have, that kind of field position, they are going to take advantage of it.''

Region 4-2A final -- Gulliver 47, Archbishop Carroll 30: It's safe to say Gulliver Prep's victory over Archbishop Carroll is one the Raiders have been waiting on for a long time.

When a pregame brawl against Carroll in 2007 caused several suspensions for its football team and tarnished its season while Carroll went on to the state semifinals, Gulliver Prep's players vowed to never lose control again

When a two-point conversion that could've tied the game was stopped by Carroll's stout defense on Oct. 24, causing the Raiders to lose their chance at a district title, Gulliver Prep longed for yet another chance at a rematch.

And when the two teams met once again in the Region 4-2A finals on Friday night, Gulliver Prep finally got its revenge.

In a matchup that pinned the stingy defense and grind-it-out running attack of Carroll against the pass-happy, explosive arsenal of Gulliver, it was the Raiders that couldn't be stopped when they had the ball.

Darian Mallary rushed for 235 yards and three touchdowns, Michael Strauss threw for 335 yards and four scores -- three of them to Daniel Rodriguez -- and Gulliver pulled away in the second half.

With the victory, the Raiders (10-1) advance to the state semifinals against Tampa Catholic and are two wins away from capturing their first state championship since 2000.

But Gulliver coach Earl Sims is never one to look ahead.

''We're just one win away two times,'' Sims said.

``This is very sweet. It looked like it was going to go another way at a time in the game, but those guys buckled their chin straps real tight, put their mouth pieces in and got ready to go.''

-- ALDEN GONZALEZ

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