Dillard flag football falls in Class 1A title game. Miami High bounced in Class 2A semis

A magical run to the flag football state championship game ended with a thud for Dillard on Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers got a first-hand look at the New England Patriots of flag football in Florida when they went up against Tampa Robinson and were never really in it, falling 41-0 in the 1A title game at Boca Raton High School.

It completed a perfect 16-0 season for Robinson, marking a fourth consecutive 1A state title and fifth in the last six years. The Knights have lost just four games in those six seasons and finished this season with a 605-94 point differential.

That’s what Dillard was up against.

“I’m disappointed in the way we performed,” said Dillard head coach Enewetok Ramsey who coached the Panthers to their only other state title game appearance in 2007 when they lost to Tallahassee Leon. “Once we gave up that touchdown at the beginning of the game and then couldn’t score on our opening drive and then gave up another score, we were in big trouble because they’re a great team.”

Ramsey referred to Robinson’s opening drive when quarterback Macy McClintok, who finished the game 22-of-31 for 249 yards and four touchdowns, marched her team right downfield on the opening drive for a 7-0 lead.

In what turned out to be her team’s best drive of the day, Dillard quarterback Genovea Johnson led the Panthers right back downfield to the Robinson 1-yard line. But on fourth down, she couldn’t handle a high snap from center and the dead ball fumble ended the drive.

McClintok led the Knights right back downfield to make it 14-0, eventually building the lead to 28-0 by halftime.

“Too many mistakes on defense and offensively we just couldn’t get anything going,” said Johnson who combined for 119 of her team’s 178 total yards of offense (65 passing, 54 rushing) and is off to Southern University on a basketball scholarship. “It was still a great season though because there were a lot of teams watching this game today who wish they could’ve been playing in it.”

Johnson got her team in the state title game with a nice performance on Saturday morning when the Panthers (13-2) knocked off St. Cloud Harmony 20-13 in a state semifinal contest. Johnson completed 26-of-39 passes for 224 yards including a pair of scores to Cheryl Cantave.

▪ Class 2A semifinal - Park Vista 27, Miami High 6: The Miami High flag football team fell behind early and was never in it, dropping a 27-6 decision to Park Vista in 2A state semifinal Saturday afternoon at Boca Raton High School in the Stingarees’ first ever state final-four appearance.

“I think our girls may not have come in here as ready as they should’ve been today,” said MHS coach Sedrick Maynard. “I think maybe there might’ve been a little feeling of ‘settling’ for getting to state for the first time.”

Park Vista (16-0) scored twice in the first eight minutes to go up 14-0 and led 21-0 at the half. Miami High (10-3) scored late in the third quarter on a 23 yard touchdown pass from Samylia Ward to Colleen Bucknor to make it 21-6 but the Stingarees dug themselves a hole too early to climb out of.

Added Maynard: “We came out flat and before we looked up, we were down 21-0, Against a really good team like that and the way a flag game moves along with a running clock, it’s nearly impossible to come back from. But I’m still proud of the girls, they did make history getting to state for the first time.”