Miami Central returns to first state title game since 2015 after narrow win at Palmetto

Rickey Wright collided with Kobe Mays and jarred the ball loose.

It was a defensive play that Miami Central needed to hold off Palmetto, 34-30, in a Class 6A state semifinal at Harllee Stadium on Friday.

The Rockets advanced to the 6A state championship game in Daytona with the victory, where they’ll face Pensacola Escambia, who defeated Tampa Gaither 45-21 in the other semifinal.

“I just wanted it more,” said Wright, one of Central’s senior defensive backs. “Just for my team.”

Central (11-3) was in a back-and-forth game with Palmetto (12-2) throughout Friday’s state semifinal.

While the Rockets controlled the line of scrimmage with their patented running game, the Tigers capitalized on big plays to trail 21-16 at halftime.

After scoring on the second-half’s opening possession, Palmetto extended its lead to 30-21 before Central scored the final 14 points.

The game, which had several momentum-swinging plays, took its final turn in Central’s favor with Palmetto’s final two possessions.

The Tigers had the ball in Central territory following Eddravian Butler’s big kick return. An Xavier Williams 35-yard touchdown pass to Sagel Hickson to propel Palmetto back in front was negated by a holding penalty.

Multiple false start penalties on the drive also stunted the Tigers, who turned the ball over on downs in the final minutes.

But Palmetto’s defense forced Central into a quick three-and-out to get the ball back with less than two minutes remaining.

A potential game-winning drive, however, was over as soon as it began: Palmetto senior wide receiver Kobe Mays fumbled from Wright’s hit.

Central chewed off the remaining clock to secure the program’s first state championship game appearance since 2015.

“Palmetto, they have a great team, great coaching staff, great environment,” Central head coach Roland Smith said. “Our kids withstand all they had to fight (Friday) and were lucky to come out of here with a victory.”

Central scored on three drives of 11, 14 and 14 plays during the first half. The Rockets long scoring drives, where they pounded the ball on the ground, limited Palmetto to only 13 offensive plays — minus punts — in the first two quarters.

Central led by five points, though, through a bad snap on a punt that resulted in a safety and Palmetto’s Daemon Hill returning an interception 103 yards for a touchdown.

“When I grabbed it, I knew it was a big game so big-time players make big-time plays,” Hill said. “So I had to take it home and put some points on the board for the defense.”

Smith said the Rockets were battle-tested, having played nationally-ranked St. Frances (Baltimore, Maryland), Booker T. Washington, Northwestern and other top schools in South Florida. He credited the tough schedule for preparing his players against a difficult Palmetto team..

Smith said Palmetto had one of the better offenses they’ve faced this year and the best they’ve encountered in the playoffs so far.

“We wanted to keep up the tradition of winning,” Smith said. “The last time we had a team that won a state championship came from Miami through here in 2011 was Miami Norland with Duke Johnson. I told my guys, ‘We need to be that next team to do the same thing.’ Because we like to represent our county and our league year-in and year-out.”

This story was originally published November 30, 2019 at 8:35 AM.