Poor first quarter dooms Plantation in Class 7A tri-county tournament title game

It started ominously and only got worse for the Plantation football team on Friday night.

The Colonels botched the opening kickoff allowing a short pooch kick to be recovered by their opponent and fell behind on the second play of the game.

The plate was set.

After cruising through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the 7A Tri-County championship playoffs, No. 2 seed Plantation found itself matched against a much tougher opponent in No. 1 Delray Beach Atlantic and simply could not overcome a disastrous first quarter as Atlantic cruised to a surprisingly lopsided 44-6 victory at Traz Powell Stadium.

Just three years removed from playing in the 8A state championship game, Atlantic, which finished 8-1, jumped all over Plantation by scoring just 20 seconds into the game and led the Colonels 21-0 before the first quarter ended.

“You can’t start a game the way we did against anybody let alone a great team like Atlantic and not expect to pay for it and we did,” Plantation coach Steve Davis said. “We talked about it all week about trying to start fast and we did just the opposite. They’ve got a great team. That’s a state championship team out there. They might’ve had a shot to win state if they had opted in.”

The Eagles got that early scoring chance when their opening kickoff into a stiff wind only traveled 20 yards. The ball dropped in between Plantation players and Atlantic won the scrum for the ball.

One play later, Eagles quarterback Guenson Alexis bolted through a big hole on a read option play for a 35-yard touchdown and the rout was on.

Even after the Eagles made their only mistake of the first half when they fumbled the ball away at their own 22 on their second series, the Plantation offense, thanks to two penalties and a sack, went backwards eventually punted it away.

The Colonels’ secondary got caught right in the middle of that first-quarter nightmare. Despite facing a 2nd-and-29 at the Plantation 34, Alexis dropped back and fired a perfect deep ball to a wide open Tyler Burke in the end zone to make it 14-0.

Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Atlantic’s Jaylin Hunter picked off Plantation quarterback Cedquan Smith to set his team up at the Colonel 45. Two plays later, Alexis dropped back and again played pitch-and-catch to another wide open receiver, Rashawn Faustine and it was 21-0.

Trailing 28-0, the Colonels (4-2) finally showed some life when they put together their only scoring drive of the night, marching 80 yards in 10 plays with Smith finding University of Miami-bound wide receiver Jacolby George in the end zone for an 18-yard score 4:36 before halftime.

When the Eagles gambled and lost, going for it on a fourth and 4 from their own 46 and botching the snap, Plantation actually had a chance to put another one in the end zone before halftime and perhaps get back in the game.

The Colonels drove to the 19 but a fourth down Smith pass to the end zone was picked off by Marquis Lyman.

When Atlantic took the second half kickoff and marched 60 yards in eight plays, aided by a fake punt on fourth-and-three from their own 47 that went for 26 yards, Alexis trotted into the end zone from five yards out untouched to make it 35-6 and the Colonels were done.

“We just didn’t come out ready to fight,” said a dejected George, who finished with five catches for 49 yards and the touchdowns. “We let them get the ball at the start of the game and dug ourselves a hole and we just never responded. A really disappointing night.”

Norland wins 6A-1A Silver title

Things have been a little on the lean side in recent years for the Norland football program. So one could understand why the Viking players were in quite a celebratory mood early Friday evening as they showed off their championship medals and trophy following a 41-28 victory over Coconut Creek in the 6A-1A Silver Division of the Tri-County Playoff Championship series.

Ever since Duke Johnson led the Vikings to a state title in 2011, head coach Daryl Heidelburg has battled to try and keep his program relevant, struggling trying to keep up with the likes of Carol City (2016 state champs), Central and Northwestern.

“Those were some great days,” said Heidelburg. “But those days are in the past and it’s not about me, it’s about these kids who are here now trying to rebuild this thing up. Winning this championship is a great accomplishment and exciting for them and something we can really build on going into the offseason.”

Following a 2-2 regular season, the Vikings took their No. 4 seeding and rolled to lopsided wins over No. 5 South Miami and a 34-7 beatdown of top seeded Hallandale last week. Friday afternoon’s contest against Creek appeared to be well in hand after quarterback Deon Parker found Javin Simpkins for a 27-yard touchdown off a screen pass on 3rd and 11. It marked the third time the two had hooked up for a touchdown and put the Vikings up 34-15 with 4:47 left in the third.

But the No. 2 seeded Cougars had plenty of fight left as they put together an answering drive resulting in a 1-yard touchdown by Keshawn Hudson to make it 34-22. Then, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Parker got crunched by a blitzing linebacker causing a fumble which Jamesley Fenelon turned into a 27 yard scoop-and-score touchdown. Just like that it was 34-28. The Cougar defense then held the Viking offense twice and the offense had two more possessions to try and go down the field and win it but never crossed midfield.

Keyon Meza picked off a Creek pass on fourth-and-15 with two minutes left at midfield and returned it 35 yards to the 15. Three plays later, Parker scored from 12 yards out on a quarterback keeper to wrap things up.

“Me and Deon are really close on and off the field and we really hooked up together today,” said Simpkins. “It feels great to be the champs and be able to put medals around our neck and I can’t wait until next year.”

Girls’ basketball

▪ Miami Killian 54, Northwestern 36: Killian: Khaliyah Simms 21 pts, 11 rebs; Jada Beneby 21 pts, 5 ast.

▪ North Miami 65, Mourning 7: Carla Jean 12 pt, 14 reb, 11 stl, 9 ass, 6 blc; Cyerah Parham 19 pts, 3 stl; Myiesha Herard 11 pts; Kouraje Johnson 8 pts, 3 reb, 3 stl, 2 assist; Jenny Hilary 6 pt, 11 reb, 2 stl, 2 assist; Byars Tamoi 2 pts, reb, 3 stl.

Boys’ basketball

▪ Palmer Trinity 67, St. Brendan 35: PT(3-1): Robertson III 13, A. Fumagalli 13, McCray 12, Friedland 8, Lopez 8, Waldman 7. St. Brendan: Navarro 11, Alicea 9, Diaz 6. HT: PT 35-12. Three-pointers: Navarro 3, Alicea 3, Robertson III 2, Rodriguez, Vanela, Friedland, A. Fumagalli. Rebounds: D. Fumagalli 6, Waldman 5. Steals: Friedland 3, McCray 3, Robertson III 2, Waldman 2. Assists: McCray 3.

▪ Palmer Trinity 66, Pinecrest Prep Charter 26: PT(4-1): Friedland, D. Fumagalli 12, Robertson III 10, Pottinger 9, McCray 9. PPC: Alvarez 13, Chinno 8. HT: PT 37-9. Three-pointers: Friedland 3, Alvarez 3, Chino 2, McCray, Pottinger. Rebounds: Lopez 6, Friedland 5, Robertson III 4. Steals: Robertson III 6, Friedland 5, D. Fumagalli 2, Hernandez 2. Assists: Friedland 5, Lopez 4, Robertson III 3.

Boys’ soccer

▪ Columbus 1, Westminster Christian 0: Dominik Iglesias 1 goal. Leibkuchler shut out.

This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 11:17 PM.