Continuing family legacy, Mendoza throws 3 TDs to lead Columbus to convincing win
Since his freshman season, Alberto Mendoza watched and learned from his older brother, Fernando, as he guided Columbus to numerous victories as their starting quarterback.
For two years, Alberto waited for his opportunity.
On Friday night, he made the best of it, throwing three touchdown passes in his first career start and leading the Explorers to a 41-15 season-opening victory over Georgia powerhouse Benedictine Prep in front of a near-capacity crowd of more than 6,000 at Tropical Park.
“My brother has really been a great mentor to me and I’ve learned a lot from him and I feel honored to be the starting quarterback here,” Mendoza said.
Fernando graduated last season after two seasons as Columbus starter and earned a scholarship to play at the University of California-Berkeley.
Alberto secured the starting spot after a preseason competition with junior Adrian Posse, who has since transferred to Miami Edison.
Mendoza helped Columbus’ offense set the tone early, throwing his first two touchdown passes on the Explorers’ first and third drives of the game.
“It didn’t surprise me because he’s a football junkie and he is all in, just like his brother was, to be a great quarterback,” Columbus coach Dave Dunn said. “He’s always working, in film, in meetings. He earned the opportunity to start here and performed very well. There’s some things he knows he can clean up and continue to get better.”
Columbus (1-0) showed off a balanced attack as it amassed over 100 yards collectively on the ground led by Sedrick Irvin Jr., a Stanford commit. Irvin Jr. scored a pair of touchdowns and Edward Bandy ran for another.
Two of Mendoza’s touchdown tosses went to junior receiver Jose Leon. The first from 12 yards out was set up when Dariell Harper returned the opening kickoff 70 yards to the Benedictine 25.
The other came when Mendoza hit Ahmere Foster in stride over the middle and Foster surged ahead of the Cadets’ defense to complete a 67-yard score to put Columbus ahead 14-7 late in the first quarter.
“I felt good and I knew I was coming in prepared,” Mendoza said. “I felt like we were going to dominate and we just tore them apart. All the receivers really helped me.
“We’ve done a lot of work in the offseason and I think we’ve built a connection that will last this season and next season. Our offensive linemen are great and our passing game was great.”
Foster, who is one of only two senior starters on Columbus’ defense, barely left the field as he also returned kicks.
TJ Capers, a five-star 2024 edge rush prospect, recorded a sack as did Robert Williams, Rodolfo Sori and Miles McGee. Cameron Pineda had an interception and Jancent Wallace recorded a clutch pass breakup in the second quarter on a deep pass down the sideline saving a touchdown.
The Explorers, who were eliminated in the state semifinals a year ago, are one of the favorites in the new Class 4M. Columbus, which takes on Killian next week before a major test on the road against Tampa Jesuit, will likely have to contend with familiar foes such as Davie Western and Miami Palmetto in the postseason.
Dunn knows that as well as his team performed on Friday, there is still improvement that needs to be made if Columbus can secure the school’s second state title in four years.
“We might have taken only 30 live snaps the whole preseason and it showed at times when we did tackle well or block well, but we had no turnovers in the game and we ran and threw the ball effectively,” Dunn said. “But we still have to get better.”
This story was originally published August 27, 2022 at 12:58 AM.
