Columbus rallies and snaps Tampa Jesuit’s lengthy winning streaks
Columbus showed Friday night on its home field why it may have the ingredients necessary to win a state championship this season.
The Explorers have playmakers in all three phases of the game, and each stepped up to help them secure an impressive 32-15 comeback victory over Tampa Jesuit - a state champion last season in Class 6A.
Columbus (3-0), ranked No. 6 in the Miami Herald’s South Florida Top 20, snapped a pair of winning streaks for the visiting Tigers (2-1). Jesuit had won 17 in a row overall and 29 consecutive games in regular season games, which was the longest active streak in the state.
The Explorers are chasing their second state title in school history this season.
Senior defensive back Ahmere Foster, who is the lone returning player from that 2019 championship team, recorded two interceptions in Friday’s game including a crucial takeaway at midfield halfway through the third quarter.
On the ensuing play, Columbus running back Sedrick Irvin caught a deep pass down the far sideline on a wheel route from quarterback Alberto Mendoza and raced for a 50-yard score which put the Explorers ahead 19-15.
Columbus finished the game with 25 unanswered points and would not trail again after that Irvin touchdown.
“That first pick was really big after we were down at the half,” Foster said. “We just had to put the offense back on the field and capitalize.”
Irvin, a Stanford commitment, paced a balanced Columbus offense with three touchdowns overall. Irvin caught two of Mendoza’s three touchdown passes and later ran for a 1-yard score that was set up by a spectacular leaping catch by Fadrelle Andrus two plays earlier.
“This is just one of those games we knew would be a test,” Irvin said. “We came knowing this would be a dogfight and that we’re going to be in games like this all the time on the road to a state championship.”
Columbus’ defensive front created constant pressure led by Daylen Russell, who recorded a sack and had a key fumble recovery that helped the Explorers begin to pull away.
“I thought we weren’t good on offense the whole preseason and it was because of our defensive line. They made it really hard on us,” Columbus coach Dave Dunn said. “This is a team that’s built from the inside out and it showed tonight.”
Columbus’ special teams contributed greatly to the second half shutout as punter Christian de Villiers delivered two punts of over 50 yards and twice pinned Jesuit inside its own 20 including once at its own 1-yard line. That series ended with Foster’s interception.
“Christian has an unbelievable leg and he works really hard at it, and is coming up really big for us,” Dunn said. “We have a pretty good coverage team in there and he always gives us great distance and hang time.”
Jesuit hit two big plays early, scoring on the game’s first snap when Joquez Smith broke through the middle and ran for an 80-yard touchdown.
After Columbus cut Jesuit’s lead to 8-7 on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Mendoza to Jose Leon, Tigers’ freshman quarterback Will Griffin later hit Jarriett Bouie for an 85-yard touchdown pass.
This story was originally published September 10, 2022 at 12:29 AM.
