Sedrick Irvin’s early-second half run ignites Columbus comeback win
Sedrick Irvin Jr. took a second-half handoff, lowered his helmet and punished a group of defenders before squeezing through for a 51-yard gain, shifting momentum for Columbus in a 28-10 win over Palmetto on Friday at Tropical Park.
“It was a great call,” said Irvin, who logged 19 carries for 143 yards. “It lined up perfectly. I got to the safety, shrugged him off and just kept going.”
Irvin’s long sprint set up a go-ahead, 4-yard touchdown run by Edward Bandy. The Explorers, who trailed by three at halftime, scored 21 unanswered over the final two quarters.
“I’m just happy we were able to stay focused,” Irvin said of the 4-0 Explorers. “We kept our composure and did a great job of getting the win.”
Neither offense could net big plays early on, but two first-half turnovers put the Explorers in an early hole. Palmetto kicker Patrick Keough put the first points on the board with a 38-yard field at the end of the first quarter.
The Explorers answered when Alberto Mendoza split Panthers defenders with an 11-yard rope of a touchdown toss to A.J. Arellano midway through the second.
A fumbled punt return later in the quarter gave the Panthers (1-3) the ball deep in Explorer territory.
Panthers quarterback Lucas Goenaga, who started the game 7-for-7, ended that drive with an 11-yard touchdown toss to 6-foot-5 tight end Blake Brookins 30 seconds before halftime.
Irvin’s long play out of the locker room — and Bandy’s finish — then ignited the Explorers’ second-half inferno.
Mendoza later connected with Jose Leon for the longest play of the night, an 80-yard touchdown pass with 9:11 remaining.
Cornerback Jancent Wallace added an interception for a touchdown in the final minutes to put an exclamation point on the victory.
Mendoza completed 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and two scores. Leon totaled 102 yards on three catches. Goenaga completed 20 of 28 passes for 202 yards and one score for the Panthers. Wide receiver Jacory Barney totaled 109 yards on five catches in the loss.
Star linebacker T.J. Capers totaled two sacks for the Explorers.
“I love my defensive line,” Capers said. “They make the game so much easier for the linebackers. I give them all the glory.”
The Explorers will play their next game at 7 p.m. Thursday at Northwestern. The Panthers will kick off at 7 p.m. Friday at Vero Beach.
MORE SCORES
No. 2 Chaminade-Madonna 42, No. 4 American Heritage 34; No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas 38, No. 8 Western 0; No. 6 Cardinal Gibbons 34, St. Petersburg Northeast 6; No. 7 Northwestern 42, No. 19 Edison 22; No. 11 Booker T. Washington 41, La Salle 19; No. 12 Norland 29, 15. Monsignor Pace 12; No. 16 Miramar 38, Flanagan 0; No. 17 Plantation 21, No. 13 Coconut Creek 14; No. 18 Blanche Ely 42, Coral Springs 0; Krop 24, No. 20 Avant Garde 20; Stranahan 19, Boyd Anderson 6; Camden County (Ga.) 48, Somerset Academy 21; Calvary Christian 25, Clewiston 14; Cardinal Newman 52, Doral 31; Coral Shores 35, Sunset 0; Deerfield Beach 50, Everglades 12; Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer 27, West Broward 13; Key West 44, Dade Christian 6; Everglades Prep 35, Palm Glades Prep 6; Ferguson 33, Varela 6; Goleman 25, Westland Hialeah 10; Hialeah 28, Miami Beach 26; Hialeah Gardens 36, Mourning 0; Jensen Beach 33, Douglas 30; Killian 29, South Dade 22; McArthur 31, Cooper City 7; Monarch 64, Piper 42; North Broward Prep 44, Northeast 0; Okeechobee d. Archbishop McCarthy (forfeit); Pine Crest 27, American Heritage-Delray 13; Nova 14, Hollywood Hills 6; Ransom Everglades 21, Palmer Trinity 16; South Broward 36, Hallandale 0; South Miami 53, Somerset Silver Palms 12; Southridge 30, Belen Jesuit 17; NSU University School 43, Miami Country Day 0; Taravella 48, Pines Charter 9; Valdosta (Ga.) 56, Coral Glades 0; Westminster Christian 32, Somerset South Homestead 7.
This story was originally published September 16, 2022 at 11:59 PM.