‘Big Diesel’ fuels Goleman’s comeback win over American in conclusion of suspended game

His nickname is “Big Diesel.”

And that could never have been more appropriate for Goleman defender David Mitchell on Wednesday afternoon.

In a big showdown with fellow undefeated foe American – a game that had to be suspended last Friday at Milander Stadium and resumed with 10:46 left in the game with American clinging to a 14-12 lead – Mitchell came through in the biggest way possible.

With just over five minutes left, a botched handoff in the American backfield caused the ball to pop up in the air. Blitzing on the play, Mitchell picked the ball off in midair and, like a big diesel truck heading downhill, rumbled 55 yards to the end zone.

It turned out to be the winning play as the Gators hung on for an 18-14 win at Traz Powell Stadium.

The victory against the Patriots, who came in ranked No. 19 in the Miami Herald’s South Florida Top 20, gives Goleman (3-0) an opportunity to earn a ranking for the first time in program history. But there will be no rest for the Gators who will have more business to take care of on Saturday when they host Archbishop Carroll at Milander at 7 p.m. in the resumption of another suspended game from earlier this season.

“So coach sent me on the blitz and when I saw that ball pop up in the air on the handoff, my eyes got real big because I knew all I had to do was catch that thing in the air and it was off to the races,” said Mitchell of his game-deciding play. “I just wanted to make sure nobody caught me from behind and definitely did not want to lose my balance and stumble.”

The game was suspended last Friday after Goleman receiver Ja’Montay Parks collapsed on the sideline with 10:46 left in the game and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital.

“We were really down last Friday night because of what had happened so seeing him on the sideline today really insired us to go out there and win for him,” said Mitchell of Parks. “We hope we get him back on the field real soon because he’s a big part of our team and the success we’re having. Everybody who has doubted Goleman over the years, we showed everyone what it was all about today. Gator football is back.”

Parks would spend the night in the hospital but checked out the next day having collapsed due to a concussion. He was on the sidelines Wednesday in street clothes and wearing his jersey.

“They all told me they were going to win it for me and stuff like that but I wanted them to go out there and win it for themselves because this is all about team around here, not about just one individual,” Parks said while celebrating in the noisy and victorious Goleman locker room. “They’re my brothers, I love all of these boys. “We’re all a close family around here and I can’t wait to get back out on the field because I want to be a part of this success.”

The Goleman locker room may not have been very noisy after the game had an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by American’s Jukari Blackshere following Mitchell’s score stood up. But it was nullified by a holding penalty.

The Gator defense, which gave up just one first down on three American possessions, then got a three-and-out. A short punt gave Goleman the ball at the American 42 with 4:16 left and the Gators were able to run out the clock.

But even that came with some drama when, with two minutes left and the Patriots out of timeouts, running back Kyjuan Taylor coughed the ball up.

A wild scramble for the ball ensued and somehow, Goleman’s Edgar Rubio, who ironically transferred from American over the summer, came out of the pile with the ball enabling the Gators to retain possession.

Even more remarkable surrounding the win was the fact that the Gators had to do it not only without Parks, but their starting quarterback Daniel Riveron who was injured during Friday’s game, receiver Robbie Henry and their all-purpose safety/reciever Darryl Bell. A Florida State target, Bell injured his hand Friday night.

“On Friday we lost our starting quarterback, top three receivers, one of our starting offensive lineman and then had to come out here and finish a game against a really tough American team today,” Goleman head coach Ariel Cribeiro said. “And our kids responded. It just goes to show you that it’s not all about the kids that you recruit, not about the stars, it’s about gritty football players playing a team game and that’s what Goleman football is all about, playing team football. That’s what we did today, special teams, offense, defense and we got the win.”

Now in his 11th season running the program, Cribeiro has navigated the Gators through many lean years playing as an independent and slowly built the program back up.

Goleman re-entered district play this season in Class 4M and even though the Gators are not expected to unseat reigning state champion Columbus for the district title, they appear capable of putting together a seven or eight-win season which would likely give them the program’s second-ever berth in the state playoffs and first since 2004.

“If we can pop into Top 20 that’s huge for our program and where it’s going,” Cribeiro said. “I truly believe we’re growing as a program. It’s just about believing in our kids. It’s not always about the stars with the offers, it’s about kids willing to make the sacrifice to do the small things on the field to win a game and that’s what we’ve got here.”

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This story was originally published September 14, 2023 at 8:15 AM.