Fourth quarter comeback propels Miami Norland over Miami Booker T. Washington
Miami Norland quarterback Ennio Yapoor didn’t find the end zone until there were three minutes left in the game on Thursday night.
Once he did, Yapoor let out a guttural yell that released a lot of frustration from a night spent mostly trying to evade Miami Booker T. Washington defenders.
From that point on, any yelling he and his Vikings teammates did stemmed from the thrill of finishing off a 20-19 comeback victory after being pushed to the limit by the Tornadoes for over three quarters at Traz Powell Stadium.
“It was a moment of relief really and it gave us the confidence and momentum we needed,” Yapoor said. “They had been in my ear, telling me stuff all night so my emotions got loose and I showed them my mean side.”
Both Norland and Booker T. have designs on dethroning Miami Central as this year’s Class 2M state champion.
The Vikings (6-0), ranked No. 28 nationally by MaxPreps and No. 4 in South Florida by the Miami Herald, managed to keep their record unscathed just one week before they get their first crack at the Rockets next Friday at Traz.
“This showed that we could fight adversity,” Yapoor said. “We have confidence in ourselves and if we continue to fight for each other, no team can beat us.”
But the Tornadoes (3-2), ranked No. 6 by the Herald, showed how dangerous they likely will be this postseason.
Booker T.’s defense frustrated a Norland offense which entered the game averaging 53.4 points per game over its first five games and held it without any points until Yapoor’s 8-yard go-ahead score with 3:30 remaining in the game.
Led by linebacker Eldreen Terma, the Tornadoes sacked Yapoor eight times and held him to 22 yards rushing.
Booker T.’s own quarterback Claudell Sherman helped his team build an early 12-0 lead, keeping the Vikings defense guessing with perfectly-executed run-pass option plays.
But the momentum swung early in the fourth when Sherman left the game after suffering an injury during a quarterback keeper near the goal line. The Tornadoes offense did not muster a first down from that point on. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty backed Booker T. to the Norland 25 and two plays later, a botched snap on a field goal attempt left the Tornadoes with no points to add to a 19-7 lead.
On the ensuing drive, Yapoor scrambled and found Joaquin Reid crossing over the middle and he weaved his way to the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 19-14 with 8:55 left.
The Tornadoes had another special teams blunder when a low snap on the punt allowed Norland to recover the ball in Booker T. territory inside the 40.
Norland wide receiver/cornerback Isaiah Scott made huge plays on offense and defense to seal the win.
Scott made a diving catch on a throw from Yapoor over the middle at the Booker T. 3. After a false start penalty on Norland, Yapoor found the end zone for the winning score.
On Booker T.’s final drive, Scott intercepted a desperation heave downfield by Tornadoes backup quarterback Anthony McQueen.
“I wished I could have stayed up and scored on that catch, but my team scored,” said Scott, a senior who has been offered by FIU. “On the pick, it was just see ball, play ball and we had to win this game. This showed what type of team we are and that we can fight back despite all the pressure.”
Sherman, who ran for 84 yards and passed for 100, found Anton Smith for a 7-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring in the first quarter.
Just before halftime, Booker T. junior 4-star cornerback Ben Hanks Jr. intercepted a ball that was popped out of Reid’s grasp by Ronald Beliard and Leroy Lee Jr. and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown to put the Tornadoes ahead by two scores.
But another two-way star for Norland made a huge special teams play to keep the Vikings in the game when Ivory Aikens returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 12-7 at halftime.
“I just picked it up and saw the hole and went for it,” Aikens said. “This puts us in a great position to show everyone we can be great.”
The Vikings will face top 25 nationally-ranked opponents each of the next two weeks as they also are set to face Miami Columbus on the week of Oct. 20 for the GMAC championship after their clash with the Rockets next week.
Booker T. Washington is set to face Miami Northwestern on Thursday and then Miami Edison the following Monday, Oct. 16 in the completion of a suspended game as both matchups will likely determine who wins District 14-2M.
