Clutch special teams, game-winning FG propel Columbus over Western in regional final
Columbus’ strength all season has been its defense.
Its offense has begun to flourish in the playoffs.
But the reason it is still alive in this year’s playoffs is its special teams.
The Explorers blocked two field goals and then senior Alexander Fitzgibbons drilled a game-winning 43-yard field goal with four seconds remaining to lift Columbus to a 27-25 comeback win over Western in the Region 4-7A final at Tropical Park on Friday afternoon.
“We do field goal (drills) every single day and we practice it six days a week,” Columbus coach Dave Dunn said. “We do last second field goals all the time and it paid off.
“Our defense blocks a whole bunch of kicks against us in practice. I thought it was that we just stunk at protection, but then they came up with those key blocks today. The game comes down to about four or five plays and you have to win them. It so happens today two of those were on special teams. It’s a great win for us.”
Fitzgibbons’ boot through the uprights and Columbus’ successful defense of a multi-lateral play as time expired sealed the Explorers’ sixth consecutive trip to at least the state semifinal round - a run that began in 2018.
Columbus (9-3), a two-time reigning state champion, will be underdogs on the road next Friday when it tries to keep its hopes of a three-peat alive against state powerhouse Venice in a Class 7A state semifinal at 7 p.m.
The Explorers won their 13th consecutive playoff game since a road loss to Venice in the 2021 state semifinals. Columbus also extended its streak of regional round playoff wins to 18 in a row dating back to 2017.
“It was a true team win and the offense has really picked it up since the season started,” Dunn said. “Our defense has played its tails off all season and our special teams picked it up today.”
Western (6-7) pushed Columbus to its limits before falling to the Explorers for the second consecutive season in the regional final round.
The Wildcats were led by Sebastian Circo, who completed 24 of 37 passes for 346 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, junior running back Robert Ortega, who totaled 99 rushing yards and a touchdown, and freshman receiver Tromon Isaac Jr., who had 12 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown.
But Columbus kept Western from taking a 20-17 lead with less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter when it blocked a 29-yard field goal attempt by Gavin Katz and Shaddai Carter scooped it up and returned it 70 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
Playing with their starting quarterback healthy beyond the first round of the playoffs for the first time in three seasons, Western nearly broke through to its first state semifinal thanks to Circo, who tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Khamarian Young and then followed it up with a 2-point toss to Young to give the Wildcats a 25-24 edge with 2:17 to play. Young finished with seven catches for 119 yards.
But Columbus put together a game-winning drive led by quarterback Vicente Gonzalez, who struggled early, but rebounded with a key third quarter touchdown pass to Kamari Marceus to tie the game at 17. Gonzalez finished with 158 yards passing and completed two key throws on the Explorers’ final series, which along with the power running of Agyeman Addae set up Fitzgibbons’ game-winning kick.
“This coaching staff knows I’ve made multiple kicks like this. I knew it would come down to a point like this and it did,” Fitzgibbons said. “We’ve had a lot of blocked kicks this year and our boys came through and blocked one when it matters. I trusted my team that they would get me close and I trusted myself.”
