Columbus uses late field goal to squeak by Palmetto in GMAC Championship Series
Christopher Columbus and Palmetto were locked in another defensive battle that came down to the fourth quarter, but this time the game was decided without controversy and before the final play.
A short-range field goal from Luis Palenzuela with just over four minutes to go gave Columbus (6-3) the edge over Palmetto (6-2) in a 10-7 win at Nathaniel Traz Powell Stadium on Friday night.
The victory came in the GMAC Inaugural Football Championship Series, and one month after the Explorers lost, 7-3, to the Panthers in a game that finished in controversial fashion following a contentious refereeing decision in the dying seconds.
“We never brought [that game] up,” said Columbus head coach Dave Dunn. “We just said, ‘Hey, listen, we did not play well enough to win last game, but we have got a chance to play well tonight.’ We played well enough to win and we are good.”
Friday’s game did not start out all that well for the Explorers, who wasted a first-quarter interception from senior cornerback Cornelius Wright by throwing one of their own.
Palmetto cornerback Jai-ayviauynn Celestie intercepted a tipped pass from Columbus quarterback Fernando Mendoza and returned it all the way to the end zone to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead with 5:43 left to play in the quarter.
The Explorers tied the score just before halftime thanks to another defensive stop. Sophomore outside linerbacker TJ Capers nabbed a pass from Panthers quarterback Kevin Smith with 2:40 left to play in the second quarter, setting up a fourth-down touchdown pass from Mendoza to Tremonte Underwood Jr.
Mendoza initially looked like he was going to be sacked near the center of the line of scrimmage on the play, but he evaded the tackle and scrambled to the right before finding Tremonte Underwood for the tying score.
“We are a defensive-led team,” Dunn said. “We have got a lot of veteran guys there. Alex Trujillo, our defensive coordinator, does a great job. We are always going to rely on our defense.
“We just are not as explosive on offense as we have been in the past. We just have got to not turn the ball over and continually run the ball well. We are going to continue to play great defense, and we should hopefully be all right.”
The Explorers ran the ball effectively in the final quarter, rushing exclusively during a lengthy drive that saw the Panthers’ defense struggle to make stops. The string of carries eventually led to chip shot from Palenzuela, who gave Columbus its first lead of the game with 4:31 to go.
“As soon as a [running back] looked like he was getting tired, we just put another one in there,” Dunn said. “I think it is tough on a defense if you are getting momentum like that, and you are constantly putting fresh legs on them. I think it would be hard on any defense, and it was the end of the game.”
Palmetto had a chance to respond, but Columbus’ defense stood tall again to force a turnover on downs that helped seal the victory that resulted in a trophy for the Explorers.
“My hats off to Palmetto. We lost the first game 7-3 and win the second game 10-7,” Dunn said. “Obviously, we are two evenly matched teams, and we will probably see each other again in a few weeks.”
