Dream season ends in disappointment for Norland after stunning loss in state final
Miami Norland’s football team accomplished several of the things it set out to do in 2023.
The Vikings asserted themselves as the top team in Miami-Dade County after dethroning Miami Central.
They ascended into the national rankings as one of the country’s most talented teams.
But on Saturday morning, the Vikings tripped up at the finish line of what would have been a dream season.
A number of mistakes and an inability to slow down Tampa Berkeley Prep’s ball control rushing attack resulted in Norland falling short of a state title after a disappointing 28-20 loss to the Buccaneers at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
“Too flat, too many mistakes and too many chances we left out there,” Norland coach Daryle Heidelburg said. “We couldn’t get off the field on third down and with that style of offense, they cut the game in half. Hats off to them.”
Considering the expectations entering the game, Norland suffered one of the more disappointing defeats by a South Florida powerhouse in a state final in recent memory.
The Vikings (14-1) entered the game ranked No. 11 nationally by MaxPreps and enjoying their best season since they last won a state title in 2011, ending that season unbeaten.
Their chances of winning the school’s third state crown were methodically ripped away by Berkeley Prep (13-2), which won its first state title and amassed 274 yards and two touchdowns rushing led by the tandem of four-star recruit Dallas Golden (24 carries, 155 yards) and Joseph Troupe (23 carries, 128 yards).
Berkeley Prep nearly doubled Norland on time of possession, holding the ball for 31 minutes and 22 seconds to the Vikings’ 16 minutes and 38 seconds.
“Just a different style of offense that we’re not accustomed to playing,” Heidelburg said. “We had some calls that went against us when we made some big plays.”
Norland’s three turnovers and inability to consistently protect quarterback Ennio Yapoor in the first half contributed heavily to its own offensive woes and never allowed the Vikings to take a lead in the game. Yapoor completed 15 of 20 passes for 260 yards and threw a pair of touchdown passes, but was sacked twice and limited to 42 yards rushing.
Norland’s first play from scrimmage was a trick play in which Joaquin Reid took a lateral from Yapoor and fired a ball downfield that was intercepted by Josh Hermann.
The Vikings appeared to have jumped in front late in the first quarter when Kaleb Lawrence picked off a pass by Berkeley Prep quarterback Cooper Hayes at the 1-yard line on fourth and goal and sped down the sideline for what appeared to be a 99-yard return for a touchdown. The return was nullified by an illegal block penalty.
Norland turned the ball over moments later when Jade Card fumbled after a catch.
“We started off slow and had three turnovers in the first half,” senior receiver Isaiah Scott said. “That was our fault. We lost the game. They didn’t win. We lost the game. We had so many chances to score and win. We made all the little mistakes that helped them win.”
More than once this season, Norland overcame deficits to beat some of the state’s best teams like Booker T. Washington and Central including twice against the Rockets in overtime victories.
Trailing 21-7 late in the third quarter, it appeared Norland was ready for more heroics when Yapoor drove the Vikings 65 yards and scored on a 3-yard touchdown keeper.
But Berkeley Prep would answer two drives later with a touchdown drive culminating in Hayes’ 1-yard sneak to stretch the lead to 28-13.
“We knew we could come back and strive through these tough moments,” Scott said. “But it didn’t happen and the outcome was how it is.”
Norland cut the deficit to one score again with 4:30 left after Yapoor found Juan Rodriguez for a 26-yard touchdown on a screen pass.
On Berkeley Prep’s ensuing possession, it faced a third and 8 and Hayes completed a 6-yard pass to Troupe during which holding was called on the Bucs. Norland had a choice to decline the penalty and make it fourth-and-2 at Berkeley Prep’s 28 or accept it and force a 3rd-and-18 at the Bucs 12.
The Vikings accepted the penalty.
The strategy should have worked as Troupe appeared to be trapped in the backfield initially. But he slipped out of four tackles and picked up 21 yards and a first down. Berkeley Prep would pick up another first down three plays later after converting a fourth-and-1 that allowed it to run out the clock.
“That’s why we play the games,” Heidelburg said. “You have to win them. We had our chance.”
Although Yapoor is only a junior, Norland has numerous seniors on its roster, begging the question as to whether it can reload for another run next season.
“All we can do is regroup and try to make another run at it,” Heidelburg said. “Ennio is coming back so we have a great starting piece to build around. Losses like this are harder because we went undefeated. I’ve been there where we lost one year at state and came back and won it. We just have to try to reload and build it back up.”
