Homestead’s rise to prominence still missing elusive state title thanks to Aquinas
This wasn’t the way Joshua Townsend wanted to get emotional after playing in his second state championship game in as many years.
And yet the pain was even greater than it was a year earlier and had Homestead’s senior quarterback in tears as he hugged coaches on the field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
Townsend, a four-year stalwart and one of several mainstays on the Broncos’ roster who helped put the program among the state’s best, nearly directed one of the more memorable comebacks in recent memory in a state championship on Saturday afternoon’s Class 3M final against Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.
But Townsend and Homestead were sent home with the state runner-up trophy for the second year in a row following a 31-28 loss to the history-making Raiders who won their state-record fifth consecutive state championship.
“We never give up and stick to the course and the coaches and players worked hard,” Townsend said. “We came up short but we did all we could do.”
Homestead (12-2) entered Saturday’s game on a 12-game winning streak and felt confident it could compete better with Aquinas than it did in its 38-21 defeat in last season’s 3M final.
The first half didn’t back that up as the Broncos struggled to move the ball and trailed 17-0 at the break.
Townsend woke Homestead up in the second half throwing three touchdown passes and rushing for another.
But the Broncos were never able to make that one last play that would result in a go-ahead score.
“It’s been four years in the making and following our leader Joshua Townsend. He left it out on the field again tonight,” Homestead coach Ron Thornton said. “I can’t ask any more from that kid and I’m happy because he has a really bright future.”
Townsend was at the heart of Homestead’s turnaround, which began with former coach Phillip Simpson (now coaching at the University of Nebraska). He helped the Broncos go from a non-playoff team in 2019 to a team that lost in the regional semifinals in 2020, lost 56-7 to Aquinas in the regional finals in 2021 and made back-to-back state finals appearances.
Townsend put the Broncos on the board with 4:11 to go in the third when he found Louisville commit Isaac Brown down the sideline for a 12-yard touchdown. Homestead would then recover a fumble by Aquinas on the ensuing kickoff at the Raiders’ 34-yard line.
It took less than two minutes for Townsend to find Kevin Cascuda in the corner of the end zone to cut the deficit to 17-14.
But St. Thomas answered when receiver Julius Jones caught a pass from quarterback Andrew Indorf on a crossing route on third and 7 and sped 48 yards to the end zone.
Homestead cut the deficit to 24-21 on its next drive when Townsend lobbed a deep pass into the corner of the end zone to Brown who made a great diving catch.
The Broncos had their best chance to take the lead after forcing an Aquinas punt when they drove to Aquinas’ 10-yard line, set up by an amazing diving catch by junior Cortez Mills.
Homestead could have elected to try a game-tying field goal but decided to go for it on fourth and 7.
Aquinas defensive lineman Trevor Sommers shot through the line and with help from sophomore Jakhi Barber sacked Townsend to end the series. The Raiders would go back up by 10 when Indorf threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this time to Andreus Madison for 69 yards with 5:25 left.
Townsend still wouldn’t quit as he drove Homestead down the field again and pushed his way into the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown run with 2:15 left. Aquinas would recover an onside kick and run the clock out after Lyle picked up a first down.
With Townsend and several key seniors graduating, Homestead faces an even tougher challenge than last season to reload for another potential state title run in 2024. But Thornton remained positive after the game about his team’s future and was grateful for the resilience they showed throughout the season.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys. All year we’ve faced adversity and had a ‘don’t blink’ mentality,” Thornton said. “In the last game on the biggest stage like this, I’m pleased, not with the outcome but with the character that was shown from this team today.”
