The Bulls are back: Northwestern completes dominant postseason run with state title

Five years after their last of eight state titles, Saturday night marked a return to the top of the high school football world for the Miami Northwestern program.

With a huge contingent of “Bull Nation” fans packing the stands at FIU’s Pitbull Stadium, their Bulls delighted them from start to finish with a dominating 41-0 victory over previously unbeaten Jacksonville Raines in the Class 3A state championship game.

It marked Northwestern’s eighth FHSAA state title, ninth overall counting its 1964 state crown in the segregation-era Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association and first since 2019 when the Bulls completed a three-peat.

“These kids deserve this moment,” said Northwestern coach Teddy Bridgewater who left an NFL career with the hopes of returning to his alma mater to the top. “They stuck with us all the way back to last February and trusted the process. Transitioning from spring ball to the summer, the kids, they just stuck together and got to know each other. They wanted it and got it. This is something they’ll always have and nobody will ever be able to take it away from them.”

The win completed an absolutely dominating five-game postseason run in which the Bulls outscored their five playoff opponents by a combined score of 262-12 to finish the season with a 12-2 record.

The defense was especially dominant as the Bulls starters on that side of the ball did not give up a single point in the postseason. Naples Lely scored 12 points in a 64-12 regional semifinal victory but that was in the fourth quarter when the Bulls backups were in the game.

While Northwestern only forced one turnover, (a third quarter interception by two-way star Nicholas Lennear), they were relentless all night in their pursuit of Raines quarterback Timothy Cole and wound up holding the Vikings to just 196 yards of total offense.

While the Northwestern offensive unit has enjoyed watching its defense dominate including Saturday night, the Bulls offense carried their end of the bargain as well.

Leading the way was junior quarterback Leon Strawder who was magnificent, completing 19-of-27 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran one in on the ground. The four TD passes gave him 45 for the season which was second only to Jacory Harris’ 51 in 2007 for the most in Bulls history.

“We had it out there tonight,” said a jubilant Strawder as he was being mobbed by teammates and fans. “We came out and took it to them and honestly felt like we could come out and dominate them the way we did. We always go into games feeling like we can do that.”

A former NFL quarterback himself, Bridgewater could certainly appreciate what Strawder did for his team.

“Leon was awesome,” Bridgewater said. “When you can protect the ball and get the ball to your playmakers the way he’s done and the way he’s commanded this offense, I take my hat off to him because this is not an easy system. Everything we asked of him, he stepped up big time in the playoffs and did that again tonight.”

The Bulls made an early statement when they took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards in 12 plays, which included a key third-and-5, 15-yard completion from Strawder to Daruis Johnson, and took the lead when running back Elijah Hardy went over from two yards out on a third-and-goal.

It appeared the Bulls were going to extend that to 14-0 on their next possession when they drove to the Raines two and went for it on fourth down and should’ve scored.

Strawder pitched left to Hardy who had clear daylight around the left side. But the Bulls running back couldn’t handle the pitch. By the time he picked it up and took off running, Vikings defenders chased him out of bounds for a six yard loss.

The next key first half moment came on the ensuing drive when Raines put together its only long extended drive of the game, marching from their own 8-yard line to the Bulls’ 3.

It was here the Northwestern defense enjoyed its biggest moment when the Bulls defensive line, led by nose tackle Roderic McFadden, defensive end Jayson Farfan and Tywan Cox, put together an impressive goal line stand. Cox made the big play, stuffing quarterback Timothy Cole on fourth down from inside the 1.

“I knew their offensive line was big but slow and couldn’t mess with me,” McFadden said. “I was quick on my feet and all I did was read my keys and we got that stop. That was a big moment for us. Our coaches tell us all the time, defense wins games and championships. When the defense doesn’t give up any points, you can’t lose. We took a lot of pride in not giving up any points.”

Perhaps the biggest swing moment in the game (if there really is one in a 41-0 game) came on Raines’ following possession.

After taking over at midfield, the Vikings were facing a fourth-and-8 at the NW 32. Cole dropped back and fired a deep pass to Adron Walker who was wide open at the 10 and would’ve easily scored tying the game at seven. But Cole’s pass was short as Walker went down low and couldn’t make the catch.

Northwestern took over with 3:45 left in the half and thanks to a couple of big Strawder completions, got it down to the Raines 1 with under a minute left. After Hardy got stuffed for a five yard loss, Strawder, with the clock running and the Bulls out of timeouts, cooly took the snap and tossed a high ball to the corner that Calvin Russell Jr. high-pointed, outjumping Raines’ Charles Dawston, getting one foot down for the score with just 19 seconds left to make it 14-0 at the break.

The Bulls took the momentum to the locker room and brought it right back out with them to start the second half when they took the kickoff and, just three plays in, Strawder dropped back and found Hardy streaking down the sidelines for a 65-yard score to make it 21-0.

One possession later, following a long Strawder to Lennear completion to the Raines 2, Strawder, on fourth-and-goal from the five, hit Russell Jr. for a five yard score to make it 28-0 with 7:10 left in the third and the early celebrating from Bull Nation was under way.

The Bulls finished things off with 2:20 left in the third when Strawder threw a gorgeous deep pass to Lennear for a 49 yard score. The extra point made it 35-0 and the running clock was going.

“Tonight means a lot, for the kids, the school, for this community,” Bridgewater said. “When we do something like this, Liberty City is thriving and it’s great to be back on top.”

▪ Class 7A state final - Venice 52, Lake Mary 19: After having to settle for runner up medals the last two years, Venice got over the top on Saturday afternoon and captured the program’s fourth state championship and first since 2021, with the lopsided win.

The Indians, who came into the game averaging 50 points a game in their four playoff wins (including a 33-27 win over Miami Columbus in the semifinal), found themselves in a tight game, leading just 7-6, midway through the second quarter.

It was there that the dam broke as Venice, making its fourth straight appearance in the title game, scored 24 points over the final five minutes to open up a 31-6 lead at halftime and continued to pile on the points in the second half.

The Indians, who finished 14-1 (their only loss a 21-16 defeat by IMG Academy) were led by running back Gata Wilder and wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr. who combined for six of the team’s seven touchdowns.

Wilder, a Louisville commit finished with 178 yards on 19 carries and three scores while Watkins Jr. (headed to Ole Miss) caught nine passes for 78 yards and returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown during that 24-point second quarter flurry.

Venice had a shot at breaking the all-time single season state record for total points scored (Apopka 752 in 2013) but came up four points short, finishing with 748. Lake Mary, which finished 12-3 and was making its state championship game debut, was led by wide receiver Chase Hinshaw who caught eight passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

This story was originally published December 15, 2024 at 1:16 AM.