Miami Palmetto drops heartbreaker in double-overtime at Vero Beach

It was five years ago that the Miami Palmetto football team made its state semifinal debut and suffered a heartbreaking loss to Kissimmee Osceola, losing a three-point lead in the final few minutes.

But you want REAL heartbreak?

Then you needed to be in Vero Beach on Friday night and watch as Palmetto players were sprawled flat on the ground and inconsolable following a gut-wrenching 45-44 double overtime loss to the host Indians in a Class 7A state semifinal before an overflow Citrus Bowl crowd of over 7,000 fans, mostly clad in red shirts.

It ended when Palmetto coach Mike Manasco - after his team scored in the second overtime to pull within one point - never hesitated. He kept his offense out on the field and went for the win.

There would be no third overtime.

Manasco and his players were either advancing to their first-ever state championship game or suffering a heartbreaking loss and very long bus ride home.

It was a long bus ride home.

Quarterback Andre Bailey found running back Aiden Butler momentarily open in the left flat on the two-point try only to have Butler get the ball jarred loose by hard-closing Vero Beach defensive back Tristan Davis as Butler lunged toward the goal line.

Vero Beach players, along with their raucous crowd broke into a wild celebration while Panther players, including Butler, lay sprawled on the ground, being consoled by assistant coaches.

“I was always going to go for two before we even took the first snap in that last series,” Manasco said. “We had a really good play we liked and I’m not really sure what happened, I’ll have to see it on film but there was never any hesitation. You have to be comfortable with those decisions otherwise you can’t coach at this level.”

The win kept Vero Beach perfect at 14-0 and advanced the Indians to only their second-ever state championship game and first since 1981 (when they won their only state title) where they will take on Lake Mary in the 7A state title game next Saturday, Dec. 13 at FIU’s Pitbull Stadium.

“I was open, the ball was there but give their DB credit, he got the hit on me and managed to jar the ball loose,” said Butler, who finished with 98 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. “We worked so hard to get to this point and to come so close and not be able to close it out and play for a championship, it’s just a really, really difficult moment for all of us right now.”

With just over 10 minutes left in the game, the last thing Manasco was worrying about was going for two points. His team trailed 38-24 and when Kaden Howard fumbled following a completed pass giving Vero Beach the ball at midfield, all appeared lost.

But the Panther defense, having barely been able to stop the high-powered Vero Beach offense, which came into the game averaging 43 points per game, managed to come up with a three-and-out to get the ball back.

It was here, with just 8:31 left, that the Panthers (11-3) turned in a remarkable comeback. Thanks to a pair of 21-yard runs by Butler, Palmetto managed to go 76 yards in just five plays using very little clock before Bailey found Willie Wilson wide open over the middle for a 15-yard scoring pass to cut their deficit to 38-31 with 6:43 left.

Manasco then gambled for the first time when he tried an onside kick that didn’t work as Vero recovered at midfield. But the defense came through again, forcing a Vero Beach punt. The Panthers took over at their own nine with 4:09 left and then put together their most clutch drive of the season, one that saw them convert on fourth down twice to keep the drive alive.

First came on fourth-and-10 at their own 31. With 3:31 left and all three timeouts, Manasco initially sent the punt team out. But after Vero called timeout (realizing it had too many men on the field), Manasco sent the offense back out. Bailey rewarded him with a perfect throw to Eastern Michigan signee Connelius Miller Jr. over the middle on a quick slant for 13 yards.

Six plays later, facing fourth-and-6 at the Indian 41, Bailey narrowly avoided what would’ve been a game-ending sack, stepped up out of the pocked and scrambled for 10 yards to the 31. He then hit Braylen Green for 27 yards down to the four and two plays later, surged over from two yards out with 31 seconds left. Chris Green’s extra point tied the game.

“I briefly thought about going for two there but felt there was just a little too much time left,” Manasco said.

Palmetto took the ball first in OT (each team gets a possession with first-and-goal at the 10) and on third and goal from the five, Bailey scrambled down to the half-yard line. But a holding call nullified the play. The Panthers were pushed five yards further back on a false start forcing Green to try a 38 yard field goal which went wide left.

Vero Beach head coach Lenny Jankowski, in a decision he might’ve regretted had his team not won, didn’t hesitate, sending out his field goal team on first down to win the game. But a high snap caused placekicker Riley Swanson to pull his kick left and Palmetto had a second life.

The Indians, playing in their first state semifinal since 1998, got the ball first in the second overtime. E.J. White, a four-star quarterback who came into the game with over 2,000 yards passing on the season and 27 touchdowns and torched the Palmetto defense on this night for 271 yards and four touchdowns on 19-of-22 passing, found Jonathan Hillsman for a 10 yard score on the first play putting Vero up 45-38.

Palmetto then got its possession and Bailey and Butler had five and four yard runs, respectively putting the ball on the one. Bailey then snuck in from a yard out on third down for the score setting the stage for the ill-fated two-point conversion attempt.

“I’m so proud of our team,” said Bailey who had a big night of his own, finishing with 267 yards and four touchdowns on 17-of-29 passing. “Obviously we wanted a different outcome, but we did a lot of great stuff out there tonight. Everybody probably counted us out in the fourth quarter being down by 14 points but we’ve found ways all season long to overcome adversity and pick each other up and everyone got to see us do that again tonight.”