Everglades, Taravella vying for title
Seminole Ridge girls flag football coach Austin Bowe said the trip from Loxahatchee to Tallahassee was brutal, but he doesn’t mind.
“Every time we have come here, we have won so it isn’t all bad,” said Bowe, whose 16-0 team will vie for its fourth state championship in six years at today’s state flag football championships at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee.
“We have been playing really well and we have to keep that up if we want to win,” Bowe said. “The teams here, especially [Tampa[ Robinson, are very good. Both teams are neck and neck and probably the two best teams in the state.
Seminole Ridge won state titles in 2010, 2012, and 2013. The team lost in the regional play-in game to Palm Beach Gardens in 2011 and last year lost in the state final to Tampa Robinson, 7-6. The Hawks, which open with Fort Pierce Westwood (11-0) in its 7 p.m. quarterfinal, have lost just two games since 2012 in amassing a 71-2 record.
“We have two losses since then and both we by an extra point,” said Bowe, whose other loss came to Dr. Phillips,14-13 during the 2012 regular season. “The fact we lost one on an extra point in the championship game hurts that much worse.”
Taravella is making its first trip to the state finals and will have its work cut out for it as it takes on Everglades in the 10 a.m. state quarterfinal. The Trojans (11-4) have relied on quarterback Mariah Triplett who has thrown for 50 TDs and run for five more in accounting for nearly 3,000 yards. Taravella also has two sets of twins in sen- iors Jordin Gomes (20 TDs), and Kristen Gomes (18 TDs) along with fellow seniors Taylor and McKenzie Malone.
“I still have a problem recognizing one set of twins,” said Taravella coach Brandon McIntosh. “But there is no denying the talent level is very high for all of them.”
Everglades coach Steve Bounoutas hasn’t been to state since 2007 when it lost in the quarterfinals to Douglas. The Gators (13-2) rely on senior captain and two-way player Bricelis Jimenez, and juniors Kaela Livingston, and Karima Harris.
“We feel very good about ourselves,” said Bounoutas, whose team defeated Taravella, 6-0 during the regular season in mid-March. “That was a long time ago. Both teams have gotten a lot better and I am expecting a great game.”