Cardinal Gibbons punches ticket to playoffs

FORT LAUDERDALE — Quarterback Nikolas Scalzo threw for 167 yards and a touchdown to lead a balanced Cardinal Gibbons effort that resulted in a 46-6 win over Stranahan on Friday in a District 16-5A game at home.

The Chiefs, ranked second in the state AP poll, effectively locked up a playoff berth with key contributions from offense, defense and special teams. Six different players scored touchdowns, one on special teams, and Cardinal Gibbons (7-1, 4-1) also scored on a safety and a field goal.

Penalties were the Dragons’ undoing during the game. In the first half, Stranahan (4-4, 3-2) had a thirdand-goal from the 1 that was pushed back 5 yards due to a delay-of-game penalty. In the second half, a penalty negated a 41-yard touchdown pass out of punt formation. Stranahan was flagged for 113 yards in penalties during the game, compared to the Chiefs’ 45.

Lavontae Decius led all Chiefs’ receivers with 58 yards and a touchdown while Davis was the top rusher with 38 yards.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 35, BLANCHE ELY 6: The three-time defending state champion Raiders took their first major step toward getting back to Orlando, winning the District 14-7A championship with a victory over the Tigers in Pompano Beach.

St. Thomas Aquina’s lone loss was 12-0 to Centennial, of Peoria, Ariz., on Sept. 29.

The Raiders set the tone early, scoring the first three times they touched the ball for a 21-0 first-quarter lead. The game was played with a running clock at the 2:30 mark of the third quarter when the Raiders took a 35-0 lead on a 20-yard touchdown run by Tavares Kelly.

Junior defensive back Semar Melvin picked off a Yanez Rogers pass at the Ely 27 on the Tigers’ first possession. Highly touted junior running back Daniel Carter scored the first of his three touchdowns on a 9-yard run with 8:14 left first quarter.

Carter tacked on touchdown No. 2 with 3:47 to go in the opening quarter. The touchdown came on a short field after Ely (2-7, 1-1) faked a punt and the pass down the sideline was incomplete.

CORAL SPRINGS CHARTER 42, ST. ANDREW’S 32: It was a nailbiter for almost three quarters, but the Panthers went into another gear to pull away from the Scots (6-3) in Boca Raton.

Locked in a 21-18 game late in the third, the Panthers scored a trio of touchdowns in the span of 4 minutes to double their total and secure the victory.

Quarterback Jordan Sepulveda led the charge with 306 yards and three touchdowns, as Coral Springs Charter (4-4) connected on three scores of more than 40 yards.

PLANTATION 50, SOUTH PLANTATION 14: Roshard Branch threw four touchdowns, including three in the first half, as the host Colonels rolled past the Paladins in a key 8A-District 12 game.

With the win, the Colonels (8-1-1, 5-1) finish as the district runner-up to Miramar.

Plantation scored on every possession in the first half to take a 36-6 halftime lead, racking up 287 yards of offense along the way.

South Plantation (4-5, 3-3 in 8A-District 12) finally got on the board late with 2:39 left as Jacquez Thomas caught a 31-yard touchdown reception from Jacob Wiley.