Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Raiders, Lions on way to title games
St. Thomas dominated Venice, and Chaminade shut out Clearwater.
FORT LAUDERDALE — Revenge was sweet for the St. Thomas Aquinas Friday night.
A year after traveling to the Gulf Coast and losing to Venice, which denied the Raiders a chance at a fourth straight title, the Raiders welcomed the Indians to Fort Lauderdale, dominating 38-18 to clinch a spot in the Class 7A state championship game.
Daniel Carter led a bruising St. Thomas offense, rushing for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first half alone. He finished the game with more than 180 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown.
After the two teams traded three-and-outs to open the game, Carter blasted through an open hole untouched for a 74-yard touchdown run to get the Raiders on the board.
St. Thomas stepped on the gas pedal and forced another three-and-out, following the defensive stand with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Harvard commit Curt Casteel to The’Andris Freeman.
Venice got on the board with a 32-yard field goal from Zack Cessa. The senior kicker tried a second field goal late in the first half, but the Raiders blocked it, drove down the field and scored on a 2-yard run from Carter.
Junior Jaedon Henry added a score in the third quarter, and Logan Lupo hit a 35-yard field goal to give the Raiders a 31-6 lead in the fourth quarter.
Casteel added a second touchdown pass on a 32-yard toss to Carter with 5:46 left in the fourth.
Venice scored two late touchdowns to cut St. Thomas’ lead to 20.
St. Thomas will face Lakeland in the state title game on Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Lakeland beat St. Thomas in three straight title games from 2004-06, and the Raiders beat the Dreadnaughts in 2008.