Chaminade cruises to fifth title in six seasons
TALLAHASSEE
The spotlight was on them before they even took one snap.
And it shone brightly on Chaminade-Madonna’s football team for nearly four months as it soared near the top of the national polls.
But the only thing that matched the lofty expectations for the Lions was their ability to thrive under pressure.
No matter the level of competition, Chaminade rarely left a doubt when it came to beating its opponents throughout an unbeaten season, which it capped on Thursday night with a 48-14 win over Clearwater Central Catholic in the Class 1M state final at Gene Cox Stadium.
The Lions (13-0), ranked second nationally by High School Football America behind only Miami Central, scored another comfortable victory to secure their fifth state title in the past six seasons and seventh overall.
Chaminade won its
25th consecutive game and won by at least 21 points for the 11th time this season. The Lions’ only one-score games were wins over Washington (D.C.) powerhouse St. John’s Prep and nationally ranked Plantation American Heritage.
Chaminade coach Dameon Jones has guided the Lions to five of those titles since coming over from coaching at Hallandale High seven years ago.
While he’s had dozens of major college recruits on his rosters over that span, he said after the game he had never seen a group stay so even-keel amid constant scrutiny like this season’s squad did.
“Those guys never think about that stuff,” Jones said. “This is a different group. They like that pressure. They like playing under the lights. A lot of the teams we’ve had were mature, but this one just wasn’t fazed by anything. They’ve played in pressure situations since early in their careers. And we always practice like if we’re behind in games, and that gets us ready for any situation.
“I’ve been around a lot of talent in my day, but this bunch is special.”
The Lions showed just how much early and often in Thursday’s game.
With an up-tempo offense, Chaminade struck quickly and scored touchdowns on its first three drives.
Junior quarterback Cedrick Bailey once again was the conductor of this orchestra, completing 16 of 24 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns.
Junior Jeremiah Smith was his top target, catching six of those passes for 104 yards and two scores. He delivered the highlight of the night when he leaped over a defender and reached back with one hand — Odell Beckham Jr.-style — to haul in a 23-yard touchdown pass with 2:39 left in the second quarter.
Junior Jojo Trader caught the other touchdown in the first quarter and finished with four catches for 49 yards.
Junior Davion Gause racked up 189 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries to pace Chaminade’s ground game.
Senior safety Jeno Junius recorded a team-high 19 tackles to lead the Lions’ defense, which came up with three clutch stops on downs after the Marauders advanced into their territory.
They held explosive Clearwater Central Catholic quarterback Jershaun Newton to 5-of-10 passing for 85 yards and no touchdowns. Newton ran for
127 yards and Lenwood Sapp ran for both of the Marauders’ scores. But only after Chaminade had built a four-touchdown lead by halftime.
Even freshman running back Bryant Junius got into the act, scoring a touchdown as time expired, setting off the wild on-field celebration for the Lions after the game.
“The key was to set the tone, and we had a great game plan,” Bailey said. “We needed a spark and we were able to do it.”
All that’s left to see now is if Chaminade made enough of a case for at least one national poll to crown it a national champion.
With the majority of its key playmakers being juniors, the Lions figure to pick up right where they left off next season, where they will likely face a major national powerhouse to open the season in the second-annual Broward County Showcase.
The chase for an eighth state title and a chance to set a state-record with an eighth consecutive trip to the finals would then begin.
But on Thursday night, the Lions took a moment to enjoy the fireworks that went off after their victory.
“I think it’ll hit me later when I’m done coaching down the road one day,” Jones said. “For now, it’s on to the next one. I’m happy for them, my coaches and the kids that they can enjoy this.”
Andre C. Fernandez: @FernandezAndreC