Edgewater is lone area team left in postseason
Senior safety Brandon Hill was the last Wekiva player to leave the field Friday after the Mustangs came up short in the Class 8A region finals.
Before being consoled by family and friends nearby, he shared an embrace with head coach Rich Bedesem near midfield following Wekiva’s 19-7 loss to Jacksonville Mandarin.
“I told him that it’s been a long ride, and that I love him and appreciate everything he’s done for me and the team,” Hill said.
The Mustangs (11-2), the top seed in Region 1 and the No. 1-ranked team in the Sentinel Super 16, turned the ball over four times in the home loss.
A roughing-the-punter call against Wekiva late in the third quarter proved to be the difference. That helped Mandarin take the lead for good four plays later at 12-7 when Carson Beck connected with Kris Mitchell for a 54-yard score.
Norell Pollard intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble on Mandarin’s first two drives while Wekiva’s James Lynch Jr. and Johnny Chaney each recorded a sack.
“We worked so hard over this past year. I’m at a loss for words,” Hill said. “Last year we felt the exact same way, but this hurts more because I know this is it for me and my [Class of ] 2019 brothers. We’ve just got to help pick these young guys up and hope they can come back next year and not let this happen again.”
Wekiva lost in a 2017 state semifinal to eventual champion Dr. Phillips in what was a breakout season for the program.
Mandarin (9-4) will make its first state semifinal appearance Friday against Sarasota Riverview (10-3), which defeated Dr. Phillips 33-7.
The Panthers (7-6) were playing in a region final for the fifth straight year. DP defeated Riverview in the playoffs the past two years but turned the ball over four times on the road Friday.
Riverview tied the game at 7-7 on a 47-yard interception return early in the second quarter. DP’s defense went on to hold the Rams to four field goals in the second and third quarters, which proved more than enough for the Rams.
DP senior standout Japerri Powell was contained to 10 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown. Eagles still soaring: Edgewater’s defense forced six turnovers and senior quarterback R.J. Harvey rushed for four touchdowns in a 41-7 Class 7A, Region 1 win at Jacksonville Lee (10-2).
The Eagles (12-1) return to the road Friday to face Lakeland (13-0) at 7:30 p.m. in a state semifinal. It’ll be the fourth straight game away from home this postseason for Edgewater, which won at Gainesville Buchholz and Tallahassee Lincoln in the first two rounds.
Harvey scored three times in the second half and finished with 156 yards rushing. Edgewater’s defense forced five turnovers in the second half and held Lee to 132 yards.
A 30-yard TD pass from wide receiver Lorenzo Jones to running back Isaiah Connelly with no time left in the first half gave the Eagles a 21-7 lead at the break.
Edgewater is making its first state semifinal appearance since 2009.
TFA, Foundation fall: The First Academy (9-2) experienced a drastic swing of emotion in the final seconds of a 23-22 loss in Class 3A, Region 2.
West Palm Beach King’s Academy (11-1) scored on a 66-yard pass from Justin Wake to Cory Croteau with 11 seconds to play. Croteau made the reception over the middle of the field before avoiding a defender and turning toward the end zone.
The decisive score came just 10 seconds after TFA’s Matt Edwards connected with John Collard on a 40-yard TD pass to put the Royals in front 22-16.
Foundation Academy (9-3) lost in the playoffs to Lakeland Victory Christian (11-1) for the third time in four years, falling 36-7 in the Class 2A, Region 2 final.
Foundation scored on the game’s opening drive when Henry Austad threw a 23-yard pass to Joey Zagame, but the Lions could muster nothing more despite reaching the red zone five times.
Victory sophomore running back Cornelius Shaw finished with 269 yards and three touchdowns.
FHSAA Finals: The Florida High School Athletic Association will host the 2018 football championship games Dec. 6-8 at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium.
The Class 1A and 4A finals will be played Thursday, Dec. 6 followed by 2A, 5A and 7A finals on Friday, Dec. 7. The Class 3A, 6A and 8A games round out the season on Saturday, Dec. 8.