STARKE- After being on the end of back-to-back season ending playoff losses to Dunnellon; Zion Barber made sure it didn’t happen a third time.
371 days ago on the same field, Dunnellon left David Hurse Stadium with a 49-21 win over Bradford knocking the Tornadoes out of the playoffs in the first round for the second straight year.
Barber left the field feeling ticked off and made a promise to himself this wouldn’t happen again.
He made good on it as Barber accounted for all four scores, running for a touchdown, throwing for two, while adding a field goal as well in a 24-14 win over Dunnellon.
“It definitely fueled the fire, it’s never been off our minds and we knew we would see them again,” Barber said.
“If left a bad taste in their mouth last season and the guys didn’t want that to happen again and they made sure it didn’t happen,” first year Bradford coach Brian Tomlinson added.
A year later, Barber and his teammates got their wish as both Bradford and Dunnellon won first round playoff games setting up the highly anticipated rematch again this time in the second round of the playoffs.
Bradford jumped on them quickly and never let off the gas as the Tornadoes behind the three headed monster of backs junior Jeremiah Vaughn, senior Tally Chandler and quarterback Zion Barber.
Vaughn broke loose for a 22 yard gain on the first play from scrimmage to set the early tone. Chandler found a hole and raced 18 yards down to the 6-yard line and Barber capped the opening drive with a fourth down 1 yard keeper for a 7-0 lead barely two minutes into the game.
Dunnellon appeared on its way to tying the game quickly two but the Tornadoes defense held them on fourth and five from the 10-yard line the first of three times through out the game.
Decorrian Patterson dove and picked off a Barber pass that nearly hit the ground to give the Tiger the ball back near midfield.
Jase Williams capped the 15 play/57 yard drive with a 1 yard run score, while quarterback Javon Lee gave Dunnellon an 8-7 lead after hitting the corner on a swinging gate two point play seconds into the second quarter.
Vaughn appeared to get the first down on a fourth and 1 play, but officials ruled he was short of the sticks at the 21-yard line giving the Tigers the ball back.
A high snap over punter Maurice Goolsby head was brought down by Goolsby who tried to out run a pack of Tornadoes but was hit for a huge loss giving the Tornadoes the ball inside the 10-yard line.
However the Tigers defense held as Barber was hit for a three yard loss after driving to the 1 and Barber drilled the 20-yard field goal giving Bradford a 10-8 lead with 4:56 left till half.
After a quick three and out, Bradford struck again before the half to give itself some much needed breathing room as Barber found Nathaniel Davis alone for a 15 yard touchdown catch and 17-8 lead with 27 seconds left till half.
Dunnellon received the second half kickoff and quickly made it a one score game again as Williams trotted in from 11 yards out and the two point conversion failed cutting the lead to 17-14 minutes into the third quarter.
Knowing what had happened last year allowing a quick third quarter score which went on to spring the Tigers to the easy second half win, Bradford coaches didn’t let off the gas.
Barber again found Davis wide open across the middle for a 35 yard touchdowns pass increasing the lead to 24-14 with 8:15 left in the third quarter.
Now it was up the defense to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard in the second half and send the Tornadoes to the third round and avenge two years of agony.
Chris Cummings locked down Florida commit Goolsby and the middle featuring Taro Ward, Jacquez Mosley and Gerald Smith shut down the Tigers running game as well pitching a fourth quarter shut out the rest of the way.
Cummings knocked down several passes, while Mosley, Ward and Smith wrecked havoc in the backfield forcing the Tigers into several three and outs.
Smith recovered a Jaquon Edwards fumble at the 4-yard line keeping the Tigers out of the end zone for the second time in the game.
The fumble allowed Bradford to run nearly five minutes off the clock on the ensuing drive thanks to Vaughn, Barber and Chandler before having to punt it back with under five minutes left in the game.
Down two scores with under five minutes to go, Dunnellon tried to ride the arm of Lee however Cummings knocked down another pass intended for Goolsby and Jimtaz Curry put pressure on Lee on fourth down to force him out of the pocket and sail a pass well short of the intended receiver.
Taking over at midfield with under three minutes, Bradford turned to the three headed monster again to grind the clock and send them into the state semifinals for the first time since back-to-back state semifinals losses to Madison County in 2003 and 2004.
As the clock hit zero, the home crowd erupted and the players began to celebrate before shaking hands with Dunnellon. Seconds later they turned to Dunnellon and literally waved them goodbye just like Dunnellon had done the past two years ending their seasons.
There isn’t a lot of love in this budding rivalry as both teams got into a heated twitter war during the week, yet it was Bradford dealing the final blow.
“They said it couldn’t be done, its done,” Tomlinson told his team afterwards. “Tell your family you’re going to be late to Thanksgiving dinner.”
As for the first time in 14 years the Tornadoes (10-1) will enjoy the tradition of a Thanksgiving Day practice.
And as they have been saying since day one, ”one more game” awaits them next week hosting Raines (11-1) in the state semifinals.
“We know it’s going to be tough and we have a lot of respect for them but as we have said all year long one more game,” Tomlinson added.
And if they win there its one more game from winning the programs possible third state championship.
“It’s been a dream of mine since I was little and my whole career and hopefully they can add us to that list on the wall next to 1965 and 1966 state championship teams and put us in the books as well.”
