NORTHSIDE- The game that was billed the game of the century between Ribault and Matthew Gilbert started out with surprises as Ribault recovered an on side kick to begin the game. It was an excellent play call that caught the Panthers off guard and ultimately allowed Ribault to pull off the shocker of the year.
Ribault would start their drive at midfield and put together a methodical 7-play drive behind their running back Javari Williams. Williams pounded the ball off tackle gaining first downs.
A bootleg by Ribault quarterback Chris Calhoun got the ball down to the Gilbert two yard line where Williams ran it in on the next play for the touchdown. The two point conversion was no good, yet Ribault started the game with a 6-0 lead.
#2 Javari Williams scores for Ribault 6-0 pic.twitter.com/L3vyw3ncdE
— Duval Sports ™️ (@DuvalSports) October 24, 2017
It didn’t take long for Gilbert to respond to the drive by Ribault. On the ensuing drive, the Panthers took their first play from scrimmage 40 yards to the Ribault 20 yard line thanks to their running back Jeremiah Huntley.
Two plays later, running back Kareem Burke ran off tackle 15 yards for the Panther touchdown. The 2-point after was not ssuccessful and the game was tied 6-6.
The first quarter revealed a lot from both teams, that would later come back to haunt one of them. Ribault showed their ability to execute on special teams, and keep the Gilbert offense off the field by running the football.
Gilbert showed the ability to strike fast and furious, scoring on their first drive in just three offensive plays. One of these teams would capitalize from their strategy while the other would abscond from it.
The game remained a 6-6 tie going into halftime courtesy of strong defensive play by both teams.
Gilbert’s defense pressured Ribault’s quarterback and would eventually get to him. Clifton Richardson would get a sack in the second quarter to force a Ribault punt.
On Ribault’s defense they would settle in and begin to tackle Gilbert’s runners. On a third down pass attempt, Ribault’s Reem West got a big sack to force the Gilbert punt. The defensive stalemate made for a scoreless second quarter and both teams searching for answers after one half of play.
In the third, Gilbert needed to regain a possession that they lost by failing to recover the onside kick at the start of the game. David Hamilton Jr. would aid in that effort, sacking Chris Calhoun and forcing the Ribault punt.
After both offenses stalled at the beginning of the third, Gilbert’s offense would again ignite instantly, and the pilot light was Jeremiah Huntley.
Huntley took an off tackle hand off to the right, cut back behind the line of scrimmage and found a crease up the middle. He would break a tackle after gaining five yards and explode through the defense, outracing the Ribault defensive back to the end zone for the touchdown.
In just five touches, Huntley had rushed for over 125 yards in the game putting his team up 14-6 after the two point conversion run by Burke.
In year’s past, Ribault would be in this very moment and make a costly mistake allowing Gilbert to capitalize and put the game out of reach. Yet Ribault didn’t have Chris Calhoun in year’s past.
Seemingly unfazed by the score, Ribault responded in championship fashion beginning with a big return by Freddie Manning. Manning’s big return was accentuated by Calhoun’s gritty plays.
After a nice gain by running back Anthony Thomas, Calhoun would hit a slant pass that went for 30 yards deep in Panther territory. The big play was backed up to the Gilbert 40 yard line after a personal foul penalty for a crack back block.
Calhoun would regroup his offense and complete a 20 yard slant to Thomas for a first down. After a Javari Williams 10 yard run, Calhoun took a quarterback keeper around the right end of the defense to the pylon for a touchdown.
Needing a two point conversion to tie the game, Calhoun’s number was called again, following the block of Jerome Manning who pancaked his defender, Calhoun broke two tackles at the corner of the right end zone again scoring this time the tying touchdown.
Knotted at 14 all, the fourth quarter would provide the suspense and action, a game of No. 1 vs No. 2 was supposed to provide.
On the ensuing possession, Gilbert mounted an impressive drive behind their shifty and speedy running back Kareem Burke. Burke would get his team down to the Ribault 15 yard line but the Colts defense would hold them on fourth down.
Ribault would get the ball but could do nothing with it on their possession and was forced to punt as well.
After three plays, Gilbert was forced to punt the ball with a 1:40 to play in the fourth quarter.
On the punt attempt, Ribault’s Jerome Manning found a crevice in the protection and blocked the Panther punt. Manning then scooped up the ball which bounced right into his hands and raced 45 yards for the go ahead score.
The Gilbert sideline was in stunned silence while Ribault’s side erupted with jubilee.
Yet with 1:15 to play, Gilbert still had a great shot to score with their big play offense.
Ribault elected to on-side kick, but it was recovered by Gilbert at the Ribault 47 yard line. After consecutive penalties on both teams, the ball remained inside the 50 yard line of Ribault.
With the clock stopping on first downs and possessing two timeouts, the Panthers elected to pass the ball on four straight downs falling incomplete on each attempt.
The decision to abandoned the run and pass will be questioned by many Gilbert football fans for a long time.
What won’t be questioned is the confidence and coaching of Ribault, whose special teams at the start and finish of the game ended Gilbert’s 77 game regular season win streak, and their reign as city champions.
With the win, Ribault dealt Gilbert its first division loss in over a decade. Ending a dynasty that we may never see again in middle school football in Northeast Florida.
