WESTSIDE – Confidence can go a long way for a football team and in the Class 7A Regional Final you must possess it if you want to move on to the next round. Well only one team seemed to have it on “Black Friday” and it was the Edgewater Eagles. Edgewater came out of the gate extremely confident especially in their secondary where they shut down the high potent Lee attack. This would work to their advantage because on the first play of the game, Lee attempted a long pass to their number one wide receiver Jurial Caldwell.Sophomore defensive back Tommi Hill would match Caldwell stride for stride on the play for the incompletion. The play would be indicative of the game for Lee, as the Generals struggled to separate themselves from the suffocating defense of Edgewater.
After forcing an early punt, Edgewater would score on their first play from scrimmage, a 53 yard touchdown run by quarterback Robert Harvey Jr, however the run would be called back for holding. The penalty backed Edgewater up but seemed to motivate them even the more as Hill would catch a 19 yard pass on third and 20 setting up a fourth and 1 situation for Edgewater on the Lee 45 yard line. Edgewater would convert a first down on a short run and continue their drive with a big pass to Cobe Stribling setting the Eagles up deep in General territory. Harvey Jr would finish off the drive with a one yard touchdown plunge to give his team the early lead 7-0.
Touchdown Harvey Jr for Edgewater, they lead 7-0 6:55 1st vs Lee pic.twitter.com/70OfOkliGv
— Duval Sports ™️ (@DuvalSports) November 24, 2018
Lee would have another crack on offense, however they found it hard to get into any kind of rhythm. Forced to punt, Edgewater would take over and drive down the field toward their second score of the game. It would happen with 1:40 to play in the first quarter when Cobe Stribling would take the hand off and race around the left side for the score as Lee found themselves in an early hole 14-0.
Cobe Stripling with the TD run Edgewater up 14-0 early over Lee 1:40 1st pic.twitter.com/CHnAKCXggX
— Duval Sports ™️ (@DuvalSports) November 24, 2018
Lee would try to get something going in the second quarter and it started on defense as Jaheim Singletary would go sky high for an interception, galvanizing his team. The Generals offense began to gain traction when quarterback Cam Sapp hit tailback Malik Brown for a long catch and run. However, the Eagle’s defense would force a fumble by Taz Nicholson and would recover the ball at mid-field.
At this juncture, the game began to resemble a playoff contest worthy of two teams boasting 10-1 and 9-1 regular season records. Hard hitting ensued and defensive standout Ralph Mency (three sacks) led the charge with a big sack to force an Edgewater punt.
On the ensuing possession, Sapp would hit Terry McKinney on a deep fly route down the right sideline in stride setting the Generals up deep in Edgewater territory. Just two plays later, Sapp went to the air again and found Caldwell wide open in the end-zone to put Lee on the board 14-7 in the second quarter.
Cam Sapp to Juriel Caldwell! TD Lee! Edgewater 14 Lee 7 2nd qtr 2:57 pic.twitter.com/kDLs3AX2o0
— Duval Sports ™️ (@DuvalSports) November 24, 2018
What looked like a momentum shift in the game turned out to be simply a brief moment of calm before the storm. With just 8 seconds remaining in the half, and Edgewater on the Lee 30 yard line, Harvey Jr would pass the ball to receiver Lorenzo Jones to what looked like a wide receiver screen, yet Jones would then heave the ball to the endzone hitting Isaiah Connelly for a spectacular touchdown play giving Edgewater a 21-7 halftime lead.
It’s the Robert Harvey Jr Show! TD!! 80yd unband then a 8yd run for the score! Edgewater 28 Lee 7 3rd pic.twitter.com/dwf6bg2dKi
— Duval Sports ™️ (@DuvalSports) November 24, 2018
In the second half it was the Harvey Jr show, as the Virginia commit, took over the game. After scoring the first touchdown of the game, Harvey Jr scored three touchdowns in the second half, including a 80 yard scamper to set up a 9 yard touchdown run in the third quarter. As a torrential down pour ensued, Lee was washed away by Edgewater’s execution.
Rain is pouring the Lee band marched out and Edgewater band is still here playing ice cream man! With 10 minuets to play in the game Edgewater up 35-7 4th @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/Vzr78tQBfv
— Andre' Ellis🗯 (@andreellis55) November 24, 2018
The Eagles only committed one turnover on the night where as Lee committed four. The most costly of them came just before the fourth quarter when Edgewater defensive end Nathan White hit Sapp jarring the ball loose as the Eagles recovered at Lee 10 yard line. The play sent the Edgewater sidelines into a frenzy and took the air right out of the Generals sails. A comeback would not occur on this night as Edgewater rained on Lee’s parade 41-7.
Nathan White with a forced fumble giving he Eagles e ball deep in General territory pic.twitter.com/4s5uvZFhuM
— Duval Sports ™️ (@DuvalSports) November 24, 2018
Lee head Coach OJ Small said after the game that he saw a lot of growth out of his team. A team that saw a sophomore and freshman start at defensive back along with several other underclassmen, Lee can hold their heads high after a 8-1 regular season and two impressive wins on the road against Hagerty and Columbia.
Edgewater on the other hand is playing with lots of confidence after dominating Buchholz, Lincoln and now Lee in the playoffs. The Eagles are now looking to take down the beasts of Central Florida in Lakeland after Lakeland defeated Plant 49-30 to advance to the state semifinals.
