Terry Parker HS- The Ribault Colts went into Tuesday’s championship remembering all too well the feeling they had last year. The undefeated Colts were disqualified from playoff contention due to an ineligible player. (Mandarin would go on to win the championship last year) That unfortunate occurrence cost them a chance to play for a title. Yet this year, the Colts returned with redemption on their mind and standing in their way were the Landmark Seahawks.
Ironically, Landmark found themselves in the midst of their own unfortunate circumstance heading into their championship contest. Four starters were forced to sit out the game and quarantine due to a player on Mandarin Middle School’s Football team testing positive for Covid-19.
Landmark defeated Mandarin in the playoffs a week prior to this championship game, and a parent from Mandarin allegedly took their child to get tested after the loss. Four players on Landmark’s team were identified by the Florida Department of Health as individuals needing to isolate due to potential contact.
Subsequently, not only would Landmark have to play without four starters, Mandarin would also be unable to play the traditional third place game, which was scheduled against Jeff Davis earlier in the evening. Nonetheless, the championship game would go on as planned with Landmark and Ribault battling for the county title.
Playing short-handed, Landmark looked to gamble early on against Ribault but this strategy back fired. On the first drive of the game, Landmark faced a 4th and 5 and elected to go for it on their own 40 yard line. The attempt failed and Ribault took over with excellent field position.
Ribault would capitalize on the opportunity. After a first down run pushed the ball deep into Landmark territory, Ribault would gain a first down at the 2-yard line. #1 A’dron Walker would barrel into the end-zone for a touchdown giving Ribault a 6-0 lead early in the first quarter.
After the early score, Landmark would settle down and stop Ribault on defense. The Seahawks would force a turnover with a fumble, and then turnover on downs when linebacker David Ross made a crucial stop.
Yet Ribault’s defense was unrelenting on the night. The Colts would register several sacks on the night, blitzing to harass Landmark . The strategy paid off when Ribault blocked a punt setting them up in prime position.
The Colts would capitalize on the block with a touchdown by Bernard Brown who bull-dozed his way into the end-zone giving Ribault a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.
It wouldn’t take Landmark to respond, thanks to their seventh grade sensation Aaron Lockett. Lockett took the ensuing kickoff, ran right, made several defenders miss , reversed field to his left and flew past Ribault defender for an electrifying 75-yard touchdown.
Lockett would then toss a fade to his big wide receiver Cornell Wheeler who out leaped two defenders for the score, and just like that Landmark closed the Ribault lead 14-8 going into halftime.
In the second half, both teams would stalemate on their first drives of the third quarter. Landmark would be forced to punt, and that’s when Ribault’s Naeem Burroughs would take over. Burroughs has led the team all year with big plays and he continued that trend Tuesday taking a punt back to the house to give his team a two score lead late in the third.
Landmark wouldn’t have enough to keep up on offense as Ribault blitzed every play. The blitz forced Lockett backwards to evade the rush which resulted in big losses.
Ribault’s offense would finish the deal when Walker railed off a long run in the fourth quarter, leading to an other Ribault short touchdown run sealing the win for the Colts.
Congratulations to the Ribault Colts and Coach Ram who in his first season as head coach, took the Colts to a championship. He is the first coach in the Duval County Championship Series to do so. ” The kids just bought in to what we were teaching them, I have a great staff and it’s these players that deserve all the credit”– Coach Ram
Naeem Burroughs was named championship game MVP. Incredibly, his older brother was named championship game MVP the last time Ribault middle won a county championship in 2017.
For the Colts, it was sweet redemption as they were able to fulfill a journey that they felt started in 2019. Undefeated two season in row, and now champions once again.
