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Plantation, FL — American Heritage Plantation versus Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons has become the most anticipated rivalry game in Broward County in the last five years. In the last five games between the two schools, four of the battles were decided in the final moments.
In 2020, another classic.
Cardinal Gibbons was faced with a fourth down with 34 seconds left in the game down six points with a chance to tie with a touchdown and win with an extra point. Senior quarterback Brody Palhegyi looked to his left hoping to find his go-to receiver Troy Stellato for the touchdown, but the football would fall to the ground with junior Jacolby Spells defending and American Heritage would walk off of their home field with a 23-17 victory.
“We rely on our defense to come with plays like that,” said Head Coach Pat Surtain. “They’re our backbone. When we’re in that position we feel our defense is going to make a play and they did twice tonight.”
On back to back drives to close the game, Heritage’s defense would bend but not break at the goal line. Cardinal Gibbons would execute a near-perfect drive that started from their own seven-yard line down to the goal line of American Heritage. The Chiefs looked to run it in for the score when Miami Hurricanes commit James Williams dislodged the football from the ball carrier and the ball was recovered by Spells in the end zone.
“He’s a hell of a player,” said Coach Surtain of Williams. “He uplifts everybody. We expect those kinds of plays from him. It’s not an abnormality anymore. We expect him to make those kinds of plays every game and he does.”
In the third quarter, Williams made a game-changing play that was pivotal to the Patriot victory. Gibbons lined up for a 22-yard field goal that would have tied the game at 13, when Williams blocked and returned the football for an 85-yard touchdown. Instead of a tie game, Heritage led by ten points and seized momentum. The blocked field goal return was made possible by a pass defended by defensive back Earl Little Jr. on the previous third down. The junior swatted the football just as Chief wide receiver Elisha Edwards attempted to catch the football in the end zone.
Big time 5 ⭐️ player and @CanesFootball commit making a big time play in a big time game. https://t.co/FaKZjUUAqc
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) October 31, 2020
“He had me beat a little bit,” said Little Jr. “But I finished through the play, that’s what good players do and that’s what I’m made of. I’m a dog, I slapped it out and got the pass break-up.”
Junior defensive back @EarlLittleJr1 with a game shifting play for @AH__Athletics here to stop Gibbons on third down. pic.twitter.com/PLOAyI08sG
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) October 31, 2020
Little is the son of former Miami Hurricanes defensive back Earl Little, who like Coach Surtain played many years in the NFL as a defensive back. Little Sr. is also on the Heritage coaching staff.
“Coach Rumph, Coach Van Dyke, Coach Diaz, Coach Banda they reach out to me every now and then, so we got a tight relationship as of right now,” said Little Jr. of the Hurricanes Coaches. “I would love to play for Miami, I would have no problem with it. It’s my home town. Wherever I go I know my family will be right there behind me.”
Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Florida, and Georgia have all expressed interest in Little Jr.
End of 1st quarter – @AH__Athletics leads Gibbons 3-0. Sophomore Dameon Fagan ends this drive with an interception on fourth down. @FootballHotbed @FlaHSFootball pic.twitter.com/beVcarur8Z
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) October 31, 2020
Heritage played with a limited passing-game as starting quarterback Blake Murphy had his arm in a sling and did not play. Senior quarterback Dylan Romig played most of the snaps under center and threw two interceptions to Isaiah Farris in the game, but plays from senior wide receiver Vinson Davis (featured image) from the wildcat formation kept the stout Gibbons defense off balance. Sophomore running back Mark Fletcher got the bulk of the touches for the Patriot offense in the running game. After the two teams traded field goals in the first half, it was a nine-yard run by Davis that put Heritage up 10-3 early second quarter.
Vinson Davis helps @AH__Athletics take the lead on this 9-yard run. Heritage up 10-3 over Gibbons with 7:03 left in the half. @FootballHotbed @FlaHSFootball pic.twitter.com/AjulVxqZLC
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) October 31, 2020
Gibbons would match the touchdown with a score of their own as Palhegyi found Arthur Jenkins Jr. for a 35-yard touchdown. Jenkins caught the short pass and used his speed to get to the pylon with 3:43 left in the first half. A Chris Maron field goal would put the home team up three points at halftime. Maron went three for three on field goals and was perfect on extra points on the night.
“I love when I have my opportunities,” said Maron. “It’s not really about me, this is a team win. If our defense didn’t stop them right there, we would’ve lost the game.”
Maron, who also handles the punting duties, saw a high snap go over his head with about two minutes to go in the third quarter with a 23-10 lead. The ball bounced to the sixteen-yard line giving Gibbons hope for a comeback. Gibbons would score on the drive as Torrance Miller rushed in for a six-yard score.
“It shouldn’t have been this close,” said Coach Surtain. “The snap over the punters head was a huge play of the game, gave them field position but we hung in there, like a tell the kids, football is a comedy of errors. They are 15 to 18-year-old kids, they are going to make mistakes. As long as you keep fighting to the zeros on the clock, win lose or draw, you can look yourself in the mirror and I’m proud of these guys.”
American Heritage (5-1) will host Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas next week and Cardinal Gibbons (3-1) will host Fort Lauderdale Archbishop McArthy next Friday.
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