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Fort Lauderdale, FL — St. Thomas Aquinas is not just a great local program, they are a great national program and they proved that in front of a nationally televised audience Saturday afternoon. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) defeated St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) 38-23 on a hot and muggy afternoon in South Florida.
According to MaxPreps, the game matched the 6th ranked team in St. Thomas Aquinas against the 8th ranked team in St. Francis Academy. The game televised on ESPN, put on display two stellar performances for two St. Thomas players. Quarterback Zion Turner passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for a score. Tight end Mason Taylor caught 11 for 133 yards. Taylor only had 6 receptions all season last year.
(With Football) Mason Taylor, Tight End, St. Thomas Aquinas
“I had to prove a point, and I proved it today,” said Taylor. “I went to nine colleges this summer and did camps so they could see me and see my size.”
Taylor, rated as a four-star by Rivals.com, remains locked in with LSU. Taylor will visit Baton Rouge for the Florida game this season. Taylor of course is the son of hall of fame defensive end Jason Taylor. His father serves as the defensive coordinator at St. Thomas Aquinas.
Post Game Interview: Monster game from @MasonTaylor52. The @STA_Football tight end and @LSUfootball commit had 11 receptions for 133 yards. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/qiXGZFueD7
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) August 28, 2021
It Was Over When…
Junior running back Xavier Terrell got the edge, turned it upfield, and forced himself over the goal line late in the fourth quarter. Starting senior running back Anthony Hankerson did not play in the second half due to severe cramping and dehydration. Terrell had 11 carries for 65 yards and the one score.
“Anthony Hankerson, Jordan Lyle is out, Xavier Terrell, Gemari Sands, we have four very, very good running backs,” said Head Coach Roger Harriott. “I think our best days are ahead of us right now.”
The game could not have started any better for the hometown Raiders. St. Frances quarterback John Griffith mishandled the snap in his own end zone and the Raiders jumped on the football to help St. Thomas jump out to an early lead. Turner would score his first of three touchdowns soon after. He found Isaiah Hardge over the middle for a 21-yard touchdown to help extend the lead to 14 in the first quarter.
St. Frances would strike back as senior running back Terron Kellman got the edge and sprinted down the sideline to get inside the five-yard line. Senior Darrien Lewis would finish off the drive with a short touchdown run.
The Panthers would add another score after senior Michael Vinson stepped in front of an errant pass for an interception. Lamar Patterson caught a short pass and the flat and turned on the jets to take it the distance. The score was tied at 14 after the first quarter.
Just before the half, the improbable happened.
After another St. Frances score, St. Thomas found themselves down 20-17 with four seconds left at about mid-field. Turner scrambled around and was nearly tackled by Panther defenders, got a block from his running back, then threw it to senior receiver Jaylan Sanchez near the goal line. Sanchez would get into the end zone as zeros on the clock appeared on the scoreboard. St. Thomas would never relinquish the lead after that play.
Zion Turner, Quarterback, St. Thomas Aquinas
“That play was crazy,” said Turner. “I was rolling to the right, I saw my running back Hankerson, he was looking behind me. I thought I was about to get killed. God gave me the grace to break through the tackle and make a better play.”
Turner completed 22 of his 32 passes and rushed for 37 yards on the ground.
“Everybody doubted me as a passer. They thought I was a regular dual-threat quarterback,” said Turner. “I came out here to show everybody that I’m one of the best quarterbacks in the nation.”
In the second half, Turner would score on the ground keeping the football on a zone-read play from nine yards out.
Other Standout Players
Jordan Smith, 2022, linebacker, STA
King Mack, 2023, defensive back, STA
Derrick Moore, defensive end, STF
“We were prepared for them,” said Mack. ” We broke down film, we installed plays and that’s what we will do for the rest of the year.”
St. Thomas will play at Plantation next week and St. Frances will fly back home to host St. Joseph Regional (NJ).
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