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Miami, FL — Up 27-7, the Gulliver (Miami) Raiders were 24 minutes away from the state semifinals and it seemed that 2021 would finally be the year the Raiders took the next step toward winning its first state championship since its only title in 2000.
Unfortunately for Gulliver, those dreams were dashed as the defending 4A state champions, Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) battled back to advance to back-to-back semifinals with a 36-33 win in the FHSAA regional final.
Quarterback Dylan Rizk scored three rushing touchdowns including the game-winner with 1:16 left to play in the game to seal it for the Chiefs. The 2023 three-star quarterback took matters into his own hands and used his legs to score.
.@dylanrizk11 helps @FootballGibbons take the lead for the first time since the first quarter with this touchdown run.
Gibbons leads Gulliver 36-33 with 1:16 left in the game. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/ynbFRUsyIX
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
“They actually defended it really well,” said Rizk. “The tight end was supposed to leak to the flat and I just hit him and he goes in the end zone. But they had a free guy that was locked on the tight end. So I faked the pass to him and just ran it in. It was the first time I ever did that with that play.”
Rizk was far from perfect in this game, turning the ball over four times (three interceptions, one fumble lost). Despite the miscues, Rizk and the champs were able to make the plays necessary to advance.
Cardinal @FootballGibbons get on the board first as quarterback @dylanrizk11 gets into the end zone. 7-0 over Gulliver 1st quarter. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/YcRnpGYX2v
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
“He never lost his confidence,” said Head Coach Matt Dubuc. “We made it easier than we should have, but we fought back.”
It Was Over When…
Gulliver was unable to convert on a 4th and 2 from their own 45-yard line with under a minute to go. Quarterback Carson Haggard’s pass was too high for De’Carlo Donaldson and the Gibbons sideline erupted.
FINAL: @FootballGibbons defeats Gulliver 36-33 in 4A @FHSAA regional final. The Gibbons defense holds on this 4th and 2 to end the game. @dylanrizk11 3 rushing touchdowns @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/zoYjYMuErF
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
The Gibbons defense held the explosive Gulliver offense to just six points in the second half and the Chiefs offensive comeback was ignited by a 73-yard touchdown run by Rizk. The junior quarterback decided to tuck it and run to his left, busted through two tacklers along the way, and sprinted down the sideline for the touchdown.
Dylan Rizk @dylanrizk11 busts through tacklers and takes it 73 yards down the sideline for a @FootballGibbons touchdown.
Score 27-14 early 3rd quarter. Gibbons trails Gulliver. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/kgmYeTwjdF
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
“I think they thought I was going to slide, but I just kept running,” said Rizk of the run. “My receivers did a great job blocking, my O-Line did a great job walling them off to the right side.”
The score would make it a two-score game in the third quarter. Rizk, the transfer from American Heritage (Delray) fumbled the football attempting to run on his next possession. The Raiders would counter with a score on the next play as Notre Dame commit Sedrick Irvin Jr. busted loose for a 26-yard touchdown.
But the Chiefs’ comeback would continue as Rizk found an open Davon Kiser for a 35-yard touchdown.
.@dylanrizk11 hits a wide open @DavonKiser for the @FootballGibbons touchdown.
Score 33-21 Gibbons trails with 6:27 left in the 3rd quarter. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/Oa1Zbgg7Kt
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
The ground game would finally get going in the third quarter for the Chiefs as junior running back Kamari Moulton found daylight on the right side, slipped a tackle, and used his speed to get to the end zone.
.@HulkMoulton takes it 55 yards for the @FootballGibbons touchdown (two-point conversion is good).
Score 33-29 Gibbons trails Gulliver in the 3rd. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/nDsMdtlz3a
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
“Once I broke I was just thinking about my mom because she just passed recently,” said Moulton. “I just wanted to score for my mom.”
Moulton explained that he told Rizk to change the play that was originally a pass, to a run.
“He wanted to pass it but before he hiked it I said stop it, just run the ball. He said I’m trusting you and I said I got you. Next thing you know we’re in the end zone.”
Gibbons went for two and converted with a pass to tight end Colton Heinrich. Gibbons all of a sudden found themselves down by just four in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter would provide enthralling theatre. First Tre’Mone Drisdom would intercept a Haggard pass close to the sideline which gave the Chiefs an early opportunity to take the lead in the final quarter. Junior Antonio Smith would intercept a Rizk’s pass in the end zone to end the drive with 7:39 left and later Rizk would throw another interception to senior Jayvon Only.
“It was devastating,” said Rizk. “Obviously that’s the last thing I want to do, especially the one in the end zone. But that’s football, bad stuff will happen in football. But we came back and won the game.”
Big Time Players
De’Carlo Donaldson (Wide Receiver, Gulliver), had an unbelievable first half.
.@GPrep_FB takes the lead in the first quarter. @haggard_carson finds his fellow @GreenWaveFB commit @Sp3Cj for the 26-yard score. 14-7 with 2:16 left. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/Y2hqpl8cwj
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
Donaldson scored three times making it look relatively easy each time.
De’Carlo “CJ” Donaldson @Sp3Cj scores his second touchdown of the game to extend the @GPrep_FB lead.
Score 21-7 over Gibbons with 7:47 left in the half. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/57qC9kiVep
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
Donaldson was tough to stop and tough to bring down, needing at least two tacklers to take down his big (6-2, 210) frame.
De’Carlo Donaldson already has the hat trick (3 touchdowns) in the first half. @Sp3Cj catches this one for a 10-yard score (extra point blocked).
Score 27-7 @GPrep_FB leads Gibbons 2:22 left in the half. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/fcscA93qoh
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
Adonis Allen (Defensive Back, Cardinal Gibbons), shut down big play wide receiver Jalen Brown who was unofficially shut out in this game without a catch. Allen snatched a would-be catch away from Brown in the first half.
Check out this amazing interception by junior @FootballGibbons DB Adonis Allen.
The Chiefs had two interceptions in the 36-33 win over Gulliver. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/BYx9RgQXIt
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) November 27, 2021
Mason Thomas, Ahmad Moten, and Tray Brown – The combination of the three Gibbons defenders turned up the pressure on Haggard in the second half. Collectively their disruption changed the complexion of the game and helped the Chiefs advance to the next round.
Jesse Anderson probably had his best game as a Cardinal Gibbons Chief. The junior caught passes over the middle when the pocket broke down and also contributed on defense.
Cardinal Gibbons will host Lakewood (St. Petersburg) next week in the state semifinals next week.
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