Daytona Beach, FL — In 2014, Apopka defeated Columbus (Miami) 30-23 to win their 3rd state championship.
History would not repeat itself.
Senior running back Henry Parrish Jr., who was shut down for most of the game by Apopka’s defense, scored on a 6-yard touchdown catch with 8 seconds left to make it a 20-19 game. Going for the two-conversion for Head Coach Dave Dunn was a no-brainer.
“Before the drive started we said that we were going to go for two points,” said Dunn. “We put it in the play this week.”
The play, started on the left hash, senior quarterback Brandon McDuffey rolled to his right and hit Jahvar McSween for the conversion as the junior reached the ball over the ball over the goal line.
The Columbus fans exploded on the sideline and a state championship that has escaped Columbus for several years finally became a reality.
“I believe in my team, I believe in each and every one of them,” said McDuffey about what was said before the final drive. “Just put it on the line right here and we going to win it and that’s what happened.”
McDuffey went 34 of 47 for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Explorers were left for dead in this game especially with 9:07 left to play. Junior quarterback Jaquan Lowman broke a tackle and strolled into the end zone but a holding call would take the points off the board on a 4th and 3. The score would have made it a 26-7 game which would have essentially put the game out of reach. The Blue Darters would settle for a field goal try but Titus Vandiver would miss from 31 yards giving the Explorers some hope for a comeback.
At the 3:21 mark, Columbus would start the late-game heroics as McDuffey would roll to his right lose the football and fortunately the ball would bounce back into his hands and he would find Parrish open at the goal line for an Explorer touchdown.
The score would make it a 20-13 game as the extra point was blocked. Parrish had 11 catches for 53 yards and two touchdown catches. He was held to just 24 yards rushing on 10 carries.
Columbus would attempt an onside kick and the Explorers would recover but unfortunately, the ball would not travel 10 yards giving the ball to the Blue Darters.
The Columbus defense would force a punt that would set up the game-winning drive that started on their own 28-yard line. McDuffey would convert three third-down conversions including a 26-yard gain to Xzavier Henderson that set up the Explorers at the 6-yard line with 18 seconds left.
“We just couldn’t go home empty-handed,” said Henderson after the game with a roaring crowd behind him. “Last year we were on the other side of this, we’ve had a chip on our shoulder since then.”
Last year Columbus lost to Mandarin in the 8A state championship game and for almost three and a half quarters, this game belonged to Apopka.
On the first play from scrimmage, the Darters running their patented Wing-T offense, junior quarterback Jaquan Lowman kept the football and darted down the sideline for 56 yard gain.
The Columbus defense would stand tall however forcing a turnover at the goal line. Junior Dustin Vinas dislodged the football from Lowman and junior Joseph Price pounced on the football. Columbus would punt on from their own end zone that would only net 2 yards. The Darters with their second opportunity in the red zone would cash in from three yards out on fourth down.
Columbus would even the scoreboard at the start of the second quarter. Henderson would take jet sweep to the corner of the end zone for a two-yard Explorer touchdown.
The Blue Darters would retake the lead on their next possession with one of the rare pass attempts for Apopka. Lowman would roll out to his right and looked as if he was going to throw the ball away found Jalen Williams by himself in the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown. The extra point would be blocked by the Explorers.
Just before the half, McDuffey helped to drive Columbus into Apopka territory with a shot at a score. McDuffey looked to launch the football in the end zone but as he released the football Kaven Call got his hands on the football to cause on an incompletion. The Apopka defense held Columbus to under 300 yards of total offense.
Lowman rushed for 124 yards after one half of football averaging 10.3 yards per rush. The 2021 QB would finish with 249 yards rushing on 24 carries.
FINAL! @ColumbusFtball wins first state championship in school history with Jahvar McSween converting this 2-point conversion in the game’s final seconds. @FootballHotbed pic.twitter.com/yG6INU7kTh
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) December 14, 2019
The second half would start with a Columbus special team miscue as senior Elijah Augustine recovered a muffed kick that would set up Apopka in Explorer territory at the 30-yard line. Apopka would take advantage of the turnover as Tramar Jackson would get the edge and jog over the goal line with a 10-yard run to extend the Blue Darter lead to 20-7.
Apopka (12-2) ran the ball 47 times for 306 yards well for above their season average of 233.8 per game this season. After a 21-12 loss to Jones (Orlando) Apopka reeled off eight straight wins to finish the season but fell short in Friday’s 8A final.
Columbus (11-4) lost their teammate Ari Arteaga to a car accident in 2018 and have dedicated this championship to their late teammate.
“Bringing a state title back to Columbus, it’s an amazing job,” said Parrish. “We did it for Ari, to keep his name alive.”
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