First Baptist Academy dashed the hopes of Dade Christian’s football team of winning a state title, as the Crusaders fell to the Lions, 35-7, in the Region 2A Final last week.
The Crusaders’ defense allowed 206 rushing yards on 19 carries for two touchdowns.
The Lions (10-1) held Dade Christian (9-1) scoreless until the fourth quarter, when quarterback Alec Carr connected with receiver Keith Terry for a 14-yard touchdown pass.
Under first year head coach Nick Martinez, a Dade Christian alumni, the Crusaders captured the district championship and won their Region semifinal game, hoping for a shot at the state tournament for the first time since 2012.
But the Lions proved to be too much to handle from the opening kickoff when the Crusaders fumbled the ball and the Lions scored on the ensuing play, and subsequently exploited the Crusaders’ defense in the first three quarters of the playoff game.
Martinez’s team improved from last year, when the Mike Sonneborn-coached team finished with a 6-4 record and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Martinez said he’s looking forward to next season.
In another playoff game of local importance, Mater Academy’s first year coach Rocco Casullo watched his former team, the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, rout his new squad 60-7 in the Region 4-7A final.
Rocco led the Raiders to state titles in 2012 and 2014. He took over the Mater Lions in the fall leading them to the team’s first postseason victories. But in the region final, the Raiders held the Lions to 127 total yards and only six first downs.