MIAMI – This experience will never get old.
The underdog never trailed the favorite in the Class 1A state title game on Thursday afternoon (Dec. 11) at Pitbull Stadium.
Underdog: No. 2 overall seed Cardinal Newman
Favorite: No. 1 overall seed Chaminade-Madonna
Final score: Cardinal Newman 17, Chaminade-Madonna 14
How did Newman (12-3 final record) get it done to win its first state title in school history?
It was truly a total team effort in more ways than one.
The game’s very first drive was a revealing one in a sense. After Chaminade-Madonna (11-3 final record) gained a first down, there was a two-play sequence that stood out in favor of Cardinal Newman:
•Class 1A state title game MVP and quarterback Jyron Hughley played a lot at safety. He made a diving tackle on second down to galvanize the defense.
•Sophomore linebacker Cooper Clark registered a third down sack that forced Chaminade to punt at the 10:29 mark of the first quarter.
From that point on, it was clear that Newman was going to dictate how the game tempo would be the whole way.
Both teams ended the first quarter with a scoreless tie. But the first part of the second quarter provided us all the action we needed.
After Newman’s special teams blocked its first of two field goal attempts by Chaminade senior kicker and FIU signee Noah Sidan, the offense went to work and needed only a few plays to open the scoring up.
With 10:05 left in the second quarter, Hughley turned on the jets from Newman’s own 31-yard line and outran the Chaminade defense for a blistering 69-yard touchdown run that set the tone for the rest of this one.
An extra point by junior kicker Nate Parks would give Cardinal Newman a 7-0 lead over Chaminade.
But it wasn’t long before Chaminade would answer back.
A long run here and some short runs there, Chaminade found a way to tie the game up at 7-7. A 1-yard touchdown run by senior athlete/Texas signee Derrek Cooper and subsequent extra point by Sidan at the 8:25 mark of the second frame made this possible.
The 7-7 tie held up at the halftime mark, giving Newman a legitimate chance at earning its ultimate glory moment.
The second half featured only one more end zone appearance from Newman. But it was enough as Hughley got into shotgun formation and found senior wide receiver Ethan Holland for a 35-yard touchdown pass at the 2:05 mark of the third quarter.
Newman’s remaining points came from Parks, who connected on his second extra point to take a 14-7 lead over Chaminade.
And at the midway point of the fourth quarter, Parks gave Newman some much-needed insurance points by way of his 36-yard field goal. With 6:36 left in the game, Newman extended its lead to 17-7 over Chaminade.
Newman withstood a late Chaminade charge that was made possibly by another Cooper 1-yard touchdown run and Sidan extra point with 49 seconds left in the game.
When Newman recovered a short kick, the offense ran the clock out to preserve the three-point win.
The Crusaders slayed the Lions in the process, ending the perennial powerhouse’s stranglehold on Class 1A and earning their place as the new 1A champions.
PHOTO CREDITS: Kenly Napoleon / PMO Sports
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