Advertisement

Football: Delray Beach American Heritage 31, Clearwater Central Catholic 24

 
Clearwater's Logan Miller (56) becomes emotion after losing to American Heritage during the Class 3A state football semifinal at American Heritage in Delray Beach, Fla. American Heritage won 31-24.  (Brianna Soukup / Palm Beach Post)
Clearwater's Logan Miller (56) becomes emotion after losing to American Heritage during the Class 3A state football semifinal at American Heritage in Delray Beach, Fla. American Heritage won 31-24. (Brianna Soukup / Palm Beach Post)
Published Nov. 28, 2015

DELRAY BEACH — Few people in South Florida thought Clearwater Central Catholic could beat Delray Beach American Heritage in the Class 3A state semifinals.

The Stallions, after all, won last year's meeting 63-13 and were defending state finalists. American Heritage was supposed to be too fast, those on social media sites predicted. Too explosive. Too much.

But the Marauders insisted this was a different team. Last year, they were missing seven key starters, including CJ Cotman. They were more balanced and not dealing with serious injuries this time.

And CCC darn near pulled off the result Friday, twice rallying from two-score deficits before falling 31-24.

"Everyone said we couldn't beat them," Marauders linebacker Max Kligman said. "I saw a few tweets that said we were going (to lose) by 30-40 points. All I have to say is that didn't happen. We could have beat this team. We were much better than this team in my opinion."

CCC's primary focus on defense was containing running back Devin Singletary, an Illinois commit who ran for 157 yards and scored four touchdowns in last year's game. Singletary went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter and did not return.

American Heritage (10-2) found other ways to score.

On the Stallions' first play from scrimmage, quarterback Cameron Smith rolled out and hit Jarques McClellion for a 36-yard touchdown. Smith ran 8 yards for another touchdown on the next possession to make it 14-0.

But CCC's defense tightened the rest of the first half. Both teams traded field goals, making it 17-3 with less than two minutes left in the second quarter.

Then the Marauders (12-1) went to work.

CCC quarterback Jakob Parks engineered a 63-yard drive capped by his 9-yard touchdown to Amari Burney to cut it 17-10. With eight seconds left, Burney recorded an interception off a tipped pass and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown to tie it.

In the third quarter, American Heritage failed on a 42-yard field goal and CCC had several penalties wipe out first downs on promising drives.

In the fourth quarter, the Stallions leaned on their big offensive line to pound out rushing yards. DJ Davis capped a drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to put American Heritage ahead 24-17. Davis then stepped in front of Parks' pass and returned it for a touchdown to make it 31-17.

Still, the Marauders would not go away.

Parks ran for first downs and completed timely passes on a drive that ended with Jervon Newton's 4-yard run to cut it 31-24. The Marauders recovered the onside kick, but their final drive was stopped on downs.

"(American Heritage) was a little bit bigger and had a little more depth on both sides of the line and that was probably the difference, along with a few penalties," CCC coach John Davis said.

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter

We’ll send you news and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays and Florida’s college football teams every day.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

The Marauders went undefeated in the regular season for the first time and made their fourth straight state semifinal appearance. Only four starters graduate from this year's team.

"I couldn't be more proud of this team if we come back and won this thing," Davis said. "The way we fought when we were way behind, and just competed."