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Football: Berkeley Prep 14, Calvary Christian 7

 
Published Aug. 31, 2018

TAMPA — Josh Youngblood got his hands on the ball. One play later, no one was able to put a hand on him during an 89-yard touchdown run that turned the momentum in Berkeley Prep's 14-7 victory against Calvary Christian on Friday night in a Class 3A game.

Berkeley Prep (1-1) was backpeddling on the first drive of the second half as Calvary Christian (1-1) threatened to expand its 7-0 lead.

The Warriors drove 66 yards — all on the ground — after halftime and had a second-and-1 at the Berkeley Prep 11. After failing to pick up a yard on two consecutive running plays, Calvary Christian coach Reggie Crume decided to bypass a potential field goal and go for the first down.

Youngblood knocked the ensuing Harold Cook pass down in the end zone to end the threat, and on the next play, he tied the game at 7 with his long TD run.

"I definitely should have gone for a field goal to go up by two scores being on the road after a great drive,'' Crume said. "We have a great field goal kicker. I have 100 percent confidence in him. … I'll be losing sleep over that (decision) for a while.''

The game remained tied until the fourth quarter, when Berkeley Prep marched 55 yards on seven running plays to take a 14-7 lead with 4:09 left on running back Jakob Hines' 1-yard run.

The Warriors threatened on their next series, moving to the Berkeley Prep 22 with 2 minutes left. But consecutive sacks by the Buccaneers pushed Calvary Christian back and an incomplete pass ended the push.

Hines (130 yards, 24 carries) and Youngblood (107 yards, 12 carries) led Berkeley Prep's 212-yard rushing attack.

Youngblood credited his teammates on his two key plays.

"Tim (Boone) did a great job of forcing the receiver inside (on the fourth-down play),'' he said. "So by him doing that, it allowed me to make the play.

"(On the TD run) It was just great blocking. Jakob Hines blocked for me and that shows how unselfish he is. Fortunately, I scored on that.''

Calvary Christian's Jordan Niles, who rushed for 125 yards on 19 carries, gave his team a 7-0 lead with 6:50 left in the second quarter on a 4-yard run. The Warriors' Peterson Rice and Charles Stevens also recovered Berkeley Prep fumbles on the Buccaneers' first two series in Calvary Christian territory.

"This game was 100 percent on me,'' Crume said. "My guys came out and competed all night long. I've got to do things as a head coach to finish it off.''