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Class 2A-3 football: Carrollwood Day 41, Southwest Florida Christian 3

 
Published Nov. 9, 2018

TAMPA — Carrollwood Day and Fort Myers Southwest Florida Christian wanted to make history Friday.

It was the Patriots who came through in flying colors.

Playing one of its most complete games of the season on senior night, third-seeded Carrollwood Day rolled to a 41-3 victory against No. 6 Southwest Florida Christian in a Class 2A, Region 3 quarterfinal contest.

It was the Patriots' first postseason victory in school history.

"I didn't know that. . . . Wow!'' Carrollwood Day third-year coach Mark Jones said. "That's a testament to these guys. They played hard, we prepared well, and we knew we wanted to get back at Seffner Christian (next week's opponent). We have that opportunity.''

Carrollwood Day (6-5), which had been shut out in two previous playoff appearances (2013 and 2015), broke that drought on its first drive. Senior quarterback Chris Butash, a Holy Cross commit, rifled his first of five touchdown passes — a 66-yarder to Shelton Quarles Jr., who made a one-handed catch for his first of three scoring receptions (the others were 28 and 60 yards).

Butash completed 12 of 19 passes for 309 yards and an interception. His other scoring passes were to Reidel Anthony Jr. (17 yards) and Seth Cribben (52). Quarles Jr. was Butash's favorite target with four receptions totaling 159 yards.

If there was a turning point, it came late in the first quarter after a Billy Faraj 20-yard field goal pulled Southwest Florida Christian (2-9) within 7-3. Carrollwood Day's Kyle Benedict returned the ensuing kickoff 62 yards and two penalties on the play put the Patriots on their opponent's 10. Three plays later, Anthony's TD catch started a 34-0 run by Carrollwood Day.

"We talked about not having those critical mistakes,'' Southwest Florida Christian coach Bill Moore said. "That has been one of our problems where we get on these rolls and then we turn the ball over or we get these big penalties. Unfortunately, we didn't execute the kick very well, we didn't execute the coverage, (Benedict) gets a big return, and we get frustrated.''

Another special team play helped Carrolwood Day with 1:40 left in the first half. Nick Hallenbeck blocked a Faraj punt in the end zone and gained possession of it for a touchdown.

The Patriots' defense allowed 138 yards and intercepted four Cade Daughterty passes (picks by Wade Woodaz, Cribben, Hallenbeck and Quarles Jr.).

"It was all three phases of the game,'' Jones said. "We know that if one phase is down, the others have to pick up the slack. We knew we had to make some adjustments, and it's a complete game.''

Southwest Florida Christian, winless in two playoff games in as many years, got a fumble recovery from Kyle Nolen and interceptions from Justin Losapio and Luke Hill.

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"We only had four seniors this year. … We played an incredibly tough schedule,'' Moore said. "We honestly didn't even know we were in the playoffs until (this past) Sunday afternoon when they had the selections. I'm proud of them, and we're excited about the group we bring back and what pride they're instilling in the program.''