If the Miami Central Rockets wanted to prove to critics they are the best high school team in the nation, Friday's Class 2M state title game might have done the trick.
The Rockets used a big first half to take a comfortable lead and held on for a 38-31 win over American Heritage on Friday inside DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Central (14-0) took the opening kickoff and marched down the field for the game's first points, connecting on a 38-yard field goal from kicker James London. The lead was extended on the following possession when quarterback Keyone Jenkins found wide receiver Anjuan Coleman for the 9-yard touchdown, giving the Rockets a 10-0 lead.
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American Heritage (13-2) got on the board near the end of the first quarter on a 40-yard field goal from kicker Wylie Shaw, cutting the deficit to 10-3. Central responded with a five play drive, capped off by a 41-yard touchdown pass from Jenkins to wide receiver Cataurus Hicks for the 17-3 lead.
The Patriots would march down the field and get a 2-yard touchdown from running back Mark Fletcher, his 23rd rushing touchdown of the season. The Rockets wasted no time getting back in the end zone on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Jenkins to wide receiver Corey Washington. Jenkins would take an 8-yard run in for another score and Central would have a 31-13 lead at the half.
A botched punt in the second half would lead to a 1-yard touchdown run from Heritage running back Byron Louis, with the two-point conversion cutting the deficit to 10 points. Central would score two plays later on a 73-yard run by running back Jonathan Harris, giving the Rockets a 38-21 lead.
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In the fourth quarter, Heritage got its first passing touchdown of the game when quarterback Blake Murphy found wide receiver Brandon Innis for the 6-yard score. A 25-yard field goal by Shaw would cut the deficit to seven points, but that would be as close as the Patriots would get as Central won its ninth all-time state championship.
Jenkins finished the game 11 for 21 passing for 154 yards and three touchdowns while Hicks led Central in receiving with 78 yards. Harris led the Rockets in rushing with 141 yards on nine carries. Murphy went 19 of 32 passing for 235 yards and one touchdown for the Patriots.
Friday's game marked the second time in the 60 season history of the FHSAA football title games that a Miami-Dade school has faced a Broward school. On Thursday, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas defeated Homestead 38-21 in the Class 3M title game.
South Florida will get a chance to go 4-for-4 in title game wins this season on Saturday when the Columbus Explorers take on the Apopka Blue Darters at 7 p.m. in the Class 4M title game.
