TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Bragg Memorial Stadium buzzed with fervent high school football enthusiasts eager to witness the culmination of the season, the State Championship game.
In a face-off at 3 p.m., the St. Augustine Yellow Jackets clashed with the Mainland Buccaneers. The Buccaneers, finalists from the previous year, met the Yellow Jackets in their fourth-ever state appearance.
Right from the game's kickoff, St. Augustine held the receiving position. Junior Trenton Jones swiftly carried the ball 96 yards for a touchdown, setting the score at 7-0 in favor of St. Augustine.
The importance of recording extra points was highlighted as Jackets' player Ja'kai Singleton blocked the kick, allowing Marquice King to seize the opportunity and score.
At halftime, St. Augustine held a lead of 13-13.
The second half saw a resurgence from Mainland.
With only :02 seconds remaining and the Yellow Jackets leading by a narrow 19-18, Mainland secured victory with a crucial field goal, clinching the state title and relegating the Yellow Jackets to the years runner up.
Thursday evening, Hawthorne and Madison County went at it.
The Hornets took the state title last season and looked to seal the back-to-back this year.
That's exactly what they did in a head-to-head battle with Madison County in a 22-13 final. This would literally go until the final minute of the game as both teams kept up with one another. At the half, they were tied up at 13.
This would be the second state title in two years for the Hawthorne Hornets.
Mandarin and Columbus face off on Friday. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
Bradford and Cocoa is set for 8 p.m.