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MIAMI — Late in Plantation American Heritage’s Class 4A state championship victory Friday night, the jubilant black and gold clad fans in the stands began chanting their running back’s name.
“By-ron Lou-is! By-ron Louis!” they repeated.
Quarterback Malachi Toney put on an offensive show in the first half. The second half of the Patriots’ wild 40-31 win against Orlando Jones, though, belonged to Louis, who broke a 31-all tie with a scintillating 80-yard touchdown run with 8:54 left.
Louis rushed for 221 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns and Toney completed 15 of 18 passes for 188 yards – 148 of them in the first half — and one touchdown. He also rushed for a touchdown.
But in an offensive shootout, it also took one crucial defensive play for Heritage (12-2) to capture its sixth state championship and stop previously unbeaten Jones (14-1) from winning its first.
After Louis’ TD run gave Heritage the lead back, defensive end Isaac Tanis sacked Jones quarterback Dereon Coleman, forcing a fumble that Tanis recovered at Jones’ 34-yard line. Louis then carried the ball four consecutive plays and Heritage ultimately kicked a 28-yard field goal to seal the victory.
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American Heritage Patriots head coach Mike Smith gets doused in Gatorade after his team defeated the Jones Tigers 40-31 in the FHSAA Class 4A Football Championship on Friday, December 13, 2024 in Miami, Florida. Jeff Romance/Special to the USA Today Florida Network
“We played defense when we needed to,” Heritage coach Mike Smith said. “They’ve been a highly criticized group, but those guys stepped up when we needed them to.
“And that’s been the story of this team the whole year….
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/american-heritage-defeats-orlando-jones-045300145.html
Author : Palm Beach Daily News
Publish date : 2024-12-14 04:53:00
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