From around the Citrus Bowl.
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News and notes from the Class 5A state championship game. Immokalee rallied from 14 points down, but fell to Godby 21-20 on a botched extra point.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE 8-5-0…
The Godby High School Cougars are the 5A State Champions for the first time in 25 years. Let's revisit some of the wonderful things shall we?
The last time Godby won a state title a gallon of gas was .89 cents, the Ford Escort was the #1 selling car, Fox Broadcasting made its primetime debut, along with some cartoon named "The Simpsons." The movies "Fatal Attraction", "Beverly Hills Cop II", "Good Morning Vietnam", "Dirty Dancing" and "RoboCop" were your biggest hits in 1987. Basically what I'm trying to say is that was a long time ago.
Head Coach Ronnie Cottrell isn't forgetting any of that; whether decades or a mere few seasons ago:
"When we got here three years ago Shelton Crews left this program in great shape and I want to honor the former coaches at Godby High School that won championships at Godby as well," Cottrell said. "This is a special event and we're very honored on behalf of Godby High School to be a part of it."
Cottrell is also putting on some green and gold (as hard as it may be for some Cougars Fans to bear) as their cross-city rival Lincoln takes on St. Thomas Aquinas this evening.
"We surely hope Lincoln wins; Godby High School will be definitely rooting for Lincoln tonight."
WHAT JUST HAPPPENED?!...
What a way to end your season if you are Immokalee. The Indians showed their moxie and then some after trailing 21-7 late in the 4th Quarter.
They were in the midst of completing a comeback that surely would have catapulted today ahead of the improbable 17-15 versus Madison County back in 2004.
Then again, the kick (had it been converted) would have merely tied the ballgame, so we'll never know.
One thing is for certain, the looks of pain and suffering on the faces of the young men wearing red and white was indescribable. A title (and even playing for one) means everything to communities such as this and no matter what age you are these things speak for you as loudly as you would yourself. There was one notable alumnus that wasn't showing much of that however.
Edgerrin James stood on the sidelines and put everything into perspective having won and lost with the best of them.
"To come back from four turnovers and down two scores and to come back and play all the way to the end; that's just saying what they're all about," James said. "They played all the way down to the last minute; the last second. That's just the heart of Immokalee."
I REALLY, REALLY LIKE YOUR NAME, DUDE…
Jacob Pugh makes plays like Pugh's should.
Okay, well maybe not ALL Pugh's (*sigh*) but the 6-4, 215 TE/DE Jr. along with fellow Class of '14's QB J.T. Bradwell, DT's LaDarius Moore and Santonio Wiggins has some on notice already for next season, but Cottrell went ahead and talked in the now.
"It figures that we won the game on a defensive play," Cottrell said. "Those guys are just doing what they've been doing all year long."