Tornados erase 2011 collapse
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ORLANDO- Nearly 365 days later, Booker T Washington got their revenge over Bolles 35-7 to win the Class 4A state title game.
Unlike last year's 33-25 come from behind win, this wasn't even close as Washington nearly tripled the Bulldogs offensive output 440-187 in total offensive yards.
Tornadoes junior quarterback Treon Harris personally made sure it wasn't as the Tornadoes (13-1) thrashed Bolles at the Citrus Bowl.
Harris accounted for all five touchdowns, after finishing 11 of 19 for 245 yards and two touchdowns through the air and 74 yards on 12 carries and three touchdowns on the ground.
A 15 point third quarter swing within 74 seconds turned a tight game me in to a route.
Clinging to a 13-6 lead in the third quarter, Harris found Karim Bryant wide open down the left side for a 30-yard score. The ensuing two point conversion pass from Harris sailed out of bounds.
Dexter Carter Jr. fumbled the ensuing kickoff twice before being tackled down at the 3-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Colby Peters (13 of 30 for 125 yards, 1 TD) fumbled the exchange attempting to handoff the ball to Carter and was tackled in the end zone for a safety.
Krondis Larry returned the kickoff 35 yards down to the 35-yard line setting the Tornadoes in good field position.
Three plays later, Harris 3-yard run put the game away giving the Tornadoes a commanding 28-7 lead. Harris added a 1-yard score on the final play of the third quarter.
"We wanted another shot with them and we got it," Booker T. Washington coach Tim Harris said.
A year ago, the Tornadoes blew a thirteen point lead in the fourth quarter, thanks to a Nigel Patten fumble on a kickoff return, which led to the game winning score.
It was Harris 5-yard run in the third quarter that gave them a 13-point lead last year. Harris and the rest of his teammates didn't want that feeling to come back this year.
Patten made up for the costly turnover last season, picking off a Peters pass on the Bulldogs opening drive of the game to go along with six tackles.
A plays later, Harris hit Deltron Hopkins in stride at the 45-yard line and Hopkins zig-zagged his way through the Bulldogs defense picking up two key blocks from two receivers to spring him loose for a 87-yard strike and 7-0 lead five minutes into the game.
Harris 12-yard touchdown run capped an 11-play 63 yard drive that increased their lead to 13-0 with 6:44 left in the first half.
Bolles (12-2) answered the drive with one of their own a 16-play 73 yard drive resulting in Peters 4-yard toss to Arterrious Mitchell with 22 seconds till half.
The late score by Bolles definitely got the Tornadoes coaches attention at the half.
"My coaches took the offense to the side at halftime and settled them down," Coach Tim "Ice" Harris said. "[we] told them let's stay together, take control of the game and not let up on them."
The win is the second state title for the Tornadoes in the last five years, after earning the school's first one in 2007 over Nease.
"This is our second one in the last five years," Coach Harris said, "We're trying to turn our program into an elite one."
He is on the right track and should be favored to win his third state title as Patten, Harris and Hopkins are all back as well as many others.
One person who walked away impressed with the Tornadoes was legendary coach Charles "Corky" Rogers.
With a coaching career that spans over 20 years, it's rare that the state's all-time winningest coach is on the end of a state title loss.
Over the last twenty-two years, Rogers had made 13 trips to the state finals, winning ten of them including a 33-25 come from behind thriller over Booker T Washington last season.
"They deserve it. Coach Harris has a bunch of good players and a great coaching staff over there." Rogers stated. "We couldn't stop Harris and their pretty good on defense too. We usually don't make a lot of mistakes but they forced a lot of them, but this is their day and they deserve it."