Tampa, FL – You just can’t script this stuff. It’s the playoffs, so anything can happen. We are going to pick this game up starting midway in the 3rd quarter. Jesuit held a 6-0 lead for about 13:00 mins until Spoto’s Todd Sims erupted up the Spartan sideline for a 45 yard TD to tie the game and the point after score put Spoto up 7-6. The score would stay tight until midway in the 4th quarter when Spoto pieced together an 80 drive to extend their lead 14-7.

The Tigers offense moved the ball well on the ground at times but could not get much going through the air. After Spoto’s defense stuffed Jesuit on the first 3 downs of a mid fourth quarter possession, Trent Wessel and the Tiger offense was forced to go for the first down on 4th and long. Wessel rolled to his left and launch a pass down his own sideline and watched Gage Holt out jumped a Spoto defender and raced to the end zone for a 67 yard TD. Jesuit would not convert the 2-point conversion and still down 14-12.

Jesuit’s defense held strong and forced Spoto to punt and gaining great field position for their offense. On 3rd down and 4 yards to go, Wessel threw a short pass to RB Kevin Newman on the Spoto side of the field. Newman slipped the first tackled, made the next man miss and out ran the rest of the defense 46 yards for the go ahead score with under 1 minute left to play in the contest (Jesuit 18 Spoto 14). Spoto could not get the ball moving forward on their final possession and threw a backwards lateral that was fumbled and recovered by Jesuit. Tigers kneeled out the clock to preserve the win.

Final
Jesuit 18
Spoto 14

Jesuit will travel to Bishop Moore next Friday for round 3 of the 2014 FHSAA state playoffs.