ORLANDO – The University Christian football program can claim themselves state champions for the eighth time in their school history thanks to a 61-16 throttling of Cambridge Christian on Friday afternoon at the Citrus Bowl. The Fightin’ Christians forced three Lancers turnovers on the first three drives and turned them into touchdowns effectively taking the wind out of CCS’ sails from the very get-go.
Cambridge Christian was unable to find a solution to the equation of a dominant UC defensive line and workhouse running back in Hussein Howe. The senior running back rushed 191 yards on 22 carries to go with five touchdowns. Howe was also a beast on the defensive side of the ball leading the Christians with nine tackles and a sack to go with his team leading rushing performance. Five of the Lancers first six drives ended in either a turnover or a punt–with just a field goal to show for it through the first 13 minutes of the ball game. In fact, six drives for University Christian began inside of Cambridge Christian territory.
Howe got the scoring started for University Christian with a 9-yard rush just 39 seconds into the contest following a sack on Cambridge Christian’s Jaylin Jackson which resulted in a fumble. On the first play of the ensuing possession for the Lancers, Andrew Cunningham was stripped by defensive end Ryan Brooks–and less than two minutes after their first score, the Christians were leading 14-0 thanks to an 8 yard run from Howe.
Jaylin Jackson brought his squad out for their third drive, but on the sixth play of the drive Jackson overthrew his receiver and SuanPaul Nobles was Johnny-on-the-spot with the interception in Lancers’ territory. That setup another Howe score–this time from 13 yards away with 4:36 to put the score at 21-0. The Lancers got a fumble after Will Singleton forced the ball into the ground and Aaron Racki was there to recover it deep in UC territory. The drive stalled at the Christians 6-yard line and the Lancers were forced to kick a field goal instead of the touchdown they so desired.
The Lancers got on the board and into the end zone this time as Andrew Cunningham scampered 37 yards with 7:25 remaining in the half. It was much of the same in the second half though as University Christian entered the final 24 minutes leading 35-10. The Christians took the opening kickoff of the second half 61 yards on 8 plays to extend their lead to 41-10 and then 48-10 shortly after that.
The University Christian defensive line made up of three seniors and a sophomore were the unsung heroes of the contests they lived in the Lancers backfield harassing Jaylin Jackson all afternoon. The combination of DE’s Jonothan Smalls (6-3/250) and Ryan Brooks (6-2/215) along with DT’s MJ Marshall (5-11/215) and Demarius Bates (6-3/300) were virtually unstoppable. Marshall finished with a sack and a fumble recovery while Brooks was credited with 3 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
All is not doom-and-gloom for Cambridge though–the Lancers return 20 of 22 starters next season and could find themselves playing for a title next season.