ORLANDO – The Trinity Christian Conquerors (14-0) are Class 3A State Champions for the third consecutive season following their 30-3 dismantling of American Heritage-Delray Beach (10-3) at the Florida Citrus Bowl Saturday afternoon. It was a rematch of last year’s finals in which the Conquerors were victorious 27-7.
The score was just 7-0 in favor of TCA at the half, with the Stallions stifling virtually everything Trinity Christian threw at them in the first 24 minutes. The Conquerors scored their only points of the first half when Billy Cobb hit a streaking DJ Matthews down the seam for a 90-yard touchdown with 8:28 to play. The junior wideout and FSU-verbal finished the afternoon with just three receptions, but with 124 yards and a touchdown. Cobb went 10-for-25 for 264 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
The Conquerors extended their margin when DB Chamarri Connor stepped in front of a Cameron Smith pass and made a 51-yard house call in the end zone. The extra point was no good, but TCA’s 13-0 lead at that point felt nearly insurmountable the way they were smothering Heritage’s stud RB Devin Singletary on the afternoon. The Illinois commit has rushed for 1,000+ yards for three-straight years, but was held to one of his all-time lows with just 29 yards on 8 carries.
American Heritage finally got on the scoreboard when Billy Mitchell booted a 27-yard field goal to cut the deficit to ten at 13-3 with 5:40 left in the third quarter. Before the end of the quarter however, TC’s DeVante Parker was on the receiving end of a Cobb pass from 20 yards out to push the Conquerors lead to 20-3 heading to the final period. TCA’s Frankie Onate started the fourth quarter with a booming 46-yard field goal to make the lead 20, with Jalin Buie’s 25 yard run capping off the scoring with 4:09 to play.
The true stars of the game may have been the zebras. The head official mistakingly left his field microphone on virtually the entire afternoon giving us “insight” to what really happens inside the decision-making circles. Oh–and the two teams combined for 24 penalties for a total of 234 yards.
Trinity Christian now joins Baker, Cocoa, FAMU, Glades Central, Lakeland, Miami Central, Pahokee, Union County and Booker T. Washington tied for second all-time for most consecutive state titles since the playoffs began in 1963.