5A State Championship Game Immokalee vs Godby
The 5A title game brought together 2 talent laden teams from opposite ends of the state in The Immokalee Indians and the Godby Cougars from Tallahassee. Godby last played for the state title in 2008 but lost to the Cocoa Tigers. Immokalee’s last trip to the title game was a championship win in 2004. Both teams faced very stiff competition in the regular season and the playoffs to get to this point and while the offenses are both high powered and fast paced this game turned out to be a defensive struggle for the majority of the game marred by controversy at the end of the game that overshadowed very well-played game. With Immokalee trailing 21-14 they stopped Godby and got the ball back with 40 seconds left. Within 3 plays they were in scoring position after several big passes by Tshumbi Johnson.
With 7 seconds left Johnson connected with Mackensie Alexander for a 19 yard pass to the Godby 1 yard line which is where the controversy started. 1st the spot was very close and the line official spotted the ball actually on the white line which would make it a touchdown. After much discussion the ball was miraculously moved an inch back and was no longer on the line. Next Immokalee was flagged for a delay of game because they snapped the ball before the officials were ready apparently and they ended up with essentially an untimed down. Johnson’s pass in the endzone was intercepted but a holding penalty on Godby gave Immokalee an untimed down from the 5 yard line in which Johnson connected with Xavier Richardson for a touchdown. The game would then come to a fitting end when the snap to Johnson on the extra point was bad and he was not able to get a pass off as Godby pulled off the win 21-20.
The main stars of the game for Gobdy were on the defense. Jr Jacob Pugh had 7 tackles 2 with 2 TFL and 2 sacks. Charles McDonald had 15 tackles for Gobdy and 1 tackle for loss. For Immokalee QB Tshumbi Johnson was feast or famine as he completed 24-39 301 and 1 TD and ran for 86 yards and 2 TD’s. In contrast to that he killed several drives with bad plays and threw 3 interceptions. Also D’Ernst Johnson had 6 receptions for 126 yards.
– Eric Clark