Prior to this district title showdown both teams have ran through their 1st 7 games setting up an electric matchup by 2 teams that had mostly dominated everyone on their schedule with stingy defense and high scoring offenses. You know the saying “defense wins championships'” well that held true for the Robinson Knights as they put forth a dominating defensive effort and held on to win 19-8 and claimed the district 5A-8 Crown.
Robinson wasted no time getting started in this matchup as they came out swinging with a 2 play 70 yard drive that took all of 30 seconds. QB Zain Gilmore got it started with a 20 yard run and Carlos Duclos finished it off with a spirit breaking 50 yard touchdown run against a fast Spartan defense. Lakewood got the chance to score next after a pass interference penalty and then a 47 yard connection between Tracy Johnson and Marquez Valdez put the Spartans in the red zone. The Knights’ defense showed up big and started their “bend but don’t break” trend that would continue throughout the game as they stopped Lakewood on downs after a failed 4th and goal from the 15 try.
Over the next quarter, the teams played a field position battle. Fueled by a plethora of Spartan penalties and great field position, the Knights scored twice more in the 2nd quarter with runs by Martin Ruiz and Gilmore. Their defense was threatened again late by the Spartan offense as they drove into the redzone but was once again stopped on downs by the Knight defense. Robinson put forth a dominating 1st half performance leading 19-0.
In the 2nd half, Lakewood came out fired up and while the offense still could not get going their defense stepped it up a notch led by twins Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin. The Knights were actually shut out in the 2nd half all together. Lakewood QB Tracy Johnson who was harassed all night was knocked out of the game with a concussion in the 4th quarter and division 1 WR prospect Rodney Adams and back up QB/WR Jocqui Ellison took over and even led Lakewood to its 1st touchdown of the game. At the end of the day it just was too little too late and Robinson held on to win 19-8 lead and won the district title.
Each team has 2 games left in their season but the 2nd season (The Playoffs) will still happen for these 2 teams. Lakewood will travel to Orlando to face off with the Bishop Moore Hornets and Robinson currently will have to wait to see who will win the right to travel to Port Tampa to face them. As it stands, it is either Lake Nona or Port Orange Atlantic. Whichever team it may be it will likely be a very long ride home for them.
– Eric Clark