The Final score of the 2A Championship Game: Champagnat 14 Victory Christian 7. The Lions of Champagnat were more skilled, larger in size and more athletic. However, the Polk County 2A team, Victory Christian proved, the fight in the dog counts for something.
It only took 3 minutes and 17 seconds for the Champagnat offense to get on the board. The Lions took their first possession to the promise land and it looked early like we would have a shootout in the Citrus Bowl. Both teams would struggle the rest of the first half exchanging punts and punt returns. The next score did not come until 7:53 into the third quarter when Michael Fredrick scampered in from 10 yards out on second down extending the score to 14-0.
Victory keep coming and kept fighting. Caleb Lewis put the team on his back early in the forth quarter. Lewis hit Kevin Coy for 8 yards, Ford for 17 and Jones for 27. Kevin Coy and Nekari Jones were also a big part of the 6 play, 60 yard Victory scoring drive pulling the Storm within 7 points.
The Lion offense would stall on the next possession giving Victory the opportunity to tie the game. After 24 positive offensive yards on their next possession, Caleb Lewis took a sack, which it seemed as though Champagnat had 12 men on the field. Lewis saw it and attempted to stop the play so the officials could catch it. They did not and Victory moved back from third down and 1 to fourth down and 5. Lewis would throw an incomplete pass on the next snap and Champagnat would get the ball again.
Both teams traded possessions after that, but the Lions would prevail.
Champagnat
RB Michael Fredrick 18 carries, 64 rushing yards, 2 rush TDs
QB Kato Nelson 11/20 153 passing yards
WR Calvin Foster, 4 receptions, 61 yards
LB Travorie McRae 10 solo tackles, 12 total, 2 sacks, 5 TFLs
Victory Christian
ATH Kevin Coy 11 carries, 58 rush yards, 4 catches, 46 yards 4 tackles
QB Caleb Lewis 11/25 165 pass yards, 2 INTs, 1 rush TD
ATH Nekari Jones 3 catches, 51 yards, 6 tackles, 1 TFL
LB Micah Wade 8 total tackles, 2 sacks, 5 TFLs