- November 28, 2024
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In three playoff games, Mainland (12-1) has outscored opponents, 112-13.
BY ANDREW O'BRIEN | ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Four plays, three touchdowns. That’s how Mainland began its first three drives of the game Friday night against South Fort Myers in the Class 6A regional championship game.
On the fourth drive, Mainland scored again, and that was all the Bucs needed as they cruised to a 42-7 win and secured a spot in Friday’s state semifinals against Miami Central, one of the top high school football teams in the state and the country.
“We worked a lot longer this week,” Mainland coach Scott Wilson said after Friday’s game. “We have run harder the past two weeks than we did throughout the regular season.”
Wilson said after the first round of the playoffs that his team is running in the dark. It’s true. There are no lights on Mainland’s practice field at the high school off International Speedway, but that doesn’t mean the team is heading home as soon as light falls. They are staying. And they are working.
That didn’t change last week, either, even though it was a holiday week. Players were on the practice field for several hours before heading to the weight room for strength-and-conditioning work.
“We worked really hard this week,” Wilson said. “Our staff is hungry.”
Mainland (12-1) will get a tough matchup against Miami Central (11-1), who is ranked No. 2 in Florida and No. 15 in the country, according to maxpreps.com.
Mainland’s defense shut down South Fort Myers’ rushing attack and has allowed just 13 points total in three playoff games. The Bucs’ defense gives up just about a touchdown per game (7.01 points). Through 13 games, Mainland has allowed 92 points, although 28 of those came in a 31-28 win against Fort Peirce Central (Class 8A).
It’s those statistics that have Wilson and his staff believing that anything is possible.
“If there’s a team in Class 6A that can give (Miami Central) a run, it would be this team with the defense that we have,” Wilson said. “It’s a special defense.”
Miami Central will likely be without standout running back Joe Yearby in Friday’s game. Yearby, a University of Miami commit, sustained a fractured fibula above his left ankle in the first quarter of Central’s 54-3 win over Palm Bay Heritage last week in the regional finals. Yearby is expected to miss about five weeks, according to the Miami Herald.
Yearby had rushed for 1,700 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Central still has Dalvin Cook, a University of Florida commit, in the backfield.
But last week’s Mainland agame was almost over before it started.
On the first offensive play of the game against South Fort Myers, Mainland quarterback Trey Rodriguez took the ball on a read-option play, blasted through the line and then made his way to the right sideline before diving into the end zone for a 60-yard touchdown run.
Mainland went on to score four touchdowns on four drives in the first quarter.
With the game pretty much already over, Mainland’s Meiko Dotson intercepted a deep pass and returned it about 30 yards with nine seconds left in the first half. On the next play, Rodriguez scrambled around and eventually chucked up a prayer. Junior Kaylo Hannah was on the other end. He leaped into the air high above two defensive backs and hurled in the 47-yard pass for the score as time expired on the first half.
The Bucs, already leading 35-0, were well on their way to the Final Four.
Rodriguez finished the night 8-for-12 for 133 yards and three touchdowns. He added 83 yards on the ground and one touchdown.
Sophomore Adrian Killins had a seven-yard rushing TD and an 11-yard rushing TD. The 11-yard score was the lone touchdown of the second half for Mainland, which came on the Bucs’ opening drive of the second half that lasted about six minutes. Hannah added a six-yard touchdown catch in the first half.
Mainland is now one of just four teams still playing football in Class 6A.
“This team has worked so hard to get to this point,” he said. “We’re proud of them.”
FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Who: Mainland (12-1) vs. Miami Central (11-1)
What: Class 6A state semifinals
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6
Where: Traz Powell Stadium, in Miami
