No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas tops No. 7 St. Louis in ESPN's GEICO State Champions Bowl Series

By Zack Poff Dec 21, 2019, 9:55pm

The 7A Florida state champs pull away in second half to snap St. Louis' 38-game win streak.

Video: Derek Wingo highlights
Senior highlights of the Florida Gatorade Football Player of the Year.

The last high school football game of the season went to fifth-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) a long way from home, at almost 1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

In a close battle against No. 7 St. Louis (Honolulu, Hawaii), the Raiders scored 13 unanswered points in the second half to pull out a 35-19 win in the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. The victory finished off a perfect 15-0 season for the Raiders while snapping a 38-game win streak by St. Louis (13-1).

The Raiders led 21-19 heading into halftime thanks to a couple of touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Zion Turner.
Aquinas quarterback Zion Turner threw two first-half touchdown passes.
Aquinas quarterback Zion Turner threw two first-half touchdown passes.
Photo by Jann Hendry
They scored on the second play of the game after a Crusader fumble and Turner found Antonio Johnson for the 32-yard touchdown. Georgia-signee Marcus Rosemy caught the other touchdown and Travis Dixon added the other score on the ground.



St. Louis answered back with two touchdowns in the first quarter to go up 13-7. The Hawaii Gatorade Football Player of the Year Jayden de Laura threw touchdown passes to Michigan-signee Roman Wilson and Koali Nishigaya.

Aquinas scored the first 14 points of the second quarter to go up 21-13.

Washington State-signee de Laura scampered in from 22-yards out to cut the deficit to 21-19.

Then the dominance of the Florida power began. A run heavy second half led to a couple of rushing touchdowns in the third quarter. Anthony Hankerson and Jaedon Henry both found the end zone to give Roger Harriott's squad a 35-19 lead heading into the final frame.

St. Thomas Aquinas showed why they have one of the top defenses in the country and didn't allow a point in the second half. Florida-signee Derek Wingo was in the backfield all night and the defense forced four turnovers. 

Jaden McBurrows, Isaiah Taylor, and Landon Grier all had interceptions and they added a first-quarter fumble.



The Raiders finish the year 15-0 and brought home the school's 11th state title and first since 2016. Expect them to move up a couple of spots on the final rankings being released on Sunday. It was also the first time they finished a season undefeated since 2010.

St. Louis had its 38-game winning streak snapped and finish the season 13-1. The Crusaders won their fourth consecutive state title in the Aloha State's largest classification.
Running back Travis Dixon drives into the end zone for an Aquinas touchdown.
Running back Travis Dixon drives into the end zone for an Aquinas touchdown.
Photo by Jann Hendry
St. Louis quarterback Jayden de Laura had two touchdowns passes and one rushing.
St. Louis quarterback Jayden de Laura had two touchdowns passes and one rushing.
Photo by Jann Hendry
Receiver Marcus Rosemey catches a first-half touchdown for Aquinas.
Receiver Marcus Rosemey catches a first-half touchdown for Aquinas.
Photo by Jann Hendry
Aquinas players celebrate their GEICO State Champions Bowl Series victory in Las Vegas.
Aquinas players celebrate their GEICO State Champions Bowl Series victory in Las Vegas.
Photo by Jann Hendry