High school football: No. 17 St. Thomas Aquinas beats Edgewater for record 12th Florida state championship

Finishing off a high school football season many in Florida didn't think would ever happen, players from St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) celebrated wildly Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium on the campus of Florida State University. The Raiders stand alone as the most successful program in state history.

Getting 181 yards rushing and three touchdowns from dynamic junior running back Anthony Hankerson and five key takeaways from its defense, No. 17 Aquinas (8-1) captured its record 12th FHSAA championship with a hard-earned 31-21 Class 7A title win over Edgewater (Orlando).

It was the second straight year the teams met for the 7A crown and the second straight time Hankerson, a 5-8, 180-pounder, was the key player. Last year he rushed for 190 yards and a touchdown in a 28-23 Aquinas win.

Edgewater, making its fifth state title game appearance, gained 498 yards but key turnovers — two inside the 10-yard line in the fourth quarter — prevented the Eagles (8-3) from their first crown.

The Raiders overtook Bolles (Jacksonville) for the most titles in FHSAA history. Both entered this season with 11 crowns. Aquinas won its fifth title in seven years and ninth since 2007. Due to COVID-19, the Raiders didn't play their first game until Oct. 16. After an early setback to Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale), Aquinas ripped off seven straight wins to end the season. Saturday's might have been the toughest.

The Raiders were impressive from the start, taking their first drive 55 yards in six plays capped by a 4-yard touchdown run by Hankerson. A 35-yard completion from Zion Turner to tight end Mason Taylor, the son of Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor, on STA's first play set up the score, making it 7-0 with 6:21 left in the first quarter.

Edgewater drove right down the field on the game's next possession, but a 31-yard field by Jack Howes missed.

The Eagles wouldn't be denied the next time they got the ball with a methodical 15-play, 82-yard touchdown drive, finished off with a tough 9-yard run by Cedric Baxter tying the game at 7-7 with 6:52 left in the half. Edgewater converted four third-down plays in the impressive drive, which featured five completions from quarterback Canaan Mobley

Aquinas linebacker Jaydon Hood stripped Alabama commit Christian Leary of the ball and the Raiders took over at the Edgewater 27. Four plays later, Hankerson scored again, this time on a remarkable 13-yard touchdown, making it 14-7 with 2:52 left in the half. Hankerson juked two defenders at the line to break free into the secondary, then at the 3, he was hit hard and seemed down, but somehow kept his feet and got into the end zone. Just 1:20 later, it was 21-7 when St. Thomas Aquinas cornerback Ja'Den McBurrows tipped a screen pass from Mobley, then picked it off before rambling 45 yards down the Edgewater sideline for a touchdown.

On the game's next play, safety Kevin Butler added another 45-yard pick 6, but it was called back due to a facemask call, giving the ball back to the Eagles. Instead of a three-touchdown deficit going into halftime, Edgewater closed to 21-14 on a Baxter's second touchdown run, a 4-yard with 13 seconds left in the second quarter.

A 50-yard touchdown pass from Mobley to Jeremiah Connelly keyed the important score.

Edgewater's third turnover, an interception by Jerrod Cameron Jr.,  set up a 35-yard field goal by Max Larson to make it 24-14. But the Eagles came right back, like they did all night, getting a 3-yard TD run by Connelly, cutting the lead to 24-21 with 1:31 left in the third.