Leading by 28 points in the second half, Chaminade-Madonna appeared to be on its way to a lopsided victory until
Adrian Littleton of St. John's crashed the party. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior defensive end recovered a pair of fumbles that changed the momentum of the contest and made it a 35-28 game with 8:25 remaining.
Littleton started the turnaround when he returned a fumble on a bad snap to Chaminade-Madonna's two-yard line, allowing
Myles Slade to run to the left and score from two yards out on the next play. Littleton then scored himself when he scooped up a fumble at midfield and raced to the end zone to pull head coach Pat Ward's club within 35-21 seconds later.
Following a three-and-out by the Cadet defense, Slade capped St. John's ensuing drive with a four-yard scoring romp that pulled the Cadets within 35-28 and put plenty of doubt in the Lion faithful.
Collin Gill broke up a pass with 2:06 left, giving the Cadets life at their own 30-yard line. But Chaminade-Madonna held on downs.
FBS quarterback prospect Cedrick Bailey helped No. 13 Chaminade-Madonna pile up 28 first-half points Saturday against No. 17 St. John's.
File Photo: Annette Wilkerson
With a plethora of receivers and running back
Davion Gause at his disposal,
Cedrick Bailey and the Lions moved the ball up and down the field throughout the first half, helping Chaminade-Madonna build a 28-7 halftime lead.
Bailey hit
Jeremiah Smith for an eight-yard strike to give the defending Florida Class 3A state champions the opening score and a 7-0 lead.
Edwin Joseph rammed the ball over the goal line from a yard out to put Chaminade-Madonna, winners of four of the last five Florida Class 3A state titles, up 14-0 with 2:30 left in the opening quarter.
Smith added to the lead when he reeled in a double-pass that went 70 yards for a 21-0 Lion advantage early in the second quarter following an interception that stole momentum back from St. John's, which was finally able to move the ball.
St. John's, the defending Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champions, got on the board with a pick-six before Chaminade-Madonna's Bailey hit
Joshisa Trader for the opening half's final points. Chaminade-Madonna added a two-yard scoring run from Gause midway through the third quarter.
