By James Oyola
MaxPreps.com
ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite a 21-point first quarter lead, Miami Northwestern fell to Seminole 28-21 in the 6A title game in front of 12,764 fans at the Citrus Bowl.
Andre Debose, regarded as one of the top 10 wide receiver prospects in the country by MaxPreps.com’s Tom Lemming, led the Seminoles through one of the most remarkable come-from-behind victories in Class 6A state championship history.
The standout senior scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) leading Seminole (13-2) to its first state title. Debose's three scores helped Seminole climb back into the game and eventually take the lead.
"Andre is one of the most talented football players I have ever coached," Seminole head coach Michael Cullison said. "He works hard and has been a big impact for our team this year. In four years, I wouldn't be surprised if he is making those kind of plays on Sundays."
After he brought his team back from a 14-point deficit with two consecutive touchdowns, Debose (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) capped his hat trick with a 40-yard touchdown catch with 33 seconds remaining in regulation to take the lead and seal the win. He finished the game with 71 yards rushing on five carries and two catches for 51 yards.
Quarterback Ray Ray Armstrong, a senior, led a rushing attack that amassed 242 yards by rushing for 118 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.
Armstrong, who totaled 22 touchdowns during the regular season, ignited the Seminole comeback with a 26-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 14 with 11:04 remaining in the first half.
Northwestern, the defending national champions by some media outlets and two-time 6A title holders, had a chance to become the first team in Miami-Dade County history to win three consecutive state championships since the playoff system began in 1963.
The Bulls began the game as if they were going to accomplish that feat by gaining 196 yards on 18 plays and three touchdowns on their first three possessions.
Sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater connected with junior receiver Michael Lee Harris for a 73-yard touchdown pass on their first play from scrimmage to take a 7-0 edge over Seminole.
On the ensuing possession, Northwestern extended its lead after defensive tackle Todd Chanlder caused, and then recovered, a fumble by Seminole running back Zachary Martin.
Wayne Times capped a 9-play, 49-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:53 remaining in the first quarter.
Times, a senior, then helped extend the lead 21-0 by catching an electrifying 47-yard touchdown pass from Bridgewater. He finsihed with four receptions for 59 yards.
Despite Times’ efforts, the Bulls could not uphold their edge and watched a 21-7 halftime lead slip away.
The Seminoles’ defense, led by 6-5, 225-pound defensive end Dyron Dye, aided the win by stopping Northwestern’s dominant ground game. The Bulls, who gained 2,291 yards and scored 32 touchdowns during the regular season, were held to only 89 yards on 22 carries and a score.
The rest of the game belonged to Seminole as it controlled the clock and held Northwestern to only nine offensive plays in the second half.
Debose capped a 9-play, 59-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run with 5:26 left in the third quarter to cut the margin to seven points.
On the ensuing kick, Northwestern fumbled the return and Seminole recovered. Debose capitalized off of the turnover with a 3-yard touchdown run to tie the game 21-21 with 23 seconds left in the quarter.
The Bulls finally got a break after they recovered a punt that bounced off of a Seminole defender at the 50-yard line. Unfortunately, they couldn’t produce against a stingy Seminole defense and were forced to punt again.
The Seminoles, facing a 3rd-and-15 situation, capped a 12-play, 68-yard drive with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Armstrong to Debose to seal the win.
Debose made an acrobatic catch over Northwestern safety Tevin McCaskill, a University of Miami verbal, with 33 seconds left in the game and etched his name in Seminole High School football history.
"That was the biggest play of my life," Debose said. "Ray Ray put just enough air under the ball for me to get up there and catch it. Tevin had good coverage and if Ray didn't throw it like he did I probably wouldn't of caught it. He's a great quarterback."
