Only one area high school football team remains standing — Trinity Christian.
The Conquerors were the lone local state semifinal survivor on Friday night, edging past Orlando Christian Prep 29-21 to earn a trip to the Class 2A state championship game. Trinity (9-4) will face Hialeah Champagnat Catholic (9-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee for the title. The Conquerors won the Class 3A crown last year.
The outcomes weren’t as good for Baker County, Bolles and Pierce County, all of whom came up short in their bids for championship game berths.
The Wildcats were bounced by state powerhouse Miami Central in the Class 5A state semifinals, staying close for a half before the Rockets pulled away for a 54-21 win.
Bolles controlled the first half but gave up four unanswered touchdowns after the break in a 35-24 loss to Cocoa in the Class 4A state semis.
And Pierce County erased a 16-point halftime deficit, but couldn’t get the tying two-point conversion in a 19-17 loss to Atlanta Carver in the Class 3A state semi in Georgia. The Bears were trying to win back-to-back state championships.
Trinity got all it could handle from OCP. The Conquerors needed a goal-line stand with Caden Morrell and Deon Briggs stuffing the Warriors at the 1-yard line. Right after that, Treyaun Webb ripped off a 99-yard touchdown run to ice the game for the Conquerors (9-4).
In Class 5A, Baker County’s dream season ended with a second-half blitz by the host Rockets. The Wildcats led 14-7 in the second quarter and went into halftime tied. But Miami Central ripped off three touchdowns in the third quarter and coasted into the title game in search of a threepeat.
In Class 4A, Bolles was dominant for a half before Cocoa roared back. Kade Frew had two rushing touchdowns in the opening half and DJ Moore threw a 30-yard scoring pass to Connor Cox as the Bulldogs (8-3) jumped out to a 24-7 lead at the break.
But the Tigers roared back after that. Donte Cook caught two touchdown passes from Davin Wydner in the second half as the Tigers surged back to end a 19-game state semifinals winning streak by the Bulldogs.
Florida playoff results
State semifinals
Class 5A
1. Merritt Island 12, 4. Sebring 10
2. Miami Central 54, 3. Baker County 21
Class 4A
1. Cocoa 35, 4. Bolles 24
2. Cardinal Gibbons 36, 3. Lakewood 18
Class 2A
4. Trinity Christian 29, 1. Orlando Christian Prep 21
3. Champagnat Catholic 27, 2. First Baptist Academy 8
Georgia playoff results
State semifinals, Friday
Class 3A
Cedar Grove 27, Appling County 6
Carver 19, Pierce County 17
State championship schedule
At Gene Cox Stadium, Tallahassee
Class 2A, Dec. 9
Trinity Christian (8-4) vs. Champagnat Catholic (10-2), 7 p.m.
Class 3A, Dec. 10
Chaminade-Madonna (10-1) vs. Berkeley Prep (12-0), 7 p.m.
Class 1A, Dec. 11
Hawthorne (10-0) vs. Madison County (10-3), 7 p.m.
At DRV Pink Stadium, Fort Lauderdale
Class 4A, Dec. 16
Cocoa (11-1) vs. Cardinal Gibbons (10-2), 7 p.m.
Class 5A, Dec. 17
Miami Central (11-2) vs. Merritt Island (13-1), 1 p.m.
Class 7A, Dec. 17
Tampa Bay Tech (13-0) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (13-1), 7 p.m.
Class 8A, Dec. 18
Venice (13-1) vs. Apopka (12-2), 1 p.m.
Class 6A, Dec. 18
Tampa Jesuit (14-0) vs. Pine Forest (12-1), 7 p.m.