6A CHAMPIONSHIP – A Repeat For Miami Central

<strong>TALLAHASSEE – </strong>By now, everyone is familiar with the road that Miami Central traveled to defend its 6A state title. Opening the season at the end of October, the Rockets lost to Miami Northwestern and grabbed a 14-0 lead on Miami Edison when the game was called due to lightning at halftime. <img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-85659" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/12/Tallahassee2020-XXXX-11-300x187.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="187" />From that point, head coach<strong> Roland Smith </strong>and the Rockets would receiver byes the next two weeks against Immokalee and Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy. It would be nearly a month until they would host Naples Lely in a second round game. During the next three weeks, this team came together and shook off the rust. On Friday afternoon at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, the Rockets not only repeated as 6A state champs, but they dismantled first time state finalist Lake Minneola, 46-0, and added to a championship total that this program has proudly won. The Rockets scored when they wanted to – forcing a running clock in the third quarter, but they outgained the 11-2 Hawks, 528-87. After exchanging drives, the Rockets took the lead at the 6:36 mark of the first quarter when sophomore quarterback <strong>Keyone Jenkins</strong>, who completed eight of 16 for 160 yards and 3 scores, found junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="50079" first="Zaylan" last="Reese"] </strong>from 16 yards out for a 6-0 lead. Central extended the lead to 12-0 on a 24-yard strike from Jenkins to <strong>Robert McMinn </strong>at the 3:55 mark of the first quarter. McMinn, who came over from Miami Norland this season, finished with 71 yards on 2 reception. Texas A&amp;M-bound running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="32660" first="Amari" last="Daniels"]</strong> took it in from the 14 for and 18-0 advantage after the first quarter. Daniels helped out the cause with a 172-yard, 2-touchdown effort. The point barrage continued for the Rockets at the 8:34 mark of the second quarter on a Jenkins to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="32656" first="Yulkeith" last="Brown"]</strong> 8 yard scoring pass and a 24-0 advantage. Brown came back later in the game with an interception. Junior running back <strong>Ghana Oboh</strong> made it 32-0 with 3:58 left in the first half on a 3-yard run. Daniels scored once again on the opening drive of the third quarter on a 1-yard run at the 8:52 mark. The two-point conversion made it 40-0. The Rockets closed out the scoring with 4:06 left when sophomore quarterback <strong>Dyllan Tulloch</strong> found fellow 10^th grader <strong>Lamar Seymour </strong>from 24 yards out and a 46-0 advantage. <strong>DEFENSIVE STARS SHINE</strong> Both teams had a number of gifted players out on the field Friday afternoon – on defense. Among those for the Rockets featured <strong>Rhoody Jean Louis, [player_tooltip player_id="32613" first="Terrence" last="Lewis"], Rueben Bain, [player_tooltip player_id="32848" first="Eddrin" last="Lollar"], Elijah Vaughn, Stefon Young-Rolle, [player_tooltip player_id="49987" first="Wesley" last="Bissainthe"] </strong>and <strong>Chester Fearon</strong>. For Lake Minneola, <strong>Ethon Cole, Drake Harwell, Ralph Ortiz, Kyeaure Magliore, Miguel Watts, Tyler Fields, Dylan Tomaselli </strong>and <strong>Brendan Flakes.</strong> <strong>CENTRAL SHINES ON OFFENSE</strong> The Rockets had so many contributors in the title game. Among those were junior Oboh and receiver <strong>Trent Henry.</strong> For Lake Minneola, <strong>Robbie Sanders</strong> and <strong>Isaiah Shannon</strong>. <strong><em>You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Foridakids1@aol.com. We are also on </em></strong><strong><em>Social Media on @PrepRedzonefl.</em></strong>