Columbus’ run game keeps rolling into 2020 to beat BTW — with help from a dominant O-line
Columbus won its Class 8A championship by leaning heavily on its all-county running back. Henry Parrish, now playing for the Ole Miss Rebels, won the Nat Moore Trophy last year as the top player in South Florida and the Explorers rode him all the way to their first state title in 2019. There was talent across the board for Columbus, but Parrish was the Explorers’ unquestioned engine.
The engine is different in 2020, but Columbus used the recipe Saturday to beat Booker T. Washington, 28-12, in a meeting of reigning state champions in Miami. Two running backs combined for 180 yards on the ground and accounted for three touchdowns. With perhaps the best offensive line in Florida, the Explorers kept it simple to beat the defending Class 4A champion.
“They’re physical and they like playing physical football,” coach Dave Dunn said. “It’s kind of like feeding the beast a little bit.”
Vershod Quinn ran for 111 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, and caught three passes for 18 yards a touchdown, even without playing a single snap in the fourth quarter. Fellow running back Denim Edwards ran for 69 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, sealing Columbus’ win with a 38-yard touchdown run to give the Explorers (2-0) a 28-6 lead with 4:55 remaining.
Collectively, Columbus’ top two running backs ran 28 times for 180 yards -- good for an average of 6.4 yards per carry.
“They’ve been good,” Dunn said, “and we can throw the ball, it’s just that I felt we had an advantage up front.”
After about an hour-long lightning delay at Traz Powell Stadium, the Explorers opened with a seven-play, 68-yard touchdown drive with quarterback Fernando Mendoza connecting with wide receiver Christopher Gilbert for a 21-yard score to put Columbus up 7-0. The Explorers’ next drive ended with an interception deep in Tornado territory, so Dunn pivoted to a ground attack.
On Columbus’ offensive line, there’s an All-American center in Ryan Rodriguez, who’s orally committed to the Miami Hurricanes, and a four-star left tackle, according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings, in Julian Armella. Add in senior left guard David Hijuelos, sophomore right guard Konnor Mann and senior right tackle Sebastian Laraque, and the Explorers trust their line against anyone else they’ll face this season.
“We have the potential to be the most talented O-line to come through Columbus,” Rodriguez said. “We had the potential, if we had a full season, to win another championship.”
After the interception and one more scoreless drive, Quinn pushed Columbus’ lead up to two scores. He started the drive with a 40-yard run, then capped a three-play drive with a 2-yard plunge and the Explorers’ lead grew to 14-0 at halftime.
Booker T. Washington (0-1) went into halftime with just 105 yards and had only 176 yards when Columbus inserted its second-team defense in the fourth quarterback.
Quarterback Torey Morrison, a first-team all-county selection by the Miami Herald last year, finished just 20 of 34 for 164 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, although he did run for 84 yards on 12 carries.
“We thought the key on defense was tackling in space,” Dunn said. “For the most part, I thought we did a pretty good job. We can obviously get better at it, but the thing was get him down in space.”
Morrison’s second touchdown came midway through the third quarter when the Tornadoes had trimmed the Explorers’ lead to 14-6. It set Columbus up at Booker T. Washington’s 35-yard line and Quinn once again delivered. The senior ran three times for 28 yards to bring the Explorers down to the goal line, then caught a 9-yard touchdown from Mendoza to push the lead back to 21-6.
It was Quinn’s final play of the game. Columbus turned to Edwards for its final drive and the junior finished off the victory.
“I wouldn’t even necessarily say it’s a hot hand. It’s whoever’s fresh, really, at this point,” Dunn said. “They complement each other pretty well.”
▪ Hialeah Gardens 24, Hialeah-Miami Lakes 12: Senior fullback Marvin Machado rushed 15 times for 80 yards and a touchdown. And Senior quarterback George Ramos contributed 61 yards on 12 carries and 2 touchdowns. Defensively, junior Brian Perez led the Gladiators with an interception, a caused fumble, and 2 sacks.
▪ Krop 28, Westland Hialeah 7: Quarterback Jake Golan went 7 for 12 for 202 yards and three touchdowns. Davin Derival caught four passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Krop was led by linebacker Keiyon Kelly, who recorded 6 tackles, 2 TFL’s and a sack. And Julius Weaver contributed with 3 TFL’s and 1 sack.
Swimming
The Miami Palmetto boys’ team finished second in team points and the girls’ team finished fifth in the FHSAA 4A Region 3 Swimming Championships.
Palmetto boys won the 200-yard medley relay with Kyle Korvick anchoring. The boys’ also won the 200-yard freestyle relay with Jake Wienants anchoring. Rounding out both relays were Kyrylo Romankiv and Garrett Mullins. Korvick also placed first in the 200-yard free and 100-yard freestyle (winning the High Point Championship). Jake Wienants finished third in the 200 free.
On the Palmetto’s girls’ team qualifying for state were Sophia Perez in the 200 free, Valeria Strohmeier in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly, and Isabella Reyes 1-meter diving. The girls’ team also qualified in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Dominic Bono from Coral Reef qualified in the boys’ 200 IM and the 500 free.
