Conquerors' charge: Trinity Christian rallies past Orlando Christian Prep in semifinal

WINTER GARDEN — This fall has been anything but routine for Trinity Christian's football program.

The eight-time champion Conquerors endured an uncharacteristic late-season losing streak, dropping four of their final five games. Star running back Treyaun Webb missed time with injury, and 300-game winner Verlon Dorminey temporarily stepped away for the sidelines due to illness.

Even in Friday's Class 2A semifinal, with a trip to Tallahassee at stake, Trinity sleepwalked through the first half, spotting spunky FHSAA playoff newcomer Orlando Christian Prep a 12-point halftime lead.

And yet, the end result is as familiar as ever — Trinity is one step shy of hoisting another championship trophy.

Webb rushed for two key touchdowns, including a 99-yarder late in the fourth quarter, and Jovan Nobles secured a game-sealing fumble with two minutes to go in regulation as the Conquerors prevailed 29-21 in a game played at Foundation Academy.

"All year, we've battled adversity. It's nothing new to us. We've preached it since summer workouts," Webb, who backed off a commitment to Oklahoma earlier this week, said. "I fumbled (in the fourth quarter) and was coming down on myself, and my teammates picked me up. I thank them for that.

"We're all doing it for Coach Dorminey. He's our key motivation. He's our ringleader."

Trinity Christian (9-4) advances to Thursday's final against Champagnat Catholic in what will, perhaps surprisingly, be a first postseason meeting between the two private-school powerhouses.

Here is how the Conquerors rallied and reached their 11th state championship game.

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Crucial kicks

Trinity Christian consistently moved the ball between the 20s in the first half but failed to finish drives.

By contrast, OCP scored three touchdowns before the break — Nick Rawls' 58-yard catch off a deflection b, Demarion Jenkins' 54-yard runaway on a slant and Vilay Nakkoun's 3-yard run with one minute left in the half.

Fortunately, Seth Bialek ensured the Conquerors did not come away emptyhanded on three trips into the red zone. He connected on three field goals, including a long of 35 yards. Entering the night, the junior — who doubles as a wide receiver — made nine of his 13 attempts on the season.

"We really believe in Seth; those points were huge right there," said Gerard Ross, the Conquerors' offense coordinator and acting coach in place of Verlon Dorminey due to illness. "When you're in the playoffs, any time you have a chance to get points, you have to take it. You don't know how the outcome of the second half's going to be."

Thomas sparks turnaround

Trinity Christian returned to the field visibly rejuvenated, capping off an efficient opening drive with a 42-yard strike up the seam from Colin Hurley to Keaton Thomas.

"We had a talk with the coaches and had to come to the realization that we didn't want this to be the end," Thomas said. "We came so far, and we're not going to lose now."

Three plays later, the senior popped up again with a huge play on the other side of the ball.

Nakkoun rolled to his left and threw back across his body, and Thomas pounced in front of the wobbly throw for an interception at OCP's 21-yard line.

Hurley lofted a 20-yard pass to Fred Highsmith, and Webb cashed in a touchdown from the 1 on his third try to give Trinity its first lead at the 7:26 mark of the third quarter.

Coast to coast

The Conquerors looked poised to add a crucial insurance score early in the fourth, but Curtis Kimmons crashed into the backfield and jarred the ball free from Webb at the OCP 10-yard line.

Nakkoun and the Warriors milked the clock and methodically grinded the length of the field, converting twice on fourth down. The quarterback leaned forward for a 4th-and-1 pikcup by a chain link, and a pair of TCA penalties in the end zone gifted OCP a goal-to-go chance.

As a result of a post-whistle unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, senior cornerback Cam Miller — a Penn State commit — was disqualified from the game.

Hearing barks of "DO NOT LET THEM SCORE" from the sideline, Trinity's defense held its ground four consecutive times. On OCP's last gasp, from the 1, Caden Morrell and Deon Briggs wrapped up Nakkoun shy of the goal line.

OCP might have tried for the field goal had kicker Tucker Vandiver not left the game injured in the first half.

Leading by 1, and in the shadow of its own goal post, Trinity Christian elected to put the ball in Webb's hands. The highly touted junior sprinted through a hole, fended off several would-be tacklers and wrote his name in the program's record books for the longest play from scrimmage.

"Our defensive coordinator, Fred Highsmith, got a little nervous with us going on one in a shotgun snap," Ross said. "You've got to buckle down and play football. Our O-line fired off the ball and put a hat on a hat, Treyaun came through the hole, one man couldn't tackle him and the rest is history."

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Trinity Christian rallies past Orlando Christian Prep in football semifinal