Published on Saturday December 01, 2007 in The Miami Herald
Aquinas cruises into 5A semifinals
BY PETE PELEGRIN
After its only loss of the season to Deerfield Beach, St. Thomas Aquinas approached each game like it was the state championship.
Entering their Class 5A regional final against visiting Palm Bay on Friday night, the Raiders were two steps from their fourth consecutive state championship appearance.
Make that one step and rather quickly.
St. Thomas needed less than 16 minutes to dispatch
Palm Bay as the Raiders cruised in a 59-14 rout and drew the road to Orlando a lot closer for the 5A state title game.
The Raiders play in a 5A state semifinal at Largo next Friday. Largo defeated Cape Coral 28-13 on Friday.
''Since the Deerfield game we've focused on not taking anyone lightly,'' Raiders defensive back Dorian Graham said. ''We've played everyone like it was the state championship game.''
If that's the case the Raiders (12-1) would have seven state titles after their seventh consecutive win Friday.
QUICK SCORES
St. Thomas scored 28 points before there were eight minutes left in the second quarter.
Six different Raiders scored touchdowns against the Pirates.
After Palm Bay went three and out after receiving the opening kickoff, the Raiders got rolling.
Quarterback Ryan Becker capped a six-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown run for the game's first score.
On the next Raiders drive, running back Giovanni Bernard ripped off two 14-yard runs before Becker connected with Duron Carter for a 24-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0.
Palm Bay could not crack St. Thomas territory in the first quarter.
On the first play of the second quarter, St. Thomas running back Jeremiah Harden burst through the Pirates defense for a 25-yard touchdown run.
After another Palm Bay three and out, St. Thomas needed just two plays before Bernard slammed past the Pirates defense for a 38-yard touchdown run.
Bernard (79 yards), Harden (64 yards) and Ronnie Kennedy (61 yards) combined for 204 yards of the Raiders 246 rushing yards.
''We got some things going early and I think that ended the issue,'' St. Thomas coach George Smith said. ''We probably had a little more speed than they did.''
Palm Bay finally reached St. Thomas' side of the field just before halftime.
Pirates quarterback Darren Sewell scampered 17 yards to the St. Thomas 36. Then on 4th-and-7 from the 33, Sewell found Ramon Buchanan for 31 yards to the Raiders 2. Two plays later, Sewell snuck in from 1 yard out for the touchdown to get Palm Bay on the scoreboard at 28-7.
ANOTHER SCORE
Unfortunately for the Pirates, St. Thomas had an immediate answer.
On the ensuing possession, Harden took a screen in the flat and sprinted 68 yards for the fifth Raiders touchdown. Harden, a senior, led the Raiders with three touchdowns.
St. Thomas scored a touchdown on its first five possessions. The Raiders were finally stopped as their fourth down Hail Mary pass was caught out-of-bounds as time expired before the halftime.
''I think we played well in all phases,'' Smith said. ''We were pretty good offensively, defensively and special teams. . . . There were about 80 [teams] when the season started now there are four of us left. I'm proud of our players.''
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