Published on Saturday December 06, 2008 in The Miami Herald
REGION 3-5A FINAL | ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 56, STUART SOUTH FORK 14
Aquinas rolls to state semifinals
BY PETE PELEGRIN
Although not the fastest of St. Thomas Aquinas' stable of the thoroughbred running backs, Beau Bucci needed just 12 seconds to deflate any hope visiting Stuart South Fork had of upsetting the defending Class 5A state champion on Friday night.
The Bulldogs had just scored their first touchdown of the 5A Regional final to close within 14 points of St. Thomas in the second quarter.
However, on the first play of the Raiders' ensuing possession, Bucci ran up the middle of the South Fork defense and went 65 yards for a touchdown.
St. Thomas went up by three touchdowns and continued rolling through the FHSAA football playoffs with a dominating 56-14 victory.
The Raiders advanced to the state semifinal, where it will face the winner of Largo-Charlotte next Friday at St. Thomas.
''I thought we came out and did a pretty good job stopping them,'' St. Thomas coach George Smith said. ``Once again, you get by three deals and then you go to a fourth. We need to get better at some aspects. That's been the theme all year -- as you progress you can't progress unless you get better and the time to get better is in the playoffs.''
Friday's regional final match up was a mismatch from the outset. St. Thomas scored on each possession in the first half.
After Raiders quarterback Ryan Becker connected with Duron Carter on a 7-yard pass on the first play of the game, the Raiders ran seven consecutive times.
St. Thomas gained 59 yards on the ground on the opening drive and scored its first touchdown with a little trickery.
From the South Fork 19, Becker, out of the shotgun, faked like the snap went over his head but running back James White took the ball and ran 19 yards down the right sideline for the first touchdown of the game.
South Fork went three and out on its first series and St. Thomas was at it again.
Ronnie Kennedy, who scored three touchdowns for the Raiders, highlighted the second drive with a 34-yard run to the Bulldogs' 12.
White scored on a 3-yard run two plays later for a 14-0 St. Thomas lead.
Down 21-0, South Fork drove 80 yards for its first touchdown.
Bulldogs quarterback Ronnie Nelson hit receiver Jason Thompson with a 37-yard pass to the St. Thomas 14-yard line.
Fullback Willie Walker scored on a 3-yard run to cut the St. Thomas lead to 21-7 before Bucci's run buried the Bulldogs.
Kennedy, the Raiders' running back/defensive back/kick returner, scored one touchdown in each capacity Friday night.
Kennedy had a 3-yard touchdown run just before halftime to give St. Thomas a 35-7 lead at the half.
The senior returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter and closed out the quarter with an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown.
''Ronnie Kennedy made two huge plays for us [in the third quarter] and basically took them out of the game,'' Smith said.
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