American Heritage Wins 3A Title

The American Heritage Stallions and head coach Doug Socha redeemed themselves and defeated the Madison County Cowboys 30-3 to win the Class 3A FHSAA state championship at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando on Saturday. The Stallions fell in the 2010 Class 1A state final last year to Trinity Christian. American Heritage(11-2) entered the game on a ten-game win streak following an overtime loss at home against the Glades Central Raiders. Late in the first quarter, the Stallions looked like they were bottled in their own on a third-and-long and short of the first down, however the Cowboys were called for roughing the passer. The Stallions then marched the ball down the field through the second quarter with Greg Bryant scoring from one-yard out with 9:25 left for a 7-0 lead. It was a 16-play, 89-yard drive that took 7:32. Madison County(12-2) rebounded with a 34-yard field goal by Zack Money with 7:10 remaining in the first half. American Heritage scored on their first possession of the second half as Bryant finished a five-play, 44-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run through the right side with a lead block by Tyler Provo at 8:16. The Stallions followed up on their next drive five minutes later as Greg Joseph kicked a 24-yard field goal for a 17-3 lead. Bryant capped things off with 1:01 left in the contest with a five-yard run, his third touchdown in the game. It was a 19-play, 87-yard drive that lasted ten minutes and nineteen seconds. Heritage extended the lead to 30-3 on the final play of the game. Cameron Posey jarred the ball out of the hands of Deonshay Wells who just received a pass from Charles Brown, then Silmore Dallaway returned the ball 44 yards for the score. Greg Bryant finished with 39 carries for 243 yards, which was 72 yards more than Madison County had in total offense. American Heritage had won the Class 1A state title in 2007 and 2009 under former head coach Willie Bueno.