Miramar Shocks Aquinas Again

    The Miramar Patriots remained undefeated as they edged the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders 22-20 on Friday night at Brian Piccolo Stadium. The Patriots have now won the last three meetings between both schools. They were victorious last year at home and won in overtime on the same field two years ago.
    St. Thomas Aquinas(2-1) took advantage in the first quarter as they got out to a 10-0 lead. Walter Jackson partially blocked a punt for good field position. The Raiders could only muster a 24-yard field goal by Charles Courtney and a 3-0 lead at 5:35.
    On the Raiders next possession, wide receiver Corey Holmes caught a 36-yard catch on the left sideline from quarterback Wade Freebeck and took it to the Patriots 8. Running back Mardre London scored on the next play as he rushed around the right end for the score and an Aquinas 10-0 lead with 2:31 left in the first.
    The Miramar(4-0) offense responded quickly on their first play from scrimmage at their own 20-yard line as running back Eric Pittman brought a hook-and-ladder play 79 yards and fell one yard short of the end zone. Quarterback Nick Jeanty sneaked in with a one-yard touchdown carry and cut the margin to 10-7 at 2:04.
    The Patriots scored the only points of the second quarter to erase a 10-point first half deficit. David Campbell kicked a 43-yard field goal with 11:18 remaining in the second. They ran a fast offense in the final minute of the first half and were rewarded with a 33-yard field goal by Campbell as timed expired for a Miramar 13-10 halftime lead.
    The Raiders controlled the third quarter as they piled on ten points during the third quarter and retook the lead. Wide receiver Devante Peete pulled in an eight-yard touchdown reception in the left corner of the end zone to make it 17-13 at 7:34. Courtney connected with a 30-yard field goal at 1:49 which was set up by a 30-yard catch by wide receiver Jawuan Harris to the Patriots 18.
    The Patriots bottled their opponent deep in their own end on a good punt to the Raiders two-yard line. One play later, running back Deltron Sands was stopped in end zone by linebacker David Lee for a safety as Miramar closed the gap to 20-15 with 9:55 left in the final quarter.
    Miramar got the ball back on a punt kickoff and retook the lead on their next possession. Cameron Rigby capped the drive with a four-yard run for a 22-20 lead with 9:20 to go in the game.