The Atlantic Eagles came up short and lost to the Dr. Phillips Panthers 17-7 in the FHSAA Class 8A state championship game on Saturday night at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The Panthers, who made the crosstown trip, won their first state title in school history. Atlantic was playing in their first championship contest since 1978.
Dr. Phillips(13-2) got the only points in the first quarter. The Eagles had a punt blocked by Japerri Powell and he returned it eight yards for the score and a 7-0 lead at 4:25.
In the second quarter, Sterling Stockwell would miss a 29-yard field goal at the 11:49 mark. He would redeem himself when he kicked a 28-yard field goal with 4:52 left in the first half for a Panthers 10-point margin.
Atlantic(12-2) got some momentum with 4:55 to go in the third quarter when Oyeh Lurry-Davis returned a punt 30 yards to the Panthers 32-yard line. The Eagles lost the ball on downs during the eight-play drive at the 24-yard line with 1:57 left in the third.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles were bottled in their own end of the field. Quarterback Antoine Williams II threw a swing pass which was intercepted by linebacker Cameron Williams and he returned it nine yards for a touchdown and gave Dr. Phillips a 17-0 lead with 9:53 left.
Atlantic would avoid the shutout with 3:38 remaining in the fourth quarter to make it 17-7. Williams fumbled the ball, recovered it and sprinted in with a 15-yard touchdown run.
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