Booker T. Washington Slips By Cardinal Gibbons

     The Booker T. Washington Tornadoes outlasted the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs 31-21 at Dr. Bud Tight Field in a Class 4A regional final on Friday night in Fort Lauderdale. The Tornadoes will visit Lakewood next week in the state semifinal. The Chiefs ended their reign as a state champion.
     Cardinal Gibbons(10-3) got up 7-0 at the 9:37 mark of the first quarter. Quarterback Brody Palhegyi jumped through the left side of the line and scored from one yard out for a 7-0 lead.
     The Chiefs fumbled a catch on the punt return and the Tornadoes took advantage. Quarterback Torey Morrison raced toward the front right pylon on a run and dived in from one yard away at 5:45 to tie it up 7-7.
     After BTW was stopped on a fourth-and-goal at the Gibbons one-yard line, they compiled a safety on the next play with 49 seconds left to give them a 9-7 advantage. The Chiefs attempted a rush up the middle by running back Coleman Bennett and defensive end John Joachin Jr. made the tackle two yards into the end zone.
     On the ensuing drive, Morrison fumbled the ball and the Chiefs brought it back to the Tornadoes nine-yard line. They answered back several plays later at 10:13 of the second quarter. Running back Tajae Davis busted up the middle on a two-yard touchdown run and the Chiefs regained the lead 14-9.
     Booker T. Washington(11-2) responded and reclaimed the lead 17-14 with 6:25 left in the second. Morrison rolled out to his right and found wide receiver Macho Arza in the middle of the zone for and eight-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion was made when Morrison scrambled out of the pocket to his left, avoided several tacklers and tossed a pass to wide receiver Theodore Richardson on the left side of the end zone.
     Cardinal Gibbons would get the final scoring play of the first half. Davis went around the left end of the line from one yard out which gave them a 21-17 lead with 5:13 remaining.
     The second half would belong to the Tornadoes. Richardson caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Morrison at the goal line near the front left section of the end zone during the third quarter and they moved in front 24-21.
     In the fourth quarter, they put the game away. Morrison threw a swing pass to wide receiver Jacorey Brooks on the left side and he sprinted down the left numerals on a 54-yard touchdown play.