Bolles Loses To Cardinal Mooney For 2A Title

     The Bolles Bulldogs fell to the Cardinal Mooney Cougars 52-28 in the FHSAA Class 2A state championship on Wednesday night on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on the FIU campus. It was the first of seven state title games to be played at that venue this week. 

     The Cougars won their third FHSAA state championship with the victory. It was their second state title in the last three seasons. 

     The Bulldogs were looking to capture their first state championship since 2011 and their 12th overall state title in school history. They stand second all-time in FHSAA football titles behind St. Thomas Aquinas. Bolles running back Xavier Edwards, who scored 44 rushing touchdowns this year, was held to 92 rushing yards. 

     Cardinal Mooney(14-1) jumped out to a 7-0 lead at the 8:20 mark of the first quarter. Quarterback Davin Davidson fired a 34-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bo Odaniel on the left side. 

      Bolles(13-2) responded on their first possession and tied it up 7-7 with 5:56 to go in the first. Quarterback Jaden Weatherly connected a 41-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Naeem Burroughs in the middle of the field. 

      The Cougars reclaimed the lead 13-7 with 3:08 remaining in the opening quarter. Running back Connail Jackson rushed up the middle from three yards away. The extra point block and they had a six-point margin. 

      In the second quarter, Cardinal Mooney expanded their lead to 20-7 at 5:17. Odaniel caught a 16-yard touchdown on the left side of the end zone from quarterback Devin Mignery. 

      It became 27-7 for the Cougars with 18 seconds left in the second. Jackson sprinted through the middle of the line from eight yards out for the score. 

      The Bulldogs scored on their first drive in the second half and closed it to 27-14 at the 8:18 mark of the third quarter. Weatherly tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Burroughs on the left side of the end zone. 

      The Cougars answered back quickly with 5:28 remaining in the third and took a 34-14 lead. Jackson plunged in from one yard away for a touchdown. 

      Bolles pulled off a fake punt on a 4th-and-18 from their own 29-yard line. The up man Simeon Caldwell took the snap and ran down the left hash marks for a 71-yard touchdown and the Bulldogs trailed 34-21 with 1:35 to go in the third. 

      Cardinal Mooney increased it to 40-21 on the first play of the fourth quarter at 11:55. Davidson released a 24-yard touchdown pass to Odaniel in the front left corner of the end zone. It was Odaniel's third touchdown catch of the game. They failed on a two-point conversion pass. 

      Weatherly threw an interception on the second play of the Bulldogs next possession and defensive back Laron Foye returned it to the Bolles five-yard line. It was the first turnover of the contest by either team. 

      The Cougars marched into the end zone on a five-yard touchdown run by Jackson up the middle on the first play of the drive at the 10:55 mark of the fourth for a 46-21 advantage. It was the fourth rushing touchdown for Jackson in the game.

      Bolles cut the deficit to 46-28 with 4:17 remaining in the fourth. Burroughs caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Weatherly on the front left side of the end zone. It was the third touchdown catch of the contest and the 15th touchdown reception for Burroughs this season. 

      Cardinal Mooney struck back again on the second play of their next possession to make it 52-28 with 3:16 left in the final quarter. Mignery faked an option and rushed up the middle 54 yards for the score.