Southridge Football Advances

Miami Southridge football’s march to the state finals continued with another dominant victory, this time over district rivals Miami Palmetto in a 26-0 playoff victory.

  The second round of the FHSAA Drive to December featured a rematch from the regular season after Palmetto’s thrilling comeback win over Belen in the first round.

  With their shutout, Miami Southridge’s defense has not allowed a single point scored against them since their 18-0 loss to Carol City on September 23, and have outscored their opponents this season by a collective margin of 276-53, recording a stellar eight shutouts in eleven games.

  Appropriately, Southridge’s defense put the first points on the board when Brandon James scooped up a Palmetto fumble and returned it five yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.

  The offense took over in the second quarter when quarterback Micheal Cox found Mark Pope for a 26 yard touchdown pass.

  Antwan Collier picked off Palmetto quarterback Vernon Kelson in the second quarter and returned it 26 yards for another touchdown to give Southridge a 20-0 halftime lead.

  Southridge rounded out their scoring in the third quarter when Trevlin Payne rushed from one yard out into the end zone for a touchdown.

  Payne split the duties under center with Cox, finishing with a 5-for-11 performance that included 54 yards passing and 27 yards on the ground with a touchdown.

  Cox went 3-for-7 for 49 yards and a touchdown.

  The ground attack was as balanced as it has been all year, with Collier, Bentavious Thompson, and Courtney Reese adding 60, 58, and 27 yards rushing respectively.

  Pope led all receivers with three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown while Rodney Scott added four catches for 41 yards.