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Ponte Vedra QB R.J. Glod (12) hands off to running back Collin Magill (28) during Friday's high school football playoff game. (photo by Jim Brady)
Playing in steady rain for much of the game, Ponte Vedra’s high school football season came to an end Nov. 8 with a 14 to 7 loss to Lake City Columbia.
The Tigers took a 14 to 7 lead going into the final quarter of the Region 1-6A quarterfinal.
Leading 14-0, Columbia QB Jordan Smith fumbled. Kyle Bondra recovered the ball at the Columbia seven-yard line. Ponte Vedra (8-3) scored on a seven-yard TD early in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers struggled to stop the run this season, an issue against a North Marion team that ran for more than 300 yards in the regular season finale.
Against Ponte Vedra, the defensive stepped up with one of its best performances of the year when it mattered most.
“I know it’s been a tough couple of weeks, but those guys came in and they fought their behinds off tonight,” said Tigers’ head coach Brian Allen.
The only points allowed by Columbia came when Smith coughed up a wet football at the Tiger 6 yard-line, and Ponte Vedra capitalized with Campbell Parker’s TD run.
Parker ran for 50 yards on 10 carries. Collin Magill had 48 yards on 15 carries.
Smith hooked up with tight end D.J. Bennett for a 10-yard TD pass in the opening five minutes of the game. Smith threw to Lanadrick Bradley for the winning score with 9:15 left until halftime.
Bradley led all receivers with seven catches for 85 yards. Smith was 11 of 21 passing for 114 yards.
Tigers’ senior running back Kylen Callum ran 16 times for 104 yards including a six-yard first down that sealed the game for Lake City Columbia (8-3).
Senior QB R.J. Glod led the Sharks to inside the visitors 40 late in the contest. On fourth and ten with 1:47 left, an incomplete pass gave the ball back to Lake City Columbia.
Glod finished 6 of 22 passing for 59 yards. He also rushed for 34 yards.
Tommy Zitiello led Ponte Vedra with seven tackles for the Sharks. Riley McCormick had six, and Harlan Nickolov and Bondra each recorded five. George Sanders and Ethan Bauer each had four.
Will Frank, Nikolov and Andrew Lewis each had a sack. Aiden Dunnigan intercepted Smith.