ST. AUGUSTINE-When Brian Braddock and his staff look at the film over the weekend, one thing they are sure to is think about what might have been.
You can be sure the staff might be second guessing themselves after seeing St. Augustine (11-2) stumble 28-10 to Navarre last night at Foots Brumley Stadium in the Regional I-6A final.
What if the ball had not ricocheted off the wide receiver hands and into the hands of the Raiders defender, which led to a Raider score four plays later ?
What if they didn’t kick a field goal in the fourth quarter trailing 21-7 ?
What if the trips inside the red zone in the second half had resulted in more than 3 total points?
And most importantly what if they were able to tackle better and contain Michael Carter and hold him out of the end zone?
These questions might haunt the coaching staff and players for the next six months.
Things started off well with a defensive battle early on as both teams exchanged three and outs in a scoreless first quarter.
My how quickly that changed.
Carter broke free for a 14-yard touchdown run giving the Raiders a 7-0 lead about two minutes into the second quarter.
St. Augustine answered back as Cole Northrup hit Jacoby Feliciano in stride for a 66-yard touchdown connection tying the game at 7-7 a minute later.
Carter gave the Raiders the lead back at 14-7 with a 6 yard run with 1:40 left till half.
Despite having three timeouts and the ball near midfield, the Yellow Jackets made no attempt to try to tie it before half, sitting on all three timeouts going into the half.
Leaving most Jackets fans shaking their heads and speechless needless to say.
Still trailing 14-7 midway through the third quarter, Northrup pass was tipped and fell out of the hands of his receiver and into the hands of a Raider defender giving the ball at the Jackets 9-yard line.
Four plays later, Carter was in the end zone again for his third touchdown and more importantly giving the Raiders a 21-7 lead.
Thanks to Northrup, the Jackets moved down the field with ease on the ensuing drive getting inside the 7-yard line as we headed into the fourth quarter.
However, two incomplete passes from Northrup forced Braddock to settle for a field goal despite being down 14 points cutting the lead to 21-10 with 11:15 remaining in the game.
Two possessions later, the Jackets were back in the red zone again thanks to a desperation pitch to Jahquise Russell, who took the pitch 65 yards down to the 14 yard line.
Three consecutive carries by Russell had the Jackets down to the 5, facing fourth and 1 with 5 minutes to go.
Russell again was given the ball and he was met head on by a host of Raider defenders turning the ball over on downs.
Carter, 234 yards and four touchdowns, put an exclamation point on the game with a electrifying 69 yard run with two minutes remaining to give Navarre a 28-10 lead. Carter, who is committed to North Carolina, appeared tackled but kept fighting and spun off the tackle and raced untouched for the score.
Northrup and Feliciano moved the ball down the field and had the Jackets inside the 13-yard line before Northrup was picked off with 1:14 left in the game to seal the game.
