Jacksonville Fl- University Christian has had some memorable tandems that have given their all for championship glory. Hussein Howe and Otis Anderson are the most recent players of note, who combined their talents to lead a talented team to a championship in 2015. From 2020-2022, University Christian has been led by Orel Gray and Desirrio Riles, two former Duval Sports Middle School Top 50 athletes who led UC to a championship appearance in 2020 as sophomores. Friday night, both gave their all on the field. However their all wasn’t enough to get University Christian back to the championship game, falling to Clearwater Central Catholic in the final seconds of the state semifinal.
Orel Gray and Desirro Riles combined for over 300 all purpose yards and three touchdowns Friday night. Quarteback Dwyane Stuckey found the 6 foot 3 inch Riles running down the middle of the field like a locomotive. Riles played quarterback for the team before transitioning to defense. He showed off his skills as a tight end as well.
Riles was a mismatch all game, and Cleawater Central Catholic knew it. They just couldn’t do anything to stop it. In the third quarter, Stuckey Jr would find Riles down the middle again, this time for a touchdown. It was their second big hook up of the game down the middle. University Christian led 22-14 at that point.
Orel Gray was the focus of the Clearwater Central defense coming into the game, and they still had no answers for him. First Gray would hit the left sidelines, and roll for an early 3rd quarter touchdown.
He’d then cap the score with a successful 2-point conversion, to give University Christian a 15-14 lead coming out of halftime. The Christian’s needed a spark after trailing at halftime, and Gray was the electric jolt that they needed.
After a Clearwater Catholic touchdown by runningback Lenwood Sapp which closed the Christian’s gap to 22-20 in the fourth quarter, Gray would immediately respond with a spectacular play of his own. Gray would catch the ensuing kickoff return over head and return it 87-yards for a touchdown. The incredible play would put University Christian up 29-20 in the fourth.
Yet the enormous efforts by Gray and Riles weren’t quite enough, as Clearwater Central Catholic made big plays of their own when it counted. First, their defense stopped University Christian on 4th and short, when a first down wouldv’e iced the game.
Then, quarterback Jershaun Newton would go to work with less than two minutes left in the game. He’d hit wide receiver Julian Allen Jr on the drive for a big first down. The two also hooked up earlier, for the Marauder’s first score of the game.
Newton would then hit running back Lenwood Sapp, in which Sapp turned up field and to pushed the ball deep into UC territory with only seconds remaining and no timeouts. Sapp stepped up big as both a receiver and rusher in game, scoring two touchdowns on the ground.
Newton, with offers from FSU, Louisville and other big time schools, showed why he is a highly recruited athlete in Florida. He hit three different receivers for touchdowns in game. His last touchdown was most memorable, with less than a minute to play the sophomore dropped back and found wide receiver Nate Johnson III for a game winning touchdown in the back corner of the endzone.
Universirty Christian would attempt a desparation pass in the final seconds but the pass was intercepted by defensive back Gedontae Rich to the elation and erruption of the crowd that made the trip up to Jacksonville from Clearwater.
Clearwater Catholic will face Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood FL) in the Class 1M SFHSAA state championship game. As for University Christian, they end a brilliant season just short of their goal. Costly penalties in the game ultimately doomed the efforts from their dynamic duo.
University Christian has another dynamic duo returning. The Tandem of Quarterback Dwyane Stuckey Jr and wide receiver Jenoa Alford, who hooked up for the game’s first touchdown will be back in hopes of helping Coach David Penland III and company another title to University Christian.
