Christopher Columbus (Miami) outscored Benedictine 21-0 in a dominating second quarter to pull away for good in a 42-27 victory on Friday night at Memorial Stadium in the season opener for both.
Senior Columbus quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw for five touchdowns to lead the Explorers in the win. Christopher Columbus (1-0) is now 35-5 in its last 40 games.
The game was the first of two in the next two years between the pair of all-male catholic private schools. The series is labeled as the Riddell Catholic School Classic. BC (0-1) plays in Miami early in 2022, but this year, the Cadets never truly climbed back in the contest after a rough second quarter. The game was tied at 7-7 through one quarter as both teams traded punches in the early going.
Mendoza connected with his senior running back Denim Edwards for a 13-yard scoring toss to take an early 7-0 advantage.
Holden Geriner pulled Benedictine even on a 23-yard beauty caught by junior Za’Quan Bryan over two Explorer defenders. But, while the first 12 minutes were tightly contested, the next 12 belonged squarely to the visitors from Miami.
After throwing for four touchdowns in the first half, Mendoza started the second half in opposite fashion. BC’s senior linebacker Holden Sapp, an Army commit, picked off Mendoza and rumbled 56 yards for the touchdown on the first Columbus play from scrimmage after halftime.
Benedictine forced an Explorers’ punt on the next possession, but the Cadets failed to convert on 4th and medium from just outside the Columbus redzone and a fifth Mendoza passing touchdown on the following drive made it 35-13, and iced the victory for the 2019 Class 8A state champions of Florida.
Justin Thomas caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Geriner on a wheel-route near the end of the third and, for a brief moment, it was 35-20. Darren McQueen Jr. answered Thomas’ TD catch with a 75+ yard kick return for a score with just 5.6 seconds left in the third quarter.
It was 42-20 in favor of Columbus heading into the fourth quarter.
Follow Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.
CC -- 7 - 21 - 14 - 0 -- 42
BC -- 7 - 0 - 13 - 7 -- 27
HALF -- CC, 28-7.
RECORDS -- CC, 1-0; BC, 0-1.
Optim Orthopedics supports Benedictine Military School and Savannah Country Day School athletics. Benedictine Military School's team doctor is Dr. David Sedory. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game!
Photo - Karl DeMasi Sports Report
