BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Bradford High School’s flag football team kept host University Christian out of the end zone until 1:09 remained and handed the second seed Fighting Christians their first loss in an 18-7 Region 1-1A semifinal win on April 28.
After the game, Bradford Head Coach John Staples exclaimed to his players, “We’re going to Tally!”
As in Tallahassee, where the third seed Tornadoes (14-2) will play top seed Florida High (14-3) for the Region 1 championship on Thursday, May 1, at 7 p.m. at Gene Cox Stadium. Florida High advanced off a 33-0 semifinal win over fifth seed Suwannee.
It’s a rematch the Tornadoes have been looking forward to. The Seminoles won a 13-7 home game against Bradford on April 8 in which Florida High scored with 11 seconds remaining. Bradford quarterback/defensive back Ar’Nayshia Griffin didn’t play in the first quarter of that game due to a finger injury.
“We’re getting a chance to go back to Tallahassee,” Staples said. “I think we’ll be ready for them.”
Against University, Bradford players such as Tatyana Brown, Talaysia Cummings and Izarriya Desue brought constant pressure against quarterback Elissa Murdock.
“Our plan was to hem her up, keep her in the pocket and force her to throw it downfield,” Staples said, adding, “I felt like we caused her a lot of problems.”
Murdock, who was 17 of 28, did throw for 130 yards and a touchdown, but she was held to 15 yards in the first half on 4-oof-10 passing.
“They completed a lot of passes tonight, but luckily we kept everything underneath,” Staples said.
Bradford threatened to score on the game’s opening series, with Griffin completing 5 of 6 passes for 32 yards. Griffin also had three runs for 14 yards to help the Tornadoes drive to the University 10, but she was sacked by Jahniyah Robinson for a 7-yard loss on a fourth-down play that resulted in a turnover on downs at the University 17.
University (10-1) picked up a first down on its first series, but couldn’t pick up the 14 yards it needed for another first down, forcing a punt on fourth-and-8. Nichelle Brown returned the punt 24 yards to give the Bradford offense a first down at the University 34.
Nichelle Brown and Rhianna Davis caught passes of 6 and 5 yards, respectively, to move the Tornadoes to the 23. On fourth down from there, Bradford was able to get University to jump offsides, resulting in first-and-goal at the 18. Griffin threw three straight incomplete passes, but then hooked up with Nichelle Brown for the first of two scoring connections between the two players, putting the Tornadoes ahead 6-0 early in the second quarter. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
The Tornadoes increased their lead on their third series, which began at their own 27-yard line. A penalty on University resulted in first-and-1 at the 39, which Griffin converted with a 3-yard run. A 6-yard run by Nichelle Brown had additional yardage tacked on because of a penalty, giving Bradford a second-and-2 play at the University 22. Nichelle Brown caught a 9-yard pass to pick up the first, while a pass-interference penalty later gave the Tornadoes first-and-goal at the 7. Another penalty on University moved the ball to the 3. Griffin kept the ball for a 2-yard gain before scoring on a 1-yard run, making it 12-0 with eight seconds left in the first half. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
University threatened to make it a one-score game on its first series of the second half. Murdock completed four straight passes for a total of 51 yards, setting up first-and-goal at the 11. After a 4-yard run by M.J. Bishop, Murdock had a pass picked off by Griffin at the 1-yard line.
“That was huge for us,” Staples said, describing it as “the play of the game.”
University drove into Bradford territory on its next series, but flag pulls by Tatyana Brown and Alysia Rentz held the Christians to 9 yards on two consecutive pass plays. After an incompletion on third down, University went for it on fourth, with Kamela Marshall catching a pass and being stopped 1 yard short of the line to gain on a flag pull by Nichelle Brown.
The Christians went for it on a fourth-down play on their next drive, but 4-yard sack by Desue forced a turnover on downs and gave the Bradford offense the ball at the University 30.
Nichelle Brown had two straight carries to set up third-and-3 at the 23. Cherish Bing caught a 4-yard pass to set up first-and-goal. Griffin then threw a 19-yard pass to Nichelle Brown to put the Tornadoes up 18-0. The one-point conversion attempt failed.
Brown finished with six receptions for 65 yards, while Griffin completed 14 of 22 passes for 110 yards.
University cashed in on the ensuing drive, with Murdock completing four passes for 39 yards. Abbey Mehm scored on a 16-yard reception, with Murdock adding a successful run on the one-point conversion attempt.
The Christians attempted an onside play — one try to gain a first down at the 40 (midfield) from the 20-yard line. Murdock never got a pass off as she was sacked by Desue.
