BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Ar’Nayshia Griffin had three touchdowns passing and rushing and added another score on an interception as the Bradford High School flag football team defeated visiting Keystone Heights 37-9 in a Region 1-1A quarterfinal game on April 23.
Despite the 37 points, 179 yards passing and rushing yards from Griffin and 142 receiving and rushing yards from Nichelle Brown, Bradford Head Coach John Staples thought his team didn’t play to its full capability.
Still, it was the Tornadoes’ first-ever region playoff win. Third seed Bradford (13-2) will travel to Jacksonville to play second seed University Christian (10-0) in a semifinal game on Monday, April 28, at 7 p.m. University advanced by defeating seventh seed Newberry 28-0.
“The monkey’s off our back, but I didn’t feel like we played with the tenacity we’ve been playing with lately,” Staples said. “We got done what we needed to get done. Business trip accomplished. We move on to University Christian Monday. We’ll get a game plan together and get ready to go.”
The sixth seed Indians (9-9) actually gained more yards than the Tornadoes, with quarterback Alee Horton gaining 235 yards passing and rushing.
“Keystone’s got a good club,” Staples said. “They’re scrappy, with a good short-passing game. The quarterback did a great job tonight. She gave us a lot of problems.”
Still, the Indians never made it into the end zone until the end of the game.
On the opening series, Bradford had to overcome an early penalty that left the Tornadoes needing 28 yards to gain a first down at midfield. Brown’s 33-yard reception moved the Tornadoes well past midfield to the Keystone 26. A 7-yard run by
Griffin to the 19 set up first-and-goal. Griffin completed a 9-yard pass to Brown before keeping the ball on two straight carries, with the second run resulting in a 2-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion was successful on a Kaylee Devore reception, giving Bradford an 8-0 lead.
Keystone picked up a first down on its first series, with Horton running for a 9-yard gain, but the drive would end with Griffin’s first interception, which occurred at about the Bradford 35-yard line. Griffin returned the ball to the Keystone 10, but a penalty on the play back the Tornadoes up 10 yards, giving them first-and-goal at the 20.
Two plays later, the Indians were penalized for pass interference, moving the ball to the 10-yard line. The Tornadoes eventually cashed in on a 7-yard touchdown reception by Rhianna Davis on the final play of the first quarter. Ny’asia Lopey caught a pass from Griffin on the two-point conversion attempt to make the score 16-0.
Griffin finished 10 of 16 passing for 150 yards.
The Indians went three-and-out on their next drive, with a short punt giving Bradford’s offense the ball at the Keystone 23. Brown had an 8-yard reception to the 15, while a 13-yard run by Griffin set up fourth-and-goal at the 2-yard line. Griffin then slipped for a 1-yard loss, resulting in a turnover on downs.
Keystone’s second play of the ensuing series resulted in another Griffin interception, which she took back approximately 15 yards for a touchdown to put the Tornadoes up 22-0. The two-point conversion attempt was no good.
The Indians put together a promising drive as the first half wound down. Aubre Miller had a 7-yard reception to pick up one first down, while Horton completed a 7-yard pass to Whitnee Buchanan to convert a fourth-and-3 play and give Keystone a first down at the Bradford 36. Horton ran for a 10-yard gain to the 26 and later had a 5-yard run to set up first-and-goal at the 18. After an incomplete pass, the Indians were backed up 10 yards on a penalty. Two more incompletions followed before Horton took off on a 14-yard run to the 14, resulting in a turnover on downs.
Keystone’s offense found some success to start the second half as well. Horton completed passes of 26 and 7 yards to Riley Shuford and then took off on a 14-yard run for a first-and-goal at the Bradford 19. Ashlyn Brown had an 8-yard reception to the 11 before Griffin came down with her third interception.
The Tornadoes took over at their own 4-yard line, but a fumble into the end zone resulted in a safety, putting Keystone on the board and making the score 22-2.
Keystone’s offense took over at its own 30 following the safety, but ran just one play, which had Griffin intercepting her fourth pass, which she returned 16 yards to the Indians’ 24-yard line.
Griffin handed off to Brown on two straight plays, with the second run resulting in a 15-yard touchdown and giving the Tornadoes a 28-2 lead. The two-point try was no good.
Brown finished with 26 yards on just three carries, while Griffin added 29 yards on five carries.
The Indians’ next drive began with a 13-yard reception by Alex Papaiannou. A penalty on Bradford set up a second-and-3 play, which Keystone converted with Miller’s 16-yard reception to the Bradford 27. Two consecutive plays netted just 2 yards before Horton broke free for a 17-yard run to the 8. A penalty on the play tacked on additional yardage, putting the Indians at the 4. The Tornadoes got an 8-yard sack from Tatyana Brown before Keystone threw three straight incomplete passes, resulting in a turnover on downs.
One play was all Bradford needed to add to its point total. Brown caught a short pass out of the backfield, put the move on a couple of would-be tacklers and went the distance for a 63-yard touchdown. Brown, who caught five passes for 116 yards, took a pitch from Griffin on the three-point conversion attempt (which had half the distance marked off due to a Keystone penalty) and got into the end zone, making it 37-2.
“She’s got 143 (touchdowns) now for her career, which is crazy,” Staples said of Brown, a senior who leads the state in all classifications this season in touchdowns, total points and receiving yards.
The Indians got a 6-yard run from Horton on the first play of the ensuing series, setting up first-and-20. After two straight incompletions, Horton hooked up with Miller for an 18-yard gain. On fourth-and-2, Horton completed a 28-yard pass to Makayla Becknel for a first-and-goal at the Bradford 15. Two plays later, Papaiannou scored on a 6-yard touchdown reception. Horton had a successful run on the one-point conversion attempt for the 37-9 final.
Horton finished with 73 rushing yards on nine carries, while completing 18 of 37 passes for 162 yards.
Miller led the Indians in receiving with five catches for 48 yards. Becknel (two receptions) and Shuford (three receptions) each finished with 31 yards.
