BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Each team got into the end zone once, with kicker Keelan Gonzalez proving to be the difference as he made three field goals in host Cocoa’s 16-7 win over the Bradford High School football team in an Aug. 15 preseason kickoff classic.
The three-time defending Class 2A/2S state-champion Tigers have scored an average of 43.9 points per game against fellow 2A/2S teams over the last three seasons. Only one 2A/2S school has held Cocoa to 20 points or less during that span — Bradford, which has now done it twice when you include the kickoff classic.
Bradford Head Coach Jamie Rodgers said it was a “super-gritty” performance by his defense, which forced Cocoa to settle for field goals on two possessions inside the 10-yard line.
The defense also created two turnovers.
“We weren’t able to sustain a whole lot of drives (on offense) tonight,” Rodgers said. “Our defense was out there a lot. I’m really proud of them.”
Bradford has now played Cocoa three times in the last four seasons. The offense scored just one touchdown in each game, with special teams accounting for two of the Tornadoes’ three touchdowns in the 31-21 state-semifinal loss in 2022.
That’s no easy task against a program that has allowed more than seven points in just seven of 24 games against Class 2A/2S teams over the last three years.
“We didn’t get enough rolling on offense,” Rodgers said, “but I mean, all four of those DBs are college-bound, Power-Four guys. It’s tough to get it going (against them).”
That was certainly the case early. Bradford went three-and-out on its first two possessions, losing yardage on two plays on their first drive and being put in a hole on their second with a holding penalty.
Cocoa fumbled the ball away on its first series and began its second inside its own 5-yard line when a 43-yard Cy Cubbedge punt bounced at the 9 and rolled out of bounds at the 4. The Tigers needed just two plays to get out of the shadow of their own end zone, with Tank White catching a Champ Smith pass for a 70-yard gain to the Bradford 25.
An offsides penalty against Bradford helped Cocoa move to the 13, while three consecutive run plays resulted in a first-and-goal at the 3. After a 2-yard run by Jamal Smith, Cannon McCarthy eluded a tackle in the backfield and got into the end zone. An illegal-procedure penalty nullified the score and backed the Tigers up to the 6. The Tornadoes’ Jy’Quez Cason then broke up a pass at the goal line on the ensuing second-down play, while a Cocoa receiver dropped a pass in the end zone on third down. Gonzalez kicked a 23-yard field goal to put Cocoa up 3-0 with 2:22 to play in the first quarter.
The Tigers’ Darious Phillips intercepted a pass on Bradford’s third series, with a 43-yard return setting the Cocoa offense up at the Bradford 17. A 10-yard reception by White two plays later set up first-and-goal at the 6. The Tornadoes’ J.J. Hall dropped Javeon Scott for a 1-yard loss on the following play before two consecutive incomplete passes sent Gonzalez out onto the field again. The kicker was successful on his 24-yard field-goal attempt, making it 6-0 approximately one minute into the second quarter.
Bradford rolled the dice on its following series, going for it on fourth-and-1 at its own 39-yard line. Cason picked up the first down with a 1-yard run, but two incomplete passes and just a 1-yard gain on a completed pass forced the Tornadoes to punt.
Cocoa crossed midfield on a 14-yard pass play, but then lost 3 yards on a run play when Jordan Cason and Danny Torres teamed up to tackle Cayman Varis. After Smith was sacked by P.J. Lee for a 1-yard loss, the quarterback was picked off by Jordan Cason, setting the Bradford offense up at its own 36.
Five consecutive carries by Iyen Addison, who finished with 48 yards on 14 attempts, helped Bradford move to the Cocoa 44. Bradford went for it on fourth-and-2 from there, but an incomplete pass forced a turnover on downs.
Smith completed two consecutive passes as the Tigers advanced to the Bradford 40. After a 2-yard run by McCarthy, Smith found White deep over the middle at about the 10-yard line. White eluded a tackle attempt and made his way into the end for a 38-yard touchdown with 2:13 remaining in the first half. Gonzalez added the extra point to make the score 13-0.
Bradford received a short, high kick, which had the Tornadoes begin their final drive of the half 5 yards shy of midfield. Keshawn Kennedy carried the ball for gains of 3 and 6 yards, giving Bradford a first down at the Cocoa 46. A third consecutive carry by Kennedy, picked up 4 more yards. Cubbedge then completed two consecutive passes to Jy’Quez Cason for gains of 12 and 9 yards, with Cason’s second reception setting up second-and-1 at the 21. Kennedy, who finished with 32 yards on eight carries, picked up the first down on a 9-yard run to the 12.
An illegal-procedure penalty backed the Tornadoes up to the 17. With 10 seconds to play in the half, Kamontae Nixon scored on a pass from Cubbedge. Tyler Sapp added the PAT to make it a 13-7 game.
Coca received the second-half kickoff and drove inside the Bradford 35, but a 13-yard sack by Nate Raymond eventually forced the Tigers to punt.
The Tornadoes had a promising drive going when their offense took to the field for the first time in the half. A 6-yard run by Addison and a 6-yard reception by Nixon resulted in one first down, while a 6-yard run by Addison and a 4-yard reception by Elijah Lawrence gave Bradford another. The Tornadoes faced a second-and-20 play after a holding penalty, but Nixon, who finished with four catches for 44 yards, had an 18-yard reception to set up third-and-2 at the Cocoa 45. Bradford was then penalized 5 yards for illegal procedure. Kennedy was held to a 1-yard gain on the resulting third-and-7 play, forcing the Tornadoes to punt.
Smith completed 4 of 6 passes for 26 yards to start Cocoa’s ensuing drive, which also benefitted from a personal-foul penalty as the Tigers moved from their own 28 to the Bradford 31. Two incomplete passes and one pass completion for 4 yards left Cocoa facing fourth-and-6. Bradford jumped offsides to make it fourth-and-1, but an illegal-procedure penalty backed the Tigers up. Cocoa sent Gonzalez out for a 44-yard field-goal attempt, which he missed with 41 seconds left in the third quarter.
After a three-and-out series by Bradford, Cocoa put the game’s final score on the board. Smith completed three passes for 28 yards, giving the Tigers a first down at the Bradford 22. Two plays later, on third-and-9, Bradford’s Peyton Jones broke up a pass in the end zone. Gonzalez initially set up to kick a 38-yard field goal, but a penalty made it a 43-yard attempt. Gonzalez put it through the uprights for the 17-6 final with 9:41 to play.
A Bradford drive with backup quarterback Jackson Parmeter saw the Tornadoes advance from their own 45 to the Cocoa 24. Parmeter ran the ball three times for 19 yards, while Jarrell Harris carried six times for 12 yards. Sapp attempted a 41-yard field goal, which was wide left with 3:47 left in the game.
Bradford finished with 191 total yards to Cocoa’s 303. The Tornadoes rushed for 124 yards, while Cubbedge completed 10 of 20 passes for 67 yards.
Rodgers, of course, saw things his team needs to improve in, but he was pleased overall with the effort against a talented opponent. Cocoa was 24-0 against fellow Class 2A/2S teams the last three seasons, winning those games by an average of 43.9 points.
“We came down to a tough environment,” Rodgers said. “They don’t lose very many here. They don’t play very many this close, either, down here.”
The coach feels playing Cocoa is a positive heading into the season, which begins with the Tornadoes hosting Baker County on Friday, Aug. 22, at 7:30 p.m.
“I don’t know the next time we’ll see somebody with their talent level,” Rodgers said of Cocoa. “This has to get us more ready (for the season), right?”
