Jones rallies in fourth quarter to edge top-ranked Apopka
A showdown between two of the area’s top high school football teams lived up to the hype Friday night.
Jones senior quarterback Tysan Robbins threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns and Chad Lindsey intercepted a pass in the final seconds as the Tigers (3-0) rallied for a thrilling 22-21 win at Apopka (3-1).
Jones forced four turnovers, including a game-changing fumble down the stretch that helped the visiting team overcome a 12-point deficit in the game’s final six minutes.
“When we got down, we just kept telling the kids that they gotta believe,” said Jones coach Elijah Williams.
The Blue Darters, ranked No. 1 in the Sentinel Super 16, turned a forced fumble into a 21-9 advantage on a 16-yard run by sophomore Keondre Jones through the heart of the Tiger defense midway through the fourth quarter.
No. 3 Jones proceeded to move the ball past midfield before junior quarterback Julian Calvez was forced to leave the game with an injury. Robbins, who split snaps with Calvez much of the way, promptly connected with A’Ceon Cobb for a 41-yard score.
The ensuing onside kick ended in disaster for Jones though as Apopka returned that effort to the 19-yard line. The Blue Darters proceeded to fumble the ball away two plays later, giving the Tigers possession at their own five with 2 minutes, 22 seconds to spare.
Robbins hooked up with Eddie Kelly and Jabari Smith on four completions before capping an 8-play, 95-yard drive with a throw over the middle to junior running back Da’Quan Harris for a 33-yard TD with just 50 seconds left.
Harris bobbled the ball while in stride before hauling it in and streaking into the end zone.
“I tried to look the safety off and come back, and when I threw it, I knew I threw it a little too high,” conceded Robbins. “But when I saw him come down with it, I said, ‘That’s God, baby.’ ”
Jeffrey St. Louis nailed the extra-point attempt after having two previous PAT tries blocked by Apopka junior Nikai Martinez.
Robbins and Calvez combined to go 16-of-23 passing for 214 yards. Smith hauled in six passes for 69 yards.
The Blue Darters were without quarterback Jaquan Lowman in the fourth quarter after the senior suffered a shoulder injury following a 13-yard run. Junior running back Quincy Frazier scored for the second time in the second half via a 4-yard carry on the very next play to give Apopka a 14-9 lead.
Lowman led all rushers with 81 yards on 18 carries. Frazier and Jones combined for 85 yards on the ground.
The third quarter provided a shift in momentum for Apopka. The Tigers carried a 9-0 advantage into halftime by turning a pair of interceptions by Rickey Smith and Darrian Hawkins into points.
Miscommunication out of the backfield early in the second quarter led to an errant pass landing in the lap of Smith, which he returned uncontested 30 yards for a score. Hawkins' interception led to a 42-yard field goal by St Louis as time expired.
Apopka got back in the game by way of an interception by Travion Barnes and fumble recovery by Aarion Canahuate.
The teams combined to score 27 points in the final quarter in what was primarily a defensive slug fest much of the night.
“We knew it was going to be a defensive game,” said Williams. “I believe they’ve got one of the best defenses in the state of Florida. We had to pick and choose our time to make plays.”
It’s the second win in a row for Jones in the series since Apopka won four straight from 1991 to 1994. The Tigers, Class 5A state runners-up in 2019, prevailed 21-12 last year at Camping World Stadium. The Blue Darters finished state runners-up in 8A.
Jones hosts Wekiva (1-2) and Apopka plays at West Orange (2-1) in Super 16 matchups Friday during Week 7 of the regular season.
This story first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.
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