- April 17, 2024
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The Matanzas Pirates football team trailed Fernandina Beach, 14-12, with two minutes remaining Friday, Oct. 14, before scoring two unanswered touchdowns. Matanzas won the game, 27-14, on homecoming night.
Moments after Matanzas capped off the comeback win over Fernandina Beach, coach Keith Lagocki stood on the field, taking in what just happened. He was smiling, clapping his hands. It was a big win for the Pirates — making the team 3-3 for the first time in the program’s young history.
Pirates running back Shawn White did it all again. At halftime, he was honored as Matanzas’ Homecoming King. (Kicker Taylor Haire was named Homecoming Queen.)
White’s honor was sandwiched between two halves of exceptional football. He carried the ball 20 times for 176 yards and three touchdowns, accounting for all of the Pirates’ offensive scores.
The Pirates trailed, 14-12, with about two minutes to go in the game. Much of the game was an offensive struggle for both teams.
But the Pirates, who Lagocki said ran about three plays all game in different situations, went back to what worked.
After QB Al’Kwazi Spencer missed Marquese Jones a few times on a streak route along the sideline, the Pirates gave it one last try with about 1:45 left on the clock. Jones made an over-the-shoulder diving catch.
A few plays later, White bounced off would-be tacklers, following behind a vicious lead block by Jones, and trotted into the end zone. The Pirates took a 20-12 lead after Nikko Bembry ran in the two-point conversion.
But it wasn’t over yet.
Fernandina Beach returned the kick off to midfield. After getting into Pirates’ territory, a few penalties pushed the Nassau County-based Pirates back to their own side.
But on an attempted screen pass, Matanzas defensive end Steven Mosley deflected the pass and then snatched it out of the air, taking it 51 yards to the end zone to seal with win.
The road ahead for the Pirates won’t get any easier. They play 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at Creekside. After that, they host Nease and Palatka.
All three are district games. Lagocki likes his team’s chances of earning the school’s first state playoff berth.
“Our players believe,” Lagocki said. “This season has been a lot of fun. I love these kids.”
Contact Andrew O’Brien at [email protected].
