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It's Time for Killian
By Rudy Rodriguez-Chomat
November 21, 2003
That didn't happen as the Spartans rolled to a 31-13 win over the Explorers in their Region 4-6A regional semifinal game before 1,500 at Harris Field. Coupled with Killian's win over Coral Gables, the Spartans and Cougars will face off next week in the Region 4-6A Final at FIU Stadium.
This game was a tale of two different types of offense. The Columbus air-attack against the Southridge grueling ground game.
The Spartans rushed for 228 yards on 44 carries, controlling the line of scrimmage for most of the game. Southridge also ate up clock with long, methodical drives that gave its defense plenty of rest between series. The tone of the game was set early on when Southridge drove 12 plays and 62 yards for 7-0. Columbus came back on its first possession to tie it on its first play from scrimmage on a 78-yard touchdown pass from Alex Halley to Andrew Diomande. Southridge then drove 15 plays and 69 yards to take a 14-7 lead. After one quarter, Southridge had 23 offensive snaps to Columbus' 1.
Southridge QB Philip Simpson was a one-man wrecking ball in the first half rushing for 75 yards and throwing for 80 by half time. He finished the game with 12 carries for 78 yards rushing and a 6 for 7 for 93 yards.
But this game might have been a lot closer had it not been for a huge play by Southridge defensive back Antonio Cox. He dislodged a pass from Columbus' Chris Viera in the end zone right with under a minute to play in the half. After knocking the ball away from Viera, Cox intercepted it in the end zone. Southridge went into the half leading 17-7.
"That play was a huge momentum swing for us," Simpson said. "It's a big difference going into the half with a 17-7 lead. If they had scored there it would have been 17-14 with them getting the ball to start the third. It was huge."
A 21-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter by Dwight Lee gave the Spartans a 24-7 lead sealing the win. Tony Richardson plunged in from 1-yard out late in the fourth to give Southridge a 31-7 lead before Halley hit Carl Martin up the seam for a 26-yard touchdown pass with less than 30 seconds to play.
Halley finished the night 22 for 33 for 263 yards and two touchdowns and one interception, but that pick before the half proved fatal. With Killian awaiting the Spartans next week, it's a rivalry renewed. Southridge knocked off Killian 24-13 earlier this season and Simpson summed it up best. "The team that commits less penalties and doesn't turn the ball over is going to win this game cause we both have great teams," Simpson said.
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