Special Teams Key Killian Win over South Dade
By Rudy Rodriguez-Chomat
October 17, 2002 
       

            If you would have told Killian head coach Billy Rolle his team would have scored 40, but only 1 offensive touchdown, he wouldn’t have known what to say.

            That is exactly what happened though as Killian clipped South Dade 40-35 in a huge District 12-A contest before 2,500 at Harris Field.

            “We start on defense. We always tell our guys don’t worry about what the offense does, that defense wins championships,” Rolle said.

            But on this night it was the special teams that won this game with 4 special teams touchdowns.

            Early on, it looked like the Bucs’ night, as they turned Killian over in its first two touches with an interception by Jesse Fudge and a fumble on a punt.

            South Dade opend up with a 7-0 lead on a 13-yard touchdown run by Charlie Jones. Killian behind the rushing of Bobby Washington, who rushed for 199 yards on 32 carries, came back to tie it at 7 on a QB dive by Jerome Plez.

            After a shanked punt, the Bucs took possession at the Cougars 29 yard line, and three plays later, South Dade found the endzone for a 14-7 lead on a touchdown pass from Jerry Mingo to Kerry Reed from 18 yards out.

            That is when it got interesting.

            An interception by Killian’s Steven Tulloch that he returned 53 yards for a touchdown brought the game to 14-13.

The Cougars followed that with a blocked punt by Demetrius Morley that was returned 5 yards for a touchdown by Terry Williams for a 19-14 lead.

A fumble by Washington at the Cougars 3 allowed the Bucs to take a 22-19 lead on a TD run by Jones, but that was it for the Bucs as the ensuing kickoff was returned 82 yards for a touchdown by Owen Dixon for a 26-22 Cougars lead.

A snap over the punter’s head gave Killian a 33-22 lead when Miguel Scott recovered it for a touchdown.

But South Dade didn’t let up as they drove right down the field to make it 33-28 on a 34-yard by Jones.

With possession, the Bucs had a chance to win, but when forced to punt again, Morley blocked another one that was recovered by Tulloch for a touchdown for a 40-28 lead with under 4 minutes to play.

The Bucs scored again and attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by Killian who ran the clock out.

“The entire game was spoiled by lack of ability to play special teams,” South Dade head coach Don Drinkham said. “Our defense played tough, but our special teams cost us the game.”