Booker's run through the 3S playoffs ends in state semifinal against perennial power Cocoa
COCOA ― For the third year in a row, Cocoa High School will play in the state championship game after defeating Booker, 41-3, in the Class 2S state semifinals Friday night.
Booker's season was ended by a Tigers team that was not only ranked No. 1 in Class 3S, but No. 1 in all classifications in the state. The Tornadoes (9-5) went through the regionals knocking off the Nos. 2, 3 and 1 teams but there would be no more upsets.
Cocoa's first two touchdowns came on the ground in the first quarter. Malachi Coney ran in a touchdown at the 7:34 mark and Latrison Lane scored the second touchdown on a 14-yard run.
The running back duo of Coney and Lane has worked well behind a strong offensive line for the Tigers (13-1) on their path to the Class 2S state championship game.
"They're great football players, we have a really good offensive line and feel great about our running attack," Cocoa head coach Ryan Schneider said. "Coach (Takia) Parham, our O-line coach, does an amazing job."
Cocoa never trailed in the game. Booker's point came on a second-quarter 33-yard field goal by Oswaldo Mendoza-Munoz.
Cocoa's scoring did not only take place by running the ball. In the second quarter, quarterback Brady Hart threw two touchdown passes to Jayvan Boggs to extend the Tigers' lead.
Schneider mentioned the team's ability to score in different ways as a bright spot for this team.
"We're a pretty balanced team right now, so the passing game scares people and the running game scares people too now," Schneider said. "So, it's a little bit of a numbers game we're playing with people, how many guys you want to drop deep to put in the box, and it's been successful."
The second touchdown Hart threw to Boggs was set up by the defense forcing the fumble and the ball being recovered by Samadrae Hawkins.
The fumble recovery by Hawkins was just one of several big moments for Cocoa's defense in the game. Jayshawn Smith grabbed an interception in the third quarter and Davarrius Robertson blocked a lineman into the path of a Booker field goal attempt with time winding down in the first half.
"Our defense is excellent. Our box, our linebackers and D-line are dominant," Schneider said. "We have great athletes in the back end and Coach (Matt) Diesel is doing a great job working on the defense."
The Tigers' final two scores came from Lane, who scored his second touchdown of the night, and a 7-yard touchdown pass from Hart to Nicholas Teeter with 3:45 left in the third quarter.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Cocoa beats Sarasota Booker 41-3 in Class 3S state semifinal
