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Kings of 1S Football: First Baptist wins program's first state title over Trinity Catholic

Dustin B Levy, Naples Daily News
·5 min read

TALLAHASSEE — The Lions are kings.

In the Class 1S state championship, First Baptist shut down the top-flight Trinity Catholic offense for a resounding 21-3 victory on Saturday at Gene Cox Stadium.

As the clock expired after a Rich Mellien kneel, head coach Billy Sparacio gave bear hugs to his assistants and his wife – naturally with a Gatorade shower in between.

Defense:First Baptist's undersized defense dominates in Class 1S championship

Game updates:FBA vs. Trinity Catholic 1S state football championship scores, updates

“You put a lot of hard work in, year in and year out, it’s a tough profession, but when you get a group of kids like we have and a group of coaches, you just know you have something special,” Sparacio said.

A longtime football coach in Southwest Florida, Sparacio took a gamble when taking the reins at First Baptist to launch their football program 14 years ago.

Last week’s win against Munroe was FBA’s first victory in the state semifinals in its fourth try.

Reflecting on the challenges in building a program from the ground up, Sparacio recalled a conversation with his wife more than a decade ago.

“I remember crying with her in a classroom and she said it’s going to take time,” he said. “We’re all impatient people. So many times we got so close and it hurt, but I think it just builds you. It makes you grow.”

Trinity Catholic put up points on their opening drive – a 42-yard Justin Arroyo field goal – but the Lions held them in check for the remaining 46 minutes of the contest.

First Baptist Academy coach Billy Sparacio celebrates after his team defeated Trinity Catholic in the Class Suburban 1 state championship football game, 21-3, on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium.
First Baptist Academy coach Billy Sparacio celebrates after his team defeated Trinity Catholic in the Class Suburban 1 state championship football game, 21-3, on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium.

“Defense wins championships, and our defense was lights out today,” Sparacio said. “Absolutely unbelievable – I’m so proud of them.”

It was slower going for the offense – the Lions moved the ball but dealt with penalties and early attempts on fourth down that didn’t go their way.

With 4:34 left in the fourth quarter, FBA quarterback Ethan Crossan found Olsen Henry in the middle of the field, and Henry did the rest of the work down the sidelines for a 71-yard score.

“First touchdown pass gave me a lot of confidence, and I just kept out there and kept slinging,” Crossan said.

First Baptist Academy coach Billy Sparacio celebrates after his team defeated Trinity Catholic in the Class Suburban 1 state championship football game, 21-3, on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium.
First Baptist Academy coach Billy Sparacio celebrates after his team defeated Trinity Catholic in the Class Suburban 1 state championship football game, 21-3, on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium.

The sophomore said it was the performance of the defense – forcing punt after punt – that led to the spark on offense.

“I gave them a little talk and said, ‘We have to get going,’” Crossan said. “They’re helping us, and we went out there and balled out.”

The Lion defense once again stymied the Celtics, and a mishandled snap on a punt gave the Lions an opportunity. Crossan immediately connected with Jayden Petit, who reached over the goal line for a 14-yard score, putting FBA up 14-3 at halftime.

First Baptist quarterback Ethan Crossan runs during the 1S state title game against Trinity Catholic.
First Baptist quarterback Ethan Crossan runs during the 1S state title game against Trinity Catholic.

The second half was more of the same – the Lions extended the lead when Crossan hit Sam Sparacio for a 21-yard score on a drive that started inside their own 10-yard line. The defense held strong the rest of the way, while Mellien and Jaden Booker chewed the clock with the ground game.

Crossan finished the game 9-for-14 for 202 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.

“Ethan’s so great,” said Henry, who finished the game on crutches after injuring his ankle on defense. “Once he gets those jitters out, he’s a whole different player. I’m just really blessed he could throw us the ball and we could make plays.”

First Baptist Academy defeated Trinity Catholic in the Class Suburban 1 state championship football game, 21-3, on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium. FBA's Sam Sparacio celebrates.
First Baptist Academy defeated Trinity Catholic in the Class Suburban 1 state championship football game, 21-3, on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium. FBA's Sam Sparacio celebrates.

FBA’s senior stars all had their moments on Saturday. But the supporting cast – featuring Petit, Preston Shemansky and Sam Sparacio – played a big part too.

“We knew that they’d be prepared for Olsen,” Billy Sparacio said. “We knew they’d be prepared for Rich and Jaden, but those other guys are lights out football players as well. They just don’t get the shine necessarily.”

The defense, which features four-year starters like Mellien, Michael Votta and Brody Jameyson, stepped up too. It was never just one guy making a difference – Jose Cintron, Logan Bartley, Stanley Elusma and more made key plays during Saturday’s battle.

First Baptist Academy defeated Trinity Catholic in the Class Suburban 1 state championship football game, 21-3, on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium.
First Baptist Academy defeated Trinity Catholic in the Class Suburban 1 state championship football game, 21-3, on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium.

Trinity Catholic running back Beau Beard was held to 68 yards after averaging more than 134 yards a game this season. The Celtic offense had been scoring close to 40 points a game coming into this contest.

In the face of that kind of challenge, the Lions were more than happy to bet on themselves.

More:Preview, prediction for First Baptist-Trinity Catholic 1S state championship game

“This feeling’s really great,” Mellien said. “I just give all the glory to God. We came prepared for this game. We were very undersized this game. You seen the news – everyone was expecting us to lose. We just used that all as motivation.”

With the win, First Baptist becomes the first Southwest Florida high school football team to hoist a state championship trophy since Naples in 2007 and just the fourth Colier County team to win a football crown.

First Baptist defeated Trinity Catholic, 21-3, in the Suburban 1 football state championship game on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium. FBA's Rich Mellien finds room to run.
First Baptist defeated Trinity Catholic, 21-3, in the Suburban 1 football state championship game on Dec. 10, 2022, at Gene Cox Stadium. FBA's Rich Mellien finds room to run.

For Sparacio, First Baptist’s triumph is a validation of a coaching philosophy that preaches the game can incorporate something bigger than Xs and Os to bind a team together.

“From the bottom of my heart, it’s all about what we stand for in Christ,” he said. “That’s the bottom line. That’s what makes this happen. With that foundation, people buy into that because they know there’s something different about what we stand for at FBA, not just football.”

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Lions Roar: First Baptist beats Trinity Christian for first state football title