DELRAY BEACH — On an evening when five-time defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas trailed by 21 factors and in the end gave up probably the most factors in a recreation in class historical past, the Raiders discovered a strategy to win.
Andrew Indorf accomplished 16 of 18 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns within the second half to rally St. Thomas Aquinas to a 49-42 double-overtime win over Atlantic in a Class 5A regional last on Friday evening.
The Raiders, who received their twenty eighth consecutive playoff recreation, trailed 28-7 late within the first half earlier than coming again.
Indorf closed the sport with 9 straight completions as he helped carry the nation’s No. 31-ranked Raiders (10-3) previous upset-minded Atlantic as he discovered Cedric Wyche ultimately zone from 15 yards out within the second extra time to take their first lead of the sport at 49-42.
Atlantic (11-2) had one last likelihood, however on third-and-goal from the 15, Atlantic quarterback Lincoln Graf rolled to his left and was hit earlier than he may get a go off. Raiders’ senior defensive lineman Richard Scott recovered the fumble and set off pandemonium in the midst of the sphere. The Raiders will play within the state semifinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
“We knew they couldn’t compete with us, we simply needed to present them,” stated Indorf, who broke the varsity document for yardage within the season within the recreation and accomplished 20 of 25 passes for 270 yards. “Additional time shouldn’t have been a considered ours. We must always have put them away in regulation. We have to end each single play, each single drive.
“We stored the identical mindset now we have the entire season,” Indorf stated. “We weren’t going to lose this recreation. We took a few losses this 12 months, however we bounced again and that’s what nice groups do.”
St. Thomas Aquinas coach Roger Harriott, whose group has allowed 72 factors in its previous two wins, lauded Indorf’s play.
“Indorf is a good competitor, and he has ice in his veins,” Harriott stated. “He’s the kind of particular person who has a chip on his shoulder. He isn’t your closely recruited quarterback which he ought to (be) as a result of he’s clearly a winner.”

Within the first extra time, Atlantic scored first when Graf hit his favourite goal, Teddy Hoffmann, for an 8-yard scoring play. St. Thomas Aquinas countered on a 5-yard scoring run by Wyche to tie the sport at 42.
“We simply got here out right here and dominated within the second half,” Wyche stated. “They got here out exhausting on us, however we simply believed. I felt it was on my shoulders, and I needed it.”
It marked solely the second OT win in 5 tries in class historical past. They topped Dillard 21-14 in extra time within the regional quarterfinals in 2005. St. Thomas additionally entered the sport 6-0 towards Atlantic within the playoffs with the Raiders successful all of them by a mixed rating of 282-62.
Atlantic pounced on Aquinas within the first quarter, scoring on its first three possessions. The Eagles took the opening kickoff and marched 85 yards for the rating as Graf and Hoffmann related on a 17-yard landing. Hoffmann wound up with 10 catches for 170 yards and accounted for 2 TDs.
The Raiders then turned the ball over on a fourth-and-1 at their very own 34 and Atlantic scored on a gadget play with Hoffmann hitting James Jones for the 14-0 lead. The Eagles held St. Thomas Aquinas on downs and Graf discovered Jabari Henry from 54 yards out to up the result in 20-0 with 2:46 remaining within the quarter.
Wyche, who completed the sport with 21 carries for 126 yards, lower into the lead on a 1-yard run, however Atlantic took the following kickoff and made it 28-7 as Dylan Henry caught a 25-yard TD go from Graf with 3:58 left within the half. Indorf lower the lead in half with 12 seconds remaining within the half on an 8-yard scoring run.

St. Thomas Aquinas took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 78 yards in 10 performs, capped by an Indorf-to-Ah’Mari Stevens 30-yard scoring throw to slice the margin to 28-21 with 8:08 to go within the third.
Graf wasn’t finished as he led the Eagles to a scoring drive on their subsequent sequence — a 12-play, 80-yard drive — as he discovered Jones from 6 yards out to increase the result in 35-21 with 2:34 to go within the third. Graf completed the sport 26 for 39 for 278 yards and three TDs.
The Raiders, nevertheless, capitalized on an interception by Zayden Gamble on the Atlantic 49 and lower the result in 35-28 six performs in a while a 4-yard run by Wyche.
Going through a third-and-goal from the Atlantic 9 with 18 seconds to go, Indorf related with David Calixte for the tying landing to power extra time.
Atlantic coach Jamelle Murray was emotional on the finish of the sport.
“Moments will at all times occur, and also you simply have to return out on the correct finish of these moments,” Murray stated as his eyes welled. “We knew if we performed as a group, we’d have an opportunity. It’s an important group of youngsters and an important workers.
“I’m pleased with the boys tonight,” he added. “All of them performed nice. I’m pleased with the workers and the neighborhood who got here out to assist us. We recognize it and we’re pleased with it. I simply want we have been on the opposite finish.”
