By: J. Daniel Pearson
Freshman quarterback Ivy Munns fired three touchdown passes and junior Jada Bloodworth set up the game-winning score with a key interception to lead the Harmony Longhorns to a 26-20 come-from-behind win over Palm Beach Gardens in an FHSAA Class 4A, Region 3 semifinal on Monday night.
The win, Harmony’s 14th in a row, gave them a school record 18 wins on the year and moves them into a Thursday night regional final where they will face Ft. Pierce Central (13-5), an 18-6 upset winner over region second-seed Wellington. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
“It was typical of the type of game we’ve played this year against better competition,” Harmony coach Paul Strauch said after his team had to rally from a two-touchdown deficit in the second half. “We’re a young team – especially on defense – we have a freshman quarterback too. It’s not that we play scared early in games like this but I believe it’s just a confidence thing. We generally figure it out by the second half.”
To say things did not start well for the Longhorns would be an understatement. Palm Beach Gardens quarterback Myla Alligood sandwiched a Harmony turnover on downs between two long, time-consuming touchdown drives as the Gators took a 13-0 lead late in the second quarter.
Gaining possession with less than two minutes to go, Munns would drive the Lady Longhorns 66 yards – capping the drive with a six-yard scoring pass to Khloe Cook-Osani as the Harmony was able to cut the gap to six at the half, 13-7.
Taking first possession in the second half, Munns would take a sack and fire two quick incompletions as Palm Beach forced a quick three-and-out. Alligood would capitalize on it and hit Janiah Hollins for her third touchdown reception of the game to make it a 20-7 game midway through the third period.
The Harmony rally would begin quickly. On the third play of their next possession, Munns hit Jada Bloodworth on a deep pass for a 61-yard touchdown. “It was a stop and go route and I got behind the defender,” Bloodworth said. “Ivy just hit me in stride which she always seems to be able to do and I was able to win the footrace to the end zone.”
“That was a big-time deep ball,” Strauch added. “Into the wind, if she throws a yard short it gets knocked down and a yard long its incomplete. The play really energized us.”
Harmony would then get a defensive stop before Munns directed a nine-play drive and tied the score on an 8-yard pass for Khloe-Cook. The Longhorn drive was aided by an illegal contact play that negated a fourth down incompletion to keep the drive alive.
Bloodworth would then come up with the biggest play of the game. On Palm Beach Gardens’ next possession, she undercut a Gators receiver and intercepted Alligood – returning it 18 yards to the Gators 8. After a couple of illegal contact penalties moved the ball to the one – Ellah Husbands ran it over on a direct snap on third down for the go-ahead touchdown, 26-20.
Still time remained for a possible tying or winning score. But after an initial first down, Alligood fired an incompletion. Harmony then made two quick tackles after short passes to set up a 4th and 16. Alligood fired a deep pass to the sideline that fell incomplete for a turnover on downs and Harmony would take three knees to run out the clock.
“Offensively, they really didn’t do anything that surprised us,” Strauch noted. “Early in the game, they were able to throw a lot of dump offs, we were a bit slow reacting to that and they were able gain significant yards after the catch. Our defense really stepped it up in the second half and kept those short passes from becoming big gains.”
A long-time regional power, Harmony will now attempt to win its region and advance to the Final Four for second time in school history. Back it was a single classification sport, Harmony reached the Final Four before dropping a 20-13 decision to Dillard.
🇪🇸 Español
Por: J. Daniel Pearson
La mariscal novata Ivy Munns lanzó tres pases de touchdown y Jada Bloodworth aseguró la victoria con una intercepción clave para guiar a Harmony a un triunfo de remontada 26-20 sobre Palm Beach Gardens en la semifinal regional Clase 4A.
Harmony, que suma 14 victorias consecutivas y un récord escolar de 18 triunfos, avanzó a la final regional del jueves, donde enfrentará a Ft. Pierce Central (13-5) a las 7 p.m.
Tras ir perdiendo 20-7 en el tercer cuarto, Harmony reaccionó con un pase de 61 yardas de Munns a Bloodworth y otro touchdown a Khloe Cook-Osani para empatar. Luego, la intercepción de Bloodworth preparó la anotación decisiva de Ellah Husbands.
La defensa cerró el juego en los minutos finales, asegurando el pase a la final. Harmony ahora buscará avanzar al Final Four por segunda vez en su historia.
🇧🇷 Português
Por: J. Daniel Pearson
A quarterback caloura Ivy Munns lançou três touchdowns, e Jada Bloodworth garantiu a vitória com uma interceptação decisiva na virada de 26-20 do Harmony sobre Palm Beach Gardens na semifinal regional Classe 4A.
Com 14 vitórias seguidas e um recorde escolar de 18 triunfos, Harmony avança para a final regional de quinta-feira contra Ft. Pierce Central (13-5), às 19h.
Após estar perdendo por 20-7 no terceiro período, Harmony reagiu com um touchdown de 61 jardas de Munns para Bloodworth e outro passe para Khloe Cook-Osani para empatar. A interceptação de Bloodworth levou ao touchdown da virada de Ellah Husbands.
A defesa segurou o resultado no fim, garantindo a vaga. Agora, Harmony busca chegar ao Final Four pela segunda vez na história.
