Maclay continued its undefeated season Friday night, defeating Episcopal School of Jacksonville 45-21 in the SSAA State Semifinals at Maclay on November 13. The victory moves the Marauders to 12-0 and sends the program to its first state championship game in school history.
The matchup featured two undefeated teams, with Maclay entering at 11-0 and Episcopal at 12-0. However, the Marauders quickly took control, building a 21-point lead in the first quarter and carrying a 31-7 advantage into halftime.
Maclay opened the scoring with a methodical drive capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Beau Beshears to Henry Richardson, giving the Marauders a 7-0 lead.
The defense and special teams soon helped extend the advantage. Maclay capitalized on a muffed snap during an Episcopal punt, and Tucker Poppell returned it 40 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-0. The Marauders struck again later in the quarter when Beshears connected with Poppell on another 19-yard touchdown pass, pushing the lead to 21-0.
Maclay continued to build its advantage in the second quarter. After converting a fourth down with a completion to Poppell, the Marauders finished the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run by Anthony White to make it 28-0.
Episcopal answered with a quarterback sneak for its first touchdown of the night, cutting the deficit to 28-7. Maclay added to its lead just before halftime when Drew Lamendola connected on a 31-yard field goal, sending the Marauders into the break ahead 31-7.
Episcopal came out of halftime with renewed momentum, scoring on a rushing touchdown to open the third quarter and make it 31-14. Maclay responded quickly, however, as Beshears found Poppell for their second 19-yard touchdown connection of the night. Lamendola’s extra point extended the lead to 38-14.
Episcopal continued to fight back, adding another rushing touchdown from Alex Westbrook to close the gap to 38-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Marauders put the game further out of reach early in the final period. Beshears connected with Poppell for a 55-yard touchdown, their third scoring connection of the night, to extend Maclay’s advantage to 45-21. The defense held Episcopal scoreless the rest of the way to secure the 24-point victory.
With the win, Maclay improves to 12-0 and makes program history, earning its first-ever appearance in the SSAA State Championship game.
The Marauders will now turn their attention to the state championship, which will be held in The Villages, Florida, as they look to cap an undefeated season with a state title.
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