The FHSAA Region Finals are upon us with TWO Hillsborough County football teams still in the hunt for a 2022 State Championship. Our 813Preps Football writer Rick Cantor gives us a full breakdown of our 813Preps Game of the Week – the Class 3M-Region 2 Final – Largo at Jesuit.
Where We Will Be: Largo (9-2) @ Jesuit (8-4)
After a wild and bumpy ride of a year that saw Jesuit play one of the more challenging schedules in the state, 10th-year head coach Matt Thompson and his Tigers are on the path of another deep playoff run. Jesuit has cruised through the first two rounds, zooming past St. Petersburg and Gaither by a combined score of 97-10. The victories land the Tigers in a regional final, where Jesuit will host a defensive-minded Largo team, which has allowed just shy of a touchdown-per-game and has recorded five shutouts in 2022.
The Tigers always look to establish the run and will certainly look to do so to keep the pressure off the shoulders of talented freshman quarterback Will Griffin. In that effort, Jesuit will turn to senior Joquez Smith, a Temple commit and one of the steadiest running backs in the area. Smith has racked up 17 touchdowns on the season, and averages just under 105 yards-per-game.
When Griffin’s name is called, he will look to a trio of talented receivers to make plays versus a fast and physical Largo secondary. Senior Jarriett Buie, Jr. has been the most consistent so far this year, with 42 receptions for 678 yards and six touchdowns, while junior Bryson Goodwin has emerged with 211 yards and three touchdowns in the first two playoff games, and another junior, Gary Givens has scored four times this season.
On defense, all-everything linebacker Troy Bowles, a Georgia commit who returned two (of his three) interceptions for touchdowns in the last round against Gaither, giving him four defensive touchdowns on the season. Fellow linebackers Drew Woodaz (77 tackles, interception), Holton Roberts (82 tackles, five tackles for loss), and Cyrus Aboud (86 tackles, seven TFL) round out a solid core that will look to hold a balanced Largo offense in check. Sackmaster Peter Pesansky (13 sacks, 24 quarterback hurries), cornerback Andre Gilbert (two interceptions) and safety Houston Weathers (59 tackles, nine TFL, three sacks) add additional star-power on defense.
Largo will need to keep the game low scoring in its attempt to advance to the state semifinal. The Packers boast their own impressive linebacking core, where Zayvion McCluster is the latest member of the McCluster family to make an impact for Largo. The senior has racked up 110 tackles including 18 tackles for loss. Four-star junior Adaruis Hayes has offers from several FBS schools and comes in with 116 tackles. A ball-hawking secondary is led by another McCluster, junior cornerback Marcus McCluster (five interceptions), while senior cornerback Ricky Shaw and junior safety Chase Green have four interceptions apiece.
The teams met in the preseason with Jesuit winning big, 42-6.
The Packers will rely on junior running back Malachi Peterson (886 yards, nine touchdowns) to chew up yards and keep the Jesuit offense off the field. Junior quarterback Jeremy Thomas (1,486 yards, seven touchdowns) will hope to keep the Tiger defense off balance.
The game will hinge on the Largo defense stopping the Jesuit rushing attack and forcing Griffin to make plays, AND the Packers ability to score enough points to keep pace with the Tigers.
