Historic Season

The Jesuit High School football team’s quest for a perfect season and state championship ended Friday (Dec. 4) in a 28-14 loss to Bishop Moore in a Class 5A state semifinal at Corral Memorial Stadium.

The season will go down as one of the best in Tiger annals. It was the first Jesuit team to start the season 13-0, the Tigers recorded five shutouts this season, and Malik Davis ’17 set numerous school rushing records.

After the game, head coach Matt Thompson and school president Fr. Richard C. Hermes, S.J. congratulated the team on its great accomplishments this season. They praised the seniors for their extraordinary leadership in establishing a tenor for the football program for years to come.

Davis, whose 68-yard touchdown run staked Jesuit to a 7-0 lead Friday, rushed for 201 yards on 25 carries vs. Bishop Moore. He finishes the season with 2,349 yards and 28 touchdowns, both Jesuit single-season records, with his TD on Friday putting him one ahead of Leonard George ’69, who had 27 in 1968. Earlier in the season Davis set the single-game (357 yards vs. Tampa Catholic) and career rushing marks, surpassing Will Glover ’99, who had 3,865.

This was the fifth time Jesuit has advanced to the state semifinal, following the 1967, ’68, ’92, and ’02 teams. The ’68 team won the state championship, the first team from Tampa to win a football state title.

View a photo slideshow from Friday’s game below: