THE DREAM SEASON
JESUIT F OOTBALL 2021 SEASON
possession, followed by a Jesuit turnover and another
Eagles rushing TD. With two minutes to go in the 3rd
quarter, Jesuit trailed 29-14.
Pine Forest was smashing the dream season to bits.
Pushed to the brink, the Tigers dug deeper than ever
before. Vandeross scored on a perfect long pass from
long remember, a spectacular catch-and-run score to
cut the margin to 29-27.
Meanwhile, the defense had two incredible 4th
teammates stuffed Pine Forest on 4th and a foot. Later,
with just two minutes to go, Pine Forest was up 29-27
and poised to score the clinching TD at the Jesuit
against St. Thomas Aquinas had set the tone for that
triumph – darted in front of the receiver in the end
zone to make a sensational interception, setting up the
With time winding down, the same duo who com-
37 seconds remaining for the touchdown, sending the
Jesuit faithful into a frenzy.
“I never doubted,” Williams said. “I told the team
that we needed to just stay locked in and keep getting
stops defensively and let the offense work. All year
the mentality was ‘control the controllables.’ I was
Said Tran: “The team’s mindset was that a comeback
is possible if we just did what we do best: play ball
on the many Jesuit football alums whose careers
ended in bitter losses, and I knew that I did not want
of hugging and hollering and elation from the players
and coaches, including 26 seniors who Thompson
had said in the locker room before the game were the
greatest senior class in his three decades of coaching.
On a magical, unforgettable night in Fort Lauderdale,
Jesuit 35, Pensacola Pine Forest 29.
“I was so relieved,” Williams said. “Not only because
this game was such a roller coaster, but the last four
years had come the fairytale ending. I was so proud
of all my guys and the coaches keeping their composure.”
22 JESUIT PERSPECTIVES • WINTER 2021-22
DATE OPPONENT SITE SCORE NOTE
Aug. 27 Ocala West Port away 35-0 1st of a school-record
seven shutouts
Sept. 3 Ft. Lauderdale
St. Thomas
Aquinas
home 24-21 Historic upset of
national Top 10 team
Sept. 10 Bloomingdale home 32-14 Tre’Quan Alexander:
7 pancake blocks
Sept. 17 Hillsborough away 28-7
139 rec yards, 2 TDs
Sept. 24 away 35-13 Peter Pesansky: 11
tackles, 6 QB hurries
Oct. 8 away 35-21 Wayne Quin: 10
tackles, 3 sacks, 1 FF
Oct. 15 Jefferson away 24-0
shutouts
Oct. 22 Blake home 44-0 1st of six straight
running-clock games
Oct. 29 home 56-0 Tigers score 37
points in 1st quarter
Nov. 5 home 42-0
Nov. 12 Region QF -
home 50-0
184 yds, 4 TDs
Nov. 19 Region SF -
Braden River
home 49-9
tackles, 3 PD, 1 int.
Nov. 26 Region Final -
Hillsborough
home 42-0
tackles, 2 FF, 1 FR
Dec. 3
Miami
Northwestern
home 37-12 Joquez Smith: 22 att,
234 yds, 3 TDs
Dec. 18 Final - Pensacola
Pine Forest
Ft.
Laud
35-29 Took the lead with 37
seconds to go.
history. … all the hours of working out, training, and
practicing was absolutely worth it for this moment.”
The Tigers, nationally ranked since the St. Thomas
And in the stands in Fort Lauderdale, along with
a couple thousand exultant Jesuit fans, more than
a dozen members of the 1968 championship team
joined in the celebration.
After 53 years, Jesuit had done it again.
GAME BY GAME