Florida High School Football: Mosley edges Lincoln

PANAMA CITY, Fla.- The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A playoffs started off Thursday night around the state and one of the best contests resided over in the 850.

Thing was, A. Crawford Mosley would get off to a fast start but needed a comeback in the final minutes to avoid blowing a 18-point lead against Tallahassee Lincoln at Tommy Oliver Stadium. The Dolphins overcame multiple turnovers as they pulled off a 33-30 win over the Trojans.

“We didn’t finish drives. We turned the ball over. (Lincoln) got good players,” Mosley head coach Tommy Joe Whiddon said. “They had their back against the wall. They opened it up more. I’m so proud of our guys and how they responded. A lot of teams would have quit right there after that comeback, to go down and score, get the two-point conversion.”

In one of the tougher regional brackets around the state, the Dolphins (10-1) were able to avoid a letdown in the quarterfinals after being up 25-7 at one point during the contest.

Mosley began to let Lincoln (6-5) creep back into the game as a touchdown and a field goal brought the Dolphins to within 25-17. A turnover in the fourth quarter via an interception led to more points as the Trojans took their first lead of the game at 30-25 when South Alabama commit Taylor Jacobs Jr. scored on a touchdown run.

The Dolphins would get one last chance and they would take advantage as they would scored on a version of the ‘Philly Special’ when athlete Fletcher Taylor received the end around and found a wide open JP Holsomebake. Ahead 33-30 with just a couple minutes remaining, the Dolphins were able to hold on as the defense notched multiple sacks of Jacobs to secure the victory.

Mosley with the win awaits the winner of the Mainland-Middleburg game and Whiddon did mention his staff will be watching football live and in-person on Friday night.

“We’re going to watch Daytona Mainland and Middleburg and see who wins,” Whiddon added.

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