Norland upsets Miami Central in OT
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – All season, Miami Norland made it clear it was coming for the crown. On Friday, the Vikings claimed it with a thrilling, 29-26, overtime victory over reigning state champion Miami Central.
When Noah Sidan booted a 35-yard field goal in OT, it set off a celebration on the Norland sidelines that spilled onto the field at Nathaniel Traz Powell Stadium.
Norland (7-0) now sits atop the throne in Class 2M-District 13. And while Central’s drive for five straight state championships remains alive, the Rockets have slipped to 3-3 on the season and 1-1 in the district.
The game was simply one of the best of the season in South Florida, and chances are these two powers will meet again in the district playoffs.
While Norland's profile should rise nationally, Central has yet to consistently play at the championship-level the Rockets are accustomed to.
“Like I said, to take over the territory, you’ve got to kill the king,” Norland coach Daryle Heidelburg said. “They have been king. They’ve put up so many posts about we haven’t beaten them in 10 years, and we didn’t stand a chance. It’s not the same old Norland.”
Not hardly, although in the first half, it did look like the same old story for Norland.
Central dominated the first half, and led 20-0 at intermission. But the tide turned on the opening drive of the third quarter, and the comeback was in full swing.
“The halftime speech was just pulling out the potential of some guys,” Heidelburg said.
In other words, it was a bit heated. It also drove home a point, and the Vikings responded.
Noah Sidan's field goal finishes it
The irony of the physically-tough football game was the fact Sidan settled it with a field goal. The game wouldn’t have come down to a long kick had Norland not had two extra point attempts blocked.
In overtime, after Central came up a yard short of the end zone on fourth down, the Vikings took over at the 10-yard line.
Noah Sidan capped Norland's second half comeback with a game-winning field goal in overtime.
Photo by Joe Frisaro
Central’s defense stepped up. Quarterback Ennio Yapoor was tackled for a two-yard loss, and the junior had to come out of the game for a play due to his helmet coming off.
Norland got a break on a Central penalty, moving the ball to the 7. But the Rockets' defense again recorded a two-yard loss, and Norland made matters worse with a five-yard penalty. After an incomplete pass on third down, Norland decided to go for the field goal.
Central called a time out, and Norland had yet another penalty, backing them up to the 19.
Sidan did the rest, splitting the uprights on the kick.
“This is my first year playing football,” said Sidan, a soccer player who transferred to Norland. “That’s my first ever big-time kick.”
In preparation for the kick, Sidan wanted his space from his teammates. When it was time to deliver, the sophomore made the biggest kick of his life.
“It’s just so amazing,” Sidan said. “As soon as I made contact [with the ball], I knew I made it. I started running the other way when I saw it up. I knew it was made.”
Sidan says his range is up to 50-yards.
Miami Central’s big first half was not enough
The first half was all Central. Quarterback J.C. Evans received extended playing time, and scored the game’s first touchdown, capping an eight-minute drive with a 3-yard TD run.
Evans connected with Khaleal Sterling on a 21-yard touchdown pass to give the Rockets a 12-0 lead in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Evans scored on a 10-yard touchdown run and tossed a 2-point conversion pass to Lawayne McCoy, a Florida State commit.
In the first half, Evans threw for 61 yards and ran for 52, and two scores. But he was shaken up in the second half, and the Rockets' offense struggled against a stout Vikings' defense.
After Norland tied it at 20, the Rockets went back in front on Anjuan Coleman’s 10-yard touchdown run. But Central’s field goal kicker was injured in practice, creating issues with the kicking game.
In overtime, the Rockets went for it on fourth-and-11, and Coleman made a terrific catch and run towards the end zone, but he was stopped at the 1, setting up Norland for a chance to win it with a field goal.
Ennio Yapoor cements his legacy with the comeback
The Vikings had already battled back from 20 points down, so when they fell behind again, 26-20, it wasn’t shocking to see Yapoor direct the 65-yard, game-tying touchdown.
He had completions of 14 and 16 yards, and on the first play of the fourth quarter, Yapoor connected with Jade Card on a 14-yard touchdown to make it 26-26.
Ennio Yapoor overcame a scoreless first half by leading Norland's comeback victory over Miami Central.
Photo by Joe Frisaro
“We started to get confident,” said Yapoor on how the team played in the second half. “We’ll keep fighting, fighting and fighting. We’ve got that dog in us.”
As for a statement, Yapoor added: “The statement is that we are coming. We’re coming to be the best. And the statement is that our team will never get down.”
