High School Football: Central Catholic Dominates Rival in 44-0 Shutout

Clearwater Central Catholic defeated Clearwater High 44-0 on Friday, Oct. 30, to claim the Pinellas County city championship for the fourth straight year. The result marked the regular-season finale for both teams and ended a streak that had kept the Tornadoes undefeated for the prior three weeks.

The Marauders’ defense limited the Tornadoes to 24 total yards of offense. Clearwater, which finished the season with a 9-1 record, managed only three first downs, all occurring in the first half. The team went 1 for 13 on third and fourth down and never crossed the midfield line, with their best field position being their own 47-yard line.

CCC defensive lineman Na’im Jefferson recorded two and a half of the three sacks in the game. He was tasked with containing Clearwater sophomore quarterback Jaysean Glenn, who entered the contest with 1,749 total yards and 25 touchdowns. Jefferson said the team focused on squeezing the pocket to prevent Glenn from scrambling.

Clearwater senior receiver J.J. Archer finished the season with 1,003 receiving yards, surpassing his personal goal of 1,000 yards by three. He caught five passes for 26 yards in the final game. Coach Chris Harvey noted that his defense aimed to cover as much field as possible to limit Archer’s impact.

The Marauders, who improved to an 8-2 record, rushed for 322 yards. Quarterback Khayse Barrett and junior Peyton Simms each carried the ball for 67 yards. Freshman Kriton Turner gained 44 yards and scored a touchdown, while freshman K.D. Smith added 43 yards and a score. Short-yardage specialist Dicarieze Williams carried five times for 14 yards and three touchdowns.

Harvey said the team used three quarterbacks in the first quarter and called on 10 different ball carriers to spread the workload. The win positions CCC for a potential berth in the new Open Division, which includes eight of the state’s top-ranked teams. Harvey stated the team will prepare regardless of their final classification.

Clearwater, the District 4A-10 champion, will host a Class 4A regional opening-round game on Friday, Nov. 6. The Tornadoes allowed 56 points in their first nine games before giving up 44 in the final contest.