The Fort Pierce Central flag football team's dream season came to a painful end.
The team in charge was the only group to get the best performance from the Cobras during the regular season. And that team did it again, only this time with higher stakes and on the road.
Keelin Coleman's touchdown pass to Mia Ciesak in the fourth quarter helped Wellington advance to the Final Four with a 12-7 victory over Central in the Class 2A state quarterfinals at Cobra Flag on Friday. It separated the bright and the dark.
Trailing 7-6 with about six minutes left, Coleman felt pressure from Cobras rushers Tajeya Chance and Brenna Allen. The chance was for Coleman to roll to his right and be sacked, but the senior quarterback skimmed a pass along the sideline to Siesak, who slipped behind the defense. The freshman receiver charged at the 3-yard line and stumbled a little as she crossed the goal line just before Alyssa Llanos tore her flag off.
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“Mia is a player we've relied on the last few games. Her impact has been unbelievable,” Coleman said.
The visiting team forced a turnover on downs on the ensuing possession and faced a third-and-short game against the Cobras at the end of the timeout. They turned to sophomore Avery Schroder and hinted that four defenders would rush for the game-clinching first down.
Shortly after the final buzzer sounded and the teams shook hands, Wolverine players shouted, “We're going to Tampa for the FHSAA state championship.” Those players then threw buckets of ice at head coach Robert Carovy.
“A lot of this group has been with us for three or four years. And they all had the same goal and said, 'We want to go to state,'” Calobi said. said. “They've worked hard, so it's an incredible feeling to see all their hard work pay off. It's going to be a fun experience for them.”
Meanwhile, complete despair was spreading on the field side. After a historic year that reached many high points came to an end, the core players and coaches shed tears and hugged each other.
Nick Clements was at the center of an emotional scene, hugging all the players and sharing their farewell words. FPC head coach took responsibility for the loss, but also praised Wellington's play.
“I'm going to think about this game for a long time,” Clements said. “My first thought was I wish I had made a better decision and made another decision. Wellington took advantage of the opportunity they were given. … Hats off to Coach Karovy and Wellington, they had a great game plan. I wish him the best of luck at state.”
The Wolverines lost in the district championship game, but went on to win four consecutive games, improving their record to 15-3. They earned the No. 3 seed in the Final Four bracket and will play No. 2 seed Leonard on Saturday, May 10 at 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Cobras finished with 19 wins and two losses. Their last loss was against Wellington on March 8, 15-12.
This story will be updated.
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. Contact him at (772) 985-9692, @PatBernadeau at X, or email pbernadeau@gannett.com.
