Connail Jackson, Bo O’Daniel Combine for 7 Touchdowns to Power Cardinal Mooney to Class 2A title

Cougars overwhelm Bolles, 52-28, for second state championship in three years

Cardinal Mooney running back Connail Jackson (34) heads for the end zone for a fourth-quarter touchdown against Cocoa in the Class 2A state semifinal on Dec. 5. Jackson went on to rush for 160 yards and four TDs to lead Mooney past Jacksonville Bolles, 52-28, to win the state championship on Dec. 10 at FIU in Miami. / Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was the Connail Jackson-Bo O’Daniel Show on Wednesday night in the FHSAA Class 2A state championship.

The two juniors were virtually unstoppable against longtime power Jacksonville Bolles, combining for seven touchdowns to lead Sarasota Cardinal Mooney to a 52-28 victory at FIU’s Pitbull Stadium in Miami. Mooney (14-1) won its second title in three years.

Jackson, O'Daniel team for four TDs to lead Mooney to 27-7 halftime lead

Jackson and O’Daniel each scored two TDs in the first half to power the Cougars to a 27-7 halftime lead. Mooney scored on all four of its first-half possessions.

Bolles wide receiver Nareem Burroughs caught three TD passes

After Bolles (13-2) got the second of three TD catches from Clemson signee Nareem Burroughs to cut Mooney’s lead to 27-14 with 8 minutes, 18 seconds left in the third quarter, Jackson scored his third TD run of the night to push the Cougars back out front 34-14.

The Bulldogs then scored the wildest touchdown on the night when Ohio State signee Simeon Caldwell took a direct snap on 4th-and-16 and sprinted 71 yards to paydirt. That score cut Mooney’s lead to 13 points again, 34-21, with 1:35 left in the third quarter.

Cardinal Mooney outscored Bolles, 18-7, in 4th quarter

Cardinal Mooney then put the game away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Bolles, 18-7. O’Daniel caught a 24-yard TD pass from Davin Davidson, and then Jackson rumbled in from the 5-yard line for a 46-21 lead.

Laron Foye’s interception and long return set up Jackson’s fourth score of the evening.

Jackson named title game MVP after rushing for 160 yards, 4 TDs

Jackson, who was named the game’s MVP, finished with 26 carries for 160 yards.

Burroughs capped Bolles’ scoring with a 6-yard TD catch in the left corner of the end zone with 4:14 left.

With the clock ticking down, Cardinal Mooney got a surprising 54-yard TD run from Devin Mignery on a designed quarterback run for the final score of the evening.

Mooney rolled up nearly 500 total yards offense

Statistically, Mooney piled up nearly 500 total yards of offense: 255 rushing, 226 passing. Bolles had 161 rushing, 198 passing.

Individually, Mooney’s Davin Davidson completed 14 of 16 passes for 180 yards and two TDs; Mignery, 4-of-5 passing for 46 yards and one TD and five carries for 80 yards and a score; and O’Daniel, seven catches for 107 yards and three TDs.

For Bolles, Burroughs caught 10 passes for 122 yard and three TDs; Xander Edwards, 21 carries for 94 yards and three catches for 50 yards; and Jaden Weatherly, 12-of-18 passing for 134 yards and three TDs.

Bolles entered the game as an 11-time state champion – second-most in Florida behind Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (16).

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Jeff Gardenour can be reached via email at jgardenour1962@gmail.com or X @JMarkG1962