We Speak High School Football

Jesuit Edges Tampa Catholic 21-20 in a Rivalry Thriller

Published

4 hours ago

November 1, 2026

Jesuit Tigers football players celebrate in front of the final scoreboard after beating Tampa Catholic

Jesuit celebrates the 21-20 win over Tampa Catholic. Photo via @jesuittigers.

The rivalry between Jesuit and Tampa Catholic came down to the final play on Friday night, and the Tigers walked out of a packed stadium with a 21-20 win that will be talked about in Tampa for a long time.

Jesuit and Tampa Catholic traded scores all night in a game that stayed within reach for both sides from the opening kickoff to the final snap. Neither team could build a comfortable lead, and the margin sat at a single point when Tampa Catholic took its last chance to win the game in the closing moments.

That is when senior linebacker Kaden Henderson closed the door. Henderson, a Texas A&M commit, swung the game with a pick six and then ended it with a sack on the final play, sealing the one point victory for the Tigers. TexAgs reported that Henderson sealed the win, and Aggies Wire reported the pick six and the game ending sack that finished the night.

The win carries extra weight because of the history between the two schools. Tampa Catholic has not beaten Jesuit since 1999, and the Crusaders came within a single point of ending that long run on their home field. Instead, Jesuit extended the streak for another year and closed the regular season with real momentum.

Jesuit finishes the regular season at 8-1 and heads into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the Tampa Bay area. The Tigers have won with defense all season, and Friday night showed that formula at its best, with the defense making the two biggest plays of the game when everything was on the line.

Tampa Catholic falls to 7-3 with the loss. The Crusaders proved they can stand toe to toe with one of the best teams in the area, and they will carry that confidence into the postseason even after a painful finish at home.

For Jesuit, the celebration in front of the scoreboard said everything. Guest 21, Crusaders 20, and another year of bragging rights in one of the best rivalries in Tampa high school football.

We Speak High School Football

Palmetto Rallies Past Bishop Verot 36-13 Behind Four Touchdowns From Ashton Kelly

Published

4 hours ago

November 1, 2026

We Speak Media

Palmetto Tigers football players tackle a Bishop Verot ball carrier

Palmetto brings down a Bishop Verot runner. Photo via @palmetto_football.

Palmetto took a two hour bus trip to Fort Myers on Friday night, October 30, fell behind early, and then took the game over. The Tigers beat Bishop Verot 36-13, winning their eighth straight game behind a huge night from senior running back Ashton Kelly and a defense that shut the Vikings out for the entire second half.

Bishop Verot struck first, scoring on its opening drive on a 16 yard touchdown pass from Hudson Peak to Ayden Gonzalez. Palmetto answered with a 39 yard field goal from Brandin Gallaway, and then the Vikings pushed their lead back out early in the second quarter on a short touchdown carry from Robi Duclona.

The game turned in about one minute. Jok Harris took a pass 45 yards to set up a quick touchdown carry from Kelly, and only 60 seconds later Kydarrion Clyburn returned an interception for a touchdown to give Palmetto a 16-13 lead. The Tigers never trailed again.

Kelly owned the second half. After the teams traded punts for most of the third quarter, he scored on an 11 yard carry late in the quarter to make it 23-13. Kemari Hands then came up with Palmetto’s second interception of the night, and a long Tigers drive ended with another short Kelly touchdown carry. After a quick Bishop Verot possession went nowhere, Kelly scored for the fourth time, barreling through three defenders at the goal line in the final minutes.

The Sarasota Herald Tribune reported that Kelly finished with 125 rushing yards and four touchdowns for Palmetto. Quarterback Matthew Hennessey completed five of his eleven passes for 103 yards, while Peak finished with 94 passing yards, one touchdown pass and two interceptions for Bishop Verot. The Herald Tribune also reported that Bishop Verot converted only two of its twelve third down chances, and that Palmetto won despite fifteen penalties for about 150 yards.

Palmetto improved to 8-1 with the win, while Bishop Verot fell to 6-3. MaxPreps lists Palmetto with a game at Winter Park on November 4 next, and both teams now look toward the playoffs.