Santa Fe football achieved a significant milestone Friday night by defeating Dunnellon 35-7 in the Class 3A-Region 2 quarterfinals at Ned Love Field.
The victory marks the program’s first postseason win in a decade, as “the Raiders secured a dominant win,” according to Yahoo Sports.
This result also serves as the first playoff success for head coach Earnest Graham, a former Florida Gators standout.
The Raiders, now 9-2, entered the game as the fourth seed and successfully avenged an earlier 22-17 loss to the fifth-seeded Tigers that occurred on October 15.
In that previous meeting, Dunnellon secured a district title, but Friday’s matchup saw a reversal of fortune as Santa Fe established a 14-0 lead by halftime.
Running back Jasiah Powell led the offensive effort by scoring three touchdowns, effectively grinding down the opposing defense.
Defensively, the Raiders neutralized Dunnellon running back Tony Turner, who is recognized as one of the top players in Class 3A.
The Santa Fe defense forced five turnovers throughout the contest, keeping Dunnellon quarterback Zion Johnson under constant pressure.
The team’s turnaround from a struggling program to a playoff winner is documented by “The Gainesville Sun,” which noted that a postseason victory once seemed like an impossible dream for the team only two years ago.
The Raiders benefited from a Dunnellon squad that struggled to find the energy required for a high-stakes playoff environment.
With this win, Santa Fe advances to the next round of the FHSAA Class 3A-Region 2 playoffs.
The team is scheduled to travel to face top-seeded Merritt Island next Friday in the regional semifinals.
Both “Yahoo Sports” and “The Gainesville Sun” confirmed the final score of the game.
The Raiders now shift their focus toward preparing for their upcoming road game against the top-ranked opponent.