WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Three area high school football teams advanced to their regional finals: Treasure Coast, Palm Beach Central and Cardinal Newman.
Treasure Coast, which is top-seeded in its Class 4 Suburban region, defeated No. 4 Vero Beach 21-12 at home. Treasure Coast (9-2) next faces No. 3 DeLand, which beat No. 2 University 31-13. It's the second time in three years the Titans have advanced to the finals.
The final score was the same as when the Titans beat Vero Beach in the District 12-4S championship game in Week 10.
In Port St. Lucie, Treasure Coast was up 14-12 with the ball.
Jameson David took it around the edge for a big gain but LeeLand Beckford chased him down and prevented a score.
Two plays later, Vero Beach went ahead for a score but it was called back for a block in the back.
A blocked field goal gave it back to the Titans.
Up 2 with four minutes left and third-and-15, George Roberts scrambled but he couldn't get the first down. Roberts then ran 37-yards for the touchdown and the game-sealing touchdown.
In Class 4 Metro Region 3, No. 2 Palm Beach Central defeated No. 6 Boca Raton at home.
Chris Bloomfield had a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second quarter.
Zequan Wright and Leon Williams rushed for two touchdowns with quarterback Caleb Butler connecting twice with wide receiver Waden Charles for scores.
The Broncos had a big lead but the Bobcats came back and had a chance to win it on the final play but Central survived.
Palm Beach Central moves into the regional final for the second straight season. The Broncos will face No. 1 Coconut Creek Monarch, which defeated No. 4 Santaluces 50-27 in Deerfield Beach.
The Knights had a 30-0 leadwith 7:05 remaining in the first half over the Chiefs, who last week earned their first victory in the postseason since 2001 when they lost in the next round.
Another Coconut Creek School defeated a Palm Beach County one, visiting West Boca, 24-17, in Class 3 Metro Region 3. The No. 3 Cougars will face No. 1 Fort Lauderdale-St. Thomas Aquinas, which beat Blanch Ely 40-0.
The Bulls were playing in only their second playoff game since the school opened in 2004. In 2006, West Boca won its playoff opener but lost in the next round. The last time the school was in the playoffs was in 2013.
Last week, Mason Mallory threw a hail Mary into the end zone as time expired and Kyle Andrews caught the tipped ball for the winning touchdown in a 23-22 upset of Atlantic.
This week, with a fourth-and-16 from the 36, Mallory threw a pass toward the end zone. Wide receiver Branden Hoch appeared to be in position to make a leaping catch, but a defender tipped the ball away.
Javian Mallory, the cousin of Mason, injured his knee late in the Atlantic game.
In West Palm Beach, No. 2 Cardinal Newman 28 defeated No. 3 Benjamin 6 at home in Class 1 Metro Region 3. Cardinal Newman (9-1) will travel to No. 1 Chaminade Madonna, which beat Avant Garde Academy 67-0.
The Crusaders won the regular-season matchup by a field goal.
Jaylin J-Bo Brown scored on Cardinal Newman's opening drive and with a second to go in the first half Luke Warnock scored with the hosts ahead 14-3.
Benjamin's only points on the night came from Groz finaliast Lilly White who drilled a pair of field goals.
And Brown scored another touchdown in the fourth quarter and Jyron Hughley added one.
In the only other game involving an area team Friday, No. 4 Pahokee lost to host Willison 52-17 in Class 1 Rural.
On Saturday, American Heritage of Plantation defeated King’s Academy 49-7 in Delray Beach after the game was flooded out in Plantation on Friday in Class 1 Metro Region 3.
American Heritage will play Cardinal Gibbons, which beat Calvary Christian 34-9.
Class 4 Suburban Region 3
at (1) Treasure Coast 21, (4) Vero Beach 12
Class 4 Metro Region 3
at (1) Coconut Creek Monarch 50, (4) Santaluces 27
at (2) Palm Beach Central 34, (6) Boca Raton 28
Class 3 Metro Region 3
at (3) Coconut Creek 24, West Boca 17
Class 2 Rural Metro 2
(1) Plantation American Heritage 49, (4) King's Academy 7 (Saturday in Delray Beach)
Class 1 Metro Region 3
at (2) Cardinal Newman 28, (3) Benjamin 6
Class 1 Rural Region 4
at (1) Williston 52, (4) Pahokee 17