In a game featuring 65 players with at least one FBS or FCS offer, a quintet of defenders --
Samari Howard,
Joshua Wilson,
Jemiyah Douglas,
Adras Donovan and
Justice Fitzpatrick -- had big plays in the second half to help the St. Thomas Aquinas secure a Halloween night win at Brian Piccolo Stadium.
The Aquinas defense dominated the first half, led by
Wyatt Smith, the son of former NFL Pro Bowler Justin Smith. Also contributing to a stout defensive front were Oklahoma commit
Daniel Norman and
Duke Daley, a linebacker who scored his first two rushing touchdowns of the season. Fourth-quarter field goals of 37 and 28 yards by kicker
Johnny DiSalvatore proved to be the difference for the Raiders.
Aquinas improved to 9-1 to close out the 2025 regular season and look ahead to a quest for the program's seventh straight state championship.
Mason Mallory provided key plays at the quarterback position Friday night for Aquinas, including a 65-yard touchdown run. (PHOTO: Jeff Klein)
After a scoreless first quarter, Chaminade scored two plays into the second as freshman quarterback
Malik Leonard took a keeper in from 14 yards to give the Lions a 7-0 lead. Aquinas responded two drives later with a 73-yard march culminating in a 2-yard score from Daley, his first TD of the season, that tied the score at 7-7 with 5:46 left in the half.
In the third, Leonard found Florida's all-time receiving leader
Jasen Lopez for a 66-yard catch-and-run down to the Aquinas 1-yard line. Leonard then ran in his second score of the night to reclaim a 14-7 lead for Chaminade at the 3:57 mark of the third.
Aquinas answered with a 65-yard quarterback run from
Mason Mallory that knotted the score once again at 14 with 2:05 left in the third. But on the first play of the ensuing drive,
Lee Prince Jr. escaped a tackle and raced 81 yards for a touchdown to give Chaminade the lead right back at 21-14.
The Raiders forced a pair of turnovers in the final minute of the third quarter to help tie the score going into the fourth. An interception from junior Howard gave the ball back to Aquinas, which capitalized with a big pass play from Mallory to
Julius Jones and the second rushing touchdown of the night from Daley to tie the score at 21.
St. Thomas Aquinas and Chaminade-Madonna used Friday's MaxPreps Game of the Week as a state playoff primer. The programs have combined for 25 state championships. (PHOTO: Jeff Klein)
On the ensuing kickoff, Wilson recovered a fumble to give Aquinas prime field position entering the fourth.
DiSalvatore drilled a 37-yard field goal to open the fourth and give the Raiders their first lead of the game at 24-21. He added a 28-yarder at the 2:46 mark of the fourth to extend the lead.
Douglas blocked a 48-yard Chaminade field goal try, Donovan recovered a fumble and Fitzpatrick had a game-ending interception to give Aquinas five turnovers on the night.
Mallory completed 14 of 29 passes for 131 yards while his counterpart Leonard went 21 of 36 for 298 yards. Lopez, Florida's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, hauled in nine catches for 181 yards. He is currently tied with Jamal Reid of
Lafayette (Mayo) with 57 career receiving touchdowns.
Aquinas lost its season opener to then-No. 1
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), which sits at No. 12 in the MaxPreps Top 25. The Lions (7-2) also dropped their 2025 opener to current No. 2
St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.).
Both teams now await seedings in the upcoming state playoffs.
