BOCA RATON — Spanish River football made plenty of history in 2025 but time finally ran out of magic in a 56-42 regional semifinal loss to Goleman on Friday, Nov. 21.
Spanish River's Ty Reynolds-El bulldozed through a pair of holes for two first-half touchdowns, but with the Sharks poised to take the lead, Florida State commit Daryl Bell III jumped a red-zone route and took it 96 yards the opposite way for Goleman.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSpanish River could never fully recover, as a tie game rapidly descended into a 42-14 hole in the second quarter. Though the Sharks mounted a fourth-quarter comeback, the deficit was ultimately too much.
"You never want to give up 56 obviously, but I'm sure they didn't want to give up 42," LaSala said. "It's just turned into one of those games where if you took the over, you were happy."
Spanish Rive head coach Nick LaSala participates in a postgame prayer following a regional semifinals loss to Goleman on Nov. 21, 2025.More: Spanish River football hits last-second field goal for first playoff win in program history
Jayvontay Louis was on the receiving end of two scores in Friday's defeat, including a long reception over the top of two defenders in the fourth quarter.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJacorrion McCray, who was injured in last week's win against Western, came on late in the first half for his first snap, but was injured on the play.
The next drive, Jayden Elder went up for an athletic touchdown catch, but he, too, appeared shaken up after beig dragged down to the ground in the end zone just before halftime.
Elder would return for the second half and did so in style with an impressive final-minute score, hauling in a jump ball despite being illegally contacted.
Spanish River head coach Nick LaSala shares a postgame moment with Jayden Elder following a regional semifinals loss to Goleman on Nov. 21, 2025."We know this football game down to a handful of plays," LaSala said. "To do it without one of our best players with Jacorrion dealing with the ankle, kind of hurt us. But I'm proud of our guys that stepped in."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBetween injuries and the momentum shift, Spanish River was unable to answer Goleman's tempo offense with enough firepower of threcover,
"We're scraping guys off the ground," LaSala said after the game. "Ben Lamas said, 'No way, I'm not coming out.' Micah (Smalls) can barely walk right now. Jayden Elder, had to scoop him off the field and Derek (Goubourne), they're playing both ways. These guys, there's no quit in them."
It has still been a massively successful season for the Sharks.
Spanish River's Ben Lamas and Timothy Shedrick listen to head coach Nick LaSala's prideful postgame speech following a regional semifinals loss to Goleman on Nov. 21, 2025.Under first-year head coach Nick LaSala, Spanish River claimed its first district title in at least 25 years and then both hosted and won their first-ever state playoff victory.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"First football team to accomplish that, first football team to beat Boca this century, first football team to host a home playoff game, first teaming school history to win a playoff game," LaSala said. "There is so much to be proud of."
The Sharks' 23-21 regional quarterfinal win over Western on a game-winning field goal by Rowan Russell sparked continued enthusiasm for the year's successes as well as for the future of Spanish River football.
It also served as yet another reminder that the bar of expectations is being set higher and higher, with LaSala and his staff hoping to build "a football factory."
The foundation has certainly been laid.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I know that we're going in the right direction because these guys are still hungry," LaSala said. "I told them, 'we need to continue to eat off the floor.' Obviously, we've got a lot of important pieces in place. But most important, we've just got good kids."
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Spanish River football loses shootout to Goleman as historic year ends
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