Figueroa, Reese lift Choctaw to region semifinal win over Columbia

FORT WALTON BEACH — Let it be noted that Choctawhatchee high school football has ended every postgame huddle on "State Champ."

This isn't false bravado. Nor is it an ego stroke for a team that didn't face an ounce of adversity for nine weeks during the regular season. It's simply a reminder that, when things are clicking like the second half of Friday's 27-20 Region 1-4A semifinal win over Columbia, the Big Green's ceiling is that of a 4A state champ.

Jaylen Brazan believes, the senior delivering the play of the night with a blocked punt that caromed to Jordan Figueroa for the score to shrink a seemingly insurmountable 20-7 deficit to 20-13 late in the third quarter.

Zion Legree and Carter Marracco believe, too, the pair of seniors combining for 71 yards of the 90-yard equalizing drive that resulted in a 6-yard connection between Tamen Zabetakis and Marracco.

And you know Amir Reese is a believer, the junior delivering a 70-yard pick-six — his second of the postseason — to put Choctaw up 27-20 with four minutes to play and cap the 20 unanswered points.

On a night when Alante Reese set the defensive tone with an interception and Ellis Alloway was everywhere in approaching 20 tackles, this was a win that explored every boundary of the three phases of the game.

Choctaw won special teams, improving the Big Green to 11-1 and a fourth straight region final. Choctaw's defense was directly responsible for 20 points and delivered the goal-line stand to seal the win. And Choctaw's offense, struggling against a defensive line with three D1 prospects, did enough in crunch time.

Two wins down, three to go.

"You found a way to get it done in all three phases," Frank Beasley told his players on bended knee in the postgame huddle. "You blocked a punt, you scored a defensive touchdown, you drove down the field when you need to and scored a touchdown. That's what you needed to do."

But Beasley also warned, "this is an even better team we face next week."

That'd be St. Augustine, which defeated Ed White 44-12 in the other Region 1-4A semifinal and will host Choctaw in a region championship rematch. In the same round, the Yellow Jackets beat the Big Green 13-6 last year and 35-26 the year before. Choctaw bested St. Augustine 42-35 in the region quarterfinals in 2022, but lost 20-14 that year to Columbia in the region finals.

This year, they're hoping the fourth time is the charm in the Elite 8.

"I've been looking forward to this matchup since the summmer to be honest with you" Figueroa said. "I'm ready for them. We're ready for them."

Down 20-7 late in the third quarter, Choctaw's hopes of a fourth straight trip to the region finals were in jeopardy. But a defensive stand capped by a Ellis Alloway tackle set up a punt on the goal line. Enter Brazan.

"We had our plans for special teams, and we were pretty close a couple of times," said the senior. "That's the one we needed. I just broke through and made the play."

Figueroa wasn't going to miss the opportunity to pounce on the loose ball.

"I just seen him block it, and I was like, that's on the ground and I gotta get that and pick it up and score for my team," Figueroa said. "What a play from Jaylen. We needed that."

On the next set of downs, Choctaw's defense fed off the momentum and forced a punt. But the visitors flipped the field and pinned the Big Green at their own 10.

That's when Choctaw opened the playbook, Marracco busting a 22-yard run up the left side for a first down and Zabetakis taking a 10-yard keeper to midfield to set up a 42-yard completion to Legree. Two plays later, Zabatakis found Marracco for a 6-yard touchdown and a 20-20 tie with 5:18 left to play.

"We tempoed them a little bit in the second half," Beasley said. "We felt like we were a little stronger than them. They were really, really good on defense and I think they had like eight shutouts this year, so we knew it'd take us a bit to get going. Carter Marracco is an unbelievable player and unbelievable person, so I'm so proud of him and Tamen. I had a feeling when I woke up this morning Carter would have an unbelievable night, and he did."

Tied at 20, there was work left to be done. Amir Reese chose his time, sitting on a Cover 2 zone defense and picking off a pass at the 30 yard line and taking it 70 yards to the house.

"I let up a touchdown that got called back and I almost gave up," admitted Reese. "But my brother (Alante) came through and talked to me, and it got me back in the game and back into my mindset, and I got the pick-six."

"He's a big player that does big things," Beasley said.

With about four minutes left, Choctaw's defense bent but never broke. On fourth and 3 at the Big Green 5 yard line, an outside handoff was stuffed short at the 2. Ball game, Choctaw handling its first true test of adversity.

"It was really hard at the beginning of the year because we weren't in a lot of big games," Beasley said. "Enterprise we were and then we kind of rolled people there. Tonight we responded in incredible moments."

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Choctaw FHSAA Region 1-4A win over Columbia