Booker High football recovers from blown lead, beats Carrollwood Day

The final score of Booker High football's 70-43 home win over Carrollwood Day School on Friday night makes it seem like the Tornadoes had an easy time putting away the Patriots. 

In the end, Head Coach Scottie Littles and his team could indeed breathe easy. But the Tornadoes had to earn the victory thanks to a lapse in the second quarter. 

Booker started the game as well as any team could. The Tornadoes scored on their first six possessions, five by the offense and one on a 99-yard kick return by freshman wide receiver Tyree Mannings Jr. The Booker defense forced Carrollwood Day senior quarterback Jordan Magwood, a Florida Atlantic University commit, into two interceptions and generally sent the Patriots' offense into chaos. Early in the second quarter, the Tornadoes led 37-7. 

Then, things changed. 

The awakening of the Carrollwood Day passing game combined with the stalling of the Booker offense quickly got the Patriots back into the game. Magwood threw touchdown passes of 35 and 50 yards, and added a goal line sneak for another. By halftime, Booker's lead was down to 37-30 and it appeared that the second half would be a fight to the finish. 

Instead, Booker's offense woke up again, putting up 33 second-half points to bury the Patriots. 

As the team has done in other games, Booker had senior quarterback Ryan Downes and junior quarterback Joel Morris rotate in two-possession sets. Both were effective against the Patriots. Senior running back Deanwar "DJ" Johnson, who transferred from Riverview High on Sept. 6, also impressed, rushing for two touchdowns. One was a 20-yard run in the first quarter where Johnson ran over a Carrollwood Day defender on his way to the end zone. 

Booker will hit the road to play Riverview High (1-3) at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20.