Miami Norland defeats Columbus for GMAC championship

The Vikings remain unbeaten and are as serious contender in Class 2M after defeating the Explorers, the defending Class 4M state champs

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – The annual GMAC (Greater Miami Athletic Conference) championship serves as a precursor for the upcoming playoffs. And there was certainly postseason intensity on Friday night at Nathaniel Traz Powell Stadium.

The championship game featured rising power Miami Norland against defending Class 4M state champion Columbus.

As expected, it was a defensive showdown.

As it has all season, Norland made the necessary plays, capitalizing on 1-yard scoring runs by Juan Rodriguez and Ennio Yapoor, to defeat the Explorers, 16-3, for the championship.

Winners of the GMAC title, Norland (8-0) received ribbons and a trophy.

“This is another testament to the work that we’ve been putting in,” Norland coach Daryle Heidelburg said. “We have a good team. A great group of guys. They make good grades. They’re good scholars. I’m glad it’s coming together for them.”

Miami Norland players and coaches celebrate with GMAC championship trophy after securing the title with a 16-3 victory over Columbus in the championship game / Photo by Joe Frisaro

Bringing home the GMAC hardware caps an impressive three-week stretch for Norland, which defeated two straight defending state champions.

A week ago, the Vikings defeated Miami Central, 29-6, in overtime, and the previous week, they rallied to a 20-19 win over Booker T. Washington.

“Like I told the team, anytime the word championship is associated with it, it’s something I want to be a part of,” Heidelburg said. “But it doesn’t stop. We have now become the top. Before we were the hunters, and now we are the hunted. I understand that. I’m trying to convey that message to the team. But it is a difference. When you are the hunted, you are getting everyone’s best game.”

Ennio Yapoor has Norland on championship path

Points were hard to come by, but the Vikings did just enough.

In the first half, Norland grinded out a 9-0 lead on Rodriguez’s TD run and Noah Sidan’s 36-yard field goal.

Yapoor led a 78-yard touchdown drive that ended on Rodriguez’s TD run at 10:45 of the second quarter. But the point after was blocked.

Sidan’s field goal came with 2:29 remaining in the second quarter.

In the second half, Yapoor connected with Ivory Aikens on a 52-yard pass play to the Explorers’ 3-yard line. Yapoor scored on a 1-yard run that made it 16-3 with 4:53 left in the game.

“I talked to the guys. I told them, ‘Yeah, we just beat Miami Central, but listen, Columbus is still a great team,” Yapoor said. “We came out here ready to work.”

Norland is in the drivers’ seat in Class 2M, District 13. It already has beaten Central, winners of four straight state titles.

Central still has its “drive for five” intact, but Norland is the Class 2M team in the district that’s undefeated.

Beating Columbus (7-2) reenforces the fact that Norland is a serious state championship contender.

“This [game] tells us that we’re here to win,” Yapoor said. “People were saying that we were overrated. That’s not true.”

Columbus offense struggles without starting quarterback Alberto Mendozza

The Explorers were without quarterback Alberto Mendoza, a James Madison University commit.

Mendoza injured a finger on his throwing hand in Columbus’ 32-16 loss to Homestead on Oct. 7. The hope is the senior will be back for the playoffs.

Without their star quarterback, the Explorers struggled to consistently move the ball. Vicente Gonzalez handled the starting duties, and in the third quarter started moving the offense. On their opening drive of the third quarter, Gonzalez completed an 11-yard pass to JJ Gomez and a 15-yard toss to Jose Leon.

But the drive stalled at the Vikings’ 43.

The lone points Columbus managed came on Robert Czeremcha’s 19-yard field goal with 10.9 seconds left in the third quarter. At the time, it trimmed Norland’s lead to 9-3.

Columbus was able to get star tight end, Benjamin Blackburn, involved with some receptions in the third quarter. But not nearly enough.

Blackburn is one of the top tight ends in the state. The senior recently flipped his commitment from Boston College to Stanford.

Norland dominates with defense

The way its defense stepped up all night it was only fitting that the Vikings’ put the game away on an interception.

Up by 13 points in the fourth quarter, the Explorers moved the ball to their own 41 before Norland defensive back, Larry Tarver made an interception, followed by a return to the Columbus 17 with 3:04 remaining.

The play sealed the GMAC title.

"It wasn’t our cleanest game, but we still fought through it." Heidelburg said. "I want to commend Columbus. They are champions. Any time we can beat a caliber of team like that, we’ve got to take the win.”