State final bigger than First Coast

The film "Titanic" had been in theaters a single day.

That's how long it's been since a Duval County public school has played in, and won, a football state championship.

First Coast (13-0) will try to become the first Gateway Conference school since Raines in 1997 to win a state title when the top-ranked Buccaneers face No. 5 Bradenton Manatee (12-2) in the Class 7A state final at 7 p.m. Friday at Orlando's Citrus Bowl.

The Vikings, led by coach Welton Coffey, won the Class 4A title. Only two other Gateway Conference schools (Sandalwood in 1995) and Wolfson (1967-68) have played in a state final since the Florida High School Athletic Association was formed in 1963.

"I'm so excited for Marty Lee, his staff and the community," said Coffey, now the offensive coordinator at Georgia powerhouse Camden County.

"I'm so excited for the city, for Jacksonville to have this chance again. I don't think people realize how hard it is to get to this point."

Coffey isn't alone in his excitement. First Coast coach Marty Lee and his team have received an outpouring of support since defeating Lakeland 24-14 last Friday night in the Class 7A state semifinals.

"I've had many calls this week from other athletic directors and coaches," Lee said. "Everyone is ecstatic that Jacksonville has a public school in the state final. I know we've got a lot of people from other schools around the city planning on coming down on Friday for the game."

The show of solidarity has inspired Lee. He is planning on taking a jersey from the other 16 Gateway Conference teams to the Citrus Bowl to properly represent Jacksonville.

"I think that's a wonderful gesture," Duval County athletic director Jon Fox said. "There's always been a great sense of Gateway pride among the athletic directors and coaches. In other sports, we've had teams win state titles that didn't win the Gateway, so we know how strong it was in those sports. Now, with two Gateway schools making deep runs in football [Fletcher advanced to a Class 8A semifinal], people are seeing how strong the Gateway is in that sport as well."

The achievement has brought about a strong sense of civic pride from the First Coast players as well. They were all toddlers or infants back in 1997.

"We are proud to represent Jacksonville," First Coast senior receiver Chris Black said. "We have a chance to do something for this city that hasn't happened in a really long time."

Adding to the allure of the story is the fact that it might not have ever happened. Duval County's School Board faced massive budget cuts in May and initially speculated that all Duval County public school sports might be cut. Several sports, all later saved through private fundraising, were recommended to be cut, but football was never on the list.

"There were moments I thought it [cutting all sports] might be possible," Fox said.

Hays Carlyon: (904) 359-4377