Road to No. 1: Vero Beach's game-by-game run to the 1981 Class 4A state title

VERO BEACH'S 1981 CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

More:Vero Beach football winning state championship? In 1981, Little Rascals made it happen

GAME 1: FLETCHER

SEPT. 11, 1981 | VERO BEACH

Final score

Vero Beach 14, Fletcher 0

Game recap

Vero Beach scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to open its second season under coach Billy Livings with a win over the Senators.

Key plays

• It didn't look like Vero Beach's night. The Indians missed a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter, had a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown by Anthony Simmons erased by a clipping penalty and lost a fumbled punt.
• Simmons' 45-yard return in the fourth quarter set up first-and-goal at the Fletcher 10 and Simmons scored on a 9-yard run two plays later. Rich Cunningham's 5-yard run with 27 seconds left clinched the win.

Stats that matter

Fletcher quarterback Lehman Huff, a three-year starter, was 7-of-14 for 44 yards ... Vero Beach's defense limited Fletcher to minus-6 yards rushing on 26 attempts ... Fletcher had 14 penalties for 136 yards.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "The defense was absolutely super and that's for the lack of another adjective. It kept its composure, hanging together and kept us in there. It was patient until we got something going."

Etc.

The game was Vero Beach's first against a Duval County opponent since the Fighting Indians defeated Jacksonville-Forrest 7-0 to start the 1977 season.

Bet you didn't know

Fletcher finished 7-4 in 1980, while Vero Beach finished 10-3 and advanced to the state semifinals before losing to Miami-Columbus 7-3.

Class 4A Top 10 (Sept. 15, 1981)

1. Gonzalez-Tate (1-0), 2. Clearwater (1-0), 3. Boyd Anderson (1-0), 4. Merritt Island (1-0), 5. Winter Park (1-0), 6. Miami Killian (0-0), 7. Tampa Plant (1-0), 8. Boca Raton (1-0), 9. Miami Columbus (1-0), 10. Orlando_Evans (1-0). Vero Beach was among nine teams receiving votes.

GAME 2: MARTIN COUNTY

SEPT. 18, 1981 | VERO BEACH

Final score

Vero Beach 10, Martin County 0

Game recap

Vero Beach's defense set the tone for the second consecutive week and the offense produced a second-quarter touchdown and fourth-quarter field goal to turn back the Tigers.

Key plays

• Kevin Snyder's fumble recovery at the Martin County 3-yard line set up fullback Rich Cunningham's 1-yard run midway through the second quarter.
• Robin Yencho kicked a 36-yard field goal with 5:04 to play for the clinching score.
• Martin County drove to the Vero Beach 23 late, but fumbled on a fourth-down play and the ball rolled out of bounds.

Stats that matter

Cunningham finished with a game-high 63 yards on 12 carries ... Vero Beach's defense limited Martin County to 80 total yards, including 61 rushing on 32 attempts, and finished with four takeaways ... The teams combined for a staggering 18 fumbles. Each team lost two.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "Some people say that weather like this (heavy rain) that bigger people have the advantage. I don't agree with that theory. Quicker people have an advantage under any weather conditions. I don't think (the weather) hurt us or them."

Etc.

Despite heavy rain in the first half, Vero Beach opened with with consecutive shutout wins for the first time since 1973 ... The Indians defeated the Tigers for the fourth consecutive year.

Bet you didn't know

Gary Jones, in his second season as Martin County's head coach, would go on to become a Vero Beach assistant later in the decade ... Martin County running back Cleveland Gary, a future first-round NFL draft pick, had 37 yards on 10 carries.

Class 4A Top 10 (Sept. 22, 1981)

1. Merritt Island (2-0), 2. Winter Park (2-0), 3. Lauderdale Lakes-Boyd Anderson (2-0), 4. Miami Killian (1-0), 5. Tampa-Plant (2-0), 6. Dunedin (2-0), 7. Boca Raton (2-0), 8. Orlando-Evans (2-0), 9. Vero Beach (2-0), T10. Panama City-Mosley (2-0), T10. Bradenton-Manatee (2-0).

GAME 3: EVANS

SEPT. 25, 1981 | ORLANDO

Final score

Evans 10, Vero Beach 7

Game recap

Evans' Jimmy Meyers kicked a 31-yard field goal with 11:22 to go to break a 7-all tie as the Trojans handed the Fighting Indians their only loss of the 1981 season.

Key plays

• Evans tailback Walter Smith scored on a 14-yard touchdown run 6:32 before halftime for the only score of the first half.
• Anthony Simmons' 6-yard touchdown run capped Vero Beach's 15-play, 75-yard drive to start the second half.
• Evans' defense finished strong, getting a fourth-quarter interception, then a fourth-down sack to end another possession. The Trojans ran out the final 3:37.

Stats that matter

Evans finished with 169 rushing yards on 38 attempts. Smith was the most effective runner, finishing with 103 yards on 14 carries ... Vero Beach finished with just 80 yards rushing on 30 attempts. Quarterback Todd Fennell was 7-of-14 for 47 yards.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "Our offense still is spasmodic. We'll do some good things, then we become totally inept, turning into a study of frustration. Defensively, we played equally poor. Evans' offense controlled the ball and ate up the clock. Whenever Evans needed a big play, they converted."

Etc.

Vero Beach missed a big scoring chance late in the half when Simmons' 15-yard punt return and 15-yard penalty gave the Indians possession at the Trojans' 35. Vero Beach moved to the 10 in the final minute of the half, but Fennell was sacked for a 12-yard loss on third down and Robin Yencho was short and wide right on a 39-yard field-goal try.

Bet you didn't know 

Evans coach Gary Preisser later became the Orange County athletic director and was Martin County's head coach from 1970 to 1972.

Class 4A Top 10 (Sept. 28, 1981): 1. Merritt Island (3-0), 2. Lauderdale Lakes-Boyd Anderson (3-0), 3. Miami-Killian (3-0), 4. Dunedin (3-0), 5. Tampa-Plant (3-0), 6. Boca Raton (3-0), 7. Evans (3-0), 8. Panama City-Mosley (3-0), 9. Bradenton-Manatee (3-0), 10. Coral Gables (3-0). Vero Beach received votes.

GAME 4: MIAMI NORTHWESTERN

OCT. 2, 1981 | VERO BEACH

Final score

Vero Beach 15, Miami Northwestern 6

Game recap

Vero Beach scored nine points within a 28-second span early in the fourth quarter to break a 6-all tie and shock previously undefeated Miami Northwestern.

Key plays

• With the game tied at 6, Vero Beach's Brian Connolly blocked a punt out of the end zone for a safety.
• One play after Northwestern's free kick to the 50, Vero Beach's Anthony Simmons slipped past a blitzing Northwestern linebacker and ran 50 yards for a touchdown with 10:21 to play. Robin Yencho's extra point kick closed the scoring.
• Rich Cunningham had the Indians' first TD with a 1-yard run with 37 seconds left in the third quarter.

Stats that matter

Northwestern drove 78 yards in 10 plays to open the game, capped by quarterback Anthony Dawkins' 24-yard touchdown run, but did not score again ... Evans finished with 106 rushing yards on 33 attempts, a 3.2-yard average, while Dawkins was 11-of-19 passing for 120 yards ... Simmons had a game-high 69 yards on eight carries for Vero Beach. Cunningham had 58 yards on 13 runs. ... Vero Beach QB Todd Fennell was 6-of-10 for 89 yards ... Both teams had two turnovers apiece.

Sound bite

"I thought it was a team effort. You can't single out anyone because they all played well."

Etc.

Vero Beach missed an earlier chance to tie the game, taking the second-half kickoff and driving to the Bulls' 28 before coming up inches short on fourth down ... Yencho's first extra-point try was blocked for his first miss of the season ... Connolly's blocked punt was set up when Northwestern lost 10 yards on a penalty and eventually faced fourth-and-23 from the 7-yard line. Dwight Neely returned the ensuing free kick to the 50 to set up Simmons' TD run.

Bet you didn't know

Northwestern had beaten Carol City 14-7, Miami American 21-16 and Miami Central 14-0 in its first three games before being outscored 15-0 in the second half by Vero Beach.

Class 4A Top 10 (Oct. 5, 1981)

1. Lauderdale Lakes-Boyd Anderson (4-0), 2. Dunedin (4-0), 3. Tampa Plant (4-0), 4. Panama City-Mosley (4-0), 5. Orlando-Evans (4-0), 6. Bradenton-Manatee (4-0), 7. Coral Gables (4-0), 8. Tampa-King (4-0), 9. Jacksonville-Raines (4-0), 10. Eau Gallie (4-0). Vero Beach received votes for the second week in a row.

GAME 5: HOMESTEAD

OCT. 9, 1981 | VERO BEACH

Final score

Vero Beach 14, Homestead 0

Game recap

On a night when the offense sputtered behind four turnovers two interceptions and two fumbles defense and special teams paved the way as the Fighting Indians handed the Broncos their fifth consecutive loss.

Key plays

• With Homestead lined to punt from its 43-yard line, Vero Beach defensive end Brian Connolly blocked Eddie Parks' attempt. Kevin Snyder scooped the loose ball and ran 25 yards for a touchdown 1:23 before halftime.
• Marvin Godwin intercepted a deflected pass at the Vero Beach 49, setting up a 12-yard drive capped by fullback Rich Cunningham's 1-yard run with 5:09 left in the third quarter.
• Homestead drove to the Vero Beach 21 in the fourth quarter before the Indians stopped the Broncos on downs.

Stats that matter

Vero Beach quarterback Todd Fennell was 10-of-14 for 87 yards and one interception ... Cunningham had nine carries for 40 yards ... Vero Beach's defense allowed just 106 total yards, including 61 rushing on 27 attempts ... Vero Beach sophomore Matt Livings, the son of coach Billy Livings, had a game-high four catches for 33 yards.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "It looked as if we asked ourselves a question 'How badly can we play?' And the answer appeared to be 'How badly do you want us to play?'"

Etc.

It was the second consecutive game in which Connolly blocked a punt ... Vero Beach had nine penalties for 95 yards in addition to the four turnovers ... Vero Beach rushed for just 90 yards on 30 attempts.

Bet you didn't know 

Homestead lost its first four games by a combined score of 83-34: Miami Lakes (28-14), Miami Columbus (35-7), Miami Beach (7-6) and Miami Southwest (13-7).

Class 4A Top 10 (Oct. 12, 1981)

1. Lauderdale Lakes-Boyd Anderson (5-0), 2. Dunedin (5-0), 3. Tampa-Plant (4-0), 4. Panama City-Mosley (5-0), 5. Orlando-Evans (4-0), 6. Bradenton-Manatee (4-0), 7. Tampa-King (5-0), 8. Jacksonville-Raines (4-0), 9. Merritt Island (4-1), 10. South Miami (5-0). Vero Beach received votes for the third week in a row.

GAME 6: MERRITT ISLAND

OCT. 16, 1981 | MERRITT ISLAND

Final score

Vero Beach 14, Merritt Island 10

Game recap

Tony Barber and Rich Cunningham had touchdown runs and Vero Beach's defense posted a second-half shutout as the Indians knocked off the ninth-ranked Mustangs in a pivotal District 10-4A game.

Key plays

• Junior tailback Tony Barber scored on a 15-yard run in the first quarter.
• Kevin Snyder's blocked punt at the Merritt Island 43 led to the go-ahead TD, with Rich Cunningham scoring from 1-yard out in the third quarter.
• Robin Yencho missed a 37-yard field goal with 6:30 to go, but Esco Bell and Zander Clem had fumble recoveries in the final 2:15 to preserve the win.

Stats that matter

Vero Beach kept it simple, running the ball on 42 of 46 plays for 139 yards. Merritt Island quarterback Jeff Wickersham, who later played for LSU, was 12-of-25 for 156 yards and rushed for the Mustangs' lone TD. The Indians allowed just 70 yards rushing on 24 carries. The Indians improved to 2-0 in the district, taking the outright lead after Martin County knocked off Eau Gallie 21-6.

Sound bite:

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "I don't think I will single out any one player or one coach. It was a total team effort and total teamwork."

Etc.

The loss was Merritt Island's second in a row in district play, effectively ending the Mustangs' bid for a playoff berth ... Livings improved to 2-0 against Merritt Island, which had gone 9-0-1 against the Indians from 1970 to 1979.

Bet you didn't know

Merritt Island was the only top-10 team in Class 4A to lose during the week.

Class 4A Top 10 (Oct. 19, 1981): 1. Lauderdale Lakes-Boyd Anderson (6-0), 2. Dunedin (6-0), 3. Tampa-Plant (5-0), 4. Panama City-Mosley (6-0), 5. Orlando-Evans (5-0), 6. Bradenton-Manatee (5-0), 7. Tampa-King (6-0), 8. Jacksonville-Raines (4-0), 9. South Miami (5-0), 10. Vero Beach (5-1)

GAME 7: HOLLYWOOD HILLS

OCT. 23 1981 | VERO BEACH

Final score

Vero Beach 21, Hollywood Hills 16

Game recap

A fumble recovery by Willie Harris set up fullback Rich Cunningham's go-ahead touchdown with 6:43 to play as the Fighting Indians rallied to beat the Spartans.

Key plays

• Harris pounced on a fumble at the Hollywood Hills 16 and Cunningham scored on a 3-yard run four plays later to erase a 16-14 deficit.
• Hollywood Hills had gone ahead on a safety, when Vero Beach QB Todd Fennell was tackled in the end zone for a safety with 2:30 to play in the third quarter.
• Following the kickoff, Hollywood Hills moved to the Vero Beach 20 before Vero Beach safety Duane Drisdom intercepted a pass in the end zone.
• Safeties Marvin Godwin and Will Hill had interceptions in the final 3:10.

Stats that matter

Cunningham scored two touchdowns and finished with 61 yards rushing on 13 carries. Anthony Simmons ran 21 times for a game-high 102 yards. Vero Beach's defense allowed 214 rushing yards including an 82-yard TD run by Johnell Thomas and a 58-yard TD run by Tom Morris but limited Hills quarterback Jimmy Peterman to 2-of-14 passing for 26 yards. Vero Beach finished with five takeaways.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "We think Hills has a fine football team. We don't know how they have lost four games."

Etc.

Through seven games, Vero Beach had outscored opponents 60-5 in the second half.

Bet you didn't know

The 16 points were the most the Indians would allow in a game all season.

Class 4A Top 10 (Oct. 26, 1981)

1. Lauderdale Lakes-Boyd Anderson (7-0), 2. Dunedin (7-0), 3. Panama City-Mosley (7-0), 4. Orlando-Evans (6-0), 5. Bradenton-Manatee (6-0), 6. Tampa-King (7-0), 7. Jacksonville-Raines (5-0), 8. South Miami (6-0), 9. Vero Beach (6-1), 10. Brandon (6-0).

GAME 8: SATELLITE

OCT. 30 1981 | SATELLITE

Final score

Vero Beach 28, Satellite 0

Game recap

Vero Beach remained undefeated in district play behind two touchdown runs apiece from Anthony Simmons and Rich Cunningham, and a rock-solid defense that handed the Scorpions their first shutout.

Key plays

• Simmons, a tailback, ran 19 yards for a touchdown on Vero Beach's first possession, then added a 4-yard touchdown run less than 2 minutes before halftime.
• Cunningham, a senior fullback, started and ended a nine-play, 79-yard drive to start the second half. He finished with 54 yards on the drive, including a 22-yarder to start it and a 2-yarder for his eighth touchdown of the season.
• Cunningham added No. 9 with a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter after the Indians passed on Robin Yencho's 36-yard field goal to accept a roughing-the-kicker penalty.

Stats that matter

Cunningham finished with a game-high 85 yards rushing on 15 carries. Simmons added 70 yard on 10 carries. Vero Beach's 28 points were a season high. The Indians had 207 rushing yards on 39 attempts. Vero Beach's defense allowed 43 yards rushing on 33 attempts and limited Scorpions quarterback Jim Donnaburg to 6-of-16 passing for 75 yards.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "We took what Satellite's defense gave us. They took some things away from us, but they gave us something someplace else. We were able to take advantage of it." 

Etc.

Vero Beach improved to 3-0 in the district. Satellite dropped to 3-4

Bet you didn't know

Satellite had scored 116 points in six previous games, a 19.3 point average, before being shut out by Vero Beach.

Class 4A Top 10 (Nov. 2, 1981)

1. Dunedin (8-0), 2. Panama City-Mosley (7-0), 3. Orlando-Evans (7-0), 4. Bradenton-Manatee (7-0), 5. Tampa-King (8-0), 6. Jacksonville-Raines (6-0), 7. Vero Beach (7-1), 8. Deerfield Beach (6-1), 9. Pensacola-Woodham (7-1), 10. Lauderdale Lakes-Boyd Anderson (7-1).

GAME 9: EAU GALLIE

NOV. 13, 1981 | VERO BEACH

Final score

Vero Beach 41, Eau Gallie 0

Game recap

Vero Beach's Rich Cunningham rushed for 116 yards and a season-high four touchdowns as the Fighting Indians took apart the Commodores to clinch the District 10-4A championship, the program's second in a row.

Key plays

• Cunningham, a senior fullback, scored on runs of 6, 6, 23 and 5 yards for Vero Beach.
• Frank Johnson added a 44-yard TD run,
• Dwight Neeley had an 11-yard scoring run around left end and the defense more than compensated for three turnovers on offense.

Stats that matter

Vero Beach's 41 points would be a season high and the most since a 51-20 win over Fort Pierce Central in 1974 ... The Indians finished with 244 rushing yards on 38 attempts ... Quarterback Todd Fennell was 4-of-5 for 59 yards ... The defense allowed 58 rushing yards on 35 attempts, intercepted four passes and limited Eau Gallie to 1-of-15 passing for its second straight shutout and fourth of the season. Will Hill had two picks. Duanee Drisdom and Brian Connelly had one apiece ... Cunningham finished the regular season with 13 touchdowns.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "We're obviously thrilled to death to win the district and we won it the way a district champion should. It was a thrill for the Indians and the coaching staff to see a full stadium and such a responsive crowd."

Etc.

Vero Beach finished 4-0 in district play. Eau Gallie dropped to 3-6, 2-2 district ... Vero Beach was often referred to as the Big Red during this era.

Bet you didn't know

The Indians coaching staff included four future head coaches Doug Baker (Sebastian River), Gary Coggin (Vero Beach), Jon Thames (Satellite) and Pete Puccio (South Fork) and two previous head coaches in Bill Wilson (Gifford) and Wayne Griffith (Vero Beach).

Class 4A Top 10 (Nov. 16, 1981)

1. Dunedin (9-0), 2. Panama City-Mosley (9-0), 3. Tampa-King (10-0), Jacksonville-Raines (8-0), 5. Vero Beach (8-1), 6. Miami-Killian (8-1), 7. Deerfield Beach (8-1), 8. Clearwater (8-1), 9. Boyd Anderson (9-1), T10. Bradenton-Manatee (8-1), T10. Orlando-Evans (8-1).

GAME 10: SEMINOLE (Sanford)

REGION 5-4A PLAYOFF

NOV. 27, 1981 | SANFORD

Final Score

Vero Beach 31, Seminole 7

Game recap

Vero Beach (8-2) drove 72 yards in 11 plays to start the game and went on to breeze the Seminoles in the Region 5-4A playoff. Rich Cunningham scored on touchdown runs of 2, 10 and 1 yards as the Fighting Indians earned their 300th all-time victory.

Key plays

• Cunningham, a senior running back, had a 32-yard run on the first drive, which was capped by Anthony Simmons' 1-yard run for a 7-0 lead.
• Robin Yencho kicked a 32-yard field goal and Cunningham added a 2-yard scoring run for a 17-0 second-quarter lead.
• Seminole stayed in it on Lenny Sutton's 1-yard run before halftime, but the defense forced two second-half turnovers to set up easy scores.

Stats that matter

Cunningham pushed his season rushing touchdown total to 16 and went over 500 yards rushing for the season. He finished with a game-high 88 yards on 15 carries. Simmons had 29 yards on 13 carries. Vero Beach's defense limited Seminole to just 95 total yards and forced seven turnovers (four fumbles, three interceptions). The Seminoles (8-3) had 30 runs for 91 and completed 1-of-9 passes for 4 yards ... Seminole fullback Lenny Sutton, who gained 1,009 yards in the regular season, was held to just 41 on 14 carries.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "We stayed with our game plan. They (Seminole) didn't surprise us."

Etc.

Only two passes were completed in the game. Vero Beach's Todd Fennell completed his only pass to Matt Livings, son of the coach, for 19 yards.

Bet you didn't know

The Indians won a first-round game for the second year in a row. Before Billy Livings' arrival as coach, the Indians' only previous playoff game was a 20-14 overtime loss to Oak Ridge (Orlando) in the first round in 1974.

Class 4A regional scores

• Mosley (11-0) 33, Woodham (8-3) 13
• Raines (10-0) 10, Sandalwood (6-5) 7
• Evans (10-1) 14, Manatee (9-2) 13
• Dunedin (11-0) 16, King (10-1) 13
• Vero Beach (9-1) 31, Seminole (8-3) 7
• Deerfield Beach (10-1) 20, Palm Beach Gardens (5-6) 0
• Hialeah (8-2) 35, Miramar (8-3) 0
• Miami Killian (10-1) 35, Miami Jackson (7-3) 0.

GAME 11: DEERFIELD BEACH

SECTION 3-4A PLAYOFF

DEC. 4, 1981 | VERO BEACH

Final Score

Vero Beach 31, Deerfield Beach 13

Game recap

Fullback Rich Cunningham and tailback Tony Barber combined for three touchdown runs and the Fighting Indians' defense did the rest as the Fighting Indians advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals for the second year in a row.

Key plays

• Cunningham, a senior fullback, scored on runs of 9 and 14 yards.
• Barber had a 36-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
• Quarterback Todd Fennell scored on a 3-yard run to cap Vero Beach's first possession.
• A high snap on a Deerfield Beach punt gave the Indians possession at the Bucks' 16 and led to Robin Yencho's 19-yard field goal nine seconds before halftime.
• Deerfield nearly got back in it when Lance Ustick hit David Harden with a 48-yard TD pass in the third quarter, but a Vero Beach fumble recovery at the Deerfield 14 led to Cunningham's second TD.

Stats that matter

Cunningham finished with a game-high 100 yards rushing on 13 carries. Barber had 92 yards on 10 carries. Vero Beach finished with 199 yards rushing, more than five times the 37.6 the Bucks had allowed per game ... Vero Beach's defense forced five turnovers (four interceptions, one fumble), giving the Indians 12 takeaways in two playoff games, and limited Deerfield Beach to 106 total yards 34 rushing on 22 attempts ... Ustick finished 6-of-20 for 72 yards ... Deerfield Beach's 21st interception of the season set up the Bucks' final TD ... Deerfield's Ron Beckett, a 1,000-yard runner in the regular season, had 43 yards on eight carries.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "Game-wise, we played absolutely phenomenal defense. Our offense is getting better and better, and our quarterback (Fennell) is handling himself with great poise and confidence."

Etc.

Vero Beach became the first area team to reach back-to-back state semifinals since Fort Pierce Central in 1970 and 1971. They would reach a third straight semifinal in 1982.

Bet you didn't know

Deerfield Beach had won 10 consecutive games by a combined score of 252-57, including three shutouts ... The Bucks' coaching staff declined to trade game films with Vero Beach.

Class 4A sectional scores

• Mosley (Panama City) (12-0) 41, Raines (Jacksonville) (10-1) 7
• Dunedin (12-0) 13, Evans (Orlando) (10-2) 7
• Vero Beach (10-1) 31, Deerfield Beach (10-2) 13
• Miami Killian (11-1) 35, Hialeah (8-3) 0

GAME 12: KILLIAN (Miami)

CLASS 4A STATE SEMIFINAL 

DEC. 11, 1981 | MIAMI

Final score

Vero Beach 10, Miami Killian 6

Game recap

In one of the great defensive struggles in playoff history, the Fighting Indians used a blocked punt and an interception to set up both scores and become the second team in Treasure Coast history to advance to the Class 4A state championship game.

Key plays

• After a scoreless first half, the Indians took charge when Bobby Toomey's blocked punt led to Robin Yencho's 34-yard field goal in the third quarter.
• TIm Bell's interception squelched a Killian threat in the first quarter.
• After Yencho's field goal, the Cougars moved to the Vero Beach 10. Three runs pushed the ball to the 1, but halfback Sheddrick Williams was stopped for no gain on fourth down.
• Will Hill returned an intercepted pass 29 yards to the Killian 18, and senior fullback Rich Cunningham scored on an 18-yard run one play later for a 10-0 lead with 1:15 left.
• Following the score, Vero Beach squib-kicked, but the ball traveled just 12 yards and the Indians were penalized 15 yards for piling on. A pass interference penalty moved the ball to the Indians 24 and Killian QB Reggie Sutton scored on a 24-yard run around left end.
• Vero Beach recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

Stats that matter

Cunningham rushed for 101 yards on 23 carries, accounting for all but 9 yards of Vero Beach's offense. He scored his team-high 19th touchdown of the season ... Sutton finished with 171 yards on 21 carries ... Vero Beach's defense had three takeaways including its 21st and 22nd interceptions of the season for a three-game playoff total of 15.

Sound bite

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "Never ever ever ever have such a little bunch of urchins sucked up their innards and given so much. More than anything on this earth, this football team wanted to bring a state championship effort to Vero Beach. We think it is the greatest thing in the world to have the opportunity to play before the greatest community anywhere."

Etc.

Killian had blanked nine of 11 previous opponents and had not allowed a score in 10 playoff quarters before Yencho's field goal.

Bet you didn't know

This was Vero Beach's first win on Miami-Dade County soil since a 12-7 decision over Palmetto in 1961.

Class 4A state semifinal scores

• Mosley (Panama City) (12-1) 36, Dunedin (12-1) 13;
• Vero Beach (11-1) 10, Miami Killian (11-2) 6

GAME 13: MOSLEY (Panama City)

CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

DEC. 18, 1981 | VERO BEACH

Final score

Vero Beach 10, Mosley 7

Game recap

Anthony Simmons' 4-yard touchdown run with 7:42 to play erases a 7-3 deficit and Vero Beach defense gets a fumble recovery in the final minute to complete the Fighting Indians' 55-year, 533-game odyssey from 1927 football rookie to 1981 Class 4A state champion. The win snapped Mosley's 20-game winning streak.

Key plays

• Hits from safety Will Hill and defensive tackle Willie Harris forced a fumble from Mosley's Patrick Miller, and Vero Beach's Bobby Toomey recovered at the Vero Beach 25 with less than 40 seconds to play. Quarterback Todd Fennell took a knee to end it.
• Eric Barkett's 46-yard field goal three minutes into the game gave the Indians a 3-0 lead. Mosley's Louis Berry had a 45-yard field goal hit the crossbar with 8:24 left in the first half. Vero Beach's Robin Yencho missed a 34-yarder 3:10 before halftime and Barkett missed on a 57-yard try to end the first half.
• Miller's interception set up a 64-yard, 10-play drive. Miller had a 28-yard run that helped set up quarterback John Little's 1-yard TD run with 2:05 left in the third quarter.
• Vero Beach answered with a 12-play, 74-yard drive capped by Simmons' 4-yard TD run.

Stats that matter

Senior fullback Rich Cunningham had 10 carries for 59 yards to finish the season with a team-high 827 ... Fennell was 7-of-13 for 66 yards and one interception ... Vero Beach had a 221-179 edge in total yards ... Vero Beach's defense had two takeaways to finish the playoffs with 17 and the season with 39 ... Mosley tailback Clarence Edwards, who gained 1,487 yards in 12 previous games, managed just 19 yards on nine carries ... Little completed 10-of-17 passes for 67 yards to finish with 984 for the season. For the season, opposing quarterbacks completed 69-of-194 passes ... Vero Beach finished the season with 23 interceptions, Mosley 21.

Sound bites

Vero Beach coach Billy Livings: "It's hard to pick out any one person, but our quarterback, Todd Fennell, ran the triple option beautifully and threw the ball well," Vero Beach coach Billy Livings said. "He went nose-to-nose with a 6-3, 205-pound, 9.8 running quarterback (Little) being recruited by everybody and came out on top. God made Little a great physical specimen. Little Todd Fennell had to take his brain and outwit the big, bad wolf."

Linebacker Bob Toomey (on the game-winning fumble recovery): "I saw the ball pop out and saw it lying there and I thought I would try to pick it up and run with it, Then I said, 'No, I'll just be sure and get it.'"

Etc.

Vero Beach debuted with a 13-0 loss at Okeechobee in 1927 ... The Fighting Indians improved to 6-1 in playoff games under Livings ... Mosley (13-1) had outscored 13 previous opponents 348-81 ... Vero Beach (12-1) outscored opponents 259-79 in 13 games ... Other season stat leaders: Tony Barber, 99 carries, 456 yards, 3 TDs; Anthony Simmons, 92 carries, 395 yards, 7 TDs; Todd Fennell, 50 of 99, 469 yards; Mark Bellamy, 21 catches, 240 yards; Matt Livings, 12 catches, 108 yards.

Kodak moment

After showering and dressing, Vero Beach senior flanker Mark Bellamy, who caught four passes for 44 yards, walked back to the Citrus Bowl field to savor the moment one last time. "He's worked so hard for three years," said teary-eyed Vero Beach principal John B. Witt, who hugged Bellamy as he left the field. "To see him go back out there and walk on the field again and to pick up a handful of sand and look at it, that's a story. It tears me up."

Alumni assistance

Former Fighting Indians player Gary Parris, now a longtime radio analyst on Vero Beach games, was brought in by Livings to design plays that would work against Mosley's man-to-man secondary.

Bet you didn't know?

his was the 19th year of the state playoffs, the 14th year since the state went to four classes in 1968. Vero Beach became the second (and, to now, last) Treasure Coast team to win a state championship. Fort Pierce Central won Class 4A under coach Calvin Triplett in 1971.

Previous big-school state champions

1963-1964: Coral Gables; 1965: Miami; 1966: Melbourne; 1967-1968: Coral Gables; 1969: Leon (Tallahassee); 1970: Miami Edison; 1971: Fort Pierce Central; 1972: Merritt Island; 1973: Hollywood Hills; 1974: Leon; 1975: Hialeah Miami Lakes; 1976: Godby (Tallahassee); 1977: Miami Carol City; 1978-1979: Merritt Island; 1980: Tate (Gonzalez).

4A ALL-STATE

Six Vero Beach players earned all-state honors in Class 4A

First team: DL Terry Green, DB Duane Drisdom

Second team: RB Rich Cunningham, DB Will Hill, DL Willie Harris

Honorable mention: QB Todd Fennell