- April 18, 2024
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Coach Blake Hillman bear hugs head coach Robert Ripley after the play clock expired.
Players hoist Devin Mathews who closed the game with an interception to send Matanzas to the playoffs. Photos by Jeff Dawsey
Kwentel Moultrie was ecstatic, after sacking the quarterback on fourth down.
Philip Moultrie finished with 119 rushing yards and a score against Deltona.
Ripley was well pleased with the Pirates' effort at the end of the game.
The Matanzas Pirates football program began in 2006. After nine consecutive losing seasons, the Pirates turned their fortunes around last year, and now they'll go ever further — to the playoffs.
So, how did Matanzas get to this point. Three years ago, Robert Ripley became the new head coach. Like the other seasons, his team struggled to regular games and district contests. Last season, the Pirates surprised everyone, but an 8-2 season wasn't good enough.
Getting back to work this year, Matanzas repeated its 5-0 start. After a blowout loss to Mainland, the Pirates uncharacteristally — according to their new selves — dropped a second straight game to Pine Ridge, putting them in a play-in game scenario for the second straight season against Deltona. The Wolves took last year's game to reach the playoffs for the first time in their history.
This past Friday, Matanzas edged Deltona 17-14 for its first ever playoff berth.
"It's a little overwhelming right now," an emotional Ripley said after the game. "We've put in a lot of work, and time, did some good and bad things, but this group of kids just wouldn't stop. These kids are going to get old and come back to this place, and there's going to be a banner that'll let everybody know that this group did it first."
Pirates junior Devin Mathews caught a 78-yard touchdown pass to give the Pirates the lead in the third quarter, but he made the biggest play of the game — and in Matanzas football history — by intercepting a pass that closed out the game.
"I left everything I had out there on the field for our seniors and the upcoming classes that's going to play football here," Mathews said.
On getting the game-clinching interception, Mathews said, "When my dad (coach Don Mathews) told me to cover No. 8 (Blake Hinson) for the rest of the game, I knew I had to get something done. And, when they finally threw it to him, I knew I was going to get it."
DID YOU KNOW? Matanzas becomes the sixth Flagler County football team to advance to the postseason. All of the others have come from Flagler Palm Coast.
Looking ahead: The Pirates will play Sebastian River in the first round of the playoffs at 7 p.m. Nov. 4, at Sebastian River.
