12/15/2012 - ORLANDO, FL - BY ANDRE C. FERNANDEZ, The Miami Herald -   Cypress Bay’s offense flourished, but two penalties — plus one non-call — sealed the Lightning’s fate against Apopka on Saturday.

One by one, Cypress Bay coach Mark Guandolo walked up to each of his players as they were sprawled on the Citrus Bowl field Saturday night.  He tried consoling them. He then tried to pick them up off the ground.  But nothing could shake the feeling of heartbreak or the despondent attitude of a team that felt like a state championship was ripped away in a 53-50 loss to Apopka in the Class 8A state final — which was one of the highest-scoring games in finals history.

"This was a hell of a game, something you want to be involved with,” said Guandolo, who became the first coach in state history to coach his third different team in the state finals. “Our kids, I’m just so proud of them. We kept fighting. That’s what we train for to finish the games and play hard in the fourth quarter. You hate to lose one like this."

Two controversial roughing the passer penalties, plus a pass interference non-call that stirred up more feelings of injustice from Cypress Bay, nullified key defensive stops and ultimately sealed the outcome in a back-and-forth game in which both teams combined for 103 points — third-highest in state final history.

Not long after his spectacular one-handed touchdown catch to put the Lightning ahead 50-46, Cypress Bay receiver/defensive back Alex Montgomery felt he sealed the game when he intercepted Apopka quarterback Zack Darlington with 3:31 remaining in the fourth.  The play, however, was nullified when the officials called Cypress Bay for roughing the passer when Griffin Jossfolk put his hands on Darlington after the throw.

"I was just trying to get an explanation," Guandolo said. "They called a late hit on the quarterback. It was during the play. They just threw it late, the flag came out late."  It was the second such penalty that nullified a key defensive stop by the Lightning’s defense.             continued >>

- Coach Guandolo Made His Mark On Jon Beason

by Josh Darrow - Editor-In-Chief
SouthFloridaHighSchoolSports.com

Lightning Alumni Under Coach Guandolo Playing in College

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