In a heart-stopping thriller that will be remembered for years to come, the Zephyrhills Bulldogs capped off their perfect regular season with a 49–48 victory over Port Charlotte on Senior Night — a game filled with offensive fireworks, emotional moments, and a final defensive stand that sealed the win.
The matchup between two top-10 Class 4A teams lived up to every bit of the hype. What began as a scoreless first quarter turned into an offensive explosion that saw 97 total points on the board by the final whistle.
Zephyrhills quarterback Patrick Harding delivered a career performance, throwing six touchdown passes, while wide receiver Sanyiin Black hauled in three of them and added a fumble recovery that helped fuel the Bulldogs’ comeback.
Port Charlotte struck first in the second quarter with a one-yard touchdown run by Elias Pearl, before Harding answered with a 53-yard bomb to Kingston McCullough. The Pirates took a 14–7 lead on a 63-yard strike of their own, but Harding connected with Black from 20 yards out just before halftime, cutting the deficit to 14–13.
The second half turned into a roller coaster. A bad Zephyrhills snap on a punt and a strip return for a touchdown quickly put Port Charlotte up 28–13, but the Bulldogs refused to fold. After a defensive stand and a fake punt gone wrong by the Pirates, Harding found Black again for a 20-yard score, then hit Quinton Single for a two-point conversion. Moments later, Black’s fumble recovery set up Roe Miller’s four-yard touchdown run, tying the game 28–28.
Port Charlotte regained the lead twice more — including a late touchdown run by quarterback Logan Flaherty — but Harding and his offense kept answering. With under four minutes left, Harding connected with Black on a 65-yard strike to tie it at 42–42. Then, with 1:58 remaining, he found McCullough again — this time for an 82-yard touchdown that gave Zephyrhills a 49–42 lead.
The Pirates made one final push, as Pearl scored his fourth touchdown of the night with just 26 seconds left to make it 49–48. Port Charlotte elected to go for the win with a two-point conversion — but the Zephyrhills defense rose to the occasion, stuffing the attempt and erupting the home crowd in celebration.
With the dramatic victory, the Bulldogs finish the regular season 10–0, their second perfect season under Carroll and their fifth straight district championship year.
The win carried special meaning for Coach Carroll, who dedicated the season to his late uncle, Jim Blood, who passed away in August.
“We went 10–0,” Carroll said, tears streaming down his face. “This was for him. This is really special.”
“Those kids are resilient,” he added. “We come from all different backgrounds, but we played together as a team and never gave up. I’m really proud of them.”
As fireworks lit up the sky over Bulldog Stadium and players embraced their families on Senior Night, one thing was clear — Zephyrhills’ undefeated season wasn’t just about football. It was about heart, unity, and the unbreakable spirit of a team that refused to quit.