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Baker Mayfield-Backed Florida High School Football Team Won State Championship

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby: Lawrence Fernandez11/21/24lawandfern
Space Coast Vipers - Florida High School Football
Space Coast Vipers football team practice in Port St. John. (© TIM SHORTT/ FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK)

In addition to making a difference for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield helped a Florida high school football team achieve their championship dreams. Cocoa’s Space Coast Vipers made the most of Mayfield’s generosity by winning the Sunshine State Athletic Association Class 1A title against the Bell Bulldogs.

It’s a massive transformation for a squad that finished 1-8 last year and won only 14 games from 2018 to 2023. However, before embarking on their triumphant journey, re-hired Vipers head coach Jake Owens discovered the poor quality of his team’s helmets.

This plight prompted one of the player’s parents to approach the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation for assistance. The couple responded by donating $17,900 worth of equipment. In an article by ESPN’s Jenna Laine, the donation comprised Riddell SpeedFlex helmets and various protective pads.

The football equipment instilled renewed enthusiasm and a competitive drive within the Vipers. Using their new gear, Space Coast clinched the program’s highest single-season victory total with ten. That count includes five shutout wins.

More importantly, the Vipers also clinched the first three postseason victories in the program’s history. Before defeating the Bell Bulldogs for the title, Space Coast carved a 21-19 win over Umatilla in the semifinals.

It was a team effort, as Christopher McDonel had 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Dee Parker added 117 receiving yards, and Christian Burt added another rushing score. On defense, Cameron Walker had two sacks and three tackles for losses.

Meanwhile, Florida Today’s Chasite Banks reported that McDonel paced the Vipers in the championship game by scoring two rushing touchdowns. Space Coast added a third when Zion Sandy found Dee Parker for a 42-yard TD pass in the third quarter. While Bell trimmed the lead to one possession with six minutes left, the Vipers defense stopped the Bulldogs in the final drive to preserve a 21-14 victory.

Baker Mayfield Responds to Space Coast’s Florida High School Football Triumph

As posted by Yahoo Sports on X (formerly Twitter), a media member solicited Mayfield’s response to the Vipers’ success. However, the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner deflected the praise to Space Coast’s players and coaches. Mayfield said:

“Just being able to give back and then seeing that turnaround, all we did was get some helmets, and they did the rest. They turned it around. They believed in it, and that’s what football’s all about. It teaches you life lessons, how to handle adversity, how to deal with it, and how to push forward. Congrats to them. It’s pretty special.”

As the Vipers complete their season, it’s their turn to cheer for Mayfield and the Buccaneers through weekly watch parties.