Coral Glades Pulls Off Miraculous Comeback to Defeat Nova 26-25 on Final Play

by Matt Rothman September 18, 2026

by Matt Rothman September 18, 2026 2 minutes read

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Coral Glades celebrates alongside their cheerleaders after win against Nova High School. {Matt Rothman}

With three seconds remaining and the ball at their own 30-yard line, Coral Glades needed a miracle.

Seconds later, the Jaguars completed one of the most incredible comebacks in program history, pulling out a thrilling 26-25 victory over Nova High School on Thursday night.

“We asked for one more chance, and we got one more chance,” Head Coach Rocco Casullo said. “I am so proud of these guys. They are a resilient bunch and showed a lot of heart.”

The comeback began when Coral Glades made a fourth-down stop to regain possession. Kayo De Rezende, who did not start the game as quarterback, entered late and connected with McKendrick Thomas on a long pass.

Thomas was brought down by a horse-collar tackle, giving the Jaguars one final untimed play following the penalty. De Rezende took advantage, finding Ray Jean Baptiste for the walk-off touchdown.

“I told my coaches to give me the ball,” Jean Baptiste said. “I would do anything for my team and my coaches. I couldn’t lose to them again, and I got the ball and scored.”

Coral Glades got off to a shaky start, having two touchdowns called back on its opening drive before missing a field goal. The Jaguars eventually fell behind 12-0 but rallied to take a 14-12 lead into halftime.

Kayo De Rezende drops back to pass against Nova High School. {Matt Rothman}

Isaac Hilaire scored the team’s first touchdown on an end-around before quarterback Channing Casey connected with Hilaire for a passing touchdown, giving Coral Glades a two-point advantage.

Nova responded with two touchdowns in the second half, while the Jaguars missed another field goal. However, De Rezende sparked the comeback with a 70-yard touchdown before delivering the game-winning pass on the final play.

“I want to thank everyone who believes in us and even the people that doubted us,” Abraham Gray Jr. said. “That pushed us to be better.”

The Jaguars previously defeated North Broward Prep for their first win of the season and will look to build on their dramatic victory when they face Spanish River Community High School on Friday, September 25, at 7 p.m. The Sharks are 2-2 this season and defeated Coral Glades 21-0 in their lone meeting last season.

Abraham Gray Jr celebrates following Coral Glades’ victory over Nova High School. {Matt Rothman}

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Matt Rothman

Matt Rothman is a 2018 graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University receiving his bachelor’s degree in journalism and then graduated from the University of Florida as a graduate student.