Explorers Dominate in Preseason Shutout vs Miramar After the Annual Alumni Tailgate
- Mark Tanner
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Mark Tanner
In its preseason matchup against Miramar on August 13th, the Explorers dominated on both sides of the ball, earning a 21-0 shutout win.
Before kickoff, Columbus alumni returned to campus for a tailgate, where they came together to reconnect and support their alma mater. Food trucks and sponsor tents filled the area as alumni and fans prepared for the game. CCNN Live was also out there with its third annual Live Ship Gameday edition (similar to ESPN's College Gameday) setup, covering the excitement surrounding this game.
The tailgate gave alumni the chance to return to the place where their own Friday night football memories were made.
" The beauty of history reliving itself all over again. It's incredible how we come here, participating in the tailgate, running into our old classmates and teammates. It's incredible how you feel when you walk onto the campus," said Columbus alum Juan Pablo Silva '83.
"One of my favorite memories of football games here was when we were the 1st team to play Belen. We ended up winning 21-7. I will never forget that game, it was crazy." said Juan Gonzalez '07
As the tailgate ended, fans made their way towards the bleachers and the attention shifted to the field.
Columbus put up 21 points on the board while its defense locked up Miramar and kept them off the scoreboard. One of the biggest stars of the night was five-star University of Miami commit A'Mir Sears.
Sears made an impact on both offense and defense, showing his two-way skills as both a WR and CB. On offense, he scored a receiving touchdown. But his biggest impact wasn't just on one side of the ball. Defensively, Sears recorded two sacks and multiple tackles, making life difficult for the Miramar offense. His performance showed exactly why he is one of our biggest playmakers this season.
However, the night was not only about Sears.
The Columbus defense put together a stellar performance from beginning to end. The unit consistently made stops and prevented Miramar from getting close to the red zone.
"I feel like we came together as a team to work together to dominate, but there are things we still need to work on," Trenten Miller, freshman varsity running back said.
The preseason victory gave fans an early look at what this year's Explorers could bring to the field: explosive players, a strong defense and a team not scared of making big plays on both sides of the ball.
" I am definitely excited for all our players, especially A'mir Sears comes to mind. I'm looking forward to a great season. I definitely want to see us go all the way to states and win." said Robert Caminas '98.
From the alumni tailgate before the game to Sears' dominant two-way performance and the defense's shutout, this football game brought together former and current Explorers to celebrate the beginning of another season. And if this opener was any indication, the Explorers are ready to turn some heads and make some noise this season.
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