_{November 21, 2025}
by Jake Lazar
Miami, Fla. | “Panthers Claw Past Explorers”

Florida Man Sports is back with coverage of the 2025 FHSAA Playoffs! Friday night, we had a matchup between the Columbus Explorers and the Palmetto Panthers. Columbus started the season with five straight losses, but rallied late in the season against district opponents to make the playoffs. For the Panthers, this has been one of their most successful years in recent memory, coming into the matchup at 9-2 and as the No. 1 seed in their region for the 7A bracket. Earlier in  the season, in week 4, Palmetto defeated Columbus 24-21. This rematch had all the makings of a good one.

​Columbus won the coin toss and elected to defer, so Palmetto took the field to begin the game. Early on, Columbus was shooting themselves in the foot defensively, as they kept coming up with good plays, but two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties kept the chains moving for the Panthers. Later in the drive, 2027 RB Aiden Butler popped a 17-yard rush to the 5, then finished the drive the play after with a touchdown run. Palmetto drew first blood, but a blocked PAT meant 6-0 Panthers to start.

​Columbus punted on their first drive, but after a tipped pass over the middle, the Explorers came up with an interception in Palmetto territory. However, Columbus only came away with three after having amazing field position. In the first quarter, Palmetto’s defense was swarming on every ball carrier and laid a few big hits on 2027 QB Kingston Rust, who had to exit the game with an injury. The quarter came to a close, and the score was 6-3 in favor of Palmetto.

​Both teams then traded punts, but on Columbus’s punt, there was a bad snap, but it was recovered by the Explorer punter, who had great awareness and punted it short to the 22. Although it was a bad result, the game-sense play by the punter avoided a safety or a potential defensive touchdown for Palmetto. However, the Panthers wasted no time with the field position as 2026 QB Andre Bailey connected with 2026 WR Conneilus “CJ” Miller Jr. and Eastern Michigan commit for a 13-yard completion to the five. Then, Aiden Butler got into the endzone for a second time on a crafty speed option play down the left sideline. 13-3 Panthers.

​For the last touchdown of the second half, the Explorers marched down the field, and 2026 RB Shawn James punched it in from the five to cut Palmetto’s lead to three. At the end of the half, the score was 13-10, Palmetto.

​Columbus received the ball to begin the half, but punted it away to the Panthers. Two big completions brought Palmetto to the five-yard line. The first was a 20-yard catch to midfield from 2026 WR Willie Wilson, and the second was a 30-yard completion over the middle to Conneilus Miller Jr. Everyone at Tropical Park Stadium knew what was coming next, as Aiden Butler capped off the drive with a 4-yard rushing touchdown: a Hat-Trick for #2. 20-10 was the score after three quarters.

​Columbus punted away, and it started to feel like the game was getting out of reach for the Explorers. That feeling was confirmed as Adien Butler ripped through Columbus’s defense and sped past everyone in the secondary for a 75-yard dagger and his fourth touchdown in the game. The score was 27-10, and that was the final score as the Palmetto Panthers defeated the Columbus Explorers. The Panthers were in the red zone with two minutes left, but the lights went out in Tropical Park, and they called the game then: a true black out theme game for Palmetto.

​Palmetto’s Aiden Butler is Columbus’s nightmare, as he had six total touchdowns in the two games he met them, and four, along with the dagger in the Round 2 playoff game to end their season. He earned Florida Man Sports Player of the Game in both matchups. Moreover, Palmetto’s defense was everywhere that night, playing with a “see ball, get ball” mentality led by 2026 DB Marko Fernandez with 7 TKLS, 1 SCK, and 5 PBUs, 2026 OLB Jaiden Henry with 5 TKLS, 1 SCK, and 2 TFLs, and 2026 DB Kevin “Mike” White with 5 TKLS and 1 TFL. The Palmetto Panthers reach ten total wins on the season and will face the Barbara Goleman Gators in the 7A Regional Final to get into the State Semifinal.

​Columbus finishes their season with a record of 4-8 and will have a long offseason to reset after finishing with a record below their standard. We’ll see how they bounce back next season.

​
FINAL SCORE:
Miami Palmetto beats Christopher Columbus 27-10

Florida Man Sports Player of the Game: 2027 RB Aiden Butler (4 TDs and a 75-yard DAGGER)

About Jake Lazar:
Jake Lazar is a beat writer covering high school football for Florida Man Sports. Lazar is a Junior at Miami Palmetto Senior High, involved in TV Production, and has previously written for sports blog FL Teams.