BELLE GLADE — The Glades Central Raiders hadn’t really been tested this season. They dominated every opponent they’ve faced in 2020.

Throughout the regular season the Raiders won every game by nearly 40 points. But when the defending state champion Booker T. Washington Tornadoes came to town, you had the feeling it wouldn’t be quite that easy.

The Tornadoes lived up to their reputation and gave the Raiders their first real taste of adversity this season, but Glades Central prevailed and won 16-13.

“We knew we were playing the defending state champions,” said Raiders coach Rashad Jackson. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. The boys fought like champions. I’ve been telling them that you have to act like a champion before you become a champion. That’s what they did. They beat the defending state champions through a lot of adversity.”

The Raiders were trailing 13-9 with less than four minutes remaining in the game. Then, on a fourth down and two, senior running back Jaheim Humphries burst through the Tornado defensive line and ran for a 54-yard touchdown to put Glades Central up 16-13.

Glades Central had nearly took the lead earlier in the fourth quarter, when senior Desmond Washington attempted to dive in the end zone from a yard out. But the ball came loose and was recovered in the end zone by the Tornadoes. That was one of five turnovers the Booker T. defense forced during the game.

Booker T. put themselves in a position to win the game in the final minutes. Lined up in the red zone, the Tornadoes’ quarterback scrambled out left searching for a recoverer in the end zone. But his pass attempt was picked off near the goal line by Glades Central senior Keontey Fowler, securing the victory for the Raiders.

Awaiting Glades Central in the next round of the playoff are the Dillard Panthers. The Panthers are coming off a dominating 49-6 win over the Pahokee Blue Devils. Dillard is undefeated this year and will be another tough test for the Raiders.

The Raiders travel to face the Panthers on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.