You couldn't blame Cocoa for simply enjoying just being in the Class 4A State Championship Game.

Considering the Tigers had lost five-straight state semifinals the previous seasons, getting to Orlando was a big accomplishment.

Cocoa didn't look just content to be there. They looked primed to claim their first state championship since 2010.

Javian Hawkins 75-yard touchdown run on the fourth play of the game set a tone. The Tigers rode that tone to a 31-17 victory over Jacksonville Bolles and the 4A state title.

"Coach said don't just be happy to be here," Cocoa quarterback Bruce Judson said. "We don't settle for silver, so we got the gold."

Cocoa's ground game proved to be too much for the Bulldogs. Cocoa rushed for 425 yards. In the first half alone, the Tigers ground game accounted for all of its yards with 293.

Tigers senior running back Lasedrick King followed Hawkins score with a 10-yard touchdown run with 3:55 to go in the first quarter.

Bolles finally answered midway through the second when E.J. Porter connected with Mac Jones for a five-yard score, a drive kept alive by Porter with a 20-yard run on fourth down.

Cocoa answered right back with USF commit Judson's 75-yard run to extend the Tigers lead to 21-7.

"Preparation and focus, we had to refocus after playing a big game against Booker T. (Washington)," Judson said. "It was time for us to get back to what we've been like in '08 and '09. You can see we got the job done."

Now to be out shined by the offense, Cocoa's defense starred in its own right. The defense bowed up holding Bolles to 75 first-half yards to help them take a 24-7 lead.

The Tigers biggest stand came in the third quarter. Down by 14 in the third quarter, Bolles was trying to battle back. Amari Terry's 24-yard run was aided by a facemask penalty against Cocoa to get the Bulldogs into the red zone. The Tigers defense came up big stop for a turnover on downs.

On the ensuing possession, King ripped off another long touchdown run (73 yards) to help extend Cocoa's lead to 21 points.

Cocoa coach John Wilkinson teared up after the game, struck by the emotions of being a state champion again. He admitted that he probably didn't enjoy the three-straight titles from 2008-10 as much as he should have.

So this time, he soaked it all in.

"It's about time that we did it," Wilkinson said. "We just showed that we persevere and that we finished the mission."