QB scores a first
Holly Neher is first girl to start for a high school team.
Hollywood Hills High School junior quarterback Holly Neher gets a pass off to teammate Dwayne Bender despite heavy pressure from Pompano Beach defenders on Friday night at Cooper City High School. Neher became the first girl to start at quarterback in Broward County history. She bounced back from a negated TD pass on the opening play to throw another one three plays later. Hollywood Hills went on to win 51-27.
COOPER CITY — Hollywood Hills junior quarterback Holly Neher made history Friday night as she became the first girl quarterback to start a varsity football game in Broward County.
Neher started the team’s 51-27 win over Pompano Beach High School at Cooper City High School in style as she found senior receiver Alexander Shelton in the flat on the first play from scrimmage and he did the rest as the play went for 85 yards and a score.
The TD was whistled back for a holding penalty; however, it didn’t stop her from teaming up again with Shelton for a 67-yard score and a 7-0 lead with 7:20 remaining in the first quarter.
“It was amazing [to start],” said Neher, who is only the second girl in the 51-year history of her 2,000-student high school to play on the varsity football team, according to the school’s assistant principal Erin Brown. “It was a huge accomplishment.”
Neher was perfect on her first five passes in the first quarter for 126 yards. She led the Spartans (1-2) to two first-half scores.
“Like everything else that me and my team has done on the practice field and then coming out here and showing what we could do,” Neher added. “It was a little upsetting to have that first touchdown called back, but you brush it off, come back and do it again.”
Earlier this season, Neher made national headlines when she became the first girl in Broward County — and possibly all of Florida — to throw for a touchdown.
The 5-foot, 2-inch quarterback came off the bench and connected with Shelton on a 42-yard, fourth quarter score in a 21-7 loss to Hallandale, has since been featured in USA Today, ESPN’s SportsCenter and ABC’s Good Morning America among others.
Spartans first-year head coach Brandon Graham liked what he saw in his female signal caller.
“The first score got called back and that is what is special about her and this team,” Graham said. “No one hung their heads and we kept coming back. It is a really unique quality that she has. You saw that smile and the game is fun to her and that is one of the things you can always expect out of her.”
Hills freshman Emile Bien-Aime came in for the third series and found junior Cameron Owens streaking behind the Tornadoes secondary for a 13-0 lead.
Pompano Beach (0-3) trimmed the deficit to 13-7 on a 61-yard run from senior Brian Campbell. Bien-Aime made it 20-7 on a 65-yard scoring toss to Shelton before Pompano Beach’s senior Andrew Putney connected with senior Andre Francis to pull within 20-13. — Gary Curreri
KING’S ACADEMY 49, NORTH BROWARD PREP 3: Cory Croteau and Drew Monaco each returned interceptions for touchdowns in the first half to lead the Lions past the Eagles in Coconut Creek.
King’s Academy (3-0) had five takeaways (three interceptions and two fumbles), converting four of them into touchdowns.
Croteau returned his interception 29 yards for a score on the Eagles’ first possession, giving the Lions an early 14-0 lead. On North Broward Prep’s next possession, Croteau recovered fumble to set up Dillon Larson’s 4-yard run.
Monaco then returned an interception 34 yards for a TD early in the second quarter, giving the Lions a 28-0 lead.
“We scored on special teams, our defense scored two touchdowns and put us in great field position for two more,” King’s Academy coach Keith Allen said. “Coach Ron Lee and that defense did a great job... the kids did a phenomenal job and I’m proud of their effort.”
With the game already well in hand for King’s Academy, Jeremiah Scroggins returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter for the game’s final points. Quarterback Justin Wake added 81 yards rushing and two touchdowns for the Lions. — J. Darin Darst