P.B. Central edges Seminole
LOXAHATCHEE — Palm Beach Central junior running back CJ Stewart had a go-ahead 6-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter as the Broncos handed host Seminole Ridge its first loss with an 8-3 victory in a District 9-8A contest.
The Broncos (5-2) were able to overcome two firsthalf touchdowns that were negated due to penalties as they erased a 3-0 deficit after three quarters.
“Our defense is fast and physical and played fundamentally sound,” Palm Beach Central coach Tino Ierulli said. “They were in the right position and made plays.”
Seminole Ridge (6-1) committed four turnovers in the loss, including two interceptions and a forced fumble by Akeem Dent, a junior and Florida State commit.
Daniel Freire connected on a 27-yard field goal as the Hawks took a 3-0 lead with 27 seconds left in the first half.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Broncos trailed 3-0 entering the fourth quarter. They were aided by a defensive pass-interference penalty and a long run by Stewart to set-up first-and-goal.
Stewart powered up the middle for a 6-yard TD run with 11:13 left in the fourth. Dent bounced to the outside and made a diving leap for the two-point conversion to give the Broncos an 8-3 lead.
DWYER 42, FOREST HILL 22: The Panthers scored on their first two possessions in Riveria Beach en route to ending the Falcons winning streak
Dwyer running back Bobby Ames scored on a 15-yard run early in the first quarter, capping off a fiveplay drive.
At the end of first quarter, Cedrick Tucker scored on a 2-yard run. Panther Reggie Gadsen added another TD on a 10-yard run at the 2:17 mark of the first half to put Dwyer (4-2, 3-1) up 21-0 at the half.
The Falcons (5-1, 2-1) offense never crossed the 50-yard line in the first half.
The third quarter was filled with fireworks as both teams scored a pair of touchdowns. After Dwyer turned the ball over on downs on its first secondhalf drive, Forest Hill took possession and marched 60 yards to the end zone.
This Falcons’ drive was concluded by quarterback Darius McClendon’s 21-yard TD run. On the Panthers’ next drive, a fumble by Dwyer’s Cephus Smith at the Panthers’ 38-yard line was recovered by the Falcons.
Just over a minute later, Forest Hill’s Bry’yon Jones scored from the 12-yard line. Trailing 21-14, that’s as close Forest Hill got.
On Dwyer’s next drive, Ames scored from the 2. After the kickoff and on their next play from scrimmage, the back-breaking moment of the game took place for Forest Hill, when the Falcons’ Jones fumbled the ball at his own 20-yard line. The ball was scooped up by Dwyer’s Carl Willis, who ran the ball for a TD.