Unbeaten Dillard nips Columbus

Facing its toughest test of the season, Dillard scored the game-winning touchdown on a 65-yard run by Leonard Shoultz and withstood a late charge by Miami Columbus to post a 21-20 win Friday in a non-district game at Dillard and remain undefeated on the season.

With both teams matching scoring drives late in the game, Columbus scored with 16 seconds to play on Xavier Henderson’s third touchdown catch but missed the extrapoint kick. The Explorers recovered the ensuing onsides kick but could only muster a potential gamewinning field-goal attempt from midfield which was unsuccessful.

Shoultz’s run came with 7:45 left to play on the Panthers (9-0) first play from scrimmage after the Explorers (4-4) scored on a four-play, 80-yard drive to tie the game at 14. Shoultz finished the game with 81 yards rushing with all but one yard coming in the second half.

The game’s first touchdown came with 4:41 left in the third quarter. The Panthers, ranked sixth in Class 6A by the Associated Press, scored on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Zamir Jones to Raphael Williams. However, the Explorers marched right down the field to score less than a minute and half later to tie the game back up at 7 on Henderson’s 3-yard touchdown catch. Jones finished with 178 yards passing with a pair of touchdowns.

Gulliver decisively hands Calvary Christian first loss: Amin Hassan scored two touchdowns — on receptions of 59 and 54 yards — as Gulliver Prep pulled away from Calvary Christian Academy 35-7 in Fort Lauderdale to hand the Eagles their first loss of the season.

Anton Hall added 123 yards rushing and a score as the Raiders improved to 8-0.

Leading 21-7, Gabriel Taylor returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown on Calvary’s opening series of the second half to give the Raiders a three-score lead. Jonathan Lane intercepted a pass and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown for the Eagles (8-1) lone score.

Heritage coasts behind Rhodes’ 5 1st-half TD passes: Edwin Rhodes threw for five first-half touchdowns as American Heritage methodically dismantled American Collegiate Academy 64-13.

Heritage’s Carlson Joseph started the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter to make it 7-0.

After a Pioneers touchdown run trimmed the lead to 7-6, Rhodes tossed his first scoring strike of the game to Vinson Davis, a 17-yard pass, to make it 14-6.

On the opening play of the second quarter, Rhodes tossed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Douglas Emilien for a 21-6 lead.

Williams carries Blanche Ely by Creek: Blanche Ely senior quarterback Jevon Williams is a three-time state champion hurdler and he put his legs to good use as he scored twice in the first half to lead the Tigers to a come-from-behind 28-16 win over visiting Coconut Creek.

Williams scored on two 6-yard runs to rally the Tigers (7-1) from an early, 9-0 deficit in the non-district game. Williams carried 11 times for 135 yards and three scores and threw for 100 yards as Blanche Ely won for the fifth straight game.

The Tigers took a 21-16 lead with 3:22 remaining in the first half when Shomari Lawrance scored on a 13-yard run to cap a 9-play, 63-yard drive.

The Tigers capitalized on an interception by Antonio McBride and Williams padded the lead when he scrambled for a 59-yard scoring run with 8:49 remaining in the third quarter for a 28-16 lead.

Coconut Creek (4-4) got on the scoreboard first on a safety when Blanche Ely punter Schneider Etienne had his knee touch down in the end zone as he was attempting to punt the ball for a 2-0 Cougars’ lead.

Coconut Creek scored on its opening offensive series when Cedrick Bennett hit Damien Heller on a screen pass and he went untouched from 23 yards out for a 9-0 lead with 8:22 remaining in the first quarter.

Williams scored on a 6-yard run to trim the lead to 9-7 before the Cougars’ John Blackmon hauled in an 8-yard TD pass from Bennett to boost the lead to 16-7. Blanche Ely closed to within 16-14 on another TD run by Williams, his second scoring run of the first half.

Heritage-Delray loses another QB, game to Champagnat: All eyes were on American Heritage-Delray’s

Dylan Rizk on Friday night.

The freshman quarterback was forced into a starting role because of a shoulder injury to senior Zachary Bohannon. However, Rizk’s night would last all of three plays of a 20-15 non-district loss to visiting Hialeah Champagnat.

Rizk was taken down hard during the first series of the game and sustained an injury to the left shoulder area. The No. 3-ranked Lions (6-2), who have played in the Class 2A state championship game each of the past two seasons, would immediately take advantage and never trailed again.

Champagnat senior quarterback Ryle Aguila threw the first of three first-half TD passes on a 10-yarder to Ebelson Raphael to open the scoring. Aguila added TD strikes of 33 yards to Cur’mari Dopson and had another 7-yarder to make it 20-9 after Champagnat blocked a Heritage punt with just 19 seconds left before halftime.

Stallions sophomore Tavares Parker — the thirdstring QB who took over for Rizk — played well in a tough spot. Parker finished 8 of 15 through the air for 128 yards.

Dwyer at Palm Beach Lakes: Tre’Von Taylor, a Dwyer transfer, passed for 330 yards and four touchdowns and junior running back Antonio Outler rushed for 225 yards and four scores as host Palm Beach Lakes remained unbeaten with a 53-27 victory against Dwyer in a District 12-7A contest.

The Rams (7-0), the Sun Sentinel’s No. 1-ranked team in Palm Beach County, scored touchdowns on the first four possessions in the first half and they led 39-13 at halftime.

Palm Beach Lakes has won 14 consecutive regular season games dating back to last season. They also avenged a loss to Dwyer from last year’s Class 7A regional semifinal.

Dwyer (2-5) jumped out to the lead on the first play of the game on a trick play with a double reverse pass. Quarterback Jackson Nairn connected with wide open receiver Elijah Hopkins down the middle as he bobbled and tipped the ball in the air before securing the catch for a 65-yard touchdown.

Palm Beach Lakes quickly answered back on the first play of the ensuing possession. Taylor threw a pass to senior receiver Jalen Jones on a slant and he turned upfield for a 65-yard score.

Senior Jailen Holman had an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown negated as the Rams were called for a block-in-the-back penalty.

Taylor tossed a 48-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline to senior Micah Butler to give the Rams a 14-7 advantage.

The Rams pulled away later in the first as Outler took a handoff before bouncing outside down the left sideline for a 46-yard scamper to make it 20-7.

Tim Dwyer

J. Darin Darst

Steve Evans

Pat Lammer

Mike May