Nothing’s able to slow these runaway Bucks
DEERFIELD BEACH — From the opening kickoff Friday night, Deerfield Beach was off and running
Senior wide receiver Xavier Restrepo returned that kickoff for a touchdown, but it was called back on a penalty. No matter, as the Bucks drove down the field and scored on their first drive anyway.
Despite missing starting quarterback Michael Pratt, Deerfield rolled to a 53-9 victory over Palm Beach Gardens in the Class 8A regional quarterfinals.
“We can’t get cocky, man,” Bucks coach Jevon Glenn said. “We’re trying to make history here. Nobody here has ever made a state championship.
“The only time you can get cocky is if you come out December 13th or 14th with a victory because that’s when [you] did something that nobody’s ever did.
“There are guys here that have won four first-round games. It’s a gift and a curse to be a Deerfield Beach boy. It’s state title or bust.”
Sophomore running back Jaziun Patterson got the Bucks on the scoreboard with a 6-yard touchdown run on Deerfield’s first drive.
After the Gators got on the board with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Lynden Moss to Jabril Jarett, but that just gave Restrepo another chance to score on a kickoff. The Miami Hurricanes commit took the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for the Bucks’ second touchdown of the night.
“I told my teammates I got their back and I’m going to sacrifice whatever I have to: my body, my career, even this year,” Restrepo said. “I told them I’m not going to stop running.
“My guys set up some great blocks and I just followed behind them.”
Senior standout Jaylan Knighton added a pair of first-half rushing touchdowns, and Deerfield notched a safety on a sack, giving the Bucks a 29-9 halftime lead. Knighton finished the game with 106 rushing yards on 15 carries.
The Bucks kept rolling in the second half, with Derohn King tossing a 26-yard touchdown pass to senior Maryland commit Dejaun McDougle to put Deerfield up by 30 in the third quarter. A second King-McDougle touchdown pass gave the Bucks a 46-9 lead and started a running clock.
The Bucks scored a touchdown late in the game on a 24-yard pass from Marquise Pierre to Aydin Henningham.
Deerfield Beach will face the winner of the Port St. Lucie Centennial-Palm Beach Central in the regional semifinals next week. The Bucks beat the Broncos in the regional finals last year.
“It’s a great start,” Knighton said. “We just have to finish strong, keep working every single day in practice, take no days off and accomplish our goal.”