South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
In battle of unbeatens, Tigers continue incredible turnaround with defense-dominant win
POMPANO BEACH — Blanche Ely used a stifling defense to record two interceptions and eight sacks to throttle visiting Fort Lauderdale 36-12 in a homecoming victory on Friday night.
The Tigers, who finished last season 1-9, won the game in the trenches and remained undefeated at 4-0, handing the L’s their first loss of the season after four wins.
“What a feeling,” said Blanche Ely coach Michael Bailey. “I can’t describe it. All I can say is we are thankful for the opportunity. We have to continue to stay disciplined. We still have a very young team. We have a lot of kids who are new to the high school game and new to winning in general.”
The Tigers, led by Kamari Fedrick’s three quarterback sacks, limited Fort Lauderdale to minus-18 yards for the contest.
Blanche Ely’s defense held Fort Lauderdale on its first offensive series and grabbed a 2-0 lead when the L’s center snapped the ball over the punter’s head and out of the end zone.
Fort Lauderdale took its lone lead of the game when Jaylen Jackson scooped up a fumble on his own 43 and returned it 57 yards for a 6-2 lead with 10:31 remaining in the first half.
Blanche Ely took the lead for good at 9-6 when it took the ensuing kickoff and marched 63 yards in 11 plays, capped by a 21-yard scoring toss from Nahcoy Daniels to Marcus Williams. The Tigers capitalized on a short punt and seized a 16-6 halftime cushion on a 39-yard scoring run by Cedric Ward with 1:33 left in the second quarter.
The Tigers capitalized on the first of two interceptions by Harlem Howard to run the lead to 23-6 as Edward McIntosh scored on a 1-yard run with 5:35 left in the third quarter, closing out an 11-play, 53-yard drive. Fort Lauderdale answered just two minutes later as L’s quarterback T.J. Nelson hit Pat Boyd Jr. on a 9-yard touchdown pass, but 23-12 would be as close as the visitors got.
Blanche Ely then tacked on two more scores, a 13-yard TD pass from Daniels to Marcel Williams and a 4-yard scoring toss from Jesus Jose to Elijah D’Oleo.
Blanche Ely has outscored its opposition 148-40.
Fort Lauderdale had pitched two consecutive shutouts, defeating Tallahassee Leon (38-0) and Boyd Anderson (27-0) coming in to the matchup.
“They are a great football team and I said early we have things to work on and we have some things to fix,” said Fort Lauderdale coach Richard Dunbar. “We are young and inexperienced on the offensive line, and it cost us tonight.”