BOCA RATON – The Boca Raton Christian Blazers pulled off a surprise scoring play late in the fourth quarter on Friday (Aug. 30).
Down 14-6 to the Somerset Academy (Pembroke Pines) Panthers, the home team was near midfield and running out of time.
Knowing a big play was needed for a chance to complete a comeback, the Blazers coaching staff threw everyone off with a hook-and-ladder play that jolted their team in the process.
How did it happen?
Near midfield, Blazers sophomore standout Zach Norris tossed the ball to senior wide receiver Jesse McDaniel, who found an open wideout in senior Malik JeanLouis to complete the eye-opening play. From there, it was straight to the end zone for JeanLouis.
Score at that point: 14-12.
On the very next play, however, Boca Raton Christian (1–1) couldn’t convert on a two-point conversion pass that would have tied the game at 14-all.
Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines first-year head coach Derrick Baker weighed in on the play sequence.
“Great play call on their end,” Baker said of Boca Raton Christian’s coaching staff. “They caught us sleeping. But we stayed in the game and fought back until the end.”
Boca Raton Christian head coach Clay Shiver weighed in on the play.
“It was executed well,” Shiver said. “It was a thing of beauty.”
Boca Raton Christian had one more chance to win it at the final buzzer, which was made possible due to an interception caught by a Blazers defense. But Somerset Academy stood its ground and thwarted Boca Christian’s comeback effort at the final buzzer.
“It was a hard fought game,” Baker said. “My kids came out and showed a lot of heart. My defense bailed me out at the end to win it for us.”
Shiver weighed in on his team’s effort throughout the game.
“We tried to pull all the stops, but their defense had us bottled up,” Shiver said. “We moved the ball well, but we didn’t have enough juice in the tank. A 14-12 loss is a pretty loss, but nobody cares about a pretty loss. I’ll take an ugly win over a pretty loss. We have to bounce back and see if we can make a run for the playoffs this year.”
Boca Christian’s other score came late in the first half, when Norris reached the end zone on a short touchdown run. At that point and up until early in the fourth quarter, the Blazers were down just 7-6.
NOTE: Somerset Academy’s game-winning touchdown came of a run to the left side of the field by senior athlete Ahmad Fitchett. The score, plus an extra point, put the Panthers up 14-6 in the fourth quarter.
“It was a team effort,” Fitchett said. “Our o-line made it possible.”
With the win, Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines improves to 1-1.
WEEK 3 GAMES (WEATHER PERMITTING)
Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines: Home vs. Somerset Academy Canyons – Friday, Sept. 6, 4 p.m. kickoff
Boca Raton Christian: Away at St. Andrews – Friday, Sept. 6, 7 p.m. kickoff
OTHER GAME FROM FRIDAY (AUG. 30)
No. 8 American Heritage (Delray Beach) 42, Coral Springs Charter 7
American Heritage senior cornerback Jamal Potts caught two interceptions in the first half, including one for a touchdown.
Fellow Stallions corner Tyler Gaskin (junior) had a punt return for a score to help his team win big at home.
This Week 2 tilt took exactly two hours to complete. The game was on a running clock from some point in the first half to the final buzzer.
“We expected to execute this week,” American Heritage head coach Keith Hindsley said. “Our kids prepared all week, played hard, and got it done early.”
WEEK 3 GAMES (WEATHER PERMITTING)
Coral Springs Charter (0-2): Home vs. Everglaes Prep Academy (0-1) -Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. kickoff
Delray Beach American Heritage (1-1): Home vs. John Carroll Catholic (2-0) – Saturday, Sept. 7, 7 p.m. kickoff
