Preview: Battle for the top – Park Vista vs Santaluces

November 7, 2024
9:49 pm

Written by: Samantha Roseff

Photo Credit: Christian Proscia

Park Vista takes on Santaluces tonight to determine who will be first in the district going into the playoffs. Currently, Santaluces is in the number one spot, with a record of 7-2, while Park Vista holds a record of 6-3 and is ranked second. In the past five years, Park Vista has won three times but lost only 14-3 last year.

Park Vista struggled early on in the season, losing its first two games. The Cobras also had to fight to the very end against Lake Worth, where they ended up losing 26-20 during overtime. Even with those tough losses, Park Vista has been on a three-game winning streak, with two of those games being complete shutouts.

One key player on the Cobras is Andrew Rich. Andrew is a 5’11, 185 lb linebacker (LB) and a senior. He has played in seven games and obtained 41 total tackles, which is about 6 per game. But against the Boynton Beach Tigers, he had nine solo tackles in just that game.

Another player to look out for is sophomore Elisha Gamble. Elisha is a 5’8, 150 lb. running back and wide receiver. Gamble is ranked #1 in his district (&A District 13) for most rushing yards, 806. He has over a 285-yard lead on the second-ranked player. He is also in the top 5 of the district for 6 total touchdowns and 849 total yards.

Santaluces, on the other hand, started their season off strong, winning their first 3 games in a row. The Chiefs have had only 2 losses this season and bounced back in the following game. They have also been on a 3-game winning streak, 2 of which were shutout games. Santaluces averaged 70 points per game and only allowed their opponents to gain 6 points.

One player to watch is junior quarterback Chris Siska. Chris has only played in 7 of the 9 games while maintaining an average of 130 passing yards per game. This makes Siska ranked first in the district (7A District 13) for passing yards, 915. He is also ranked 3rd in the district with 920 total yards.

Israel Marion is also a player to have on your radar. Israel transferred from the Spanish River this past year. He plays wide receiver and running back as a 5’9, 160 lbs. senior. For 5 games, MaxPreps has awarded him Player of the Game. He is also number 1 in total touchdowns, 9, and total points, 54, in the district. He is also ranked in the top 10 in the district for receiving yards, 263, and rushing yards, 281.