DELRAY BEACH – It doesn’t always take a lot to make an indelible impact.
In Atlantic’s 12-10 kickoff classic home win over Deerfield Beach on Thursday (8/15), there were honestly only a few highlights throughout the game.
It went like this: a big run, a touchdown run, an extra point, a safety, and a field goal.
Eagles junior athlete Montahj Joseph’s 45-yard burst to the Bucks 5-yard line was preceded by his 5-yard touchdown run in the first quarter The weekend’s best two-play sequence was followed by an inspiring extra point by senior kicker Ashlee Ritter.
These three plays – including Ritter’s extra point – gave Atlantic a 7-0 lead early on.
Ritter is currently the Eagles girls flag football quarterback. She’s taking her star turn both in the spring and now.
“Ashlee, for her first time, she was amazing,” Joseph said. “She does very well in practice, so on Thursday she didn’t show us anything new.”
Later in the first half, the Eagles defense recorded a safety to give the home team a 9-0 lead.
Atlantic’s nine-point lead over Deerfield Beach held into halftime. It was a completely dominant performance by the entire Eagles defense.
“It was a team effort,” Joseph said.
Atlantic withstood a second-half rally from Deerfield Beach, as the road team got on the board with a field goal made in the third frame. The special teams score cut Atlantic’s lead to 9-3.
But guess who effectively iced the game?
It was none other than Ritter, who connected on a 31-yard field goal to extend Atlantic’s lead to 12-3.
“We’re used to seeing the ball go through the uprights,” Joseph said with a smile.
The final score of the game came early in the fourth, when Deerfield Beach quarterback Marcus Pierre scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 10:53 left. The road team’s extra point cut Atlantic’s lead to 12-10.
Atlantic’s defense did the rest to preserve their two-point win.
“We all went out there and did our jobs as a unit,” Joseph said. “We had one goal, and that was to execute.”
Atlantic coach Lance Tyson was concise in his analysis of the game.
“Deerfield Beach is nationally ranked for a reason,” Tyson said. “But our team proved that they’re up for any challenge.”
Next game for Atlantic: Week 1 at Palm Beach Central (Friday, Aug. 23)
PHOTO CREDITS: Keith Forde
