PALM BEACH COUNTY – It’s all about Benjamin right now.
The Buccaneers (6-3) did what they needed to do and more to score a resounding 49-14 win over King’s Academy this past Friday night (Oct. 26). Save for a late second quarter-early third quarter stretch, they allowed junior quarterback Santino Marucci to lead the way, as he accounted for six touchdowns in the 35-point triumph.
Our MVP of Week 10 threw for four touchdowns – three to senior standout two-way player Daniel McCullon – and ran for two more to put the game out of reach for the upset-minded Lions (5-5).
“We have been thinking about this game for 365 days,” Marucci said. “Everyone knows what happened last. We had one goal, and we made it happen.”
Benjamin is currently on a two-game winning streak after dropping three in a row during the middle of its regular season. With one extra game left tomorrow night at home (7 p.m. kickoff) against Archbishop McCarthy (2-7), the Bucs can secure a Class 3A playoff spot by winning their regular-season finale to earn a 7-3 record.
These are the reasons why we have Benjamin back in our Top 10 at No. 10.
Let’s dive right in our latest Top 10 team rankings.
TOP 10: WEEK 10
1. Palm Beach Lakes (7A; 8-0) [LW: 1]
2. Delray Beach Atlantic (7A; 6-2) [LW: 2]
3. Palm Beach Central (8A; 7-2) [LW: 4]
4. Palm Beach Gardens (8A; 6-2) [LW: 3]
5. Boca Raton (8A; 6-3) [LW: 6]
6. Santaluces (8A; 6-2) [LW: 8]
7. Cardinal Newman (3A; 6-2) [LW: 9]
8. Delray Beach American Heritage (4A; 5-4) [LW: 5]
9. Forest Hill (8A; 6-3) [LW: 10]
10. Benjamin (3A; 6-3) [LW: NR]
Dropped from rankings: Former No. 7 Park Vista (8A; 6-4)
Teams on outside looking in: Jupiter (8A; 5-4), Park Vista (8A; 6-4), Royal Palm Beach (7A; 5-4), St. Andrew’s (3A; 7-2), Seminole Ridge (7A; 5-3)
WEEK 11 SLATE
We will turn our attention straight to this week’s slate of games. There is a lot at stake in Week 11, as playoff spots will be up for grabs in more ways than one.
The action starts in less than 36 hours.
No. 10 Benjamin (6-3) vs. Archbishop McCarthy (2-7) – Tomorrow (Oct. 30), 7 p.m. kickoff
No. 6 Santaluces (6-2) vs. John I. Leonard (2-7) – Thursday, Oct. 31, 6:30 p.m. kickoff
No. 8 Delray Beach American Heritage (5-4) at Gulliver Prep (9-0) – Friday, Nov. 1, 3:30 p.m. kickoff
No. 9 Forest Hill (6-3) vs. North Miami Beach (6-3) – Friday, Nov. 1, 6 p.m. kickoff
No. 1 Palm Beach Lakes (8-0) vs. No. 4 Palm Beach Gardens (6-2) – Friday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. kickoff
No. 3 Palm Beach Central (7-2) at John I. Leonard (2-7) – Friday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. kickoff
No. 5 Boca Raton (6-3) vs. Dwyer (2-6) – Friday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. kickoff
No. 2 Delray Beach Atlantic (6-2) vs. Columbus (5-4) – Friday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. kickoff on NFHS Network
No. 7 Cardinal Newman (6-2) vs. Coral Springs Charter (4-5) – Friday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. kickoff
OTHER KEY WEEK 11 GAMES
Jupiter (5-4) vs. South Fork (4-5) – Friday, Nov. 1 – 6 p.m. kickoff
Royal Palm Beach (5-4) vs. Spanish River (0-9) – Friday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. kickoff
Seminole Ridge (5-3) vs. Wellington (2-7) – Friday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. kickoff
St. Andrews (7-2) at Pine Crest (3-5) – Friday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. kickoff
MUCK BOWL SATURDAY
Glades Central (0-9) vs. Pahokee (3-5) – Saturday, Nov. 2, 6 p.m. kickoff
NEXT TEAM RANKINGS UPDATE: Monday, Nov. 4
PHOTO CREDIT: Maria McCullon
