DELRAY BEACH – Montahj Joseph is quite possibly the most electrifying player in Palm Beach County.
Anyone who gets a chance to watch the Atlantic junior athlete on the field would probably say the same thing.
With that said, Joseph accounted for five of No. 1 Atlantic’s seven scores in its 49-3 rout of No. 6 Glades Central at home.
Two of Joseph’s rushing scores came within a minute of each other (32 seconds to be exact) midway through the first quarter, one of which was a 25-yard scamper that found him nearly untouched en route to the end zone. At the 6:16 mark in the first quarter, Atlantic had a 14-0 lead over Glades Central and was just getting started.
After allowing its only score of the game – 25-yard field goal made by Glades Central junior kicker Jose Garcia with 10.7 seconds left in the first frame – it was all Atlantic the rest of the way.
When Glades Central’s second field goal attempt was blocked (8:15 mark; second quarter), it effectively killed any chance of a close game. And with that, the rout was on.
Fellow junior athlete Tyler Burke caught a touchdown pass for 50+ yards and extended Atlantic’s lead to 20-3 at the 6:19 mark. His other score was a two-point conversion with 1:00 left in the first half.
Speaking of that, the Montahj Mahal scored his third rushing touchdown of that and ran in a two-point conversion at the 1:30 mark to extend Atlantic’s lead to 28-3. And just 30 seconds later, after the Eagles defense forced a Raiders turnover, he used a trick play to throw a touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Rashawn Faustine for a 34-3 lead.
Burke’s two-pointer sent Atlantic into halftime with a 36-3 lead.
And just when one thought Atlantic wasn’t intent on turning this game into a running clock, this team made sure it was going to happen. It effectively occurred at the 10:15 mark of the third quarter, when Joseph scored his fourth and final rushing touchdown for a 42-3 Atlantic lead.
The final score of the game came with 9:48 left in the fourth quarter, when senior wide receiver Javone Jackson reached the end zone on a running play. Fellow senior Ashlee Ritter (three extra points against Glades Central) ended the scoring party with an extra point to make it 49-3.
WEEK 5 SLATE
No. 1 Atlantic (2-0): Will host state powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna (3-1) on Friday, Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m. kickoff
No. 6 Glades Central (2-2): Will host No. 5 Palm Beach Gardens (3-0) on Friday Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m. kickoff
OTHER WEEK 4 FINAL SCORES
No. 2 Benjamin 27, Pine Crest 3
Record now: Benjamin (3-0)
No. 3 Palm Beach Lakes 34, Royal Palm Beach 7
Records now: Palm Beach Lakes (3-0), Royal Palm Beach (2-1)
No. 4 Cardinal Newman 34, John Carroll Catholic 31
Record now: Cardinal Newman (2-0)
No. 5 Palm Beach Gardens 23, No. 9 Forest Hill 7
Records now: Palm Beach Gardens (3-0), Forest Hill (3-1)
No. 7 Delray Beach American Heritage (2-1): BYE
Jensen Beach 18, No. 8 Jupiter 13
Record now: Jupiter (3-1)
No. 10 Pahokee (0-2): Will host Dwyer (1-1) tonight (Sept. 14), 6:30 p.m. kickoff
WELLINGTON CUP: Palm Beach Central 30, Wellington 7
Records now: Palm Beach Central (3-1), Wellington (0-4)
Park Vista 35, Spanish River 3
Records now: Park Vista (3-1), Spanish River (0-3)
Lakeland Christian 49, King’s Academy 7
Record now: King’s Academy (3-1)
Boynton Beach 21, Archbishop McCarthy 14
Record now: Boynton Beach (1-2)
Santaluces 34, West Boca Raton 21
Records now: Santaluces (1–1), West Boca Raton (0-3)
Seminole Ridge 28, Martin County 18
Record now: Seminole Ridge (1-1)
Moore Haven 43, Glades Day 7
Record now: Glades Day (1-2)
Inlet Grove 33, Boca Raton Christian 7
Records now: Inlet Grove (2-1), Boca Raton Christian (1-3)
Somerset Academy 13, St. John Paul II 7
Record now: St. John Paul II (0-2)
Westminster Academy 21, Somerset Academy Canyons 8
Record now: Somerset Canyons (0-3)
Suncoast 41, Village Academy 0
Records now: Suncoast (2-1), Village Academy (1-1)
Berean Christian 33, Jupiter Christian 19
Records now: Berean Christian (1-2), Jupiter Christian (0-4)
Olympic Heights 16, John I. Leonard 6
Records now: Olympic Heights (1-3), John I. Leonard (1-3)
THURSDAY (SEPT. 12)
Boca Raton 6, Fort Pierce Central 3
Record now: Boca Raton (2-1)
BYE: Lake Worth (1-1), St. Andrew’s (2-1)
PHOTO CREDIT: Keith Forde
