Palm Beach Central broke through for their first victory of the season Friday night, defeating the Spanish River Sharks in dominant fashion. After dropping their first two games, the Broncos finally found their rhythm, powered by senior quarterback and team leader Chance Routson.

The Broncos started slow but built a 20–0 halftime lead. Spanish River stayed within reach early, but Central stormed out of the locker room and put the game away with a relentless second half, outscoring the Sharks 19–6 after the break.

Quarterback Chance Routson was at the center of the offensive explosion. The senior accounted for three touchdowns—two through the air and one on the ground— giving his team the momentum they had been searching for all season.

“It feels good to finally get a win after a couple of tough losses,” Routson said. “We had to clean it up a little bit and find our momentum and run with it. It’s about unity and trusting that we’ve got each other’s back. One team, one goal”

The Broncos’ defense was equally impressive, holding the Sharks to just six points all game. Senior linebacker Antoine Sharp was proud of the team’s effort, crediting their early struggles with sharpening their focus.

“The first two losses were straight-up adversity,” Sharp said. “They woke us up. Tonight, we responded and played Palm Beach Central football.”

The defense even joined the scoring party in one of the game’s most memorable moments. Freshman Isaias Matias scooped up a fumble and returned it for a touchdown, sparking a massive celebration from the Broncos’ sideline and the fans in the stands.

Head coach Kevin Thompson praised his team’s resilience but reminded them that nothing comes easy in high school football.

“Winning is hard,” Thompson told his players in his postgame comments. “Those two early losses baptized us into the reality that just wearing a Palm Beach Central jersey doesn’t guarantee anything. We have to earn it, work for it, and win together.”

With the final score at 39–6, the Broncos not only earned their first win of the season but also showed the kind of complete team effort that could turn their season around.

Next week, Palm Beach Central will hit the road to face Santaluces. With their first victory behind them, the Broncos hope to build on this momentum and continue proving they can overcome adversity together.