PALM BEACH GARDENS – There will only be one team in Palm Beach County with an undefeated regular season record.
That team is Palm Beach Lakes.
In the first annual Palm Beach Classic between the Palm Beach Lakes Rams (9-0) and the Palm Beach Gardens Gators (7-2), it was the Al Shipman-led Rams that came out on top by a final score of 34-14. The win marks the Rams 15th consecutive regular-season win, dating back to September 2018.
“This is a team that I felt like was destined to be pretty good,” Shipman said. “They had a great offseason and the more we played together, I think the more they started to believe in each other. You know, the season is not over with.”
Early in the game, the Rams relied on the running ability of junior running back Antonio Outler, who scored two touchdowns.
Midway through the first quarter, Outler pushed it in from the 1-yard line for a short touchdown. After a Gators touchdown by Jabrill Jarrett, Outler then punished the Gators defense on an 88-yard touchdown run.
Outler, who holds offers from Pittsburgh and UAB, finished the night with 146 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries. The rushing yards push Outler over the 1,500-yard mark for the season, a new career-high.
“I tell you what, he (has) great vision and his will to want to be good. He’s the first one on the field, the last one off. The first one in the weight room. He’s just a workout junkie,” Shipman said about Outler. “He’s just a workout kid and I tell you what, we’re very happy to have him.”
Right before halftime, Palm Beach Lakes went ahead further when quarterback Tre’Von Taylor connected with Jalon Jones for a touchdown in the back of the end zone, giving the Rams a 20-7 lead into halftime.
Although Taylor was not asked to do much, the senior quarterback completed 17 of his 24 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Taylor also added 16 yards on the ground.
In the third quarter, Taylor would connect with Christopher Johnson for an 8-yard touchdown to put the Rams up big. The score all but officially ended the game.
Johnson, a senior wide receiver, led all Rams in receiving yards (111) and receptions (5) while adding the touchdown.
Taylor would connect with Johnson again in the fourth quarter, this time for a 49-yard gain that set up the Rams at the 1-yard line. They would finish off the drive with a rushing touchdown from backup running back Derrick Lee.
Despite the loss, Palm Beach Gardens seem to be a lock for a playoff spot. However, the Gators will have to wait until Sunday (Nov. 3) to see who and where they will play in the first round.
Unlike Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Lakes will host whoever they play in the playoffs after the Rams finished with the No. 1 seed in the Class 7A-Region 3 rankings.
OTHER WEEK 11 FINAL SCORES
Miami Columbus 27, No. 2 Delray Beach Atlantic 7
Record now: Atlantic (6-3)
No. 3 Palm Beach Central 57, John I. Leonard 14
Records now: Palm Beach Central (8-2), John I. Leonard (2-8)
No. 5 Boca Raton 19, Dwyer 12
Records now: Boca Raton (8-2), Dwyer (3-6)
No. 6 Santaluces 21, Olympic Heights 7 – Thursday, Oct. 31
Records now: Santaluces (7-2), Olympic Heights (2-8)
No. 7 Cardinal Newman 47, Coral Springs Charter 14
Record now: Cardinal Newman (7-2)
Gulliver Prep 34, No. 8 Delray Beach American Heritage 13
Record now: American Heritage (5-5)
North Miami Beach 14, No. 9
Forest Hill 6
Record now: Forest Hill (6-4)
No. 10 Benjamin 41, Archbishop McCarthy 15 – Wednesday, Oct. 30
Record now: Benjamin (7-3)
Seminole Ridge 10, Wellington 0
Records now: Seminole Ridge (6-3), Wellington (3-7)
Jupiter 61, South Fork 43
Record now: Jupiter (6-4)
Royal Palm Beach 42, Spanish River 0
Records now: Royal Palm Beach (6-4), Spanish River (0-10)
Pine Crest 27, St. Andrew’s 12
Record now: St. Andrew’s (7-3)
Glades Day 48, St. John Paul II 7
Records now: Glades Day (2-7), St. John Paul II (4-5)
Somerset Academy Canyons 20,
Palm Glades 6
Record now: Somerset Canyons (3-7)
Suncoast 21, West Boca Raton 7
Records now: Suncoast (5-5), West Boca Raton (1-9)
Keswick Christian 24, Inlet Grove 14
Record now: Inlet Grove (3-8)
Faith Christian 29, Jupiter Christian 9
Record now: Jupiter Christian (1-9)
AWAITING FINAL SCORES FOR:
Boynton Beach (3-5) vs. Lake Worth (4-5)
Canterbury (5-3) vs. Berean Christian (5-4)
Boca Raton Christian (4-5) vs. Marathon (0-9)
SATURDAY GAME
MUCK BOWL: Glades Central (0-9) vs. Pahokee (3-5) – 6 p.m. kickoff at Effie C. Grear Stadium in Belle
Glade
SEASONS COMPLETED IN WEEK 10: King’s Academy (5-5), Park Vista (6-4)
PHOTO CREDITS: Ryan Lavon and Keith Forde
