Delray Beach, FL.– It was a defensive standoff between two of South Florida’s brightest programs as Atlantic (Delray Beach) narrowly edged Blanche Ely 9-6.

During the clash, one young man in the Eagles’ secondary used the opportunity to cement himself as one of the too defensive backs in the area. Atlantic defensive back Tristan Horne (’28) stepped up when the moment got bright, hauling in not one, not two, but THREE interceptions in the win over the Broward County Tigers. Horne was flying around the field, recording 2 pass breakups and 3 tackles alongside his pick party.

When asked about what led to his individual success Friday night, Tristan had this to say:

“I’m blessed by God to show out the way I did… It came down to just listening to my coach saying that their QB loves to take shots going deep, so l kept that in the back of my mind, played deep at the right time and made plays on the ball.”

The Atlantic Eagles have been flying high to open the fall, with a big reason coming from their good-as-advertised defensive front. Atlantic has held two of their three regular season opponents to under 10 points, with their lone spotty performance coming from a 45-30 loss at Vero Beach. Through three games, the Eagles’ defense has forced 8 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, and a fumble. The South Florida faithful should know by now that it’s no surprise Atlantic’s defensive core will stand as one of the best in the State.

When asked about what makes this specific group so special, Tristan stated:

“Our defense is just different from every other team… From the D-Line, to the linebackers and the secondary, we just come together like brothers. We always have each other’s backs and that’ll never change. When my brother makes a play, I celebrate, when I make a play, the whole team turns up. That’s the culture we got.”

This year, Tristan Horne has taken that leap into becoming one of the top boundary corners in the region. At 5 foot 9, Horne plays larger than his size, locking down receivers half a foot taller than him. With size, speed and snappiness to boast, I see plenty of D’Angelo Ponds in Tristan Horne’s game.

I asked Tristan about the work he put in this off-season in order to be prepared to face Atlantic’s gauntlet schedule, and he had this to say:

“This off season was very intense and stressful for me, but at he end of the day I gotta stay working hard and remember my purpose….What’s really helped me stand out is my work ethic, you know, working everyday all day and night, pushing myself to become the best for my coaches and my team is something I take pride in.”

Tristan Horne and the Atlantic Eagles have yet another marquee matchup on deck, as they prepare to face the Pahokee Blue Devils on Thursday, September 10th.

Cover Photo Credits: Alex Muniz, NewEraPrep