WELLINGTON – Palm Beach Central faced its toughest test of the season last Friday night (Oct. 22).
It was a hard-fought 26-21 road win over Palm Beach Gardens, as junior running back Tyler Young led the way with two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) in this one.
Fellow Palm Beach Central junior Javorian Wimberly scored off a punt return to help make the difference for our area’s No. 1-ranked team, which is now 7-0 on the season.
“Hats off to Gardens. They did a great job,” said Palm Beach Central head coach Scottie Littles, who was selected as our Coach of Week 9. “It was adjustments. It’s little things. At the end of the day, everything we gave them in the first half, we gave it to them. Credit to them. But the kids just rallied and played hard. Nobody’s head was down at halftime. Nobody was crying.”
Palm Beach Central dominated the game’s second half, as Young’s short run for a score made the difference. Our MVP of Week 9 came through for his team in a big way, none more so than at the 5:49 mark of the third quarter.
Young’s score – which preceded a two-point conversion – sealed the five-point win.
“I knew we had to score because at that point we were down by three,” Young said of Palm Beach Central, which was facing a 21-18 halftime deficit. “When I took the hand off, I saw the end zone untouched.”
It was the Palm Beach Central defense that came through in the fourth quarter.
Junior cornerback Trevonne Williams caught an interception that earned him Play of the Week honors by ESPN West Palm Beach.
Meanwhile, senior safety Karon Young earned our Breakthrough Player of Week 9 honor by way of his fumble recovery with about two minutes left in the final frame.
“I was lined up at receiver punt and the corner gave me a free release,” said Karon Young, who also caught an interception in the first half. “I knew we were trying to pin them within the 5-yard line, so I ran behind the catcher. As the ball was coming, he dropped it and I jumped on the ball as fast as possible.”
Littles recapped how his team paid attention to details and executed on them in their big District 7-8A win over Palm Beach Gardens (5-3).
“We practiced two-minute situations. That showed up,” Littles said. “We practiced four-minute offense. That showed up…We practiced backed up punt. That showed up. We practiced sudden change on special teams. That happened.”
Littles pivoted directly to Palm Beach Central’s next opponent, which is Wellington (6-2) in Week 10 for both the Wellington Cup and outright District 7-8A title.
“It’s gonna be a battle,” Littles said. “Wellington is our arch rival. Their coach [Danny Mendoza] is doing a good job…It don’t matter what the records are when both Palm Beach Central and Wellington play. Both teams could be 0-8, but that place is going to be packed. It’s going to be a fun environment. It’s going to be a physical football game.”
Littles had more to say about tonight’s Wellington Cup game, which will kick off at 6:30 p.m.
“Wellington is a good program. They’re not the Wellington of the past,” Littles said of Wellington, which will be hosting Palm Beach Central in the Wellington Cup game tonight. “But we’re just moving through our schedule and trying to take one game at a time. 1-0.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Palm Beach Central Football
