Under Friday night lights in a packed Marathon stadium, the Coral Shores Hurricanes emerged victorious in the 54th annual Battle of the Keys. The ’Canes now have a 29-25 edge in wins over the Dolphins after a resounding 42-7 victory in Marathon.
“Any time the two schools play it’s an exciting contest,” head coach Ed Holly said of the game, explaining that the longest-running rivalry in Keys sports history is a game in which he can count on a zealous Coral Shores squad.
It took Coral Shores exactly one play to get onto the scoreboard, on a Dantay Diorio 40-yard run. A Yoan Garcia sack put an end to any chance the Fins had of putting points of their own on the board in quarter one. AJ Putetti added two touchdowns on back-to-back possessions for the ’Canes, putting them ahead 21-0 at the end of quarter one.
Marathon answered back with a 25-yard sprint into the end zone by Shamar Wright early in quarter two. The Fins then held the ’Canes on defense as they gained momentum in the matchup. AJ Dube put an end to that with a blocked punt and on their next possession, Coral Shores quarterback Yemcel Moreno connected with Isaac Holmes for an 11-yard touchdown pass. Marathon’s defense stood strong with a goal-line stand that would end the first half with Coral Shores ahead 28-7 at halftime. Moreno and Holmes had another touchdown each, both on the ground, in the second half to seal the victory for Coral Shores.
Coral Shores hosts a powerful Archbishop Carroll team on Friday, Oct. 13. The Hurricanes will honor nine players on Senior Night in a game which will test their skills on both sides of the ball.
“They’re a well-coached team, huge up front,” Holly said. “They run the ball at will. It’s going to be a tremendous challenge.” After their game last week, it is clear that Holly and his Hurricanes are up for it.
Marathon has this week off, then returns to action in its homecoming game against Gateway Charter on Oct. 20.
“I’m proud of the way our players fought until the final whistle,” Fins coach Sean McDonald said. “They left it all on the field. Monday, we hit the weight room to prepare for the next Battle of the Keys.”
A lengthy bus ride to Stuart did not deter the Key West Conchs on Oct. 6 when they traveled to South Fork High School in the second of three consecutive five-hour road trips. Key West got off to a slow start in the matchup, stalling on their first two possessions, but Walson Morin took matters into his own hands on drive number three, sparking the Conchs’ offense with an incredible 90-yard touchdown run. He would have two more on the night for 19 and 55 yards.
Conchs coach Johnny Hughes praised Morin’s gameplay, saying, “He adapted well. When he hits open space, he has another gear. He is really developing into a football player.” (A star for Key West’s basketball team, Morin is new to high school football this year.) Morin racked up over 200 yards running for Key West, but he didn’t spoil the Bulldogs’ homecoming single-handedly.
Quarterback Adrian Mira carried the ball 63 yards into the end zone, showing glimpses of “the Matador,” George Mira, his great-great-uncle known at the University of Miami and in the NFL for his amazing feats on the gridiron. The younger Mira also connected with Cole Jackson for a touchdown pass en route to a 35-12 Key West win.
Key West hits the road again this week with a trip to Estero High before a bye week, then a much-needed homecoming game against Gateway High. Their final regular season game is another road trip, albeit a bit shorter, to Archbishop McCarthy in Fort Lauderdale.
