Key West High School football Coach Johnny Hughes knew his team would have to be perfect the night of Sept. 23 to have a shot at dethroning undefeated Cardinal Gibbons HIgh School.
It would not be a perfect game for the Conchs, and at the end of the night, Gibbons improved its record to 5-0 with their big 63-7 win over Key West, led by UCF commit QB Dylan Rizk and his cannonlike arm. Cardinal Gibbons scored eight touchdowns on eight consecutive drives and added a scoop and score on defense, proving they deserve their current rankings of 7th in the state and 30th in the entire nation.
With the Conchs’ starting quarterback out with an injury, it was Jaden Fox who faced the Chiefs defense. Fox had the night’s lone score, a 46-yard run during which he broke free untouched, spoiling the shutout for Gibbons.
Despite the score, Coach Hughes was pleased with his team, citing individual matchups in which his players showed fortitude against some of the best high school athletes in South Florida. After watching game film, Hughes noted that many of his players “went hard the entire game,” making him both proud and hopeful for the remainder of the season. He described the undaunting play as “progress,” which he hopes will bode well in the Conchs’ first district matchup on Friday, Sept. 29 against the Vikings of Bishop Verot High School.
Hailing from Fort Myers, Verot is 3-2 and will travel five hours to play the Conchs in The Backyard at 7 p.m.
