The Key West Conchs kicked off for what was most likely the last time this season at Tommy Roberts Memorial Stadium on Oct. 30, taking on University Christian School. The Christians, traveling from Jacksonville, are a team loaded with talent, with multiple Division 1 commits on their 57-man roster. Key West, in contrast, carries a 30-man bench, but held its own for three quarters of football despite the difference in team size.
“They are a quality team, there is no question about that,” said Conchs coach Johnny Hughes. “We had a tough time getting outside on our sweeps. Up front, we had some moments.”
Many of those moments came from the hands of the Conchs’ most devastating weapons, seniors Jeff Dejean and Walson Morin. Hughes contends that each is a scoring threat every time they touch the ball. Their athleticism led the change in Key West’s flexbone offense to one that catered more to putting the ball in the hands of Dejean and Morin as much as possible. Those touches led to all three of Key West’s touchdowns last week, two from Morin and the other from Dejean. Morin ran for over 100 yards against the Christians, and Dejean’s carries put him just five yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark this season.
The Conchs led 16-15 at the half, but ultimately, the weardown of two- and oftentimes three-way players took its toll. University Christian scored in the second half, recovered an onside kick, then quickly scored again to put the game out of reach for Key West, with the final score 35-22 in favor of the Christians.
Keeping the Conchs in the fight as long as possible were Leo Batista, a senior with a knack for destroying opponents’ offensive schemes at linebacker, and Noah Mercer, whose play on the line is critical. Mercer’s ability to read offenses and muscle his way through to the quarterback has led to a slew of sacks this season.
Dejean will have his shot at the 1,000-yard club next week, as Key West’s record qualifies them for the playoffs. A delicate balance of other teams’ records and the outcomes last week made it extremely unlikely that Key West will have a home game for the playoffs, but they are still in the hunt for a state title. Their opponent, like the game’s location, is still unclear, but Hughes likes his chances.
“We’ll match up well in the first round,” he said. After that round will come the ultimate test, since a win would probably mean a repeat of the Conchs’ week 7 matchup against the daunting Miami Northwestern Bulls.
In Marathon, the student body was present for a treat on Halloween. Pine Crest asked to play early in the afternoon so they could return to Fort Lauderdale in time for the festivities. The Panthers took an early lead, but the Dolphins were able to punch one in in the first half via a Jesus Gonzalez run.
A third-quarter nine-minute drive stalled on the 3-yard line to make a win this season unlikely for the Fins, but Steven Stotts managed to bully the ball into the end zone late in the game. Elliott Greenmaki’s kicks were good after both TDs to make the score 26-14 in favor of Pine Crest.
The loss spelled the end of the season for the team, which struggled to match up to their opponents but did not show even a hint of giving up.
The Dolphins storm the field prior to kickoff on Halloween.The Dolphins storm the field prior to kickoff on Halloween. 
Aiden Gilday (66) takes down a Pine Crest player for a touchdown-saving tackle. 
Charlie Apollony looks for an open receiver. 
Jesus Gonzalez finds open space. 
Amelia Perdomo catches some air during the Fins’ halftime routine. 
Charlie Buttner evades a Pine Crest defender.
“I can’t stress how proud I am of these guys,” said coach Sean McDonald. “Their character and tenacity are amazing. We are going to miss our seniors. They were our heart and soul and kept us focused no matter what happened.”
In their final game wearing Dolphin jerseys, the five seniors each stepped up to make an impact. In addition to Stotts’ touchdown, Eduardo Garcia and Matthew Delgado, a pair of linemen, had carries for positive yards. Aiden Gilday’s penetration on the line sent the Panthers scrambling at times, and Christopher Paul’s play at center was on point, as it was the entire season. Next up for Marathon is a week of rest, then it’s back to the weight room, which McDonald says will drive next season.
“Your wins and losses in the fall often come from the work you put in the winter, spring and summer before,” he said. “We will be putting in the work, no question about it.”
Photos by Justice Lee Isom and Maicey Malgrat.
