The two Keys teams to take the field last weekend found tough sledding against stout opponents.
Key West fell to 1-4 after a loss to seventh-ranked University Christian School out of Jacksonville. The Christians outscored the Conchs 41-17, but Key West put up a fantastic fight to the end. The first half saw Key West at a 28-3 deficit, with their only score coming off the foot of Marco Davila, who drove a 33-yard field goal between the uprights. A familiar issue continued to plague the Conchs – Key West turned the ball over four times against the Christians, costing the team momentum each time.
The Christians had tacked on enough points to trigger a running clock by early in the second half, but Key West was having none of it. Walson Morin re-energized the crowd with a 67-yard touchdown run, reactivating the regular clock. Morin scored again with a 21-yard run in the final moments of the game, giving Key West a bit of momentum going into next week’s game, and the Conchs will need all they can get on the road against second-ranked Bishop Verot out of Fort Myers on Sept. 29.
Head coach Johnny Hughes is hoping for a breakout game against the Vikings, saying, “Talent-wise, we match up with anybody. We cannot afford any turnovers if we want to win this game.” Hughes and his Conchs will also need to contend with a quarterback Hughes knows is capable of high numbers: junior phenom Carter Smith.
“(Smith) is definitely legit,” Hughes said. “One game he throws for three touchdowns and the next one he runs for six. They have a big, talented sophomore running back, too.” The trip to Fort Myers is the first of a three-game series in which Key West must travel about five hours each week before returning to the Backyard on Oct. 27.
If anybody was wondering whether Ransom Everglades quarterback Neimann Lawrence was the real deal, just ask the Dolphins. On Sept. 22, Marathon traveled to Miami to face the undefeated Raiders in a matchup of two very distinct styles of play. Ransom is a well-oiled machine of precision throwing, while Marathon prefers to play a physical style of football, wearing down opponents with their hard-hitting run game. And while the Fins did appear to chip away at the ironclad protection afforded to Lawrence, a running clock was not their friend and the Dolphins were unable to get their offense going against the Raiders.
The Fins were able to apply pressure, sacking the Ransom QB four times, but long drives that stalled on their own offense kept Marathon from putting points on the board. The closest they came was a Shamar Wright kick return which he carried into the end zone, but an illegal crackback block negated the fantastic run. Marathon lost the game 42-0 but is undeterred in spirit.
“The guys played from start to finish without giving up and without complaint. I am proud of the effort they gave and the composure they are keeping,” coach Sean McDonald said of his young team. The Dolphins face Florida Christian Sept. 29 at home in a game which should be a closer matchup.
Coral Shores had a bye week and used the time to get healthy, take care of some nagging injuries and prepare for the air raid offense they will likely encounter this week. They play the 5-0 Raiders of Ransom Everglades in Tavernier on Sept. 29.
