BY GENE NARDI
The Royal Palm Beach High School varsity football squad hosted Olympic Heights High School in a District 13-7A game Friday, Oct. 25, coming away with a 41-0 win.
Despite being eliminated from the playoffs, the Wildcats played for pride and shut out the Lions. The Royal Palm Beach defense earned its second consecutive shutout.
It took Royal Palm Beach (6-2) less than two minutes to notch an early 14-0 lead. A poor opening kickoff gave the Wildcats possession on the Olympic Heights 20 yard line.
Two plays later, Shamar Jackson ran in for the score from 12 yards out. Devin Wallace’s point after made the score 7-0.
On the Lions’ ensuing possession, Wildcat defensive back Cody Taylor recovered a fumble and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. Wallace’s point-after kick extended the Wildcat lead 14-0 with 11:25 still remaining in the first quarter.
Olympic Heights did show some signs of life early, as they sustained a drive and moved all the way to the Wildcat 1 yard line, but could not convert the drive into points.
Charles Perry turned on the jets to the right side and ran 97 yards for the touchdown. Wallace’s point-after kick increased the RPBHS lead to 21-0.
It was Zeke Edmunds that tallied a score next on a 14-yard pass from Toddy Centeio. Wallace’s point after closed the half at 28-0.
The Wildcats would go on to score 13 more points in the second half, with the defense overwhelming the Lions’ offense, shutting them out the entire game.
Royal Palm Beach will host Palm Beach Lakes on Friday, Nov. 1 for a 7 p.m. game.
ABOVE: RPB quarterback Toddy Centeio breaks tackles for a touchdown run.
