BY GENE NARDI
The Royal Palm Beach High School football squad hosted crosstown rival Palm Beach Central High School to open the regular season on Friday, Aug. 29. The Wildcats bested the visiting Broncos 21-6.
Running back Demarcus Holloway helped to power the No. 7 Wildcats over the No. 3 Broncos with a punishing ground game that drove in three touchdowns to seal the win.
Palm Beach Central struggled early with turnovers, mostly in the first half. The Broncos’ second fumble set up Royal Palm Beach’s first score, when Holloway ran it in from 7 yards out. Devin Wallace’s kick gave the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.
Holloway would drive in another score from one yard out late in the first half to take a 14-0 lead.
A brawl in the south end zone prior to the start of the second half spurred a 30-minute delay as law enforcement and school administrators gathered at midfield to determine the outcome. Cooler heads prevailed, and the game marched on without incident.
Credit the Wildcat defense for keeping the Palm Beach Central offense out of sync in the first half, limiting the Broncos to just 13 yards and one first down. The speed of the Royal Palm Beach defense proved to be too much for the Bronco offense. Holloway scored his third of the night for the Wildcats from 4 yards out, capping a 45-yard drive.
Palm Beach Central did find a rhythm midway through the fourth quarter, when they put together a 55-yard drive that led to quarterback Savion Harris’ 2-yard sneak for the score. However, an attempt at a 2-point conversion failed.
Palm Beach Central’s defense held Royal Palm Beach on their next drive, which gave the Bronco offense another chance to close the gap. The Broncos appeared to be on a comeback drive, but solid coverage in the secondary and quick pressure from the Wildcat defensive front prevented a Bronco resurgence, and Palm Beach Central turned over the pigskin on downs.
The Wildcats drove to the Palm Beach Central 1-yard line with seconds left and ran out the clock to lock in the 21-6 victory.
The Royal Palm Beach defense limited the Broncos to just 101 total yards of offense and four first downs. Holloway led the Wildcats’ ground attack with 86 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Shamar Jackson and quarterback Toddy Centeio combined for 142 yards on the ground.
Both teams take on top-10 opponents this week. Royal Palm Beach travels to play No. 10 Pahokee High School, while Palm Beach Central hosts No. 6 Glades Central High School. Glades Central defeated defending state champions William T. Dwyer High School last Friday. Both games are Friday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.
ABOVE: Royal Palm Beach’s Quintel Kelly grabs a pass and takes it up field.
