BY GENE NARDI
On Thursday, May 21, the Palm Beach Central High School football squad hosted American Heritage Delray in a spring football contest, falling to the Stallions 33-0 in a game that was called midway through the third quarter, due to lightning.
The three-time District 10-8A champions had a difficult time handling the Class 3A state runner-ups. The Broncos started the game by surrendering a safety to the Stallions. Palm Beach Central quarterback Jordan Travis, on the first play, could not leap high enough to corral a snap that sailed over his head. Travis had to fall on the ball in the end zone and gave Heritage an early 2-0 lead.
Things did not get any better for the Broncos. From the Stallions’ first play from scrimmage, running back Devin Singletary took off 80 yards for a touchdown. The point-after kick was no good, giving the Stallions an 8-0 advantage.
The Broncos showed some signs of momentum offensively on their ensuing drive, but a fumble negated the early chance to close the gap, and the Stallions drove in another score to make it 14-0.
The Palm Beach Central defense dug down and held Heritage from scoring again, after driving into the red zone. The stand gave the Broncos back the ball on their own 10-yard line. But the turnover virus struck again, and a fumble returned the ball to the Stallions with another scoring opportunity. Heritage continued to capitalize on the Bronco miscues, and extended its lead to 20-0 before the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Heritage added two more scores after stopping the Bronco offense to take a 33-0 lead going into halftime. The Palm Beach Central offense just could not seem to get going on all cylinders.
The second half took a brief turn to favor the Broncos. The Stallions attempted to go on a fourth-and-4 on the Palm Beach Central 29-yard line and were denied by a stingy, motivated Bronco defense. The failed conversion gave the Bronco offense the break they needed. They drove to the 1-yard line, and it appeared they would chip into the Heritage lead, but a fourth-and-goal attempt to score was shut down by the tough Stallion defense.
With 4:41 left to play in the third quarter, the officials gathered in midfield with the coaches from both teams and informed them they were going to call the game due to lightning in the area, so the contest ended at 33-0 in favor of the Stallions.
The brief spring season ended, but it provides coaches an opportunity to evaluate players and work on things necessary to prepare the teams for the fall.
The Broncos will look to regroup in August to get ready for the fall season in one of the toughest districts in the county. In District 9-8A, Palm Beach Central will have to battle with Seminole Ridge, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington and Jupiter high schools.
ABOVE: The Broncos’ Savion Harris finds an opening for a gain.
