BY GENE NARDI
The Seminole Ridge High School football team hosted South Fork High School for its spring game Friday, May 20 and the Hawks capped spring training camp with a 20-14 win over the Bulldogs.
The win is also the first for new head coach James Parson.
“I’m really excited about this win; the boys really came together,” Parson said. “They worked really hard, and all the credit goes to them.”
The weather put an early damper on the game, delaying the start an hour due to lightning. The late start, however, did not hinder the Hawks from chalking up a victory.
South Fork scored early in the first half, but that ignited the Hawks’ offense. Running back Jonathan Fioramonti drove in on a 5-yard score after a long Seminole Ridge drive that chewed up several minutes from the game clock. The score tied the game 7-7.
The Hawks eventually went ahead on Justin Allie’s 89-yard touchdown run. Daniel Freire’s kick gave the Hawks a 14-7 lead. The Hawks have gone to an up-tempo style with a wing-T offense, using a no-huddle concept that seems to be catching on in high school football.
Seminole Ridge scored again in the second half, extending its lead to 20-7. Running back Nick Plesca plunged into the end zone from 15 yards out, but the kick sailed wide left. The Bulldogs were not finished. They held the Hawks and capitalized through the air with a 19-yard touchdown pass to close the gap to 20-14. However, only minutes remained on the clock.
The Hawks did just enough on offense to drive to midfield where they were forced to punt, but the offense chipped away at the clock, giving South Fork about one minute to generate an attack. On a fourth-and-nine, the Hawks defense came up big, preventing the Bulldogs from converting. The Hawk offense took a knee, running out the clock to seal the 20-14 win.
Several players had the opportunity to showcase their skills for the Hawks. Michael Adeyanju and Antoine Williams shared time at the quarterback position. Chandler Courson and Fioramonti combined for three sacks on defense, and Mike Massimino had an interception. Kristian Gonzalez had 101 yards on the ground.
Parson spent nine seasons as an assistant coach under Matt Dickmann for the Hawks and was a partner during their reign as district champions from 2010 to 2012. Parson took over for former head coach Scott Barnwell after he stepped down for health reasons.
“Great leaders surround themselves with people who are better than them,” Parson said thanking his coaching staff. “That’s what I did, and everybody bought into what we’re doing, and we’re really excited.
The Hawks cap their spring season with much success, and believe they have what it takes to compete for the District 9-8A title in the fall, in what again may be one of the toughest districts in the county, with local rivals Wellington and Palm Beach Central, along with Jupiter and defending district champions Palm Beach Gardens.
ABOVE: Seminole Ridge quarterback Antoine Williams keeps the ball and runs up field.
