The visiting Wolverines of Westside were no match for the Sharks last Friday as Ponte Vedra finished on top 34-14. Held at the Shark Tank, the Sept. 14 game was more lopsided than the final score would indicate with Ponte Vedra completely controlling play for the first three quarters.
In the first half alone, the Sharks’ offense ran 42 plays covering 116 yards, compared to 15 plays for just nine yards by Westside. The Wolverines had difficulty keeping control of the football in the first 24 minutes, turning it over on two fumbles and throwing an interception. Shane Bloss and Ethan Baur recovered the first half fumbles for the Sharks, and linebacker Aiden Dunnigan had the interception.
The Sharks wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. After a turnover on downs by the visitors, Jacobi Myers engineered an 8-play 66-yard dive that ended with a 15-yard run up the middle by the quarterback. On the next play from scrimmage, Dunnigan’s pick gave the Sharks possession, and they turned it into a 27-yard field goal by Raj Patel and a 10-0 lead. Ponte Vedra extended the lead to 13-0 early in the second quarter when Patel hit a 45-yard field goal.
Westside completed its first first down of the game at the start of the second quarter but had to punt the ball away after three plays. The Sharks also had to punt, but another Westside fumble gave Ponte Vedra a first down at the 15-yard line of the Wolverines. The big red defenders stiffened, forcing another field goal attempt from 31 yards, which sailed wide left. Ponte Vedra got the ball right back when Shane Bloss fell on the Westside fumble. Subsequently, quarterback Jack Murrah hit receiver Kyle Barker on a 5-yard slant for a touchdown, which made the score 20-0 at the break.
The Sharks took the second-half kickoff and scored in five plays, the last a 14-yard strike from Myers to Logan Conway for a 27-0 lead. It wasn’t long before the Wolverines put the ball on the ground again. This time, Connor McDonough recovered. Myers immediately hit Barker running open down the right sideline for a 20-yard score and a 34-0 advantage. At this point, coach Matt Toblin substituted freely on both sides of the ball, and except for two late touchdowns by Westside, the game was over.
Statistically, Myers completed 8 of 12 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Murrah hit on 8 of 12 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Barker caught 6 of 9 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, Garrett Griffin, Baur and McDonough each had six total tackles.
This week, Ponte Vedra (4-0) hosts Pedro Menendez (3-1) at 7 p.m.
