Sharks fall to Falcons

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Ponte Vedra’s mistakes proved costly in their 27-10 loss to the Pedro Menendez Falcons last Friday evening on Homecoming Night at the Shark Tank. 

Two critical fumbles and a missed 23-yard field goal turned a 10-6 third quarter Ponte Vedra lead into the Sharks’ first defeat of the season. 

Ponte Vedra kicked off to the Falcons to open the game, and the visitors moved quickly to a 3-0 advantage after a 29-yard field goal. The Sharks attempted to answer with an extended drive that took them from their own 33-yard line to the Falcons’ 5-yard line, but they couldn’t punch it in on fourth and short.  

Menendez controlled play for the better part of the first quarter and into the second. They drove to the Sharks’ 5-yard line, but the Ponte Vedra defense stiffened, and Menendez had to settle for a second field goal instead. This one was for 23 yards, giving the Falcons a 6-0 advantage.

Ponte Vedra responded with an 11-play, 82-yard drive, primarily on 43 yards rushing by quarterback Cobi Myers. Max Schalit scored the touchdown from a yard out, putting the Sharks in front 7-6 with three minutes left in the first half. Neither team could then mount any significant offense, and the teams went to the locker room with the Sharks on top 7-6.

The Sharks received the second-half kickoff, and Myers wasted little time getting the ball into Reese Russi’s hands. Russi caught three passes, one for nine yards, another for 22 yards and a third for three yards. But Ponte Vedra could get no closer than the visitor’s 21-yard line, so Raj Patel booted a 38-yard field goal. The Sharks led 10-6.

Menendez bounced back with a pair of big plays, a 23-yard run and a 15-yard pass to score the go-ahead touchdown for a 13-10 lead.

Ponte Vedra kept the pressure on with a Myers-to-Kyle Barker completion for 34 yards. After the Sharks moved to a first and goal at the Menendez 10-yard line, things took a strange turn. Ponte Vedra ran three plays and facing fourth down at the Menendez 1-yard line, the Sharks apparently shunned an attempt at the touchdown and instead opted to let time run out on the play clock so the ensuing 5-yard penalty might give them a better angle on a field goal attempt. Unfortunately, Patel’s kick from 23 yards missed to the left, and the Sharks came away with nothing.

With the Sharks still trailing as the fourth quarter started, Ponte Vedra had moved into scoring position once again. They faced a third down and inches to go for a first down at the Menendez 6-yard line. Six yards from the go-ahead touchdown, another bizarre event occurred. Quarterback Jack Murrah originally lined up in the shotgun formation, but with just a few seconds left on the play clock, he moved closer to under the center. It appeared he never got into a comfortable position and when the ball was snapped, it wound up on the ground. A Menendez defender scooped it up and ran 95 yards for a touchdown. Now it was 20-10 Pedro. 

A few minutes later when the Sharks were trying to get back in the game, Murrah was sacked at midfield and lost the football. The Falcons turned that possession into the final touchdown of the game. 

It was a game all the Sharks would look back on with some regret.

Statistically, Cole McCormick, Tommy Zitiello and Shane Bloss led the Sharks in tackling with 15, 14 and 14 total tackles. 

Ponte Vedra (4-1) plays a conference game at Bishop Kenny on Friday at 7 p.m.