The Ponte Vedra Sharks improved their conference record Sept. 30 with a lopsided 53-16 win over Westside in a game that will be remembered more for the inordinate number of penalties called than for exciting plays made – sand there were plenty of exciting plays, most by Ponte Vedra.
In an unusual turn of events, the Sharks found themselves briefly on the short end of the score. The Wolverines took the opening kickoff and benefited from a bizarre defensive play by Ponte Vedra to score the game’s first touchdown. The score came when two Shark defenders collided while attempting to intercept a Westside pass. During the collision, the ball popped up right into the hands of the Wolverine receiver who took it to the house for an 80-yard TD. The PAT was no good and Westside led 6-0.
Their lead didn’t last any longer than the time it took the Sharks’ Jarrett Stepp to run 90-yards to the end zone with the ensuing kickoff. This time the Sharks missed the extra point.
The remainder of the first quarter belonged to the Sharks. They scored three more touchdowns, made a two-point conversion then missed another PAT. The first of the three touchdowns came on a 31-yard pass and run from Nick Tronti to Hal Swan. Tronti’s quarterback keeper earned the point after and Ponte Vedra led 14-6.
Six plays later, Tronti connected with Marshall Few for a 52-yard pass and run but the Sharks extra point again sailed low and wide of the mark. Another long completion to Few put the Sharks in business at the Westside 8-yard line. A pass to JD Piris finished the drive with less than 2 minutes left in the first quarter.
Moments later, it looked like Tronti had worked his magic again when he floated a perfect screen pass to Swan who raced 70 yards for an apparent touchdown. The officials saw otherwise, calling the Sharks for an ineligible receiver downfield. It mattered little as Tronti came back several plays later to find Few wide open for a 15-yard score and a 34-6 lead.
The Wolverines offense continued to struggle, giving the ball right back to Ponte Vedra. Tronti connected with Stepp for 10 yards then hit Piris for three and the Sharks sixth touchdown.
Westside was able to drive for a field goal in the closing moments of the first half, but could not stop the Sharks from scoring again, this on Zach Walton’s six-yard run.
Jack Murrah came on in relief of Tronti in the third quarter and engineered the final TD drive. On the drive he hit Rani Toma for 10 yards then handed off to Zach King, who busted 8-yards into the end zone to push Ponte Vedra’s lead to 53-9. The Wolverines scored with three minutes left to complete the scoring.
Ponte Vedra travels to Bartram Trail on Friday, Oct. 7 for a non-conference game against the Bears.
