DEERFIELD BEACH 27, PLANTATION 0
Defense, special teams lead Deerfield
BY CONCEPCION LEDEZMA
Miami Herald Writer
Deerfield Beach's Denard Robinson and Cassius McDowell each had two rushing touchdowns in a 27-0 victory against Plantation in a Class 6A first-round playoff game at Coral Springs.
When the game was still in question, the Bucks barely allowed the Colonels to move -- standout running back Lamario Fuller was held to 4 yards on nine carries -- and they also had a blocked punt and were aided by two botched snaps in eliminating Plantation.
''Yes, the offense did a good job and got the 27 points, but the defense and special teams are the reason we won this game,'' Deerfield Beach coach Art Taylor said.
The Bucks (9-2) will face Boyd Anderson in a second-round game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Coral Springs. The Cobras defeated the Bucks 27-10 during the regular season, a game in which Taylor expressed displeasure over the opponent's successful attempt to score in the final seconds with the game already decided.
''I won't comment on that,'' Taylor said, ``but it'll be good to have the revenge factor on our side. BA is a very good team. That'll be a great challenge for our team.''
The Bucks led 14-0 at halftime, scoring both touchdowns in the first quarter. Deerfield Beach then went on to dominate on the ground, outgaining the Colonels 141-72 in the first two quarters. McDowell was the game's leading rusher, with 130 yards on 19 carries.
Robinson accounted for the first score on a 23-yard run, thanks to Plantation's first of two botched punt snaps, allowing Deerfield Beach to set up at the Colonels 23. Robinson, a holder on the point-after attempt, made the most of a bad snap, scrambled and found Miguel Devonish in the end zone for the two-point conversion.
After the Bucks forced a three-and-out, Robinson directed an 85-yard scoring drive in four plays, ending on McDowell's 4-yard touchdown run. McDowell set up the score with a 76-yard reception for a first-and-goal two plays earlier.
University School 16, West Palm Beach King's Academy 9: Senior quarterback Erik Applegate ran for 100 yards and scored twice as the third-year Suns won their first playoff game to remain undefeated.
University's defense -- anchored by Nick Craney, David Perry and Tommy Steele -- shut down the Lions (8-3), stopping them four times in the red zone. King's Academy, which missed two field goal attempts, scored off a botched punt and a safety.
Trailing 10-7 in the third quarter, the Lions had fourth-and-inches from the University 6-yard line. Steele recovered a fumble to thwart the effort.
''I just grabbed it and held on tight,'' said Steele, a senior linebacker. ``That was a big game changer and got the momentum back. Our defense just stepped it up the whole game like that.''
With the Suns pinned, King's Academy's Brandon Machiela, Tom Morrison and Jamaal Wallace combined on a safety to trim the deficit 10-9 with 43 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
A shanked punt gave University (11-0) the ball at the King's Academy 47-yard line. Applegate, as he did at the end of the first half, took control, gaining nearly all of the 47 yards on the seven-play drive, capped off by his 9-yard touchdown run for a 16-9 lead.
-- JIM VARSALLONE
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