Gulliver Prep stays unbeaten

BY PEDRO MARTIMiami Herald Writer
 
Gulliver Prep's Conner Vernon, left, is brought down by Bay Point's Corwin Dantzle, right, during their game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2008.
DAVID ADAME / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD
Gulliver Prep's Conner Vernon, left, is brought down by Bay Point's Corwin Dantzle, right, during their game on Friday, Oct. 10, 2008.

A stellar defensive effort helped keep Gulliver Prep undefeated as they upended Bay Point 15-6 Friday afternoon at Gulliver Academy.

Led by linebacker Frankie Telfort's 14 tackle performance, the Raiders held Bay Point (0-6) to 76 total yards. Sophomore cornerback Cedric Walker also added an acrobatic interception.

''We knew our defense was going to win us this game,'' coach Earl Sims said. ``I asked the offense at halftime if they wanted to contribute to the victory and I think they responded well.''

Gulliver's offense, the county's top ranked in scoring, was held scoreless in the first half, largely due to three turnovers.

The Raiders (5-0) responded to coach Sims challenge and controlled the ball for most of the second half. Running back Darian Mallorys led the way with 103 yards rushing.

• Key West 37, Mater 6: It took Key West's offense an entire half to wake up on the road against Mater Academy. But once it did, the Conchs never looked back.

After being silenced for the first 24 minutes, Key West rushed for scored on its first three possessions of the second half en route to a victory over the Lions at Ted Hendricks Stadium.

''I think they finally realized that if we don't win this game, it's over for us, and we don't have a chance to get into any sort of playoffs,'' Conchs head coach Jerry Hughes said. 'We said coming out in the second half, 'We're going to see where their hearts are and run it down their throats.' ''

Key West (3-3, 1-1 in District 16-3A) picked up 78 yards on 16 carries in the second half and took a 7-6 lead on its first drive of the third quarter. After only converting on two first downs in the first two quarters, the Conchs went on a 12-play, 10-minute drive to start the third, which ended on a one-yard quarterback keeper by Stephen Jones.

Then, after scoring a safety on a bad snap on a punt attempt, the Conchs made it a 10-point game with an eight-yard run by Alfred Rahming. After that, the dagger came with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Carlton Howard with three minutes left.

The Lions' (1-4, 0-2) only score came in the second quarter.

Key West picked up 63 yards on an end-around to Rahming, but on the second play from deep in Mater Academy territory, Lions cornerback Edwin Ortiz made a great leaping grab for an interception to give Mater Academy the ball and stop the Conch's scoring threat.

That set up the Lions' touchdown drive, which started with a 66-yard play on a slant route from Edward Hernandez to Kevin McClay, continued with a Key West pass interference in its own end zone, and ended with Hernandez running it in for two yards on a quarterback keeper to give Mater a 6-0 lead going into halftime.

But Mater Academy held the ball for only about five minutes and picked up just 31 yards from scrimmage in the second half.

''I guess we just decided to stop playing,'' Lions coach Gil Lora said. ``We stopped doing what we did in the first half, and we gave them the ballgame.''

-- ALDEN GONZALEZ

• Northwestern 52, Goleman 0: The Northwestern Bulls cruised to its first district win of the season, shutting out the Barbara Goleman Gators at Traz Powell Stadium.

The victory also extends the Bulls (5-0, 1-0 District 13-6A) Miami-Dade County record winning-streak to 35 games.

Northwestern coach Billy Rolle said the game was a good tool for working on the little things.

 

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