Stranahan might have been laughed at in recent years, but few probably will be laughing now after a 34-14 victory over Piper on Thursday night at Lockhart Stadium in the season opener for both teams.

Stranahan forced three fumbles, had seven sacks and held Piper to 131 total yards.

Nesley Marcellon and Eric Williams had two sacks each, and Stranahan's defense held Piper running back Deshaun Sands to 12 carries for 64 yards, with 41 of those yards coming on one carry in the third quarter.

''Our defense wins for us,'' Stranahan coach Joe Redmond said. ``We've been well-prepared, and I think our team was prepared. We used to be laughed at a lot, but now I don't think anyone's laughing right now. This is a whole different football team. We are very proud.''

On the first possession of the game, Piper's Richard Jones mishandled a handoff, giving Stranahan possession at Piper's 17-yard line.

Stranahan scored four plays later to take a 7-0 lead.

Piper was hurt again on its next possession by its inability to hold onto the ball. A lateral pass was batted down by Nesley Marcellon and recovered by Chris McGee at Piper's 10-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Jeremy Brown scored on a sneak with a little more than six minutes left in the first quarter.

Sands got Piper back into the game, returning the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to cut Stranahan's lead to 14-6.

But the turnover bug hit Piper again. Stranahan's Melvin Davis separated Zachary Kidd from the ball, and Darryl Sterling returned the fumble to the Piper 4-yard line.

Two plays later, Brown scored on an 8-yard run for a 20-6 lead that held up until halftime.

Piper looked like it might get back into the game again after Sands' 41-yard run that gave the Bengals the ball at Stranahan's 15-yard line. But Stranahan's defense forced Piper to attempt a 32-yard field goal.

Stranahan's Victor Boyd blocked the kick, scooped up the ball and returned it 72 yards for a touchdown and a 27-6 lead.

''I think that broke their backs at that time,'' Redmond said. ``Things came to us timely and that helped us a great deal.''

• Taravella 34, Monarch 0: Devon Wright ran for a career high three touchdowns to lead Taravella to a 34-0 season-opening victory at Coral Springs.

Wright rushed for 146 yards on 26 carries, including touchdown runs of 20, 1 and 10 yards. Chris Wright, Jack Josephy and Brandon Steag had an interception apiece, helping Taravella build a 20-0 halftime lead.

-- CONCEPCION

LEDEZMA

Coral Springs Charter was missing three starting defensive lineman because of injuries, and tried to use three freshmen to contain McCarthy's running game.

It did not work as T. J. Marshall rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns and Lennard Robinson added two rushing touchdowns. Robinson finished with 80 yards on 10 carries.

The game did not start well for Coral Springs Charter. It fumbled the opening kickoff, which resulted in Robinson's 7-yard touchdown run on Archbishop McCarthy's first play.

Archbishop McCarthy could have increased the lead near the end of the first half, but the game clock expired as it was setting up for a short field-goal attempt. This would be the only setback for the Mavericks in the game.

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