Ronnie Dickens rushed for 143 yards, including an 89-yard touchdown with 5:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, to lead Pace past Plantation American Heritage 34-15 on Friday.

Pace had just finished a goal-line stand that had stopped Heritage on downs when Dickens took off on his long run in the fourth quarter of the preseason game.

Pace opened the game with a 91-yard kickoff return by Kayvon Webster to take a 7-0 lead. Heritage answered with a touchdown and a field goal to take a 9-7 lead before Pace took the lead again just before halftime on a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Steven Morris on fourth-and-goal.

Heritage took the second-half kickoff 70 yards and capped it off with a 20-yard Brent Singleton run to take a 15-14 lead.

Pace answered on the next play when Derrick Hopkins took a pass from the flat from quarterback Stephen Morris and turned it into a 79-yard touchdown to put Pace up 21-15.

Ronnie Dickens scored from 1 yard out with three minutes left in the third quarter to put Pace up 28-15.

''We came out here on a mission [Friday],'' Pace coach Alvin Slaughter said.

``With two tough opponents in the next two weeks in Naples and Miramar, this is a quality team to prepare against and a good way to get ready for the season.''

Heritage coach Bryon Walker said: ``I was pleased with our first-teamers tonight. But our backups did not get the job done. It's a long season and good depth is important so we will have to work on that.''

• Central 32, Carol City 20: Central beat Carol City in a hard-fought preseason game at North Miami stadium.

The score was tied at 20 until early in the fourth quarter when Central quarterback Jefferey Godfrey connected with receiver Charles Gaines Jr. for a 63-yard touchdown. The touchdown was the third score that Godfrey and Gaines had completed.

Early in the third quarter, Godfrey found Gaines open down the sideline for a 65-yard score.

''They just left [Gaines Jr.] wide open tonight and he got the job done,'' Godfrey said. ``We have to get better on both sides of the ball, but it was a good game for both Carol City and Central.''

Central sealed the victory in the middle of the fourth quarter when defensive back Leonard Owens intercepted quarterback Atkins Morris for an 18-yard score.

''We didn't quit, but we were awful,'' Central coach Telly Lockette said. ``We rallied back. Stuck in there, and saw it though.''

-- JUSTIN AZPIAZU

Ransom Everglades trailed by 10-7 with two minutes remaining in the game, but Ajabe hauled in a 31-yard pass from Max Rappaport with 1:55 on the clock. Ajabe was ruled down inside the 1-yard line, but he scored on a run two plays later.

''This was a historic night for the kids,'' Ransom Everglades coach Claude Grubair said. ``But for us, we wanted to see how they would react, how they'd play in the fourth.''

Ajabe, a 6-2 ''athlete,'' also scored on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter, which tied the score 7-7.

Dade Christian went ahead 10-7 after George Naranjo's 21-yard field goal with 5 minutes left, but the ensuing drive saw Ransom drive down the field, ending with Ajabe's score.

Chris Elliot returned the kickoff 47-yards for the Crusaders on the next play. Dade Christian threatened to tie the score, gaining a first down within the Raiders 30-yard line. But the Ransom defense forced a fumble, which they recovered. Rappaport knelt twice to end the game.

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