Dillard capitalizes on turnovers to rally past Miramar and improve to 2-0

Building an early season identity can play a significant role toward late-season goals for the 2019 high school football season.

Friday’s non-district meeting between Miramar at host Dillard is one of those all-important games with meaning.

Dillard rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit for a 34-28 victory, improving to 2-0 on the young season. The win comes off of last week’s 55-point victory over Piper in the season opener.

It was the first meeting between the schools since 2010 when Miramar defeated Dillard 49-14. They had previously met only four times since 2005, with Dillard winning once, 25-20, in 2006.

The Panthers outscored Miramar 20-2 in the second half.

“Everyone wants to know if Dillard is for real,” Dillard coach Eddie Frasier said. “This was a game we needed and was big for us. This game was an opportunity to tell us what we are all about.

“This was to let me know if we were mentally real to take the next step.”

Dillard took its first lead with 2:42 left in the third quarter at 27-26 when senior quarterback Zamir Jones threw a 13-yard scoring pass to Leonard Shoultz.

Dillard’s defense added another score with 1:11 left in the quarter when Elijiah Black returned an interception 15 yards for a touchdown for a 34-26 lead.

The Panthers’ rally began when they got help when the Miramar punt returner muffed the catch and allowed the ball to roll in the end zone, where Ronald Stephens recovered it for the touchdown.

“Dillard had a good win last week and were using our game as a measuring stick of where they stand,” Miramar coach A.J. Scott said. “We planned to give them a game. If we had executed, we could have won the game.”

Dillard’s first half blunders resulted in a 26-14 deficit. Three interceptions, a blocked punt and on the final play of the half a 21-yard loss and fumble recovery by the Patriots Derrick Hill defined the sloppy performance.

Dillard was also penalized nine times for 52 yards.

Miramar (1-1) led 20-7 after the first quarter on a pair of scoring passes junior quarterback Dewrell Murdock and a 10-yard return of a blocked punt by Reko Davis.

The Panthers kept the game close on Jones’ 25-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

They closed within six points on the lead following a Patrick Bowen 5-yard scoring run with 2:39 left in the opening half. Bowen finished with 78 yards on 16 carries.

Kevin Ross of Miramar led all runners with 109 yards on 12 carries.

Dillard, however, ended the half on back-to-back turnovers.

DILLARD 34, MIRAMAR 28

M – Lott 21 pass from Murdock (kick failed)

D – Jones 25 run (Reddick kick)

M – Josue 19 pass from Murdock (Williamson kick)

M – Davis 10 blocked punt return (Williamson kick)

D -- Bowen 5 run (Reddick kick)

M – Hall recovered fumble in end zone (kick failed)

D – Stephens recovered fumble in end zone (pass failed)

D – Elijiah Black 15 interception return (Williamson kick)

M – Intentional safety

This story was originally published August 30, 2019 at 10:47 PM.