Plantation capitalizes on turnovers to rally for win over West Broward

There’s never a good time to commit turnovers or untimely penalties in the game of football.

The West Broward High football team learned that difficult lesson against Plantation at PAL Field on Friday.

The Bobcats were in position to extend the first half lead or score a potential game-winning touchdown late in the game, but turnovers changed the narrative.

Plantation held on for a 25-21 victory as Jace Williams recovered a Bobcats fumble on the Colonels 12-yard line with 1:13 to play.

“Our defense had been bailing us out game, after game, after game,” Plantation coach Darrell Strong said. “We didn’t get much down on offense in the first half, but the defense came out on top with the pick six. That gave us the momentum going into the second half.”

Running back Zachariah Ray, not only helped Plantation chew time off the clock with his 178 yards on 23 carries and added a 56-yard scoring run with 9:26 left in the third quarter for a 25-14 lead.

West Broward answered right back on a three-yard scoring run by Elijah DeWoskin.

“I feel I’m a big part of the team,” Ray said. “I started out slow but picked it up in the second half. I do what I must do. It feels good to be 3-0.”

Just when it appeared West Broward had the momentum entering halftime with a double-digit lead, the Colonels changed that thought when defensive back Jemari Forman picked off Bobcats quarterback Tyler Shattuck at the goal line returning the pick 100 yards for the touchdown.

The two-point conversion was successful as Plantation (3-0) went into the half with an 18-14 lead.

West Broward (1-2) had a huge opportunity to build on its 14-10 lead after Izaiah Lopez recovered a botched snap on a Colonels punt attempt as he recovered the ball at the 12-yard line.

One play later a first down and goal at the Plantation, the Bobcats potential touchdown was wiped away on the interception.

West Broward scored on its first possession after forcing a Plantation punt as Shattuck completed a 14-yard scoring pass to Christian Jones for a 7-0 lead.

The Colonels answered with a 40-yard field goal by Nico Fraeknel.

Junior wide receiver Josh Moore, one of Broward’s top receiving threats, hauled in a 75-yard scoring toss from Shattuck for a 14-3 lead.

Moore finished the night with eight receptions for 169 yards.

Plantation scored its first touchdown of the evening when Jayden Chico threw 6-yard pass to Andre Barrington cutting the Bobcats lead to 14-10.