Miami commits Robby and Bobby Washington star in Palmetto’s 28-point rout of Edison
On Edison’s second offensive play Thursday, there was nowhere for Michael Zephrin to run. Willis McGahee IV charged at him from the left, Bobby Washington came from the right and Palmetto dropped the Red Raiders’ quarterback for its first sack of the game.
Washington popped back to his feet and strutted across the field at Curtis Park. He and his defense were just getting started. Two more sacks and four takeaways were still to come, and so was a 35-7 win.
“We did everything well defensively,” the star linebacker said.
Washington was involved in all three sacks and he helped keep Edison’s offense out of the end zone entirely to get Palmetto (3-4) the sort of marquee win it had lacked so far this season.
The Red Raiders’ only points came on a scoop and score in the last minute of the first quarter, tying the game 7-7. From there, the Panthers ran away with 28 straight points to blow out Edison (2-4) in Miami.
On defense, Washington was the focal point, tormenting the Red Raiders off the edge. On offense, star wide receiver Robby Washington was, hauling in five catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns.
The twin brothers, both of whom are orally committed to the Miami Hurricanes, set the tone with their speed and open up both sides of the field for Palmetto.
Washington capped the opening drive with a 7-yard touchdown catch, pulling the ball away from an Edison defender at the goal-line, and the senior later sent the Panthers into halftime with a 21-7 lead when he hauled in a pass on a crossing route, juked past one defender and raced into the end zone with 32 seconds left in the second quarter.
Palmetto also scored on a two-play drive in the second quarter, when Panthers quarterback Lucas Goenaga heaved a 78-yard touchdown to Palmetto wide receiver Cameron Sapp.
“We are very dynamic on offense. We’ve just got to continue to show that,” Panthers coach Mike Manasco said. “That’s going to have to be our identity right now, until we get healthy up front. ... We’re going to have that home-run threat every time we touch the ball.”
A sophomore, Goenaga put together one of the best performances of his young career, finishing 7 of 16 for 183 yards and three touchdowns, and then adding a short touchdown run in the opening minute of the fourth quarter to put Palmetto up 28-7.
His defense consistently set him up, too. The 78-yard touchdown came two plays after star middle linebacker Gabriel Hardman, who’s orally committed to the FCS South Dakota Coyotes, forced a fumble deep in Panthers territory and Washington’s second touchdown came three plays after Palmetto edge rusher Sharrod Miley jumped on a fumble near midfield.
In the second half, Panthers cornerbacks Omari Winkfield and Corey Pruitt added interceptions to keep the Red Raiders at bay.
Edison managed just 173 yards in the blowout loss.
“We’re not as big up front as we’re used to being, but, man, the kids are playing very hard,” Manasco said. “We have to put our best personnel on the field. We have to find ways to make that happen and ways to make them be successful, so it’s always nice to have two monster guys in the middle, but that’s not going to happen every year in high school, so we’re doing a good job of adapting and figuring out how to play our best 11.”
