CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – For the first time in school history, the Coral Glades Jaguars are 2-0. Although they faced much more adversity in tonight’s 34-24 victory over Pompano Beach (0-2) than last week’s game against Inlet Grove, the Jaguars are undoubtedly turning heads early in the 2016 season.
THE INFO: After Pompano received the opening kickoff, John Padgett found a hole in the Coral Glades defense, and went 60 yards upfield to put his team up just over a minute into the game.
On the Golden Tornadoes’ next possession, they failed to convert and were forced to punt. With Pompano Beach special teams players watching the ball roll past their own 40-yard line following the punt, the Jaguars’ Samuel Oshodi scooped up the ball and returned it for a touchdown to tie up the game.
Late in the first quarter, Coral Glades quarterback Cameron Brooks dropped back in the pocket and launched the ball over the middle of the field. Padgett, who plays both ways, leaped up to intercept Brooks’ pass attempt and ran the ball back to put the Golden Tornadoes in front, 14-7.
Following a failed Pompano Beach punt attempt, Coral Glades took possession late in the second quarter. Key gains on the ground set up the Jaguars inside the 10-yard line. Dion Gonzalez-Laporte broke the plane on a run up the middle to put Coral Glades ahead 21-14 at the half.
PHOTO GALLERY: Check out all the photos from the game here
Just when it appeared that the Jaguars were going to put away the Golden Tornadoes, Jeffrey Clinton fumbled the ball on the 3-yard line on a rushing attempt that would have put Coral Glades up 10 points.
Instead of a double-digit deficit, Pompano Beach took the lead on the very next play when Padgett broke off an 80-yard run, to make the score 24-21 in favor of the Golden Tornadoes.
Down 24-17, Donovan Samuels set up the Jaguars in good field position to tie up the game. Coral Glades played smash mouth football the entire drive down the field. From the 1-yard line, Gonzalez-Laporte found the end zone, and the game was knotted up at 24.
On the ensuing drive, Logan Good, the Pompano Beach quarterback, threw an interception to the Jaguars’ Shannon Bent. After unsuccessful attempts to run up the middle, Coral Glades was forced to attempt a field goal.
Junior Noah Baratta walked out on the field with the fate of the game on the tip of his cleat. His kick split the uprights at 1:40 in the fourth, and the Jaguars took the lead, 27-24.
With the clock ticking, Good threw another interception to Bent, sealing the game. Brooks scored on a quarterback sneak to extend the lead to 10, 34-24, with just seconds remaining, but the damage had been done by the field goal.
KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: Late in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 27, Logan Good faked a handoff to his running back and fired a pass towards the middle of the field. Only his intended receiver did not come down with it; the Jaguars’ defensive back, Bent, came down with the ball and returned it deep into Pompano Beach territory.
This play prevented a driving Golden Tornado offense from extending their drive, especially when the Jaguars had no answer for Padgett all night.
STAR OF THE GAME I: Shannon Bent’s contribution to the win tonight cannot be overstated. He had both the interception that allowed Coral Glades to take the lead and the interception that prevented any chance of the Golden Tornadoes mounting a comeback.
Apart from his effort on defense, Bent also picked up key gains on the ground on offense in the first half that set up a Jaguars’ touchdown.
STAR OF THE GAME II: Even though Pompano Beach came away with a loss tonight, John Padgett made a statement. The junior came down with two interceptions tonight, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
On the other side of the ball, he was even more impressive. With just seven carries, Padgett amassed 192 yards on the ground, and two touchdowns.
QUOTABLE: “We don’t give up,” Coral Glades Head Coach Christian Baldwin said. “We stuck our heads in there and kept on fighting each and every down, and I’m very proud of our boys.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Next week, the Pompano Beach Golden Tornadoes return home to play host to the Key West Conchs (1-0). As for the Jaguars, they travel to Southwest Ranches to take on the Archbishop McCarthy Mavericks (0-1), the defending Gold Coast Conference Champions.
