Bucks fall in season opener, 24-12

Posted on 29 August 2019 by LeslieM

Jaylan Knighton hopes to rebound this Saturday with a strong performance in Maryland.
Photo by Gary Curreri.

By Gary Curreri

The Deerfield Beach High School football team dug itself an early hole and was unable to get out of it as the Bucks dropped the ESPNU nationally televised game against Miami Carol City at Traz Powell Stadium last Saturday.

“We’re just not playing really good football,” said Deerfield coach Jevon Glenn following his team’s 24-12 loss. “Not coaching really good football, the players aren’t playing really good football.” 

“I don’t know if we’re reading press clippings,” he continued. “We’re not a really good football team. We’re not a state-championship contender, we’re not a district-championship contender at this moment. The thing is: It’s a long season ahead of us. We can be a championship team once we get on the same page.”

The Chiefs defense held Deerfield Beach’s offense in check in jumping out to an 18-0 halftime cushion and 24-0 lead before the Bucks scored twice in the final quarter to draw close.

Deerfield Beach’s top offensive weapon, running back Jaylan Knighton rushed for only 19 yds. in the first half and finished the game with 48 yds. on 14 carries. He ran for 2,099 yds. last season as the Bucks reached the state semifinals. Quarterback Derohn King went 3 for 12 in the first half and ended the contest completing 15 of 32 passes for 259 passing yards.

The Bucks’ Phillip O’Brien recovered a bad snap in the end zone with 4:22 left to get the Bucks on the board and King added a 7-yd. scoring run on the next possession.

The Bucks had their chances with the ball inside the Chiefs’ 20-yd. line five times and only scored once. Two of the drives stalled, one resulted in a missed field goal and one ended with a turnover on a fumble.

“We were shooting ourselves in the foot,” Glenn said. “It was just a lack of execution.”

Knighton believes the team can rebound and contend for a championship.

“Me and the leaders, Bryce (Gowdy) and Deajaun (McDougle), are focusing on getting the team ready,” he said. “We don’t want to settle for making mistakes.

We work every day to minimize the mistakes. We try and motivate the team to not think about it and just go on to the next phase, and they are doing great with it.

“We don’t focus on the past,” he added. “We don’t dwell on it. We are ready and we aren’t too worried about the past. We are ready to crank. You have to be humble and work every day because it is a grind. At then, at the end of the day, if you put your mind to it, you can get it done. One thing about this team is we work hard every day, and we don’t take no days off.”

Deerfield travels to Washington, D.C., to play the nation’s fourth-ranked team in St. John’s this Saturday. St. John’s opened their season with a 48-0 win over Miami Southridge.

Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association results

Frank Cutrone carded a 78 to take first place in the Low Gross competition for Class A in the Individual Play (Low Gross and Low Net in classes) in the Palm Beach Men’s Golf Association at the Pines Course. Bill Hadersbeck shot 63 to win Low Net honors in Class A, while Dennis Sejda was one shot back with a 64.

In the Class B competition, Tom Breur shot 81 to win the Low Gross honor. Jim Foster shot a 64 to win the Low Net, while Jim Greeley was second with a 66.

Jim DeCicco carded an 89 to take first place in the Low Gross competition for Class C. Lee Hammer shot 61 to take first place in Low Net. Robert Raser was second in the Low Net with a 64.

Bill O’Brien won the closest to the pin competition on hole No. 7.

Comments are closed.

Advertise Here
Advertise Here