By Gary Curreri
Pompano Beach coach Melvin Jones knew it would be a tough road in his first stint as a varsity football head coach, especially with the schedule he’s faced.
Pompano Beach (0-3), which entered the game having been outscored 92-6 this season, kept pace in the early going of its most recent game against Hollywood Hills.
“The season obviously hasn’t gone according to plan, but I know what I was getting into,” said Jones, whose team opened with a 53-0 loss to Monarch and a 39-6 defeat at the hands of John Carroll Catholic. “I was just trying to change the culture and get kids to understand football and the fundamentals and to be able to line up and that is what we have been trying to accomplish.”
His team was also part of history on Friday night when Hollywood Hills junior quarterback Holly Neher became the first female quarterback to start a varsity football game in Broward County, and possibly the nation.
Neher started the team’s 51-27 win over Pompano Beach High School at Cooper City High School and was perfect on her first five passes in the first quarter for 126 yards. She led the Spartans to two first half scores, including a 67-yard pitch and catch to senior receiver Alexander Shelton.
The Tornadoes trimmed the early deficit to 13-7 on a 61-yard run from senior Brian Campbell.
Hills freshman Emile Bien-Aime made it 20-7 on a 65-yard scoring toss to Shelton before Pompano Beach’s senior Andrew Putney connected with senior Andre Francis to pull within 20-13. It was the closest Pompano Beach would get the rest of the night.
“We are just trying to get better each day,” Jones said. “I expect to get better each day. I expect them to learn more as they watch the film and being with us. They will get an understating about what football is all about.”
There was optimism following the Golden Tornadoes’ kickoff classic game against St. John Paul II Academy – a 36-34 setback – and Jones said the two schools are similar in size and mirror each other.
They are in an independent league and we were in that league, but now we are playing with the big boys.
“I knew what we are in for,” Jones said. “We are looking forward to the challenges ahead.”
Jones said he has received strong play this season from Putney, Campbell and Jalal Jean-Charles.
“A lot of our guys go both ways,” Jones said, “so they are doing good things on both sides of the ball.”
Tigers notch first victory
Blanche Ely picked up its first victory of the season thanks to a little trickery on the first play from scrimmage in its game against host Boyd Anderson.
On the first play, the Tigers (1-2) lined up two quarterbacks, both Yanez Rogers and James Wallace, in the backfield. Rogers handled the snap from center and pitched the ball to Wallace, who rolled to his left and launched a 73-yard scoring toss to a wide-open Dennis Pete for a 6-0 lead.
Boyd Anderson (1-2) answered on its opening possession as sophomore quarterback Hansy Colas connected with Johnny King on a 15-yard touchdown pass to tie it at 6 on the final play of the first quarter.
Blanche Ely converted a special teams miscue early in the fourth quarter to go up 12-6. Boyd Anderson, facing fourth down, attempted to get off a punt, however, the snap sailed over the punter’s head and the Tigers got the ball on the Cobras’ 14.
Three plays later, Rogers hit Pete for a 10-yard TD pass for a 12-6 lead. After Blanche Ely conceded a safety, the Cobras had one last chance, however, the Tigers picked off Cobras in the final minute to escape with the 12-8 win.
The Tigers opened the season with losses to Stranahan and Plantation.
By Gary Curreri
