By Gary Curreri

Jaylan Knighton put in a good night’s work as he ran for a school-record 348 yards on 26 carries and four touchdowns as Deerfield Beach topped Taravella, 44-8 at Coral Springs High last Thursday night.

The 5 ft. 11 in., 190-lb. junior eclipsed the Bucks’ previous single-game record of 332 yards which was set by Marc Renaud against Northeast on Nov. 9, 1991, in just one half of the football game.

Knighton said he didn’t even know that he was on the brink of a history making performance. He hoped to be the Bucks’ single game record holder before he graduated.

“I always wanted to do that,” Knighton said after the game. “It was one of my goals and I accomplished it.

“In the fourth quarter, my coach told me I needed 20 more yards to break the record,” Knighton added. “I pushed and with two carries broke the record. I want to thank my offensive lineman and team for pushing me every day in practice.”

Knighton’s yardage tied him for sixth all-time in Broward history with LeCorey Robey of Flanagan set against Ft. Lauderdale in 2004. The county record is 405 yards set by Sheridan Hills’ Frainy Alfrena in a 2008 game against Highlands Christian.

“He deserves this because he has put in the hard work,” said Deerfield coach Jevon Glenn, whose team improved to 6-0, 2-0 in district and extended its consecutive victories in district play to 17 over four seasons.

“If you think about the incredible backs that we had here at Deerfield Beach, Renaud, Steve Feagin and Brandon Powell just recently,” Scott continued, “to set himself at the top of those names, it’s an accomplishment that I’m very proud of.”

The Bucks will face a difficult test this Friday as they host St. Thomas Aquinas.

Taravella, which entered the game with a 1-0 record in the district and 3-1 overall, pulled to within 12-8 on a Logan Rubin 29-yard scoring pass to Vantraveous Williams. It was all Deerfield after that. The Bucks defense also stepped up big as it intercepted Taravella on four of five pass attempts in the second half.

The Bucks finished the game with 554 yards, while Taravella was held to 121 total yards, 25 coming on the ground.

The Bucks led 24-8 at the half with two scores from Knighton of 16 and 56 yards. The other was a 26-yard pass from Derohn King to Bryce Gowdy. King also tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Raphael Williams. Brandon Dorlus added a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Foster, Mascatello, Smith team for win in PBMGA

The trio of Jim Foster, Bob Mascatello and Willie Smith, their blind draw partner, shot a 121 and took top honors in the Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association tournament on Sept. 26 at the Pines Course at Pompano Municipal Golf Course.

The team won the two best ball of threesome tournament on a match of cards with a back nine score of 60.

The team of Pete Strychowskyj, Max Walker and Roy Wilhoite also shot a 121, however they shot a total of 64 on the back nine to finish second. The team of Chuck Brown, Bart Valerio and their blind draw partner, Bob Mascatello, shot a 123 to finish in third as they also won a match of cards with a back nine score of 60.

The closest to the pin winner was Joe Patchen.

By Gary Curreri

Lighthouse Point’s Kevin Mendez is looking for a repeat performance at state.

After sitting out the beginning of this season with an injury, it appears that the eighth-grader at Pine Crest School in Ft. Lauderdale is prepared to defend his Class 1A state diving championship.

Mendez, 14, recently showed he is going to be a state contender after winning the boys 1-meter diving title at the 54th annual Woodson Invitational at the Pine Crest School pool with a total score of 497.95 after sitting the first six weeks of the season with a broken thumb.

“This helps a lot confidence-wise because I had the broken thumb and just came back (from the injury,” said Mendez, who had three top 8 finishes, including second in the 1-meter diving event at the national championships this summer, despite a fractured finger. I have only been diving four days, so to do this well was unexpected. It will boost my confidence a lot. I was pretty happy.”

His efforts helped Pine Crest take second in the team race with 229 points at the meet. Perennial Class 1A state champion Jacksonville Bolles, winners of 26 consecutive state titles, won both the boys’ and girls’ titles.

Mendez is hopeful of retaining his gold medal at the state meet at the Sailfish Splash Waterpark, Aquatic Athletics Center in Stuart on Nov. 4.

“There is zero pressure on me to win a state title because it is unexpected being young,” Mendez said. “Nobody expects you to win, so you just go in there and do your thing. I am used to it.

“I have won a couple of national championships so I am used to the pressure,” Mendez continued. “I would say my favorite board (event) is the 1-meter.”

He got his start in diving when he was taking swimming lessons, spotted the diving board and asked if he could give it a whirl. It was 10 years ago, and Mendez said he has loved diving ever since.

“You just adapt to it,” Mendez said. “It is kind of scary at first. Like anything, the more you do it, the more you get used to it.”

Since he won the high school title last year, he knows what to expect.

 “I think I have a chance of winning states again,” Mendez said. “I am going to try my best and do my best. I think I have a good shot.”

Bucks cruise past Taravella

Deerfield Beach High School’s football team grounded out an easy 50-6 victory over visiting Taravella last week. 

The Bucks totaled 507 yards rushing, with three players running for more than 125 yards each – Jakari Norwood (141 yards and two TDs), Jerome Neal (140 yards, TD) and Jaylan Knighton (125 yards). The Bucks (3-1) travel to St. Thomas Aquinas this Friday for a huge non-district game.

Tigers tamed in defeat

Auburn commit Shaun Shivers rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half, to lead Chaminade-Madonna to a 44-0 win over Blanche Ely in a non-district game, Monday at Blanche Ely.

Shivers scored on two of his five carries for the game with scoring runs of 79 and 55 yards. Quarterback Daelen Menard also accounted for a pair of scores, finishing 4 of 6 for 123 yards. The Lions (3-2) scored on their first three possessions, with their first two scoring drives taking just one play each.

Blanche Ely slipped to 2-3 with the loss.

By Jacob Shendell

Deerfield Beach comes out on top defeating Taravella High School, winning their first District 11-8A game to the score of 14-7 last Thursday night.

Both teams needed a district win — Deerfield (3-3) coming off of a 24-21 loss to Coral Springs High School and Taravella (1-4) with a 45-7 win over Coral Glades High School the week before.

Deerfield came out guns blazing. Quarterback Jefftey Joseph, combined with offensive weapons Antonio Cartagena and Giavante Evans, marched down the field to the Taravella 20-yard line before running into trouble. Deerfield Beach fumbled the ball with the Trojans recovering it on the 3rd down, having no gain, stopped after the fumble.

Deerfield stopped the Trojans on their drive, forcing them to punt the ball on 4th down, starting their drive at their own 36 yard-line. Kobe Farrish led the drive, carrying the ball on five of the six plays. He ended the drive with a 1-yard gain; he punched into the end zone to give the Bucks the lead 7-0 with 2:15 left in the 1st quarter.

Taravella responded right back with a touchdown in the second quarter with an 80-yard drive by Tyler Hunter tying the game up 7-7. The tie was short lived as the Bucks’ WR Antonio Cartagena caught a huge pass from Joseph running it down the field for an 80-yard touchdown play to put the Bucks’ up 14-7 to close out the third quarter.

In the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Trojans were making a huge effort toward the Deerfield Beach end zone only to be stopped by a lightning delay on the Deerfield Beach 21-yard line. Play resumed 40 minutes after the delay. Deerfield stopped the Trojans on 3rd down at the end of the drive.

The score remained the same throughout the rest of the game. Deerfield won 14-7.

Tomorrow night, Deerfield is in Sunrise playing Piper High School (2-3). The last time these two teams met was on the Deerfield Beach Homecoming night, where Piper lost (53-8).

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach football coach Alan Jackson said before last Thursday’s District 11-8A opener against Taravella that his team was still learning and trying to find out who they were.

With a talented group of juniors and underclassmen, Jackson’s team battled back twice from double-digit deficits only to fall 42-35 in overtime. While they found out a little bit more about themselves, this year’s team is still searching for its first victory of the year after three losses.

“We are still young and have a lot of juniors on this team,” said Jackson, who is in his second year at the school. The Bucks are coming off back-toback losing seasons and failed to make the postseason last year. “Our 2014 team should be pretty good.”

Trailing 14-0 after Taravella scored on its first two possessions of the game, Deerfield Beach roared back with 18 unanswered points to take an 18-14 halftime lead as Aeron McNeal scored on a 35-yard run and Kris Rosales added a 40-yard field goal to pull within 14-10 with 10:20 remaining in the second quarter.

McNeal finished the game with 11 carries for 172 yards.

DeerfieldBeach(0-3,0-0) took its first lead of the game on a 9- yard scoring pass from Levin to Justin Morgan before Humphries scored twice to stake the Trojans to a 28-18 lead.

The Bucks opened the fourth quarter scoring 17 points to jump back in front following a safety and Brandon Powell caught back-to-back, 22 yard TD passes from Levin to grab a 35-28 lead with 4:36 left in the game.

Taravella tied the game at 35-35 with 2:02 remaining on an 8-yard TD pass from Jerome to Robert Miller and won it in overtime on another Jerome TD pass.

“They are coming along,” Jackson said. “I am pleased with what we are doing. We are motivated. They wanted to make the playoffs this year. The 2014 kids wanted to make a statement this year. They don’t want to wait. That’s our motto. Let’s not wait until we are seniors; let’s do it now. That’s the kind of model we are in this year.”

Jackson said, despite the team’s record, there is more continuity this year because they have been in the system for a year. He believes they can still make the playoffs.

“We want to do the now,” Jackson said. “We have to be better now and can’t wait until later. We need to mature a little bit more. We have to cut down on all of the small, little mistakes and get tougher up front and offensively. We have two great backs, but we have to be consistent.”

Jackson said the team is counting on juniors Brandon Powell, LaJavious Thompson and senior Mike Gilbert, as well as junior Tyler Sayles, senior Royus Amos and Orlando transfer senior Aaron Williams.

Tigers roar, roll past Cougars

Blanche Ely’s Nelson Ervin passed for 227 yards and five touchdowns as Blanche Ely cruised past Coconut Creek, 55-6, in the District 14-7A opener on Friday night. The Tigers (3-1, 1-0) took an early 28-0 lead behind the efforts of Ervin, who completed three touchdown passes in the opening period. Running back James Butler added two first half scores as the Tigers took a 49-6 lead into halftime.