Week 8 Football Roundup: Parrish defeats Braden River, Venice wins district title
Results and analysis from Weeks 6 of Sarasota-Manatee area high school football games from Friday, Oct. 13.
Parrish Community 35, Braden River 28
PARRISH — The dream of winning a district title remains alive for the Parrish Community High football team.
Bryson Bender returned an interception 50 yards to break a tie with 42 seconds remaining in regulation, as the Bulls came from behind to defeat visiting Braden River High, 35-28, Friday night in a Class 3 Suburban-District 13 contest.
By winning its fifth straight game, Parrish Community (6-1) goes to 2-0 in 3S-13 to set up a winner-take-all showdown against Port Charlotte on Oct. 27 at Pirates Cove. Port Charlotte went to 2-0 with a 57-7 decision over visiting Southeast High on Friday evening.
In handing Braden River its fourth straight setback, the Bulls stormed back from a 28-14 deficit 14 seconds into the second half.
Both teams have non-district games Friday: Parrish Community at Cypress Creek at 7:30 p.m., and Braden River home against Charlotte at 7 p.m.
BRADEN RIVER TAKEAWAYS
1. For the Pirates, this was another tough pill to swallow. They piled up 273 yards in the first half and received touchdowns from Marcus Galloway (30-yard run), Yahshua Edwards (24-yard run) and Isaac Heaven (82-yard pass from Lucas Despot). They got down to the Parrish Community 17-yard line late in the first quarter when they lost a fumble. When Galloway returned the second half kickoff 87 yards, Braden River owned a 28-14 advantage. “We had a couple penalties, punt and then had a streak of three straight fumbles,” Pirates coach Curt Bradley said. “
2. The Pirates’ special teams were a mixed bag. They muffed two punts, losing both with the first leading to a Parrish Community touchdown. Galloway’s burst up the middle with the second half kickoff and the kicking and punting of Brunno Reus were plusses. “Unfortunately, this is turning into a would-have, could-have, should-have season,” Bradley said, citing playing a close game against Manatee High, taking a late lead before falling to Booker High, playing Port Charlotte tough before giving up 21 unanswered points in the second half and owning a 14-point lead Friday. “And losing all four of them. That’s disheartening. That’s on me as a coach to make sure we flip this tide around.”
3. The Pirates were held to 61 yards in the second half, while allowing 290 yards. “They made adjustments,” Bradley said. “If you don’t score any offensive points and give up three touchdowns, they outplayed us in the second half.”
PARRISH COMMUNITY TAKEAWAYS
1. Bender was in the right spot at the right time for his interception. He got some help from Eloy Serrata in the form of a block to spring him down the left sideline and into the end zone. “I saw the seams. I knew before the coverage I would play with them a little bit, act like I was going to the right side, saw the seam open on the left and jumped it,” said Bender, a junior defensive back. “I had to make it to the end zone. I had to for my team. I had to make it.”
“The kid doesn’t miss. He’s consistent. He does everything right. So proud of him,” Parrish Community coach Dylan Clark said of Bender. “He’s a kid who’s gone through the process, bought into the process. He does everything right for us. Shows up to practice every day with an elite mentality. Has great grades in the classroom and works his tail off in the weightroom. I’m glad it was him.”
2. All the Bulls’ touchdowns came off big plays. Lane Tomlinson tied the game at 7-all with a 69-yard scoring pass from Jackson Volz. Jerome Turner had a 23-yard run after the first of two fumble recoveries by Parker Vitoritt. In the second half, Kymistri Young hauled in a 33-yard pass from Volz, who was outstanding going 22-for-34 for 323 yards. Jermaine Edwards tied the game at 28-all with 10:42 left in regulation on a 45-yard scoring burst. “This is huge, huge for the program, huge for the community, huge for these kids, these coaches, the teachers, administrators,” Clark said. “It was team first, play for each other. There were individual plays, but it was a team effort to come out victorious, and we’re proud of that.”
3. Clark credited defensive coordinator Frank Post for dialing up a defense that not only limited Braden River to 61 total yards of offense in the second half, but produced the winning score. “Frank Post is phenomenal. All credit to him and his game plan. He’s done a phenomenal job all year. He’s got the defensive unit playing lights out,” Clark said. “Matt Myers has done a great job with the offense. Our offense did a great job of adjusting to what they were doing defensively. And the same thing with the defense. We made a few checks that looked like they gave them a few issues.”
− Dennis Maffezzoli
Booker 40, DeSoto County 0
SARASOTA — Quarterback Jordan Johnson threw two touchdowns as host Booker overwhelmed winless DeSoto County 40-0 on Friday night at Tornado Alley in a Class 2 Suburban-District 15 game which was stopped in the second quarter after gunfire was heard in the area.
With nine minutes, 14 seconds left in the second period and Booker up 40-0, several loud bursts of gunfire heard from outside Tornado Alley sent both teams sprinting to their locker rooms. After 15 minutes, the game was stopped after empty shell casings were found at nearby railroad tracks. It was just as well, as the 0-7 Bulldogs were facing a running clock in the second half.
Prior to that, Booker (5-2) had taken a 24-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. After running back Rashawn Peterson’s 2-yard TD, Johnson, making his first start of the season, connected with wide receiver Omarion Patterson on the first of two touchdowns, a 30-yarder which made it 14-0. Booker’s lead grew to 16-0 when the Bulldogs snapped the ball through their end zone on a punt.
Johnson’s second TD to Patterson, this one covering 36 yards, made it 24-0 with two minutes left in the first quarter. Ahmad Hunter’s 7-yard TD run upped Booker’s lead, with the 2-point conversion, to 32-0 with 11:52 left in the second. Hunter Zirkle’s 11-yard scoring run less than two minutes later accounted for the final score.
BOOKER TAKEAWAYS
1. Jordan Johnson, who had been alternating at quarterback during games with Alex Diaz, got the start against the Bulldogs. Before the game was stopped with 9:14 left in the second, the junior had completed 3-of-6 for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson now has thrown nine TDs on the season without an interception. Combined with Diaz, the two have tossed 18 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
2. The victory moved Booker to 2-0 in the district, joining 2-0 Lemon Bay, which beat Bayshore 42-6 on Friday night. After a game next week at Wesley Chapel, the Tornadoes travel to Englewood on Oct. 27 in a game versus the Manta Rays which will decide the district champion.
DESOTO TAKEAWAYS
1. The 40 points allowed by DeSoto brings the total number of points given up in its seven losses to 309, an average of 44 points a game. Last season, DeSoto finished 7-4, defeating Estero in the first round of the playoffs before losing to Frostproof. But the Bulldogs were decimated by graduation, losing both their quarterbacks, their top four running backs, all five of their wide receivers, and the team’s top defensive player, defensive end Hunter Zirkle, who finished with a team-best 98 tackles and 15.5 quarterback sacks. But in the offseason, Zirkle transferred to Booker, and on Friday night, the senior scored the game’s final touchdown against his former team.
— Doug Fernandes
Venice 44, Sarasota 14
VENICE — A district championship is usually one of the first goals mentioned when you ask a high school football coach about team expectations prior to the season.
Venice head coach John Peacock would tell you the same thing.
That goal has now been accomplished for the Indians, after they earned their fifth win in a row and the District 4S-14 title behind a convincing 44-14 victory over Sarasota on Friday night at Powell-Davis Stadium.
The Indians (5-2) outscored the Sailors (0-6), 38-0, in the first half to force a running clock during the final two quarters.
It took Venice just two plays to drive 70 yards and score on its first offensive possession of the contest.
Following a 69-yard reverse from wide receiver Zycarl Lewis Jr. to get the Indians down to the Sarasota 1-yard line, running back Jamarice Wilder capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run.
A two-point conversion — a rare pass by wideout Griffin Gisotti to defensive back Deylen Platt — handed Venice a 8-0 advantage just 37 seconds into the game.
Later in the quarter, a 52-yard pass down the left sideline from Downes to Gisotti allowed Venice to setup shop in the Sarasota red zone.
A few plays later, on fourth-and-goal from the Sarasota 1, Downes forced his way over the goal line for the score with 4:39 to go in the opening quarter.
Downes converted the two-point conversion to put Venice ahead, 16-0.
The Indians added another touchdown less than a minute before the first quarter came to a close on a 42-yard run up the middle by Wilder. Another two-point conversion by Downes gave the Indians a 24-0 lead.
After a special teams miscue by the Sailors gave Venice’s offense the ball inside the Sarasota 30, quarterback Jadyn Glasser helped the Indians take advantage of the short field.
On a third-and-long, Glasser found wide receiver Jayce Barksdale for a 26-yard touchdown, fitting the ball into a tight window just over the Sarasota defender.
For the first time in the contest, kicker Josiah Arcadipane was brought in for the extra point to give Venice a 31-0 lead with 9:53 to go before halftime.
Running back Alvin Johnson found the end zone later in the quarter, scoring on a seven-yard run, leading to a 38-0 advantage at the half.
The Indians emptied the bench for a majority of the third and fourth quarters, which allowed Sarasota to put up a couple touchdowns.
Quarterback Johnny Squiterri ended up with two touchdown passes — an 82-yard connection to wideout Franklyn Crawford in the third before a seven-yard pass to wideout Chris Espinel in the final quarter.
Venice will look to keep its winning streak alive next Friday when it welcomes Palmetto (4-2) to Powell-Davis Stadium.
VENICE TAKEAWAYS
1. The ground game was the story line once again for the Indians, rushing for 266 yards and five touchdowns on 27 carries. Wilder continued his impressive run of scoring touchdowns with a pair of scores to go along with 49 yards rushing on five carries. Johnson had a breakout game, rushing for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. A majority of those yards came on a 70-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. ... The Indians didn’t pass the ball very much — Glasser and Downes combined to go 8-of-14 for 154 yards, one touchdown and one INT — but they still managed to spread the ball around to five different receivers. Barksdale caught the only touchdown pass, from Glasser, in the second quarter. ... The Venice defense was stout in the first half, keeping the Sailors out of the end zone and holding them to under 50 total yards.
2. Lewis Jr.’s explosive-play ability continued on Friday night behind an end around that he nearly took 70 yards for a touchdown on the offense’s first play from scrimmage. That play setup Venice’s first score of the contest, and it was basically over from there. Additionally, Downes was responsible for a couple big-time plays that made a difference in the first half for the Indians. The junior wouldn’t be denied on a 4th and goal from the Sarasota 1 for Venice’s second touchdown midway through the first. Then, later in the first quarter, Downes completed a pass to Barksdale for 19 yards on a third down. One play later, Wilder was sprinting to the end zone for the team’s third score.
— Special to the Herald-Tribune
Palmetto 30, Lakewood Ranch 14
LAKEWOOD RANCH — Caleb Matelau’s flowing locks might not be worth $1 million like Troy Palamalu’s were, but the Palmetto High linebacker’s value Friday night was immeasurable.
The blitzing 6-foot-1 junior rocketed through a gap and tackled C.J. McRae in the end zone for a game-changing safety, breaking a 14-14 tie with 10:20 left in regulation and sparking a 16-point fourth-quarter rally by the Tigers in a Class 4 Suburban-District 13 game.
Palmetto (4-2 overall, 1-0 district) had driven inside the Mustangs’ 5-yard line after McRae’s 66-yard breakaway run had tied the score. But on fourth-and-goal from the 1, Evan Bolick trapped Devaughn Thomas for a 3-yard loss.
One defensive gem led to another.
“My coach (defensive coordinator Rick Farmer) said, ‘Caleb. Strike, Strike!’ All I was thinking was ‘demolish,’ ” the 215-pound Matelau said. “I made a play. I had to seize the moment.”
The Tigers churned out 26 first downs and outgained Lakewood Ranch 445-207, with 257 coming in the second half. The Mustangs (2-5, 0-2), though, battled back twice, forging a 7-7 tie with Simon Freed’s 27-yard burst up the middle on the first possession of the third quarter.
“We were frustrated, because we’d get down there (near the goal line) and we didn’t score,” said Tigers coach Rashad West. “The defense stood up for us.”
It was all Palmetto after that. Quarterback Clayton Dees (16-of-30, 180 yards, 1 TD) connected with Rok Lodge for 32 yards on third-and-5 following the free kick, and Jamari Parker’s 8-yard run made it 23-14. Lodge’s 42-yard punt return set up an 18-yard TD by Thomas (28 carries, 172 yards) – his second of the night – with 4:42 left.
“You know they’re going to take a shot down there, we’re backed up in our own end zone,” Ranch coach Scott Paravicini said of the safety. “We stole some momentum with that goal-line stand, but they won that (next) play. … We found ourselves with an opportunity there and obviously we didn’t capitalize on it down the stretch.”
The teams nearly reached the intermission without a point on the scoreboard. But three consecutive completions by Dees capped a 47-yard drive, with his 16-yarder to Thomas giving Palmetto a 7-0 lead with 39 seconds to go in the first half.
PALMETTO TAKEAWAYS
1. Thomas erupted for 172 yards on 28 carries (and caught two passes for another 25) after logging just six touches (97 yards) in last week’s 34-19 win at Southeast – but he had just 48 yards on 11 tries in the first half. “We stuck with it,” West said. “We continued to pound and we started having some success. We thought we could be more physical.” Thomas now has 693 rushing yards in six games.
2. The Tigers’ offense found itself in Lakewood Ranch territory on four consecutive possessions, but came up empty on all of them, before Thomas’ TD late in the first half. “We started slow, man,” West said. “We’ve just got to get out of our own way. We can’t keep starting so slow on offense.”
3. Palmetto was penalized 12 times for 110 yards, but none hurt as much as three flags on the Mustangs’ first TD drive. That 70-yard march consisted of 35 yards in plays and 35 in penalties. “That’s us,” West said. “We can’t have those penalties. They did a good job of going down and scoring, but it was third down and we couldn’t get off the field. We gave them life. We just can’t do that.”
LAKEWOOD RANCH TAKEAWAYS
1. Colin Hait and Liam Fernandez took turns at quarterback after early-season starter Sebastian Mejia was moved to cornerback, each finishing 5-of-10 with one interception. Fernandez threw for 72 yards (42 of them on a deep lob to Connor Anthony), while Hait had the other 24. “We decided to try something different,” Paravicini said. “The two guys we played tonight both showed some stuff that they can do.”
2. Despite its winless finish in a three-team district, the Mustangs are still in contention for a wild-card playoff berth in 4S-Region 3. “We’re getting better each week and continuing to fight. … We’ve got to win. I’m worried about Gibbs next week, I’m not worried about what happens after Week 11. We’ve got to look at the games in front of us.”
3. Rugged tailback Simon Freed continued to have success on the ground, bulling his way for 72 yards on 11 carries. McRae finished with 66 yards on seven tries.
— Donnie Wilkie
Lemon Bay 42, Bayshore 6
ENGLEWOOD – As Lorenzo Mauceri weaved his way through the Bayshore defense on the first drive of Friday night, he couldn’t help but envision the jeers and jabs from his Mantas teammates if he didn’t score.
“It was perfect blocks and the hole opened up perfectly,” Mauceri said of his first-play 57-yard touchdown run in which he ran untouched all the way to the end zone. “I was just thinking ‘Don’t get hawked down,’ because I knew my teammates were going to give me a mouthful if I got hawked down.”
The Mantas (7-0) are holding themselves to a high standard in 2023 and that was made perfectly clear in a 42-6 beatdown of the Bruins in which the clock ran for the entire second half.
The win brings Lemon Bay to 2-0 in district play with one more game: against Booker in Englewood on Oct. 27 to decide the District 2S-15 championship.
Shortly after Mauceri’s first-play touchdown run, Mantas linebacker Caleb Whitmore recovered a shanked punt near the sideline and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown – putting Lemon Bay up, 14-0, 2:12 into the game.
That alone would have been enough for Lemon Bay to hold on for the win, but the Mantas didn’t take their foot off the pedal until late in the second quarter.
By that time, they had built their massive 42-6 lead, primarily from their high-powered and diverse rushing attack.
When it was all said and done, nine Mantas players carried the ball on Friday night, combining for 27 rushes for 311 yards and five touchdowns – most of which came in the first half.
Bayshore (3-4), meanwhile, could hardly muster enough offensive momentum to pass midfield.
The Bruins scored their lone touchdown of the night on a 26-yard pass from Caleb Rhodes to Josh Blanc on 4th and 18 to open the second quarter.
But Bayshore would only get in the Lemon Bay red zone twice after that, turning the ball over on downs both times.
The second half was nothing but a formality, with neither team scoring any points – a strikingly similar finish to Lemon Bay’s rain-shortened win in its other district game against DeSoto.
One more district game awaits.
“It’s the district championship game, plain and simple,” Lemon Bay coach Don Southwell said of the game with Booker. “If we win, we’re district champs. If they win, they’re district champs. Nobody ever wants to be second. They don’t hang banners for second. It’s been our goal all season and that’s what we’re going for.
“But we do have a game before that.”
LEMON BAY TAKEAWAYS
1. The Mantas ran so effectively, they didn’t even bother attempting a pass until they were up, 34-6, in the second quarter. They finished with just three passing attempts. Meanwhile, Landon Spanninger (9 rushes, 130 yards, TD, 2-point conversion) and Mauceri (5 rushes, 72 yards, 2 TDs) had a field day on the ground.
2. Lemon Bay’s defensive line was a force to be reckoned with on Friday night. The Mantas limited Jaden Judge (13.5 yards per carry entering Friday) to 10 rushes for 25 yards in the first half. He finished with 18 rushes for 59 yards.
3. The Mantas seem to have figured out their kicking game, for the most part. Kicker/defensive back Ethan Grossenbacher went 4-of-5 on extra points against the Bruins.
BAYSHORE TAKEAWAYS
1, Judge’s return was a welcome sight after he sat out last week’s loss to North Port. Though he did have a few explosive plays, like a 60-yard punt return and a 14-yard run, he was held out of the end zone all night. No other Bayshore player even registered a single carry.
2. The Bruins had opportunities to make it a game, but mistakes, including two fumbles, an interception, multiple poor punts and two turnovers on downs gave Lemon Bay too much to work with.
3. Bayshore is now out of the race for the District 2S-15 championship, but still has a chance to finish the season strong after going winless last year.
— Vinnie Portell
North Port 17, Poinciana 14
NORTH PORT — The North Port players did the Cha-Cha Slide on the track as the band played. Others dumped a container of Gatorade on head coach Garon Belser's head. And Bobcat fans waited outside as they cheered their team off the field.
It was a special night for the team, the school and community Friday. Never before had a North Port football team scored a winning season ... until now.
It wasn't easy as the Bobcats had to erase an 11-point halftime deficit. Peter Kalphat scored two touchdowns in the second half, including the game-winner with five minutes left, and the defense slammed the door to give North Port a 17-14 victory over Poinciana at the Preserve for their record fifth straight win, improving their record to 5-1.
Trailing 14-3, missing right tackle Ryan Playter and playing flat, North Port got a break in the third quarter when Omar Branch intercepted a pass deep in North Port territory to end the threat.
The Bobcats went on an 11-play, 53-yard drive, with Kalphat scoring from 13 yards out to cut the Eagles lead to 14-10 with 1:25 left in the third quarter.
Sophomore Tommy Bowdre's long punt return on the ensuing drive put North Port at the Poinciana 38. Seven plays later, on fourth and five, Kalphat went off tackle, found an opening and burst through the Eagle defense for an 18-yard touchdown run and a 17-14 Bobcats lead with 5 minutes left.
It was the defense that took over from there as they shut down the Eagles final two possessions.
North Port began the scoring late in the first quarter on a 30-yard field goal by Sean Egloff. However, the Eagles, who came three hours from Kissimmee for the game, responded quickly. Set up by a 70-yard kickoff return by Ernest Nunn, Noah Otero wrapped up the short drive with a five-yard TD run to give Poinciana a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter.
The Eagles (2-5) struck again moments later following a Peter Kalphat fumble recovered by Jerrell Jyles. On the next play, they executed a flea flicker with Wilgance Nezius hitting Amir Alli with a 22-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-3.
The Bobcats proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot twice. First, a long kickoff return by Bowdre was called back by a penalty. Then, after executing a fake punt to keep a drive alive, they had a potential first-and-goal called back by a hold, leading to a missed field goal. Only a fumble recovery by Isaac Smith late in the half saved the Bobcats further damage, setting up the second half.
"I told the kids to wake the hell up because we came out flat and I didn't want this to be a blown opportunity. North Port of old didn't make plays like we made in the second half. The defense bailed us out all game," Belser said.
Zeke Baez led North Port with 83 yards rushing, while Kalphat had 75 yards. Nunn led Poinciana with 82 yards rushing.
NORTH PORT TAKEAWAYS
1. It cannot be overstated what a huge accomplishment this was for North Port. In the program's 23-year history, it has basically been a Class 8A school with a 4A football program, with any blue-chip athlete being encouraged to go to Venice High or Port Charlotte High. This doesn't mean that the Bobcats are going to become a powerhouse. After all, the Bobcats' early season schedule wasn't really challenging. But successful programs have to start somewhere, and Belser has his team believing they can beat anyone. That's half the battle.
2. Most impressive about the win was how they won. Trailing 14-3 at halftime, the Bobcats got two big breaks and converted them into touchdowns. In the past, 14-3 deficits soon became 21-3, 28-3 ... After taking the lead, the defense closed the deal with two sacks. That is the mark of a successful football team and something North Port was usually a victim of until Friday.
3. After starting 5-1, the schedule doesn't do them many more favors. North Port's final three games are at Hardee County, at Tarpon Springs and home against undefeated Lemon Bay.
— Charles Ballaro
Port Charlotte 57, Southeast 7
PORT CHARLOTTE — Southeast got off to a great start in its Class 3A-District 13 battle with Port Charlotte Friday night as Chauncey Kennon returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and a quick 7-0 lead.
The Seminoles defense then stopped the Pirates on downs on their first offensive possession. But that was the last thing that went right for Southeast for the rest of the evening as the Pirates rolled to a 57-7 victory.
Three plays after Port Charlotte was stopped, Ahmad’dre Greene picked up a Seminole fumble and returned it 28 yards for the tying touchdown with 8:49 to go in the first quarter.
The Pirates scored on five straight possessions after that to go into the locker room at halftime with a 42-7 lead. Ike Perry and Edd Guerrier scored two touchdowns apiece and quarterback Eli Manley added another score on a 7 yard rollout after Perry’s punt return brought the ball to the Seminoles 12. An interception by Juju Roach set up another score as Southeast had several miscues that gave the Pirates excellent field position.
“Our defense did a nice job of holding them to three-and-outs,” Port Charlotte coach Jordan Ingman said. “Our punt return game is very strong. Our two returners are very good and we’re blocking well on it as well, so a lot of very short fields created a lot of opportunities”
Perry had 98 yards rushing for the Pirates while Guerrier added 96, before both took a seat for the second half.
SOUTHEAST TAKEAWAYS
1. The opening kickoff return got the Seminoles off to a strong start, but Southeast could not capitalize on the momentum and gave up the fumble return shortly after. “We got off to a good start with the kickoff return,” Southeast coach Brett Timmons said. “Offensively we kind of stalled out a little bit up front. Port Charlotte took care of business up front on both sides of the ball. We knew they were going to be a strong team up front and it was going to be tough sledding tonight.”
2, Southeast had trouble with the snaps from center, as several sailed over quarterback Tooda Thomas’s head, resulting in big losses. “Our center has a messed up hand,” Timmons said. “It’s been one of those years but we’ll learn from it and get better. Adversity reveals character as well as building it and the last couple of years have been adversity built years.”
3. The Seminoles fell to 0-7 on the season and 0-2 in district play. Port Charlotte is now 6-2 and 2-0 in the district. Southeast wound up with only 115 yards in total offense as a result of many negative plays. Thomas wound up 8 for 20 passing for 103 yards and one interception. Ostave Dorvilus was the leading receiver with 3 catches for 56 yards and Marquis Carter had 3 receptions for 30 yards. Cecil Crawford led the Seminoles in rushing with 34 yards on 7 attempts.
Cardinal Mooney 49, John Carroll 6
SARASOTA — The Cougars left no doubt.
Cardinal Mooney scored the first 21 points and never looked back in taking the Class 1 Suburban-District 6 title in the two-team district.
For good measure, the Cougars scored all 28 points in the second half in posting their third straight victory.
Carson Beach scored three rushing touchdowns and Devin Mingery hit Zy'Marion Lang for a pair of touchdown passes and had three on the night as Cardinal Mooney rolled to the District 6-1S championship in Sarasota.
Beach got the Cougars on the board just two minutes on a 1-yard touchdown run and added a 15-yard touchdown run on Cardinal Mooney's second drive to make it 14-0 six minutes in.
Lang caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from Mingery late in the second quarter to make it 21-0 Cougars but Jaydien Pittman gave the Rams (2-6) life with a 45-yard scamper for a touchdown that drew John Carroll within 21-6 at halftime.
Beach ran in a 2-yard touchdown early in the third quarter and Mingery later scored on a 15-yard touchdown run to put the game away for Cardinal Mooney.
Last year, Cardinal Mooney went across the state twice and lost to the Rams during the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.
The Cougars (6-1) travel to Fort Myers at 7 p.m. Friday to face Bishop Verot High in a battle of once-beaten teams.
− TCPalm
Shorecrest Prep 44, Sarasota Christian 8
TOP PLAYERS: SC: Ben Milliken (9 of 32 for 126 yards, 1 TD); Randall Collins (4 catches, 64 yards 1 TD); Daniel Jacinto (19 tackles, 11 solo); Austin Kerle (8 tackles, 3 solo)
OF NOTE: Shorecrest has won 27 straight games dating back to Sept. 3, 2021
NEXT GAME: Sarasota Christian hosts Old Plank, Friday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.
FRIDAY RESULTS
Lemon Bay 42, Bayshore 6
Booker 40, DeSoto 0
Parrish Community 35, Braden River 28
Bradenton Christian 44, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic 0
Cardinal Mooney 49, John Carroll 6
Charlotte 28, Lehigh 0
IMG Academy National 55, Pine Forest (Pensacola) 14
Palmetto 30, Lakewood Ranch 14
North Port 17, Poinciana 14
Cocoa Beach 26, Out-of-Door Academy 20 OT
Port Charlotte 57, Southeast 7
Venice 44, Sarasota 14
Shorecrest Prep 44, Sarasota Christian 8
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: High school football: Parrish, Booker post wins; Venice wins district title
