Story
Late TD pass helps Park Vista break open close game in 14-0 win over Santaluces
Friday, August 31, 2012
by
Melinda Waldrop
In a game lacking in big plays, Park Vista's Qwad Martin and Nelyja Floyd made the biggest one.
Martin's 78-yard touchdown pass to Floyd with 4:44 to play in the third quarter broke open a tight game and lifted the Cobras to a 14-0 victory against Santaluces on Friday night.
Martin, who finished the night with 114 passing yards and two touchdown passes, audibled on second-and-13 from his own 22 and found Floyd behind the Chiefs' defense near midfield. Floyd caught the pass and outraced defenders to the end zone.
"I got the ball to him and he did the rest," said Martin, who led the Cobras with 974 passing yards and 10 touchdowns and 677 rushing yards and 12 TDs on the ground last year as Park Vista went 9-1 and made the Class 8A region quarterfinals.
The long TD was crucial after the Cobras closed the first half with a 78-yard drive that consumed six minutes but came up empty, with Park Vista missing a 36-yard field goal attempt.
"You have to make key plays in rival games," Cobras coach Brian Dodds said. "They were right there. One key play from them could have changed the whole complexion of the game, but we were able to make that key play."
The Cobras -- who held the Chiefs to 35 rushing yards -- had more sweating to do, though. Martin fumbled to give Santaluces the ball back at the Park View 30 with 7:48 to play in the game. But Chiefs quarterback Sean Steele threw four straight incompletions to give the ball back to Park Vista with 6:42 remaining.
The Cobras took the opening drive -- on which Santaluces tried an onside kick but could not recover it -- 49 yards in 10 plays to go up 7-0 on Martin's 12-yard touchdown pass to Lekraig Bens.
The Chiefs missed a chance to tie the game with 7:08 to play in the first half. Steele, a senior who transferred from Lake Worth, audibled on fourth-and-goal from the 2 and threw into the end zone. The ball glanced off Ricco Jean Louis' hands.
"If I had to go it again, on the close one, maybe we get some points and kick a field goal, but we just felt like we had them where we wanted them," said Santaluces coach Daryl Drinkwater, whose team returns 11 starters from last year's 2-8 team. "It was there. We've just got to finish the play."
.
User Comments:
Howard commented on September 1, 2012 at 3:40 p.m.: report abuse
I don't know what game Waldrop was watching but it was anything but close as Park Vistas defence was spot on last night. Santaluces couldn't get into the end zone on 4 attempts from inside the 5 yard line. Thanks to a multitude of personal fouls on the Chiefs part, it helped the Cobras march down the field several times. First game of the season for both teams showed a little rust but I suspect Park Vista will become the dominant team from past years. For better reporting of central and south county games I will check the Sun Sentinel from now on.
Reality check commented on September 1, 2012 at 9:48 p.m.: report abuse
I was there for the entire game and it was a fight to the end. Neither teams gave up and the competition was about level. All I have to say is I heard Park Vista all week long talk about how they were going to crush the Chiefs, but 14-0 isn't crushing anybody. In fact, it was a joke. You'll are underestimating the QB that transferred from Lake Worth cause if the chief receivers would have caught those passes that hit them SPOT ON in the hands Park Vista would have lost. Everyone who has followed PV the last 2 years knows that is the truth. All love Cobras, but no brownie points from me.
@reality check commented on September 1, 2012 at 10:49 p.m.: report abuse
That qb at santaluces couldn't throw on target all night. Not sure which game u were watching. Howard was right, PV's defense was swarming. Both teams showed some rust, understandable considering pv didnt have a kickoff classic or spring game due to weather.
Not sure if you're insulting pv with ur last sentence, but im pretty sure they were undefeated regular season last year with a district title, and that's the truth. And no one at pv needs your brownie points, cause simply put, they don't care who you are. They win for each other, their coaches, family, and fans.
Reality is right commented on September 1, 2012 at 11:36 p.m.: report abuse
Pssss, must be real rusty cause 14 ain't crushing nobody! Go watch the weather channel or something!
Idiots commented on September 2, 2012 at 11:54 p.m.: report abuse
the cheifs "stud" running back #22 or whatever, was held to 35 rushing yards.... Dominating a team doesn't always come from the offensive side of the ball. They don't score, they don't win. SC qb got stuffed multiple times on run and throws in red zone. Passes were broken up and tackles were made. SC had a handful of big plays that went for max 20 yards and then they would either get stuffed, or shoot themselves in the foot with penalties. Saying "if the receivers caught those passes the game would be different", is like saying "if quad didn't fumble PV would have scored again". That's the game, neither happened. SC got dealt with, they happened to be the first. All business one game at a time....
Idiots... commented on September 2, 2012 at 11:59 p.m.: report abuse
Btw, PV also just racked up their 11th straight regular season win.
Add Your Comment:
We'd like your thoughts on this topic. I appreciate your willingness to share them. We want to avoid comments that are obscene, hateful, racist or otherwise inappropriate. If you post offensive comments, we will delete them as soon as we can. If you see such comments, please flag them to notify us. -- Tim Burke, Publisher and Executive Editor, The Palm Beach Post