Story
Royal Palm Beach 17, West Boca Raton 7: McCullough leads Wildcats past Bulls
Thursday, October 13, 2011
by
Matt Porter
Royal Palm Beach plays the toughest squads in a top-heavy District 13-7A - Lake Worth, Atlantic, Dwyer - consecutively in the next three weeks.
To have a shot at the playoffs, the Wildcats needed to be playing at their best coming into this week.
They are, and they have a shot.
Faced with a hard-hitting district team in West Boca Raton, the Wildcats (5-1, 3-0 District 13-7A) countered with senior Tremane McCullough - 37 carries and 195 yards of him, to be precise - and got key defensive stops in a 17-7 road district victory Thursday night.
"We told him he had to pump it in there, and he did," Royal Palm Beach coach Willie Bueno said. "He got some tough yards. This was a good win for us. A character win."
McCullough, at 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds, was a handful for West Boca. Or more accurately, a handful of air.
The Bulls (1-6, 1-3), especially Virginia Tech commit Jawand Blue, got him a few times but didn't get him enough.
"I felt every hit they gave me," McCullough said. "But man, I can take it. I live for it."
He ran in a 48-yard touchdown on the game's first series, using two cuts to cover the distance.
After the Bulls forced a three-and-out, quarterback Zach Miner (6-of-14, 60 yards) took it himself on four red-zone plays, including a 2-yard sneak that tied it.
Royal Palm went ahead 14-7 by showing it can pass under pressure. Junior quarterback Ant McGrew (7-of-11, 75 yards, TD) sneaked for 3 yards on fourth-and-3 from the Bulls' 37, then found reliable receiver Jo-Jo Williams for 9 yards on third-and-7 from the 16, then hit him again for 6 yards and a touchdown on third-and-goal. Williams, a junior, finished with six catches for 60 yards.
Meanwhile, Royal Palm's Jimmy Moreland flew around on defense. Moreland, a 142-pound sophomore, blocked a 37-yard field goal at the end of the first half, and dove in front of a 42-yard try with 11:05 left in the game, keeping the Wildcats ahead 14-7 both times.
Moreland saved the lead a third time by falling on a lost fumble after teammate Teddy Matthews, a senior defensive end, sacked Bulls quarterback Zach Miner on first-and-10 from the Wildcats' 12 with 3:06 remaining. Matthews had two sacks, and junior Jake Wehrle added one.
With 6:06 left, Royal Palm senior Austin Lombardi booted a 22-yard field goal to sew it up.
For West Boca Raton, another district loss effectively ended its playoff hopes and the Bulls will try to play spoiler the rest of the way.
"When you play a tough team like that, you have to capitalize on that," said coach Willie Dodaro, whose team put up 169 yards of total offense, 101 of it on junior Eugene Bethea's 14 carries. "We were in the red zone a couple times, and came away with nothing. Nothing."
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User Comments:
West Boca Fan commented on October 14, 2011 at 12:36 a.m.: report abuse
How about the two defensive linemen that played with casts on or whatever they had? I say we give them a little praise because even though they were hurt they still had to heart to come out there and play. Didn't both of them play on offense too? Great game Bulls!
Stat man commented on October 14, 2011 at 6:06 a.m.: report abuse
West Boca had to be one of the biggest disappointments this year!
Mrs.D commented on October 14, 2011 at 7:53 a.m.: report abuse
The BULLZ played a great game and never looked back!!! They were DRIVEN.
FAN commented on October 14, 2011 at 9 a.m.: report abuse
MRS D COME ON "DRIVEN" "NEVER LOOKED BACK" THEY GOT HANDLED THERE TD CAME ON A BAD CALL ON A PUNT THAT HIT A WEST BOCA PLAYER IN THE HELMET AND THE REF STILL GAVE THE BALL TO BOCA..
rpb commented on October 14, 2011 at 10:32 a.m.: report abuse
they still lost didnt they??
Wildcat Dad commented on October 14, 2011 at 12:10 p.m.: report abuse
I never seen the ref do a bad job in my life they have to make the right calls. Even if the team is having a home coming. The game would have been a good game if the game would have been called down the middle. Royal Palm was getting held by WB player no call but, Royal Palm hold a flag. The play in the 4th Quarter when the QB for Royal Palm was HORSE COLLARED and no call. Man why are people against Royal Palm Beach. The kids are not giving anything #2 is a great runner, # 5 in a great wide receiver, and the team is playing good. I say that to say the kids worked hard to get in this position and the ref got to give them a fair share.
Hawkeye commented on October 14, 2011 at 2:35 p.m.: report abuse
wow, after reading Wildcat Dad's post, it's no wonder RPB is a disaster academically and behaviorally.
Mr. D. commented on October 14, 2011 at 4:46 p.m.: report abuse
tHE bullz did look back. They should not eat the candy you give them Mrs. D.
bIG E sMALLZ commented on October 14, 2011 at 5:53 p.m.: report abuse
mRS. d. drove the Bullz. I do not know what game she was looking at.
RPB commented on October 14, 2011 at 8:03 p.m.: report abuse
Teddy Matthews blocked the second punt by the Bulls and i just want to say congrats to the wildcats and keep up the good work.
Wildcat Dad commented on October 16, 2011 at 10:49 a.m.: report abuse
Hawkeye if you are with Semiole Ridge you will see that we are no joke this year!!!!!!!!!!!
Peter commented on October 21, 2011 at 7:35 p.m.: report abuse
I just want to add my 2 cents in. First of all at the end of the game when both teams shook hands, the boys from RPB were telling the WB players that was the hardest playing and hitting game they played all year so far.
As far as the West Boca Fan comment at the top of the page. Thank you for noticing and commending our players for playing while hurt. My son was one of those boys and yes he plays both sides of the ball. After (3) xrays and (1) MRI, the doctors determined that he tore ligaments in his wrist and it wasnt fractured like they thought all week. And the other player plays both sides of the ball too and he actually fractured his wrist.
We have had a our share of injuries this year and we havent played well but I know one thing that is for sure... these boys never give up and play to the last tick on the clock expires.
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