VERO BEACH — Students from Vero Beach high school’s senior class were recognized prior to the Fighting Indians final game of the regular season Thursday night at Billy Livings Field. Members of the football team, the marching band, along with cheerleaders and ROTC were introduced and escorted across the field before kickoff. Vero coach Lenny Jankowski spoke to his senior players individually before the game against the Chiefs.
“I spoke to the seniors one on one tonight,” Jankowski said. “I thanked them for their work on this team and told them it was a privilege to coach them. We have a lot of great kids.”
Senior leadership and experience helped the District8-8A champs hold off a Santaluces team that had won an emotional game two weeks ago that earned them a district title.
At the start of the game the Chiefs won the toss and deferred on the opening kickoff. Vero received the kick and found themselves backed up against their own end zone. The Fighting Indians were forced to punt from their own end zone and the Santaluces return man fumbled the kick and Vero senior Jaimie Giampietro recovered it with 10:34 to go in the first. On first and ten from their own 44 yard line Vero quarterback Dalton Stokes tossed a 56 yard touchdown to receiver Javonte Bagley for the first score of the night and a 7-0 Vero lead.
Santaluces was forced to punt on their next possession and Vero capitalized took advantage of the opportunity. With 7:19 to go in the first Vero quarterback Ryan Hiser scampered 6 yards into the end zone for Vero’s second score and a 14-0 lead. Both teams exchanged punts then Vero senior defensive end Josh Ealy scooped up a Chief fumble and returned it 20 yards for Vero’s third score with 4:40 left in the quarter.
“That was crazy as usual for me,” Ealy said. It’s funny every time I see a fumble I want to pick it up and take it into the end zone. I was happy to get the points for the team.”
Vero Beach scored twice more in the second quarter when senior running back Dravious Wright took the ball in from 17 yards out at the 5:11 mark. Senior kicker Karson Dietrich missed the extra point and Vero led 27 – 0. Dietrich redeemed himself with: 14 left in the half by nailing a 35 yard field goal to increase Vero’s lead to 30-0.
“Getting off to a thirty point lead allowed us to play some different kids,” Jankowski said. “It got a little sloppy but we got out to a big lead and it helped us do some things.”
The stingy Vero Beach defense took the ball away from Santaluces on their first offensive series when Vero’s Jaimie Giampetro picked off a Chief pass but Vero could not capitalize on the turnover. With 8:24 to go in the third the Chiefs fumbled the ball and Vero’s Antonio Jones-Davis fell on it. Santaluces began to reverse the momentum of the game in the third quarter when they picked off a pass by Vero quarterback Sloan Drummonds.
Vero’s defense held Santaluces scoreless on three tries from the goal line but then Chiefs quarterback Sean Steele found Bernard Eberhart for a touchdown with 2:20 left in the third. Less than a minute later the Chiefs picked off another Vero pass and converted that to a touchdown at the: 25 mark.
The Fighting Indians turned the ball over on their first possession of the fourth quarter when running back Roosevelt Spruill fumbled the on the 41 yard line. The Chiefs scored with 8:40 to go in the game to cut the Vero lead down to ten. Vero senior defensive back Sean Paul stalled the Chiefs’ final offensive effort after an interception with 2:21 to go in the game that sealed the Vero win.
“I would have rather kept a big lead and rest a little bit before the playoffs,” Jankowski said. “We’ve got to get some things cleaned up. Tonight wasn’t our best football but we got the win and we need to get ready for next week.”
Vero Beach will host the Regional quarterfinal against Palm Harbor next week. Coach Jankowski said he will need this entire week to prepare.
“We don’t have school tomorrow but we will bring the guys in to watch film and maybe run em a little bit and get ready for a big week ahead,” Jankowski said. “It’s the playoffs and we’re in the state of Florida and 8A football so you know you have a quality opponent each and every week and we’ve got to play our best football.”