INDIAN RIVER COUNTY —The Vero Beach Fighting Indians and Sebastian River Sharks squared off once again for the annual Scholarship Foundation game before a packed house at Billy Livings Field Friday night. Prior to the game both teams walked from their respective sidelines to the center of the field for a moment of silence in honor of Sebastian football player William Shogran Jr. who died during a preseason football camp.
Vero Beach received the opening kickoff and scored on a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carter Stanley to receiver M.J. McGriff. Stanley was instrumental in the drive with several quarterback keepers and gaining chunks of yardage on each run behind a determined offensive line.
Offensive guard Jay Fishman said the surge up front was huge.
“We were working good up front,” Fishman said. “All we need to do is create a lane and our guys will do the rest.”
Sebastian River responded immediately from their own 23-yard line when quarterback Mavric Pelletier hit receiver Jeremy Cummings for a 77-yard touchdown with 8:24 to play in the first quarter.
The Sharks were flagged for excessive celebration and that turned the point after attempt into a 25-yard field goal that was no good.
Vero Beach coach Lenny Jankowski said the defense needed to work on some things.
“We expected a dogfight and we got one early on,” Jankowski said. “As I told our team early on I anticipate Sebastian will give us their best effort and I was hoping we would give ours and I think that was happening.”
Both teams struggled in the second quarter to get any points on the board until the 2:20 mark when Vero’s MJ McGriff reached the end zone for the second time on a 5-yard run.
Vero quarterback Carter Stanley kept the drive going on several keepers and aggressive runs. Vero Beach led at halftime 14-6.
“Sebastian held us to only four offensive possessions and we squandered away two of those in the first half,” Jankowski said. “As I told our guys at halftime, everything’s fine. We did a good job keeping them out of the end zone and we needed to come out and play aggressively during the second half.”
The Fighting Indians were much more effective offensively after halftime scoring three times on touchdown passes from Stanley to three different receivers.
Stanley connected on a 46-yard touchdown pass to MJ McGriff with 8:21 to go in the third. Stanley found receiver Chris Larson over the middle for a 77-yard touchdown. And with 2 seconds left in the third, Stanley hit receiver Sean Harvey in the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown.
Harvey was excited about the receiving core’s performance.
“I was glad to see all of my boys getting involved tonight.” Harvey said. “It was exciting to get mine but everyone played great. Our line did a great job, too.”
The third quarter ended with Vero Beach in the lead 35-6.
Neither team could reach the end zone in the fourth quarter and Vero Beach won its fifth Scholarship Foundation trophy in as many games.
Vero Beach visits Martin County next week and Sebastian River hosts Ft. Pierce Westwood.
