VERO BEACH — It was the perfect ending for all of the senior players on the Vero Beach football team who were recognized prior to Friday night’s game against Santalues at the Citrus Bowl.
The Fighting Indians had captured the District 8-8A championship the week before and locked up home field advantage for round one of the playoffs and now the first undefeated season since 2002.
Vero and Santaluces combined for 34 points in the first quarter alone. Santaluces scored on a reverse pass on the first play from scrimmage that had the 12th Man scratching their heads. The Chiefs missed the extra point but lead 6-0.
Vero Beach couldn’t convert on a fourth and six so Santaluces got the ball back on their own 35 yard line. The Chiefs scored on the first play from scrimmage of their second offensive possession on a 65 yard run by Marquis Butts. Vero trailed 13-0 with 10:13 left in the first quarter.
The Fighting Indians answered back with three scores. Vero quarterback Carter Stanley threw a touchdown pass to receiver M.J. McGriff with 8:53 left in the first quarter, freshman running back Akeem Dixon scored on Vero’s next offensive possession at the 4:24 mark. Stanley found McGriff again on a 42 yard touchdown pass with 1:30 to play in the first and that gave Vero a 21-13 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter.
In the second quarter Dixon found the end zone again on a two yard run. Stanley threw his third touchdown pass of the game to Senior receiver Kejuan Bryant near the midway point of the second that gave Vero Beach a 35-13 lead.
Santaluces gambled twice on fourth down and it paid off both times leading to a 5 yard Chiefs touchdown pass with just twenty –five seconds to play in the half. Vero quarterback Carter Stanley executed the hurry up offense to perfection and receiver Chris Larsen made two one-handed circus catches to keep the drive going. The second catch was for a touchdown in the final seconds. Vero’s point after attempt failed but the damage had been done and the Fighting Indians went to the locker room on top 41-20.
Stanley threw two more touchdown passes in the third quarter, One pass was caught by senior defensive end/tight end Tyler Horstman with 9:59 remaining. Stanley hit his 5th receiver of the evening when he threw a touchdown pass to junior receiver Jerron Perry. Vero’s defense shut the Chiefs out in the third and Vero entered the final quarter with a 55-20 lead.
The Fighting Indians rested the majority of their starters for the rest of the game. Quarterback Carson Proctor who replaced Stanley threw a 17 yard touchdown pass to Kejuan Bryant with 10:53 to go in the game and a 62-20 lead. The Chiefs were able to score on the final play of the game to better the final score 62-26.
The Fighting Indians will host St. Pete in the first round of the playoffs. .
