The Vero Beach High School football team improved its record to 4-0 by slipping past Palm Beach Lakes 44-28 last Friday night, but the game that should serve as a wake-up call for a team that had outscored its previous three opponents by a staggering 137-6.
Not that there is anything wrong with a pedestrian 16-point victory other than it came against a winless team that was not expected to present much of a challenge. The visitors were apparently not privy to the memo. The outcome was in doubt until the final two minutes when the Rams failed to connect on a two-point conversion that would have made it a one-possession game.
Wideout M.J. McGriff ripped off an 81-yard touchdown run moments later to put the game out of reach. It was his second spectacular trip to the end zone of the evening. He had also taken a reverse handoff on the opening kickoff and sprinted 95 yards for six.
The varsity football players at Vero Beach High are making big plays and putting numbers on the board that would make any coach smile. They built a 37-14 lead, but then a furious PB Lakes rally rattled some nerves before the clock expired.
Prior to the PB Lakes game Head Coach Lenny Jankowski said, “We are off to a great start, but sometimes the scores can go in one direction or another. We’ve been fortunate to end up on the good side of that, but we are pleased with our team so far.
“We’ve got some very good players and a very good mix of players. We’ve got some good young talent, good leadership, and I like our team chemistry. Out best players are also our hardest workers and that’s a good position for a coach to be in.
“So I couldn’t be more pleased with where we are at right now.”
Nevertheless, the struggles against PB Lakes reminded everyone that past performances matter not when facing a hungry opponent.
The Fighting Indians got to 3-0 in part by piling up offensive yardage and scoring points with an aerial assault led by QB Carson Proctor. Against PB Lakes, however, the offense was unable to sustain any momentum. The passing game was throttled by three interceptions and several drops. The running game never got untracked with the exception of big plays by McGriff and running back Akeem Dixon.
Dixon tallied from distances of 46 and 11 yards, strong safety Corvin Moment returned a blocked punt 43 yards for a touchdown and QB Carson Proctor hit Sean Harvey from seven yards out. VB was also awarded a safety for intentional grounding from the end zone early in the fourth period.
Defensive end Patrick Bethel returned from an early-season injury and played the entire game. Jankowski referred to Bethel as his “big name on defense.” Linebackers Calvin Moment and Davion Cross are core veterans in the box for a defense that has multiple looks.
“We have an attacking front and our defense gets after it,” Jankowski said. ‘We came into the season feeling that our D line was going to be the strength of our entire team.”
The offense operates basically out of a spread formation, but that can change based on game circumstances. They lined up in an old fashioned Wing T configuration for several plays in the fourth quarter and McGriff’s long touchdown run from scrimmage came off a variation of the Wishbone.
“It’s really a three-phase deal,” Jankowski explained. “A lot of our offense is built around what we do on special teams and how the defense sets up field position. We have to run the ball to be successful, but if teams load up the box on us, big play opportunities open up for Carson Proctor and our experienced receiving corps.
“Our philosophy on offense is similar to that on defense. We are trying to attack and play fast. The idea is to exploit the defense where we see they are most vulnerable.”
Adjustments go both ways and Jankowski is aware that he must prepare his team to counter the schemes of opposing coaches.
Three of the five games left on the schedule are in District 8-8A against St. Lucie West Centennial, Treasure Coast and Fort Pierce Central. Non-conference games feature Homecoming with Ft. Lauderdale and a visit to Sebastian River to close out the regular season.
The schedule has been favorable thus far with home cooking being served. The first seven games of the season will be played under the lights on Billy Livings Field – with the final three on the road. It is not hard to entice other schools to play at a wonderful high school football venue like the Citrus Bowl.
“We get into district play right away this week with Centennial. I’m pleased up to this point, but by no stretch of the imagination are we where we want to be. As we get into the heart of the season our schedule will get stronger. We need to do the things that every coach says: Get better each day and work hard to improve week to week.”
Fort Pierce Central and Treasure Coast remain undefeated, so it appears as if the district will be highly competitive this year. Next up is Centennial (1-2) this Friday Night and they won’t be taken lightly.
