VERO NEWS — The Vero Beach Fighting Indians took to the road for the first time this season to play the Martin County Tigers. The soggy weather did not discourage the Vero Beach fans who travel very well to away games. Hundreds of fans and the entire Vero Beach marching band set up shop in Martin County and watched the Fighting Indians flex their muscle on the road.
After receiving the opening kickoff Vero Beach started their initial drive from their own 40 yard line. In less than three minutes Vero Beach was on the scoreboard as a result of a 29 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carter Stanley to receiver MJ McGriff. Vero Beach defensive back Anthony Pearson picked off a Martin County pass on their opening drive and that set up Vero for their second score. With 4:24 to go in the first quarter running back Dan Deusenberry ran it in from 2 yards out to give Vero Beach a 14-0 lead. Martin County punted the ball away on their second possession with 2:10 to go. Vero Beach was able to score for a third time in the first quarter on a 20 yard touchdown pass from Carson Proctor to McGriff. That touchdown put Vero u 21-0 at the conclusion of the first quarter. Vero Beach lost both of their top running backs to injury in the first quarter. Senior starter Spencer Chenoweth left the game with a knee injury and freshman standout Akeem Dixon was sidelined a few plays later with an ankle injury.
The second quarter started off with another Martin County punt that Vero turned into points. At the 7:24 mark Carter Stanley completed a 2 yard touchdown pass to McGriff. That was McGriff’s third touchdown of the game and extended the Vero lead to 28-0. The Vero Beach defense stepped up again when linebacker Antonio Jones Davis intercepted a Martin County pass with 7:04 to go in the first half. Deusenberry ran the ball in for his second touchdown of the game with 6:22 left in the first half to boost the Vero lead to 35-0. The Martin county offense stalled again and Vero Beach put together their final scoring drive of the first half that culminated with Deusenberry’s third touchdown of the game on another carter Stanley touchdown pass. Vero went to the locker room out in front 42-0.
Both teams went scoreless in the second half. The Fighting Indians rested the majority of their starters on both sides of the ball for the second half under a running clock. Everything seemed to fit the Vero Beach game plan for their first road victory of 2014. Vero Beach improves to 2-0 on the season and returns to the Citrus Bowl Friday to host Lake Minneola for their annual Homecoming festivities.
