Dwyer Beats Palm Beach Lakes

     Dwyer quarterback Gio Richardson scored on five touchdown runs as the Panthers got a 55-27 victory over the Palm Beach Lakes Rams in a Class 7A regional semifinal at Blum Stadium on Friday night. The Panthers will face the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders in regional final next week.
     Dwyer(11-1) was able to score on the first play of the contest 13 seconds into the first quarter. Defensive lineman Vernon Padgett intercepted a screen pass and returned it 32 yards to the end zone.
     The Rams then fumbled the ball away on the first play of their next possession at their own 15-yard line. They were fortunate when they regained the ball on an interception at the Rams 32-yard line. They scored on the second play of their next drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Jalen Hall at 8:35.
     Palm Beach Lakes(8-4) added to their momentum when Panthers running back Bobby Armes fumbled the ball and it was returned 62 yards by linebacker Dejuan Fripp for a score at the 5:09 mark to give them a 13-7 lead.  
     The Panthers tied the game 13-13 with 30.7 seconds left in the first quarter. Richardson busted through the middle of the line and scored from one yard away.
     In the second quarter, Palm Beach Lakes turned the ball over on a fumble and James Meeks took it back 57 yards for a touchdown at 9:33. Dwyer recovered an onside kick and then capped their next possession with a one-yard plunge by Richardson with 6:04 remaining.
     The Panthers extended it to a 22-point margin to make it 35-13 with 1:44 to go. Richardson was able to roll out to the right and scored from 15 yards out.
     Palm Beach Lakes cut the deficit to 35-21 with 41.4 seconds left. Hall threw a 14-yard pass to wide receiver De'Amante Oliver in the left back corner of the end zone.
     Dwyer dominated the third quarter with 14 more points for a 27-point gap. Richardson raced around the left end and down the left sideline on a 31-yard touchdown run at 6:42. Running back Ernest Blackshear added a two-yard run through the right side of the line with 27.7 seconds remaining in the quarter.
     Richardson compiled his fifth touchdown run of the game with 4:34 left in the final quarter. He faked a handoff and sprinted down the right hash marks from 15 yards away and gave them a 55-21 lead.
     The Rams closed the gap with 2:39 to go. Hall floated a 19-yard pass that wide receiver Antorey Williams made a simultaneous catch with a Dwyer defender in the back right corner of the end zone.