Deerfield Beach Blasts Palm Beach Gardens

     The Deerfield Beach Bucks pounded the Palm Beach Gardens Gators 53-9 at Butler Stadium on Friday night in a Class 8A regional quarterfinal. It was a rematch of the 2005 FHSAA Class 6A championship game between both schools.
     Things looked to start good for the Bucks at the start of the game. Xavier Restrepo returned the opening kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown, however a block in the back penalty negated it.
     They eventually scored on their first possession. Running back Jaziun Patterson went around the right end and raced into the end zone from six yards away at 9:23.
     Palm Beach Gardens(7-3) answered back on the next drive at the 6:23 mark. Quarterback Lynden Moss found wide receiver Jabril Jarrett on the left hash marks for a 12-yard touchdown and they trailed 7-6.
     Deerfield Beach(8-3) responded on the ensuing kickoff 18 seconds later. Restrepo caught the ball on the left sideline at the 10-yard line, sprinted across the field and went down the right sideline for a 90-yard kickoff return. They added a safety with 3:00 left in first when linebacker Martavius Davis and defensive back Phillip O'Brien sacked Moss as he was attempting to run out of the end zone and that gave them a 15-6 lead.
     The Gators were able to cap off the first quarter. Dixon booted a 38-yard field goal with no time remaining.
     The Bucks controlled the second quarter. Running back Jaylan Knighton scored on a 22-yard touchdown run as he dashed down the right hash marks at 9:18.
     Moss lost the ball on a fumble on his own 15-yard line. Deerfield Beach capitalized as Knighton rammed off-right tackle from one yard out to give them a 29-9 lead at the 4:36 mark.
     In the third quarter, a Gators running back had the ball stripped away by Bucks defensive lineman Kervins Choute on their first possession. It led to Ygor Fiuza kicking a 37-yard field goal at 10:06 for a 30-9 gap.
     Deerfield Beach quarterback Derohn King threw a 27-yard pass to wide receiver Deajaun McDougle in the back right corner of the end zone with 5:48 to go in the quarter..
     The same connection happened again on their next drive. McDougle caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from King on the right edge of the end zone with 1:50 remaining in the third to make it a 37-point margin 46-9. A running clock was implemented for the rest of the game.
     Another touchdown was scored by the Bucks in the final quarter. Backup quarterback Marquise Pierre tossed a 24-yard pass to wide receiver Alex Henningham.