The Destin Marlins scored and scored often against the visiting Bruner Spartans of Fort Walton Beach on Sept. 11 to post a 49-14 middle school football victory.
“It was just a total team effort,” Destin Coach Matthew Cawthon said.
“We played very physcial, and we played from the first whistle to the last,” he said.
And when Coach Cawthon said “team,” he really meant team, with nine players putting points on the board for the Marlins.
The Marlins rolled up 378 yards of offense, 127 on the ground and 251 through the air using three quarterbacks.
Case Culhane completed two of four passes for 70 yards, and a TD catch by Luke Vallianatos.
Joseph Cope completed five of seven passes for 110 yards and two TDs. JB Martin had a TD catch for 19 yards and Jax O’Dell a 27-yard catch and run for the score.
Nash Fosdyck was two for two for 71 yards and one touchdown throw to Beau Neidart for 37 yards.
“It was a very good game overall, especially for the eighth graders that got to participate,” Cawthon said, noting they all got on the playing field at some point.
On the ground, Destin’s Amaree Claridy rushed for a 15-yard score, Cope rushed 5 yards for the touchdown, and Wyatt Clark scored late on a 29-yard run.
Cicero Da Costa was six of seven on extra-point kicks for the Marlins and Fosdyck ran in a two-point conversion to make up the difference.
On defense, Destin stuffed the Spartans time and time again, allowing only 124 yards rushing and zero passing.
“Eli Verdin had a plethora of tackles,” Cawthon said.
Other Marlins getting in the backfield making tackles for losses were Kane Terry, Miller Smith, Anderson Yahne, Tripp Cox, Vallianatos, Cope and Culhane.
Destin jumped on the Spartans early and did not let up.
On the fifth play from scrimmage, the Marlins scored on a 15-yard run by Claridy. The PAT was good, and Destin was on the board in under two minutes.
The Destin defense shut Bruner down, got the ball back and scored in two plays. Culhane hit Vallianatos for a 53-yard catch and run for the score. The kick was good, and Destin led 14-0.
Destin’s Dalton Shubert booted another kick for recovery with Kemper McDonald coming up with the ball for the Marlins. Six plays later, Destin was in the end zone again. Cope hit Martin for a 19-yard catch-and-run for the score. The PAT was good, and Destin led 21-0 with 1:22 left in the first quarter.
On Bruner’s next possession, the Marlins knocked the ball loose with Cope recovering it for Destin.
In a matter of seconds, Destin was in the end zone again on a 27-yard pass from Cope to O’Dell for the touchdown. The PAT was good, and Destin led 28-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Bruner finally got on the board at the start of the second quarter. The Spartans put together a nine-play drive and scored on a 20-yard run. The kick after was good for a 28-7 game.
Destin came right back with a drive of their own. The Marlins moved the ball down the field in nine plays with Cope scoring on a 5-yard run up the middle. The PAT was good, and Destin led 35-7 at the half.
In the third quarter, Bruner scored one last time on a 42-yard run.
Destin finished with a 29-yard run by Clark for the TD, and a 37-yard pass from Fosdyck to Neidart for the score.
In the final minute of the game, the Destin defense knocked the ball loose again with Clark coming up with the recovery.
With the win, the Marlins moved to 3-0 on the season. Up next is a 6:30 p.m. home game on Sept. 18 when they host the Shoal River Mustangs from Crestview.
“It’s going to be a good game, a good test,” Cawthon said.
“We need a sell-out crowd,” he said.
This article originally appeared on The Destin Log: Destin Marlins roll over Bruner Spartans 49-14 in middle school football
Reporting by Tina Harbuck, The Destin Log / The Destin Log
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
