High school football: Charlotte blows away freshman-filled Palmetto Ridge in spring game

 

Palmetto Ridge High School

PUNTA GORDA -- It's safe to say the Charlotte Fightin' Tarpons are still testy after failing to make the playoffs last season for the first time since 2007 despite a 6-4 record.

Palmetto Ridge not only got in the playoffs,  but won  a first-rounder. 

But these teams way reversed roles in their spring game Wednesday, with Charlotte blowing to a 49-6 win in front of a small showing on a dreary, mostly rainy night on the Tarpons' home field.

Long gone are former Daily News All-Area Bears Jacquez Carter (committed to UMass), the quarterback, and DeMarcus Townsend (signed with Florida International), the fast, bullish rusher. Without them, the Palmetto Ridge offense managed just 144 yards. The Bears also were without several projected starters, coach Chris Toukonen said, and played freshmen all over, including quarterback Gensley Herard.

When it was over after the Bears were outscored just 7-6 in a running-clock second half, Toukonen told his players to shrug it off, that they made too many mistakes and this wasn't what they'll be like in the fall. Then he implored them to work hard this summer.

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"We had three pick-sixes and obviously the first couple of drives in the game, we didn't tackle at all," Toukonen said. "A ton of missed tackles, a couple of them for touchdowns. So there were a bunch of big plays and that's not a reflection of how we'll be in the fall."

Herard was 5 of 13 for 42 yards with four interceptions, including those three for touchdowns. Leonel Garza led the Bears with 49 yards on 11 carries and had their lone touchdown, a 2-yarder on the last play of the game.

Charlotte senior running back Jayden Grant rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries. Grant's classmate, quarterback Alex Muse, was 5 of 9 for 64 yards in the first half when he also rushed for 49 yards and a TD on seven carries.

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Charlotte led 28-0 after the first quarter and unlike in last year's spring game at Palmetto Ridge -- where the Bears battled back from that deficit only to lose on a last-seconds Hail Mary -- there would be no rally.

Muse hit Jeremiah Harvey for a 37-yard pass play on the game's first possession and Ashar Thomas capped the 80-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown scamper.

Palmetto Ridge went 1, 2, 3 and out the entire first quarter, and on the Tarpons' second possession, Muse ran for 21 yards and Grant followed with a 38-yard TD dash.

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Charlotte junior Cade McLaughliln picked off Herard and returned it to the end zone from 43 yards out for a 21-0 lead with still 7:48 left in the first quarter. Muse scored from two yards out for 28-0 on Charlotte's next possession and Grant made it 35-0 with a 48-yard run with 11:47 to go until halftime.

Palmetto Ridge picked up its first first down with 2:30 to go in the half, but Jeremiah Harvey picked off Herard and returned the ball 78 yards for a TD and 42-0 cushion the Tarpons carried into intermission.

"Over half our starters on offense were freshmen," Toukonen said. "So we gave them some experience and they got a little bit of varsity football."

CHARLOTTE 49, PALMETTO RIDGE 6

PR 0 0 0 6 -- 6
C 28 14 0 7 -- 49

Scoring
First quarter

C -- Ashar Thomas 10 run (Kenny Scriber kick), 10:20
C -- Jayden Grant 38 run (Scriber kick), 7:56
C -- Cade McLaughlin 43 interceptions return (Scriber kick), 7:48
C -- Alex Muse 2 run (Scriber kick), 2:48
Second quarter
C -- Grant 48 run (Scriber kick), 11:47
C -- Jeremiah Harvey 78 interception return (Scriber kick), :57
Fourth quarter
C -- Malakai Menzer 42 interception return (Scriber kick), 10:40
PR -- Leonel Garcia 2 run (kick failed), :05