Week 5 roundup: Vero Beach rallies past Pahokee

After rolling past four opponents behind its high-octane spread offense, Vero Beach High School's football team used its defense to remain undefeated Friday night.

Jahfari Harvey's 6-yard fumble return with 1 minute to play was the difference in a 27-20 win against Pahokee at Anquan Boldin Stadium in Pahokee.

With Pahokee pinned deep after a punt and time winding down, Blue Devils quarterback Jaeze Tracy dropped back to throw but the ball slipped from his grasp. Harvey scooped the ball and scored the go-ahead touchdown.

Vero Beach (5-0), ranked fourth in Class 8A in the latest Associated Press poll, got its 48th consecutive regular-season win, but this one was far from easy.

Leading 13-6 at halftime, the Fighting Indians staggered through a 36-second meltdown to start the second half.

A safety on the kickoff, Leroy Love's 60-yard return for a touchdown on the ensuing kick and LaTaria Kinsler's 10-yard interception-return TD 14 seconds later vaulted Pahokee to a 20-13 lead.

Vero Beach's defense, which allowed only a 76-yard touchdown pass from Tracy to DeAnte Nelson late in the first quarter, blanked the third-ranked Class 1A Blue Devils (2-2) the rest of the way.

The Indians tied it on Bryan Primus-Winston's 16-yard touchdown run with 9:43 to play.

Week 5 Playbook:Vero Beach expecting stiff test from Pahokee

Nick Celidonio threw a 10-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to erase Pahokee's 6-0 lead. Primus-Wintson added a 1-yard run the first of his two touchdowns for a 13-6 lead.

Both of Pahokee's losses are to 8A teams. Atlantic defeated the Blue Devils 35-21 earlier this month.

Vero Beach's defense has allowed one touchdown in its past 18 quarters.

The dramatic finish set up a District 8-8A opener of undefeated teams next week when Vero Beach plays St. Lucie West Centennial (5-0) at South County Regional Stadium.

Inside Friday Night:5-0 rivals Vero Beach, St. Lucie West Centennial await key 8-8A clash

St. Lucie West Centennial 30, Martin County 0: Cedrick Wilcox IV rushed for three touchdowns as the Eagles improved to 5-0 for the first time in 15 years.

Wilcox scored on first-half runs of 73 and 74 yards, then added a 19-yard scoring run in the third quarter.

Centennial, which led 14-0 at halftime, also got a field goal from Rylee Medlin and an 8-yard pass from Blayne Watkins to Dwight Toombs II to close the scoring.

Martin County (1-4) intercepted Watkins three times — he had no picks in his first four games — but was shut out for the first time this season.

Centennial has allowed only two touchdowns in five games. The Eagles are 5-0 for only the third time in the program's 21-year history. The 2000 team had an undefeated regular season and the 2003 team won its first nine games.

Treasure Coast 35, Matanzas 7: Sean Miller rushed for two touchdowns, and the Titans scored all of their points in the first half to improve to 4-1.

Shamar Minnis, Joey Fleurjuste and Keegan Davis added scoring runs for Treasure Coast, which led 21-0 after one quarter.

The Titans have scored at least 35 points in all four wins this season.

Matanzas is 1-3.

Port St. Lucie 42, Okeechobee 14: Montavious Yearby rushed 25 times for 240 yards and three touchdowns as the Jaguars won their second consecutive game.

Yearby scored on runs of 5, 39 and 15 yards for Port St. Lucie (2-3).

Donald Rutledge ran for one touchdown and caught touchdown passes of 12 and 15 yards. 

Okeechobee (0-4) remained winless despite interception and kickoff return touchdowns from Jalen Pryor that staked the Brahmans to a 14-12 second-quarter lead.

John Carroll Catholic 48, Pine Crest 31: Quarterback Jay Allen rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two to Bryce Blevins as the Golden Rams overcame 14-0 and 21-7 deficits for a South Florida Conference win in Fort Pierce.

Savion Baker rushed for 326 yards and three touchdowns for John Carroll (3-2, 2-2), which won its second consecutive game.

Kamron Kadivar threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another for Pine Crest (2-2, 1-2), which led 21-7 after one quarter and 31-21 at halftime.

John Carroll's defense shut out the Panthers in the second half.

Jupiter Christian 47, St. Edward's 7: Shane Sawyer rushed for four first-half touchdowns as the Eagles remained undefeated.

Sawyer scored on runs of 1, 25, 2 and 16 yards for Jupiter Christian (4-0), which led 28-0 at halftime.

Michael Mangieri threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Kenney for St. Edward's (0-4).