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Brandon OdoiFlorida

Fast Start Allows 8A Miami Palmetto to Advance Past Vero Beach

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VERO BEACH, FL–Since losing their quarterback during the first round of the playoffs, the Miami Palmetto Panthers have been using defense and some gritty play to keep their state championship hopes alive. Friday night in Vero Beach, Florida was no exception. Paced by University of Miami 2021 athlete Brashard Smith offensively and fellow Miami commit Leonard Taylor defensively, Palmetto raced out to an early 10-0 lead and held on to fend off the Indians 10-7 on the road.

Smith, who basically serves as the team’s quarterback in a ‘wildcat formation’ began attacking Vero Beach during Palmetto’s first possession by running right at Indian defense. The ground game was a mixture of read option and the occasional pass by fellow backfield mate, RB Marlon Hanna

For his part, Hanna was the bigger passing threat and completed several passes while also running the ball just enough to keep the defense honest. Diego Naviaa 42 yard field goal made the score 3-0 and after Taylor strip-sacked Vero Beach’s quarterback to turn the ball over, Smith rushed in for the Panther’s only touchdown of the game. It would be enough.

Vero Beach made things very interesting late in the fourth quarter when a well-excucted hook and ladder play took the Indians all the way down inside the ten-yard-line. They would score on that possession bringing the score to 10-7 late. On the ensuing possession, Brashard Smith appeared to fumble the ball and a Vero Beach defender raced into the endzone for what looked like the go-ahead score but the referee ruled him down.

A few plays later, Smith would ice the game with a break out run and Palmetto would escape as their dream season continues after winning in overtime last week at Treasure Coast.

Watch as five-start DT Leonard Taylor’s forced fumble gives Palmetto the ball with under two minutes left in order to ice the game:

Next up for Palmetto is Kissimmee Osceola High who defeated Newsome by the exact same score, 10-7. The state semi-final matchup will take place in Miami next week.

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Brandon Odoi is a tenured journalist. He's covered youth football since 8th grade, high school football since 2009 and began covering college football in 2011 as a beat writer for the University of Miami Athletic programs. In 2011, he founded Football Hotbed a national multi-media platform for football across the country. He's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and spent his first five years as a professional working at ABC Television Network, ending his career as a producer in Miami. He's married with two sons and resides in South Florida.

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