PUNTA GORDA (SNN-TV) – Week 10 of the high school football season got off to a hot start last night, as the Riverview Rams were on the road in Punta Gorda, taking on the winless Charlotte Tarpons.
A smaller crowd gathered at the Fish Bowl on perfect Tuesday night for football. First play from scrimmage, QB Michael Valentino looks to tip it to motioning WR Brayan Augustin, but the touch pass is fumbled, and Rams DE Da’marcus Abner comes up with it, before Valentino makes the TD saving tackle near the 5-yard line. Plays later, out of the wildcat formation, Charles Lester III takes the snap out of the backfield and punches it in for the easy score; Rams lead early 7-0 after the PAT.
Next Tarpons drive, Valentino hands it off to RB Connor Trim but he’s met in the backfield initially by LB Deshaun Olave for the loss of yardage, DT Luke Haskins in on the tackle as well for Riverview. Plays later, 3rd and long, when Valentino hands it off WR Brady Hall on the end around for some “trickeration”, as Hall lofts one down the right sideline looking for Trenton Curliss but it’s picked off by Lester III. There’s a reason CL3 is a 5-star, top-tier talent in the country. The junior makes several Tarpons look silly before going down voluntarily near the 35, Rams take possession.
Fast forward, 2nd quarter now, Rams driving, QB Jeremiah Dawson fakes the hand off and finds his TE, Holy Cross commit Luke Petitta over the middle, and Petitta turns up field and pumps up the PF Flyers en route to the end zone, the first of two TD’s for Petitta. As the Rams add to their lead over Charlotte, they’re up 14-0 with 7 min left in the half.
Next Rams drive, near midfield, Dawson fakes the hand off again, only to find Charles Lester wide-open over the middle, and CL3 goes untouched for six, as the Rams lead 21-0, and Riverview would continue to dominate this one, as they go on to win 41-21, improving to 2-5 before there district match-up on Friday against Sarasota.
