The Undefeated Nease Panthers
With two games going into overtime, the Nease football team has continuously secured wins this season, with an impressive record of 6-0. Here are the highlights from each game:
Ponte Vedra
Starting the season strong against our biggest rival, we faced Ponte Vedra in the Battle of the Bridge. With 3 touchdowns and an interception by Senior Joe Miracle III, the Panthers came out victorious with a score of 24-7, reclaiming the champion of the Battle of the Bridge once again. This was an excellent way to kick off the season and a thrill to watch!
Creekside
The Panthers continued the win at Creekside. During the first quarter, the Panthers and Knights were tied 7-7, but Nease secured the lead just before halftime with a field goal, making it 10-7. The Panthers maintained their dominance throughout the remainder of the game, finishing with a victory of 45-7.
Fletcher
Nease kicked off the first quarter with a score of 11-0 and ended the half 18-0 with 2 touchdowns by Senior KJ Perry. Nease continued to shut out Fletcher at home with a final score of 39-0. It was an amazing performance by the Panthers!
St. Augustine
This was a high-intensity game, marking the first of the season to head into overtime. It was a tough battle, with the Yellow Jackets coming into the game undefeated but ultimately leaving with their first loss. Both teams fought hard, with the Jackets leading 21-0 at halftime. However, the Panthers persevered and had a dramatic comeback, starting with Senior Elisha Luckett III getting a Pick 6, which fueled the momentum for the rest of the game. Nease eventually tied up the game at 28-28, headed into overtime, and clutched the win by 1 point, sealing the game at 35-34.
Buchholz
The second game went into overtime, the 5th game ended in a win. With Buchholz being in the state semifinals for three consecutive seasons, the Panthers knew that they were in for a tough fight for this district game and would have to battle hard—and that’s exactly what they did. Nease was down 7-14 in the third quarter, but that didn’t stop them from fighting back. The game went into overtime and Senior Shemar McNair had a game-winning interception, leading the Panthers to win 20-17.
Atlantic Coast
This game started off with a bang in the 1st quarter with a 42 yd touchdown run by QB Nate Harry. By the 2nd quarter, the Panthers were up 16-6 when Senior Tyler Ghazanfari had a 30-yd touchdown pass, making it 24-6. The offense and defense continued to deliver as Senior Joe Miracle III came up with a sack and the team got 2 more touchdowns, making the score 37-6. After entering the 4th, Senior KJ Perry finalized the game with a 38-yd touchdown run, leading to a final score of 44-12.
With 3 more games remaining in the season, the Panthers are looking to take home more victories!
By: Meera Swami
Sources:
https://www.maxpreps.com/fl/ponte-vedra/nease-panthers/football/schedule/
