- December 20, 2024
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Matanzas quarterback Caden Burchfield scores on a 3-yard run to put the Pirates ahead 7-0 in the second quarter. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas running back Wiley Conner (34) tries to run around the edge. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Quarterback Caden Burchfield runs away from an Atlantic defender. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas receiver Thomas Larywon turns up field after catching a short pass. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas players run onto the field at Atlantic. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Jordan Schendorf (12) catches a pass from Caden Burchfield. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Jordan Schendorf (12) caught a fourth-down touchdown pass with seven seconds left in the first half. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Wiley Conner (34) runs straight ahead. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas coach Matt Forrest talks to his players after the Pirates shut out Atlantic 28-0. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas sophomore running back Wiley Conner charges through a pair of Atlantic defenders. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Ladarian Baker (3) and Thomas Larywon (6) celebrate Baker's touchdown catch. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The Matanzas Pirates run onto the field at Atlantic High School on Aug. 30. Photo by Brent Woronoff
As people get older they tend to forget more. As football players mature, they should forget more. Not the playbook or fundamentals. But the last play, good or bad, should not dwell in their minds to the point of affecting the next play.
The young Matanzas Pirates were able to get over their mistakes and focus on the next snap, and that was the difference, coach Matt Forrest said, in their 28-0 victory against Atlantic on Friday, Aug. 30, at the Sharks’ stadium.
Mistakes were plentiful by both teams with penalty flags flying all night, but the Pirates made enough plays on offense and defense to even their record at 1-1 after a season-opening loss to Bishop Kenny.
“They are a good football team,” Forrest said of the Sharks. “They gave us everything we wanted and more. I think our ability to have a short-term memory is what really helped us out. If we missed a block or missed a tackle or a call didn't go our way, we put it in the rear-view mirror fairly quickly, and that's what we did not do last week in my opinion. So, to see the growth from that was really good to see.”
Junior quarterback Caden Burchfield threw two touchdown passes and ran for another in just his second varsity game. After a scoreless first quarter, Matanzas made an adjustment with the quarterback running the ball more.
“We saw it was open,” Burchfield said. “I was doing the best I could, and coach was calling it and I was running it.”
Burchfield put the Pirates on the scoreboard with a a 3-yard touchdown run with 7:35 left in the second quarter. Later in the quarter, Ladarian Baker's 54-yard catch and run set up Burchfield's 3-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Schendorf on fourth down with 7.7 seconds left in the half.
Wiley Connor scored on a 1-yard run early in the third quarter, and Baker caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Burchfield with 3:56 left in the game.
Atlantic coach Tombe Thomas was ejected with 6:45 left in the second quarter after getting flagged with two unsportsmanlike penalties. Three consecutive dead-ball penalties in all put the Sharks back 45 yards following their touchdown run that was negated by holding.
The Sharks got the ball back after Javonte Kennedy intercepted a Burchfield pass. But the Pirates' defense held Atlantic on a third-and-1 from the Matanzas 13-yard line, and a 30-yard field goal attempt was short.
“I think Atlantic did really well in that first half. We had four possessions. We were able to get two touchdowns,” Forrest said. “They chewed up some clock and moved the football. That's just a great job of executing their game plan and keeping our offense off the field.”
Beginning in the second quarter, the Pirates began to flip the script, running and throwing more screen passes to control the football.
“Our guys went out and executed, made first downs,” Forrest said. “Nothing flashy, nothing real over the top. We took our shots when we could.”
Burchfield said he felt more confident than he did in his first start.
“It was definitely a lot better, a lot more energy and a lot more confident as well,” he said. “It’s cool to throw the ball to those guys and watch them go make a play, whether its 2 yards or 10 yards or a touchdown.”
Linebacker Braden Russell and defensive lineman Jackson Saterfield said the coaches prepared the defense well. The result was the Pirates’ third defensive shutout in their last seven games dating back to last season.
“We forgot about all the mistakes and moved on to the next play every time,” Saterfield said. “We just went out there and did what we had to do and got the job done.”
