Seabreeze overcomes turnovers in Senior Night football victory

Cash Kurz's pick-six, Drew McNerney's 2-point catch helped the Sandcrabs thump Pine Ridge 24-6.

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Seabreeze fumbled on its first play from scrimmage. It would be the first of five turnovers by the Sandcrabs, but that’s not what set the tone for Seabreeze’s Senior Night game against Pine Ridge.

The Panthers seemed poised to convert that first turnover into points, but a sack by Tristan Miller and another by Brogan Kelly and Matthew Wells helped push Pine Ridge out of field goal range. Seabreeze scored on its next possession.

That sequence set the tone for the Sandcrabs’ 24-6 victory over the Panthers on Friday, Oct. 24, at Daytona Stadium.

“It was Senior Night, and we came out and battled,” Seabreeze coach Mike Klein said. “We turned the ball over too much, but fortunately, our defense got turnovers too.”

Seabreeze’s Logan Smith, Jake Deising and Cash Kurz each grabbed interceptions. Kurz’s 15-yard pick-six with 3:28 left in the game gave the Sandcrabs (2-5) a 22-6 lead.

On the next play, senior kicker Drew McNerney came out to kick the extra point. But holder Dean Hayes picked up the ball and lofted a pass to a streaking McNerney who made the catchit’ and crossed the goal line untouched for a 2-point conversion.

“I heard them talking about it,” Klein said. “I had a feeling that was coming. I just sent them out there and let it ride. It was kind of nice doing it on Senior Night.”

Seabreeze honored 10 senior football players before the game: Dylan Hayes, Dyland Tocci, Kelly, McNerney, Brody Boda, Deising, Julian Perez, Kevin MacMahan, Aiden Boyer and Luke Cloer.

“It’s not a big group, but it’s a special group,” Klein said.

Running back George Jeremias put the Sandcrabs on the scoreboard with a 21-yard run late in the first quarter. His scoring run followed his 19-yard catch from Tocci to move Seabreeze deep into Panthers’ territory. McNerney’s 30-yard field goal put the Sandcrabs up 9-0 just before halftime.

Seabreeze offensive lineman Luke Cloer. Photo by Brent Woronoff

Tocci ended a 12-play drive early in the third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run to put Seabreeze up 16-0. Pine Ridge quarterback Joel Rosa capitalized on a Seabreeze fumble to score the Panthers’ only touchdown on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

Klein said the players were able to eliminate explosive plays by their opponent, which have hurt the Sandcrabs all season. He credited matching the starters up against each other in different scenarios in practice for changing the mindset on both sides of the ball.

“The coaches prepared us to never shy away,” Kelly said. “And tonight was a prime example.”

Seabreeze will meet Mainland on Friday, Nov. 1, at Daytona Stadium for its annual rivalry game and then will end the season on Thursday, Nov. 7, at home against Deltona in a game rescheduled because of Hurrican Milton.

 

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