- May 1, 2024
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Matanzas quarterback Dakwon Evans (3) jukes a Clay defender to get the first down. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas Pirates Jaylon Owens (71) and Micah McGuire (31) revel in their team’s 24-21 win against the Clay Blue Devils on Oct. 20. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Cole Hash (4) completes a 2-point conversion pass to put the Pirates ahead 11-7 with 7:05 left in the second quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates Zach O’Gwynn (16), Braden Russell (15) and Seth Clark (5) celebrate a sack. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates Seth Clark (5), Sho’Marion Gaines (1) and Jordan Mills (2) celebrate a fumble recovery by Zach O’Gwynn (16) late in the first quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Andre Andrews caught two touchdown passes in the second half. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas wide receiver Andre Andrews (12) scores a touchdown on a 30-yard reception from Daniel DeFalco with 1:45 left in the third quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas Pirates Andre Andrews (12) and Kelin Scott (76) celebrate Andrews' 30-yard touchdown catch that put the home team up 24-14 with 1:45 left in the third quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates sophomore Cooper May swings a money bag to support the Matanzas defense on a Blue Devils third down. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas players on the sidelines make some noise and swing the money bags when an opponent faces third down. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas head coach Matt Forrest talks to the team during a timeout in the second quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Pirates' Andre Andrews (12) stops Clay's Vonte Burk (6), leaving the Blue Devils with a third-and-5 early in the second half. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Pirates' Cole Hash (4) tries to convert a fourth down early in the third quarter but is tackled short of the first by Clay's Chandler Thomas (2). Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Pirates' Zach O’Gwynn (16) snaps the ball to punter Landon Grover (9).
The Matanzas Pirates 12th man makes some noise in the third quarter against the Clay Blue Devils. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates running back Zach Furey looks for running room against the Blue Devils. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates quarterback Dakwon Evans looks for an open receiver in the fourth quarter against the Clay Blue Devils. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Pirates' Daniel DeFalco (6) takes a direct snap and gains the first down with 42.6 seconds left to secure the victory against the Blue Devils. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas Pirates fans cheer for their team in the Pink Out Student Section. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
A Matanzas Pirates cheerleader flips as the team takes the field against the Clay Blue Devils on Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates Jordan Mills (2) and Jace Raiji (20) celebrate the win over the Blue Devils. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates sophomore Aiden Hoeni (35) celebrates the victory. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates senior running back Micah McGuire executes a double flip in celebration of the 24-21 win over the Clay Blue Devils. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas Pirates teammates Micah McGuire (31) and Jaxson Satterfield (60) celebrate the victory over the Clay Blue Devils. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates defensive lineman Jaxson Satterfield leaves the field. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Matanzas Pirates head to the locker room after defeating the Clay Blue Devils 24-21 at home on Oct. 20. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates running back Zach Furey (13) gains 9 yards early in the second quarter against the Clay Blue Devils. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas Pirates Aiden Try (7), Jeffrey Powell (17), Andre Andrews (12) and Cooper May (22) celebrate a 2-point conversion. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas linebacker Braden Russell sacks Clay quarterback Merrick Rapoza (16) on fourth down. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates defenders Seth Clark (5) and Sho’Marion Gaines (1) tackle Clay's Merrick Rapoza (16), forcing a fumble late in the first quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Pirates' Sho’Marion Gaines runs inside the 5-yard line. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates defensive back Kenneth Robinson (24) breaks up a pass to Clay's Ethan Belemare. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Matanzas defense rallies to stop Blue Devils quarterback Merrick Rapoza just short of the goal line late in the fourth quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Matanzas Band of Pirates performs at halftime. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas cheerleaders perform a stunt. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Pirates' Landon Grover boots a 46-yard punt in the second quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas tight end Daniel DeFalco received the lateral pass from quarterback Dakwon Evans, faked a run to draw in the safety and threw a perfect pass to Andre Andrews for a 30-yard touchdown.
It was just the way the play was designed, and it gave the Pirates a 24-14 lead against Clay High with 1:45 left in the third quarter. Matanzas went on to win the district battle 24-21 on Oct. 20 at home to help solidify its spot in the Class 3S football playoffs.
The Pirates (6-2) were ranked fourth among Region 1-3S teams before their win against the Blue Devils (4-4). Matanzas has two regular-season games remaining, beginning with a district showdown at northern neighbor Menendez (3-5) on Friday, Oct. 27, before closing the regular season at home against Winter Springs on Nov. 3.
Against Gainesville a week earlier, DeFalco underthrew his receiver on the same play and was intercepted. The senior also threw an interception earlier in the game against Clay. But his coaches never lost confidence in DeFalco's ability to execute the trick play at a critical point in the game.
We needed a big play, and our guys couldn’t have executed it better.”
— MATT FORREST
“We’ve been practicing that,” Pirates coach Matt Forrest said. “We practice all of our special plays multiple times during the week. We felt it was the right time to try it again, because they knew our quick screens are a key part of our offense. It worked out in our favor. Kwon showed composure by giving him a good ball he could handle, and Daniel did a good job selling it, getting the safety to come up. He made such a great throw. We needed a big play, and our guys couldn’t have executed it better.”
DeFalco also caught a touchdown pass as Evans found him wide open for a 69-yard play in the second quarter. Evans and Andrews also hooked up with Andrews catching a screen pass and running 49 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.
Clay pulled to within three points on Merrick Rapoza's third short touchdown run with 1:52 left in the game. With 42 seconds remaining, Forrest called on DeFalco to take a direct snap on a fourth-and-2. DeFalco gained the first down, allowing the Pirates to run out the clock.
“Daniel had to get 2 yards, and he got 2 and a quarter,” Forrest said. “We wanted to end it there. The players wanted to go win it. We could have punted, and we have a great punter in Landon Grover, but we wanted to control our own destiny.”
Grover kicked a 27-yard field goal in the second quarter after the Blue Devils took an early 7-0 lead. Matanzas went up 11-7 on Evans’ touchdown pass to DeFalco and Cole Hash’s 2-point conversion pass.
The Pirates’ offense had an up-and-down night.
“We’re still waiting on that breakout game offensively,” Forrest said. “We’re not having 11 guys in sync all the time. We’re making mental errors. We’re putting the ball on the ground.”
Matanzas lost a fumble when it led by 10 in the fourth quarter. The Pirates fumbled three other times but recovered them.
“Our guys on offense know they have to clean that stuff up,” Forrest said. “We’re proud of (DeFalco), and we’re proud of all of our guys. They’re not afraid of those moments. We’re turning into a team that finds a way to win.”
