BRADENTON — Bradenton Christian might have had the lead, but Naples St. John Neumann had the momentum to open the second half.
The Celtics drove the ball deep into the Panthers’ territory on the opening drive of the half, but BCS took control of the game on one play.
Celtics running back Garrett Ocana took a handoff at the Panthers 25-yard line, and was smacked by BCS’ linebackers Stuart Cobb and Colton Goodwin. Ocana fumbled, and Cobb fell on the ball.
The host Panthers drove down the field, scored and coasted to a 28-6 victory in Class 1B-District 6 action Friday afternoon.
“That fumble was big,” said Goodwin, who also had 59 combined yards and two touchdowns. “We came out kind of flat, and that fumble helped us pick things up.”
BCS (6-0, 2-0) started fast when quarterback Sean McCarthy hit running back David Schopfer on a swing pass and Schopfer raced 52-yards for a score three minutes into the game.
On the Panthers next possession, Goodwin galloped in for a 25-yard touchdown.
McCarthy completed 11 for 114 passes for 170 and two touchdowns, including an 11-yard scoring pass Goodwin, which capitalized on the Celtics’ miscue to open the third quarter.
In all, nine Panthers caught a pass.
“My goal is to always involve as many players as we can,” BCS coach Allan Gerber said. “To keep these kids excited, they need to know that on any given play there are four or five different guys that have a chance to touch the ball.”
BCS had it owns mishaps, though.
The Panthers fumbled five times and lost two, including one that led to Celtics quarterback Dylan Woods’ 5-yard touchdown toss to Garrett Braun late in the second quarter.
Still, Gerber said he was happy with his team’s effort in staying undefeated in district play.
“The unforced errors, the fumbles, turnovers and penalties are all things we must overcome,” he said. “At the end of the day, when your defense assaults the line of scrimmage as ours have and will continue to do, you play physically and you expect those big plays to happen.”
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