Southeast High’s Latrell Peavy wows both sides of Balvanz Stadium in Seminoles win

It didn’t start like a special run.

There were the tacklers in position to bring Latrell Peavy down after a short gain.

That didn’t happen.

There were the tacklers ready to drop Peavy, Southeast High’s running back, for an 8-yard rush.

That didn’t happen.

Instead, the senior tailback avoided every Bayshore High tackle attempt, juked past some more and tallied a 46-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter of Southeast’s 34-12 victory on Thursday at Bayshore’s Balvanz Stadium.

Southeast’s stands reacted with cheering, while Peavy retreated back to the sideline and said head coach Rashad West was excited for him.

Bayshore’s stands were equally impressed, breaking out in the ESPN Sportscenter theme song.

Bruins head coach John Biezuns heard it, and was wowed.

“I turned to our D-coordinator and said, ‘We don’t have that guy,’” Biezuns said. “I said it last year when Palmetto brought their lineman. We don’t have those guys. We have some good backs, but we don’t have that guy.”

Peavy’s play was one of several the senior has turned into big gains during this 2017 weather-riddled season.

And Thursday’s game, the Class 5A-District 11 opener for both teams, was a Week 4 makeup game that Hurricane Irma postponed.

Not playing much this season with all the thunderstorms popping up each Friday this fall is what Peavy said spurred him on.

“I just wanted to make up for lost time,” said Peavy, who ran for 145 yards on 19 carries.

West said the difference in Peavy’s game this year compared to his junior season is understanding the blocking schemes better.

Last year’s Southeast team didn’t possess power running on a routine basis.

Having Peavy improved through offseason weight training only enhances the passing game’s chances at success.

“He’s always had it in him,” West said. “He’s finally showing all the talent I heard about when I got here.”

On Thursday, the Noles and Bruins both showed rust after not playing for several weeks. The two district rivals are only miles apart, and there were several personal foul and other assorted penalties to highlight how geographically close the two schools are to each other.

There were turnovers, too.

Southeast turned it over six times with two fumbles, one interception and four on downs.

Bayshore had three turnovers: two fumbles and an interception.

Nonetheless, Southeast raced out to a 34-0 lead through three Alex Taylor touchdown passes to two different receivers.

Korey Waters (two) and Peavy (one) tallied the touchdown catches, while Peavy added two rushing scores.

The last of his touchdowns was what created a buzz inside Balvanz Stadium.

“I think everyone had a shot at him,” Biezuns said. “So I think he probably broke all 11 (tackles). ... He kind of reminds me of Barry Sanders. Most of these kids wouldn’t know who that is. But that’s the way he runs the ball. Low center of gravity, he can cut and see the field. He’s a football player.”

Added Peavy: “I was surprised, myself. I thought I was down. I just happened to make the play.”

This story was originally published September 21, 2017 at 10:51 PM with the headline "Southeast High’s Latrell Peavy wows both sides of Balvanz Stadium in Seminoles win."