Palmetto rolls North Port for biggest blowout of season

PALMETTO -- Octavious James had already piled up 80 yards and a touchdown on Palmetto's first drive Friday at Harllee Stadium and the Tigers already started to shorten his workload. But first, PHS had to work the running back into the passing game.

On a third and 10, Jack Allison took a shotgun snap and raced backward. The North Port defensive line hunted down the quarterback, unaware of the tailback planted behind them. Allison floated a screen pass over the rush and into James' hands. The senior was off, 57 yards weaving through traffic for his second touchdown of Palmetto's 44-7 win.

"We run a lot of different screens, it's just part of our scheme, part of our offense," head coach Dave Marino said. "When the opportunity presents it, you've got to make that call. We saw some things."

The Tigers were never seriously tested by the Bobcats and James only touched the ball three more times, finishing with 180 total yards. PHS (6-1, 3-0 District 7A-11) gave Isyah Funk, who missed the game prior to last week's bye, 10 touches and he scored two touchdowns. Allison also added a second touchdown pass to Brandon Luckett in the third quarter.

It was a complete effort for Palmetto in its final game before the most grueling portion of the schedule begins next week at Braden River. The Tigers finish the regular season against the Pirates, Venice and Punta Gorda Charlotte -- all top-10 teams in their classes -- and enter the final weeks on the heels of their biggest blowout of the season.

"It was a good win," James said. "We still had a lot of miscues we've got to work on and everything, but a lot of preparation, a lot of hard work and a lot of hard practice we've got to prepare for."

The only touchdown North Port (2-5, 0-3) scored came after an interception took the ball down to the PHS goal line. Running back Octavious Cummings scored on the next play.

As good as Palmetto's offense was Friday, the defense was even better. The Tigers limited the Bobcats to only 7 yards of total offense thanks to five sacks, including safety and a forced fumble leading to a touchdown by linebacker Henry Bradley.

"They're fast and they're physical," Marino said. "Our defensive staff does a great job schematically putting them in their position."

With the defense doing its job, PHS let Allison loose to throw 26 passes -- his most since Week 3 -- and dance around in the pocket. With Palmetto already ahead 37-7, the Miami commit punctuated the blowout. He dropped back for a third-down pass then stepped up to shimmy around a rusher from his right side. He danced toward the right sideline to knock the defense off balance and floated his second touchdown pass to Luckett in the front right corner of the end zone.

"My boy's real saucy on the field," James said. "The footwork is there. You can't be a quarterback and not move."

This story was originally published October 17, 2015 at 12:05 AM with the headline "Palmetto rolls North Port for biggest blowout of season ."