Palmetto uses balanced rushing attack to wear down Bayshore

John Biezuns stood near midfield after the handshake lines and postgame huddles at Balvanz Stadium punctuated Palmetto High School’s 40-0 win against Bayshore on Friday.

The first-year Bruins head coach watched as some Tigers spoke with friends and family, and posed for photos. With an assistant coach at his side, Biezuns’ eye drifted to Palmetto’s offensive linemen, particularly the Tigers’ bookend tackles. He pointed at Christian Kalish, a 6-foot-4 offensive lineman who starts at right tackle, and Jesse West, another 6-foot-4 lineman who starts at left tackle, with exasperation.

“He’s not in our school,” Biezuns said. “Not on our team. Not in our school. We don’t have kids like that. They don’t go to this school and they have five of them, or six or seven. They take the ball and get behind that college offensive line and steamroll down the field. Defensively, we do as much as we can.”

Palmetto (4-1, 1-0 Class 7A-District 11) started the year strongly primarily because of one of Manatee County’s best defenses, but also because of a massive offensive line that plows forward. On Friday, the Tigers gashed Bayshore (0-3, 0-1 Class 5A-District 11) for a season-high 247 rushing yards on an average of 7.7 yards per carry. Their defense put together its first shutout of the season while holding the Bruins to 76 yards.

The Tigers’ rushing attack begins with its veteran offensive line, but the group behind the linemen is nearly as deep. Converted defensive tackle Paco Garcia made his first start as Palmetto’s tailback Friday — he’s primarily been a fullback this year — making him the Tigers’ fourth different running back to start this year. Garcia finished with a game-high 66 yards and three other players finished with at least 55.

Quarterback Jason Spicer Jr. ran 11 times for 60 yards and a touchdown on his birthday. Elijah Davis, the only running back to start multiple games this year, added 55 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. Johnny Jones, who started at running back in Palmetto’s season-opening win against Fort Myers, also ran for 55 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

“It’s like a challenge,” Jones said. “All of our running backs are competing to get the starter position.”

The Tigers’ opening, Garcia-led drive eventually stalled in the red zone and ended with a blocked kick. Palmetto didn’t break through until the final seconds of the first quarter when Jones came on to the field and Spicer started to use his legs. The junior carried the ball on seven of the eight plays during the Tigers’ second drive and put Palmetto ahead for good on a 16-yard scramble touchdown with 12 seconds left in the first.

Spicer completed only seven passes Friday — although one to Jones was his third touchdown pass of the year — and still the Tigers breezed by Bayshore with a stable of running backs and an offensive line consisting of three players — Kalish, Corey Brady and Rodshon Williams — with Division I offers.

“We’re going to rely on our offensive line. That’s where our experience lies and we’re going to run the football,” Palmetto head coach Dave Marino said. “We spread the ball around. We always have. We’re going to be in multiple formations. We’re going to give everyone a chance.”

The Tigers have been able to use their depth creatively so far this season. Against Southeast two weeks ago, Davis stood on the sideline until the fourth quarter when Marino inserted him fully-rested to break off a decisive run.

Against Bayshore, Palmetto mixed Spicer and three running backs nearly equally. Jones and Davis each got five carries during the first half, and Davis was able to finish off a pair of drives for touchdowns. They each got multiple carries again in the second half and this time Jones finished two drives with touchdowns.

The Tigers don’t choose their starting running back until the Thursday before any given game based on performance in the previous game. With a wealth of options and a mammoth line, a decision typically won’t matter.

“It’s the game plan,” Jones said. “It’s going to help the whole team, the whole offense to score, to do all that.”

This story was originally published September 23, 2016 at 11:45 PM with the headline "Palmetto uses balanced rushing attack to wear down Bayshore."