- May 2, 2024
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Matanzas receiver Andre Andrews (12) tries to break away from a Gainesville defender after making a catch late in the first half as offensive lineman Jaylon Owens (71) dodges the player on the ground. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas Pirates defensive back Ivan Gaines (18) leaps to grab an interception against the Gainesville Hurricanes in a 35-0 victory on Friday night, Oct. 13. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates quarterback Dakwon Evans (3) hands off to running back Zach Fury (13) in the second quarter against the Gainesville Hurricanes. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Pirates' Cole Hash (4) fights for yards in the second quarter against Gainesville. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Pirates' Shomarion Gaines (1) has some running room. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Dakwon Evans scores on a 16-yard run to put Matanzas ahead 28-0 in the third quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh.
Matanzas tight end Daniel DeFalco catches his third touchdown pass on the night in a 35-0 win over the Gainesville Hurricanes. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Pirates linebacker Cole Hash (4) tackles the Hurricanes’ Davil Wilbon (6) for a 3-yard loss in the first quarter leaving Gainesville in a third-and-12. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas kicker Landon Grover (9) boots an extra point against the Gainesville Hurricanes. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas kicker Landon Grover (9) boots an extra point against the Gainesville Hurricanes. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Matanzas quarterback Dakwon Evans runs a keeper early in the game against Gainesville. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Andre Andrews impacted all three phases of the game in Matanzas High School’s 35-0 win over Gainesville on Oct. 13 at “The Ship.”
The senior transfer from St. Augustine caught a 79-yard touchdown pass and recovered a Hurricanes’ fumble on the Pirates’ second-half kickoff. But he was most proud of his team’s defensive performance.
“I was more happy about the shutout, because I felt we could have put up 70 (points),” he said.
It was one of those games where several outstanding performances stood out, but so did some miscues.
“We've got some stuff to fix, but at the end of the day, it's not easy to win football games,” Matanzas coach Matt Forrest said. “I think we got a lot of work to do, but I'm proud of my team's effort. I'm proud of the way they continue to battle even though they were making some mistakes.”
Dakwon Evans accounted for all five touchdowns with three touchdown passes to tight end Daniel DeFalco, the long pass to Andrews and a 16-yard scoring run.
“We came out and did what we're supposed to do,” Evans said. “We could have executed better, but the chemistry is coming along.”
The Pirates improved to 5-2, matching their 2022 win total, while Gainesville fell to 1-7 overall, 0-3 in District 4-3S. Matanzas improved to 1-1 in the district with its final two district games scheduled over the next two weeks — Clay at home on Friday, Oct. 20, and Menendez in St. Augustine on Oct. 27. The Pirates wrap up the season on Nov. 3 at home against Winter Springs.
Heading into the Gainesville game, Matanzas was ranked fifth in the region with eight teams earning playoff berths.
“I try to stay away from all that stuff because as quick as you're in is as quick as you can be out if you don't handle business,” Forrest said. “But our goal’s to go 1-0 each week.”
Matanzas forced six Gainesville turnovers. Ivan Gaines, Jaden Sao, Sho’Marion Gaines and Mason Obama all intercepted passes. The Pirates also recovered two Hurricane fumbles.
But they also dropped a pass in the end zone, dropped a couple of potential interceptions and turned the ball over three times. Gainesville intercepted two passes, one by DeFalco on a double pass in the final minute of the second quarter.
“There was a lot of good things. We scored 35 points, and we were moving the football all game and we were stopping them defensively all game. It's just the little things that you can clean up,” Forrest said. “They converted first downs when we should have got off the field. We dialed up some great plays and had some guys wide open and just dropped passes. We had holes there to run the ball and we were cutting it back. We were trying to do too much instead of just doing our job.”
DeFalco came into the game with one touchdown catch. Forrest hopes the 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior’s performance will give him a jumpstart for the rest of the season.
“Daniel is a good player and he's had an opportunity to make some plays, and I know he's been frustrated. ... So it was good to see him make some plays and build some confidence.” — MATT FORREST on tight end Daniel DeFalco
“Daniel is a good player and he's had an opportunity to make some plays, and I know he's been frustrated, Forrest said. “We're going to need him, along with some other guys, going into the last quarter of the season. So it was good to see him make some plays and build some confidence.”
Evans hit DeFalco on a 15-yard touchdown pass on the Pirates’ opening possession. Matanzas went up 14-0 in the second quarter on Andrews’ 79-yard catch that was deflected by a defender.
“I saw it was a little underthrown and I was trying to come back on the ball,” Andrews said. “Once I saw it was tipped, I could make a play on the ball.”
Ivan Gaines' interception set up Evans’ 4-yard touchdown pass to DeFalco with 2:50 left in the second quarter to put the Pirates up 21-0 at the half. Sho’Marion Gaines’ interception set up Evans’ 16-yard touchdown run with 4:09 left in the third quarter.
After Jordan Theus-Vale recovered a fumble, DeFalco closed out the scoring with a 6-yard touchdown catch with 2:57 left in the third quarter, triggering a running clock the rest of the way.
“This is what was expected,” DeFalco said. “If we keep working on the connection and keep balling out on Friday nights, I think our season is going to go very well.”
