Hawks soar as Pirates drop to 0-2

Kicker Julian Del Castillo converted a field goal for the Pirates' only score of the game.

By Ray Boone
| 9:51 p.m. September 7, 2018

Matanzas' Josef Powell gets tackled by a group of Spruce Creek defenders. Photo by Ray Boone

Kicker Julian Del Castillo knocks through a field goal in the first half against Spruce Creek. Photo by Ray Boone

Matanzas' Branden Gilyard leaps to haul in a pass. Photo by Ray Boone

Matanzas' Branden Gilyard runs by a defender on a punt return. Photo by Ray Boone

Sophomore QB Kaelum Grant releases a pass against the Hawks. Photo by Ray Boone

Rex Robich celebrates after recording a sack. Photo by Ray Boone

A Matanzas player is brought to the ground by a Hawks defender. Photo by Ray Boone

Palm Coast Observer
Sports

Twenty six players trotted toward the sideline when the Pirates entered the football field for the start of their game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Sept. 7, at Matanzas High School.

Of those 26, more than half were sophomores.

The Pirates (0-2) held it together for the first half in their 34-3 loss to the Hawks. Matanzas gave up a rushing touchdown in the first quarter, and Pirates kicker Julian Del Castillo split the uprights on a 40-yard field goal to send the Pirates into the locker room down 7-3.

But the injuries and inexperience weighed on the Pirates in the second half.

Halfway through the third quarter, Matanzas offensive lineman Seaton Waldhauer had to sit out a play due to a penalty. The Pirates had nobody to replace him. They were forced to call a time out, put a different jersey on a spare player and have him run onto the field for one play — a run up the middle that lost 2 yards.

"All the effort, it seemed good at sometimes, but I’ve seen better at practice. Some of the things we’re doing, it’s just not translating out here on the field.”

Matanzas coach Don Mathews

Spruce Creek scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and added another rushing touchdown to start the fourth quarter. Then, Hawks defensive back Dee'Shari Keith intercepted Pirates sophomore quarterback Kaelum Grant and returned the pick 45 yards for a score.

“Early on, our energy was pretty good," Matanzas' first-year head coach, Don Mathews, said. "But we’re going to take our bumps this year, and it’s going to be tough for us.”