Wolves outlast Pirates in close contest

Both teams were tied before Deltona took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter.

By Ray Boone
| 10:00 p.m. October 26, 2018

Branden Gilyard. File photo

Palm Coast Observer
Sports

The Pirates kicked off their game against Deltona with a bang.

On the first play from scrimmage, Matanzas senior and team captain Branden Gilyard took a handoff 57 yards for a touchdown to give the Pirates an early lead over the Wolves.

Both teams battled back-and-forth for much of the game, with both teams entering the locker room at halftime tied at 21.

However, the Pirates failed to score for the remainder of the game.

Deltona took the lead for good following a 28-yard touchdown reception with 9:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Wolves outlasted the Pirates 28-21 on Friday, Oct. 26, at Matanzas High School.

Pirates coach Don Mathews said the team, which is made up of mostly sophomores, is starting to play more consistently but is still lacking in some areas. Near the end of the game, the Wolves, leading by a touchdown, were kneeling to run out the clock. Some of Matanzas' players stopped trying even though the Wolves had trouble snapping the ball throughout the game.

"I had to remind them at the end of the game that you don't know what's going to happen," Mathews said.

The Pirates, who dropped to 3-6, have one game remaining on the schedule before the conclusion of their season: a matchup against Pedro Menendez at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, at Matanzas High School.