Nature Coast Tech has relied on a stalwart defense averaging 17.4 points allowed per game, but that average took a hit on Friday. They fell 34-26 to the Palatka Panthers. The Sharks have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Several Sharks players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Lj Elwin, who rushed for 48 yards and two touchdowns. Nature Coast Tech also got a significant boost from Jackson Hoyt, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 85 yards.
He was just one part of a punishing run game: Nature Coast Tech was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 245 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 180 rushing yards in five consecutive matchups.
Palatka's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Justin Fells, who rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns. The dominant performance gave Fells a new career-high in rushing yards. Another player making a difference was Lawrence Evans, who rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown on only 12 carries.
Nature Coast Tech's loss dropped their record down to 3-2. As for Palatka, the win (which was their fourth in a row) raised their record to 4-1.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Nature Coast Tech will get a bit of extra time to process the defeat as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Anclote at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. Nature Coast Tech is facing Anclote at the right time seeing as Anclote is stuck on a five-game losing streak. Palatka will also get a bit of a break before their next contest: they'll face off against Bradford at 7:30 p.m. on October 4th. Palatka knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 31 points or more in their past four games -- so hopefully Bradford likes a good challenge.
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