After having lost a blowout in their previous game against Osceola, Winter Haven was happy to have turned things around on Friday. They walked away with a 29-16 win over the Palm Beach Lakes Rams.
Winter Haven got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Michael Kearney Iii out in front who rushed for 125 yards, and also threw for 61 yards and one touchdown. Matwain Bryant was in the mix too, providing the Blue Devils with two TDs.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Winter Haven was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 243 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Palm Beach Lakes only rushed for 53.
Winter Haven's defense stepped up as well, laying out the QB three times. Vario McBride was especially locked on to Palm Beach Lakes' QB and sacked him twice. McBride is also crushing it when it comes to total tackles: he's made at least eight every time he's taken the field this season. Bryant got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Blue Devils
| 09/19/25 @ Palm Beach Lakes | 29-16 |
| 08/28/25 @ Lake Region | 35-0 |
| 08/22/25 @ Zephyrhills Christian Academy | 45-0 |
Winter Haven's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 3-1. The road victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 5.3 points on average over those games. As for Palm Beach Lakes, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-2.
Winter Haven and Palm Beach Lakes will both get their first taste of in-conference action in their upcoming games. The Blue Devils are set to challenge their familiar foe Haines City at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, Palm Beach Lakes will square off against rival Wellington at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
