In one of the week's top high school football games, No. 3
St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) overpowered
Venice (Fla.) on the road for its 11th consecutive win Thursday in front of an ESPN2 television audience.
The Venice offense controlled the clock for much of the first half, keeping St. Frances Academy scoreless through the opening quarter.
But the Panther running back duo of Boston College commit
Durell Robinson and
DeJuan Williams couldn't be contained all night, leading a ground attack that piled up more than 300 yards and three touchdowns on the night.
St. Frances Academy found the end zone twice late in the first half and exploded for an 80-yard burst from Williams on the second half's first play from scrimmage. On the Panthers' second possession of the third quarter,
Blake Woodby barreled 63 yards on a jet sweep to push the advantage to 27-3.
Durell Robinson helped St. Frances Academy pile up over 300 yards on the ground against Venice.
Photo: Stacy White
Venice scored its first touchdown of the night with 4:07 left in the third quarter when quarterback
Brooks Bentley found
Fin Jones in the end zone from nine yards out. Bentley and
Keyon Sears hooked up for the two-point conversion to pull Venice within 27-11.
Quarterback
Michael Van Buren and
Ryan Manning hooked up for a long gain midway through the fourth quarter to give the Panthers possession inside the five-yard line. On the next play, Van Buren found Robinson for his second touchdown of the night to push the advantage to 34-11.
Bentley capped the game's scoring with 4:45 left when he found Maryland commit
Ryan Matulevich open in the end zone halfway through the final quarter to narrow the gap to 34-17.
Kirill Kotov opened the game's scoring when he booted a 35-yard field goal midway through the opening quarter to cap a 10-play, 45-yard drive and take nearly six minutes off the clock, giving the Indians their only lead at 3-0.
St. Frances Academy took a 7-3 lead in the second quarter when Van Buren capped a 12-play drive by hitting tight end
Chase Wilkens from 12 yards out on fourth down. Robinson then gave the Panthers a 14-3 advantage when he capped a nine-play, 71-yard drive with a two-yard plunge.
The two teams also met in 2019 with St. Frances also dominating that contest 49-7.
Venice (1-2) hosts Seminole (Sanford, Fla.) next Friday while St. Frances Academy (3-0) stays on the road to battle 4-0 Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.).
St. Frances Academy celebrates a score during its 11th straight victory dating back to last season.
Photo: Stacy White
St. Frances Academy Michael Van Buren looks down the field Thursday night against Venice.
Photo: Stacy White
