It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but the Riverview Sarasota Rams had no problem doing just that on Friday. They breezed by Palmetto at home to the tune of 49-20. Considering Riverview Sarasota has won five contests by more than 27 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Riverview Sarasota's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Braxton Thomas, who rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown on only ten carries, and also threw for 111 yards and two touchdowns while completing 77.8% of his passes. The team also got some help courtesy of Isaiah Belt, who rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.4 yards per carry.
Palmetto's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performance. Perhaps the best among them was Clayton Dees, who threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 11.2 yards per attempt. Another player making a difference was Rok Lodge, who picked up 101 receiving yards and a touchdown.
The victory was the fourth in a row for Riverview Sarasota, bringing their record for this year to 8-4. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 43.0 points per game. As for Palmetto, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-5 record this season.
Riverview Sarasota will face off against Manatee at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Manatee's favor is that they have now posted big point totals in their last three games. Palmetto does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
