Vero Beach hasn't had much luck against Dr. Phillips recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Indians will be playing in front of their home fans against the Panthers at 7:00 p.m. Vero Beach is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.
Vero Beach is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They blew past Lake Nona 56-14. The Indians might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matchups by 29 points or more this season.
Efrem White
| 11/21/25 vs Lake Nona | 59 |
| 11/14/25 vs East Ridge | 28 |
| 11/15/24 vs Lake Nona | 18 |
| 11/01/24 @ Palm Bay | 96 |
Efrem White was his usual excellent self, throwing for 106 yards and three touchdowns while completing 76.9% of his passes, and also rushing for 60 yards and one score on only five carries. What's more, he racked up 59 receiving yards, the most he's had since back in November of 2024. Another pass catcher making a difference was Marcus Melbourne, who picked up 94 receiving yards and a pair of TDs.
Another reason for the win was Vero Beach's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Maleki Reed was especially locked on to Lake Nona's QB and sacked him twice. Reed also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with seven. Vero Beach got some further help from Bobby Burbic: he picked up a sack, forced one fumble, and made five total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Special teams was a major factor in the game for Vero Beach, racking up 14 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Melbourne, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Dr. Phillips slipped by Central 22-21 on Friday. The victory almost wasn't to be: the Panthers were down 21-6 in the third quarter.
Vero Beach better keep an eye on Zion Matthews. He was instrumental in Dr. Phillips' win, rushing for 119 yards and one score. Matthews' rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his third straight game with at least 119 rushing yards.
Dr. Phillips didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. Leading the way was Torrey Scott and his one interception. Another thorn in Central's side was McHenry Fortilien, who picked up a sack and made ten total tackles (3.0 for loss).
Vero Beach's win bumped their record up to 12-0. As for Dr. Phillips, their victory bumped their record up to 9-3.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Vero Beach has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 152 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Dr. Phillips struggles in that department as they've been averaging 196.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Vero Beach came up short against Dr. Phillips in their previous meeting back in November of 2024, falling 21-14. Will the Indians have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
