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FORT PIERCE – The regular season opener between John Carroll Catholic and Fort Pierce Westwood Academy was halted late in the third quarter due to a disturbance in the home team’s stands at Calvin R. Triplett Field at Lawnwood Stadium.
The home team’s fans stormed to the exits, forcing players, coaches and fans to seek safety.
Police said there were no weapons, only rumors that someone had a gun. Fans stamping on the metal stands made a banging noise that caused panic and gave the impression of gunshots.
The John Carroll players rushed to the visitors’ dressing room, which is located right next to the umpires’ dressing room at the north end of the field. The Westwood players remained lying face down on the field in front of their bench for a while before heading to their dressing room.
“It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so I completely agree with our local police’s decision and thank them for always keeping us safe,” Westwood coach Chris Kokell said via text message. He also posted the message on X (formerly Twitter).
John Carroll led 28-15 at the time of the stoppage with 43 seconds left in the third quarter.
“I look forward to finishing at a later date,” Kokell wrote in a text message.
John Carroll coach Mickey Groody also said he would like to finish the game at some point. “I would like to finish the game,” he said. “We’ll discuss that tomorrow (Saturday) or Monday.”
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Insights from John Carroll
1. The Rams got off to a quick start, scoring 21 points in the first 5 minutes, 17 seconds. First, D’Angelo Bonilla recovered a pooch kick from John Carroll on the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but a botched kick cannot be run. Then, 12 seconds into the game, quarterback Jax VanName ran 37 yards on the first play for a touchdown. VanName (7-of-15, 68 yards, 102 rushing yards on 9 carries) was involved in all four of the Rams’ touchdowns, connecting with Jacob Morales on a 4-yard touchdown pass and running 34 yards on a third-and-12 play. In the third quarter, VanName connected with KJ Davis for a 25-yard touchdown. Yatzil Villanueva kicked all four PATs. Jeremy Pittman ran 16 times for 78 yards. “You can’t think of or imagine a better way to start the game,” Groody said. “To start a game like that against such an athletic team is very good.”
2. John Carroll’s defense had four turnovers. Jamie Green Jr. recovered a fumble and Domenic Calestino intercepted a pass in the first half. Trey Jackson grabbed a loose ball and Bonilla had an interception in the third quarter. Groody credits defensive coordinator Tim Vold for making some tweaks in the second quarter. “He moved a couple of players around,” Groody said. “He made a couple of adjustments and did a phenomenal job.”
3. The Rams, who are ranked No. 284 in the state by MaxPreps and finished 3-7 last season, have a short week as they play Okeechobee High at home in the first Class 4A and District 13 meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Westwood Food Stalls
1. The Panthers rebounded well from a poor start. Westwood trailed 21-0 when running back Travis Townsend ran 54 yards with 5:23 left in the first quarter. Quarterback EJ Weathers made it 21-8 when he helped Colton Foster complete a two-point conversion. Westwood got within 21-13 in the second quarter. Weathers found Jordan Crutchfield for an 83-yard touchdown. Traveon Townsend made the PAT kick and the Panthers went into halftime up 21-15. Crutchfield played great through three quarters, catching three passes for 149 yards. Travis Townsend gained 78 yards on seven carries. Weathers completed 6 of 14 passes for 175 yards. Kokell said there were several factors for the Panthers’ slow start. “Nerves and we don’t have a full practice field to practice on,” Kokell said, as construction of the new school building limits his space. “The spacing on kickoffs was always wrong. I just got some of those things right. And in the blitz season, I didn’t get on the field. I don’t want to make excuses, but some of those things play a role.”
2. Crutchfield also contributed on defense with a tackle that resulted in a loss of yardage. Allen Sauceda also had a tackle behind the line of scrimmage. Keyondre Ward’s fourth-down stop put the ball in the Panthers’ offense and led to their second touchdown. “The most important thing is that we showed that even if we assume the absolute worst-case scenario, we won’t give up,” Kokell said. “We’re going to keep fighting.”
3. Westwood, ranked No. 155 in the state by MaxPreps and coming off a 7-4 season, plays at home against King’s Academy at Lawnwood Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m.
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
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