PANAMA CITY — The fans at Tommy Oliver Stadium received a hint that what ensued wasn’t exactly going to follow form when someone apparently forgot to turn on the lights prior to the game Friday night.
That caused only an 8-minute delay in Bay’s 15-6 win over Port St. Joe, but foreshadowed some seldom-seen events nonetheless.
Namely six first-quarter penalties on the Tornadoes, 1-1, and a turnover that enabled Port St. Joe, 1-1, to take an early lead.
Bay continued to sputter in the Red Zone, although it did produce Donald Gonzalez’s 29-yard field goal on one of its trips inside the Tiger Sharks’ 20.
Another ended when Port St. Joe swarmed in to block a 27-yard attempt by Gonzalez on the final play of the first half.
When the Tornadoes finally produced their initial Red Zone conversion of the young season, a 1-yard smash by workhorse tailback Raekwon Webb, a bizarre occurrence near midfield resulted in the apparent arrest of a Bay player, who was led away by School Resource Officers.
Bay’s defense was the one constant, as the 5A school had just too much and too many for its 1A counterpart. Make no mistake, the Tiger Sharks are a very good 1A school, but without a passing game to augment tailback Jarkeice Davis they were overwhelmed at times in the second half.
“We moved the ball up and down the field, but too many penalties,” Bay coach Jimmy Longerbeam said. “We’ve got some stuff we’ve got to clean up.
“Our defense was outstanding, but we’ve got to do a better job on offense to get them off the field.”
Bay attempted nearly as many passes (18) as runs (23) in the first half, that ended 9-6 in favor of the Tornadoes. Thereafter they mirrored last season’s attack when Webb’s number was called over and over behind Bay’s large offensive line.
Webb rushed 33 times for 217 yards, at one point carrying eight times on a 10-play scoring drive that covered 69 yards. Quarterback Xavier Longerbeam was stuffed on first-and-goal from the 1, but Webb produced Bay’s first offensive touchdown of the season on the next play to open a 15-6 lead with 4:30 showing in the third quarter.
It was then that confusion on Bay’s sideline temporarily reigned as an unidentified Bay player reportedly was handcuffed and led away from the stadium by deputies.
“In my 30 years I’ve never seen anything like that, and I coached in Miami,” Longerbeam said. “I’m very embarrassed.”
Davis, who rushed for 249 yards and six touchdowns in Port St. Joe’s opening win last week, gave the Tiger Sharks the led on their opening possession.
Webb fumbled on Bay’s second play from scrimmage and Marquez Johnson recovered for Port St. Joe. On third down from the 22, Davis took a pitch around the left side to score and it was 6-0 with 9:49 remaining in the first quarter.
It was one of few successful possessions for the Tiger Sharks, who were limited by a Bay pass rush that sacked quarterback T.J. Williams five times and led to his minus-44 yards rushing.
A pair of interceptions by Bay also thwarted Port St. Joe, but the pass rush helped turn a first-and-goal from the 6 after a 15-yard run by Davis into fourth-and-39 following a blitz by Sawyer Jones that led to intentional grounding.
Bay led at halftime when it profited from a 40-yard punt by Gonzalez that pinned Port St. Joe at its 2 early in the second quarter. Wazir Brevard tackled Davis on a sweep left, and when Davis fumbled into the end zone linebacker Alec Gordon recovered for a Tornadoes’ touchdown.
Port St. Joe was held to 3 total yards in the second half largely because of six Bay tackles for loss. Webb and the Tornadoes’ offensive line did the rest of the damage.
Bay remains at home next week for a game against Class 7A Tate. Port St. Joe returns to Bay County to play at Bozeman.'
Port St. Joe 6 0 0 0 - 6
Bay 0 9 6 0 - 15
First quarter
PSJ: Davis 22 run (pass failed)
Second quarter
BHS: Gordon fumble recovery in end zone (kick blocked)
BHS: FB Gonzalez 29
Third quarter
BHS: Webb 1 run (run failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING— PSJ: Davis 18-78, Paul 4-21, Cryderman 2-20, Thomas 1-(-2), Williams 8-(-44), team 3-(-15). BHS: Webb 33-217, Johnson 1-17, Longerbeam 5-10, Monroe 2-4, Brevard 1-(-1), Turrell 1-(-2), Prince 2-(-2), Davis 2-(-6), team 2-(-9).
PASSING— PSJ: Williams 1-5-1-12, Davis 0-1-1-0. BHS: Longerbeam 12-17-0-78, team 0-2-0-0.
RECEIVING— PSJ: Paul 1-12. BHS: Monroe 5-15, Webb 3-16, Davis 2-24, Hernandez 1-13, Turrell 1-10.