PANAMA CITY — This time the hare didn’t make any pit stops.
Gulf Breeze and Rutherford exhibited contrasting philosophies in how to execute a productive offense Thursday night in a District 1-5A football game at Tommy Oliver Stadium.
In the end, it was the Dolphins’ fast-paced, quick-strike attack that held sway in a 48-26 victory.
The Rams slipped to 1-5, 0-3. The Dolphins are 2-3, 1-1.
If the matchup indeed was a track meet, which it resembled at times, it was the team with the fresher legs that prevailed. The roster for Gulf Breeze is double in size that of Rutherford. The number of Rams forced into action on both sides of the ball was at least twice that of the Dolphins.
Rutherford’s roster of 21 players was reduced to 20 on its first play from scrimmage when two-way starter Aaron Hamilton went down with an ankle injury that will require an X-ray today.
Gulf Breeze already had scored on the first play of the game, a 74-yard pass and run from quarterback Tyler Phelps to Jacob Kubik. When the Dolphins capitalized on one of four Rams’ turnovers to score twice with 32 seconds left in the second quarter they had a three-touchdown cushion.
It was too much for Rutherford’s methodical, but effective Wing-T offense to overcome. The Rams totaled 26 first downs and 358 yards rushing. Yet after halftime they never got closer than 27-19, when Jordan Young broke two tackles on a 21-yard scoring run with 5:06 left in the third quarter.
Gulf Breeze used a plan almost identical to Pensacola Catholic against Rutherford last week. Phelps passed for 237 yards in the first half, 172 to Kubik. Kubik also hauled in a 28-yard TD pass and ended with seven receptions for 181 yards.
It was running back Josh Irby who took over in the second half, when the Dolphins had all but 49 of their 238 yards rushing. They finished with 501 total, while Rutherford had a highly respectable 419.
Irby had scoring runs of 4, 37, 3 and 71 yards while gaining 198 yards on just 19 carries. His final touchdown was 71 yards on a draw play with the Dolphins facing third-and-29.
Rutherford featured a pair of 100-yard rushers in JJ Willis (24-151) and Young (18-104). However, after Gulf Breeze’s initial snap went the distance it seemed as if the Rams were in a chasing mode throughout the game.
They produced scoring drives of 66 and 71 yards in the first half. Quarterback Jacquez Koonce found Maurice McDowell behind the Gulf Breeze secondary for a 33-yard scoring toss that closed the deficit to 27-13 at halftime.
When Young scored the first of his two touchdowns Rutherford again was in a one-possession game. Irby’s 37-yard dash and 3-yard run pushed the margin back to 41-19 and basically settled the outcome.
Young scored later from the 1 to cap a 14-play, 70-yard march in the fourth quarter prior to Irby’s final touchdown.
The Rams fumbled five times, losing three and Koonce was intercepted on Rutherford’s last possession. The Dolphins lost a fumble that led to Young’s 21-yard scamper, but it was their lone turnover.
Their fresher legs and strength in numbers prevented any kind of extended Rutherford response once they built their 27-6 lead.
Rutherford plays another District 1-5A game at West Florida next week.
Gulf Breeze 13 14 7 14 -- 48
Rutherford 6 7 6 7 -- 26
First quarter
GHS: Kubik 74 pass from Phelps (Brubaker kick)
RHS: Gibson 2 run (run failed)
GHS: Irby 4 run (kick failed)
Second quarter
GHS: Kubik 28 pass from Phelps (Brubaker kick)
GHS: Phelps 12 run (Brubaker kick)
RHS: McDowell 33 pass from Koonce (Allen kick)
Third quarter
RHS: Young 21 run (pass failed)
GHS: Irby 37 run (Brubaker kick)
Fourth quarter
GHS: Irby 3 run (Brubaker kick)
RHS: Young 1 run (Allen kick)
GBS: Irby 71 run (Brubaker kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — GHS: Irby 19-198, Phelps 12-38, Green 2-2. RHS: Willis 24-151, Young 18-104, Gibson 8-52, McDowell 4-29, Koonce 8-23, Hamilton 1-(-1).
PASSING — GHS: Phelps 11-16-0-263. RHS: Koonce 3-10-1-52, Allen 1-1-0-9.
RECEIVING — GHS: Kubik 7-181, Moss 2-34, Player 1-47, Curington 1-1. RHS: Young 2-19, McDowell 1-33, Willis 1-9.