Week 1: Eau Gallie 28, Satellite 22
MELBOURNE- Friday night’s matchup between Eau Gallie and Satellite had a little bit of everything.
There were big plays on offense and defense from both teams, sloppiness, a bevy of penalties and both very nice and very poor weather conditions.
But after all that, it was Eau Gallie that emerged with the win as they slipped past visiting Satellite 28-22 in both teams’ regular season openers.
“It means a lot,” said Eau Gallie head coach Tim Powers on the win. “Half the teams in the country are going to be 0-1, the other half are going to be 1-0. Fortunately for us, we’re on the 1-0 side.”
ICYMI: Roundup of Brevard high school football: Week 1
Eau Gallie got to 1-0 in large part due to its running game, with a variety of players pitching in, including Keith Headd, whose 63-yard touchdown run with just under three minutes to go effectively salted the game away for his team.
“All props go to the offensive line. Without them I’m nothing,” Headd said. “I just saw the hole open, they gave it to me, I took and end of story right there.”
“It was tough in the first half throwing the ball. Satellite did a good job. We came in thinking we could pass the ball on them,” said Eau Gallie quarterback Jack Gallo. “Played a great defense but you know, Keith (Headd), Cameron Noel, Nate McRae and Mario Harris just came out. They ran the ball so hard and I’m so proud of that offensive line.”
The first half was sloppy in spurts and a big miscue led to Eau Gallie’s first touchdown as a bad snap on a Satellite punt attempt set up Gallo’s 1-yard scoring run that gave the Commodores a 7-0 lead.
Another Satellite miscue –a lost fumble on the Eau Gallie 2-yard line- ironically helped them take the lead.
On the ensuing play after losing a fumble, Satellite’s Caden Larkin tackled a ball carrier in the end zone to force a safety. That play gave the Scorpions the ball back, which set up a picture perfect 14-yard pitch-and-catch from quarterback Noah Mumme to Alex Nicks that put Satellite up 8-7.
After that, Eau Gallie’s rushing attack really got going, as they methodically drove down the field before the end of the half with Mario Harris punching it in from two yards out to give the Commodores a halftime advantage.
Following a third quarter dominated by defenses, Eau Gallie gave itself a bit of a cushion by way of a 13-yard run by the 6’3” 215 pound Gallo that gave the Commodores a 21-8 lead.
Satellite stunned Eau Gallie late in the fourth quarter as Erik Askeland’s 90-yard interception return gave the Scorpions new life, pulling to within a score at 21-16.
But on the next play, Headd’s scamper ended Scorpion hopes.
Still, Satellite never quit with Erik Askeland catching a 14-yard pass from Mumme to cut it to a 6-point deficit at 28-22 but Eau Gallie was able to recover the subsequent onside kick to end the Satellite comeback attempt.
Eau Gallie’s defense forced three turnovers and was stout throughout the evening.
“Just reading the offense,” said Eau Gallie defensive back Cordell Dzara, who recorded an interception on the unit's success. “We go over, I mean Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, we just read the offense and hard work pays off.”
Powers also praised his team’s defensive overall defensive effort, which he said included fine play from the secondary.
“Those guys were phenomenal. Cordell Dzara did a great job, had the young puppy Mike (Walker, who also recorded an interception) out there doing his thing and we’re just real excited for those guys,” Powers added. “They were able to play loose, they were able to play fast, they played confident and those guys, they’re going to continue to get better too which is the exciting part.”
Next week, Eau Gallie will host Astronaut while Satellite will travel to Melbourne Central Catholic.
“We’ve got a lot of juniors playing. We just gotta keep playing,” Powers added. “We gotta keep getting better. We get better ever rep in practice. Obviously there’s nothing like simulating game reps so we take that game experience.”
Contact Bonanno at 321-242-3662, cbonanno@floridatoday.com or follow Chris on Twitter @FTChrisBonanno.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Passing:Satellite- Noah Mumme 10-23-143 yards-2 TD-2 INT; Eau Gallie- Jack Gallo 6-13-77-yards-2 INT; Darin Garland 0-1-0. Rushing: Zachary Switzer 12-102, Mumme 14-50, Erik Askeland 2-15, Alex Nicks 6-10, Luis Morris 1-4; Eau Gallie- Keith Headd 8-84 (TD), Garland 5-27, Mario Harris 9-26 (TD), Jack Gallo 13-19 (2 TD), Nate McRae 2-16, Cam Noel 2-(-5). Receiving:Satellite- Askeland 3-68 (TD), Nicks 2-45 (TD), Morris 4-29, Switzer 1-1; Eau Gallie- Austin Johnson 3-32, Garland 2-29, Cordell Dzara 1-16
Top performers: Satellite: Caden Larkin had INT and tackled ball carrier in end zone for safety; Erik Askeland 90-yard INT return for TD and a TD reception. Eau Gallie: Jack Gallo, 2 TD on ground; Keith Headd, 63 yard TD run.
Key play: Eau Gallie's Mario Harris scored on a 2-yard run to help put his team back on top at 14-8 in the second quarter.
Record: Eau Gallie 1-0, Satellite 0-1
Next week: Satellite at MCC, 7 p.m.; Astronaut at Eau Gallie, 7 p.m.
Full game report: http://on.flatoday.com/2bMY1M3
Chris Bonanno, FLORIDA TODAY