There’s a cliché about a lucky bounce. On Sept. 12, Seminole saw two of them go against the ‘Noles.
Trailing by 7, Seminole punted only to have the ball deflect off a Monarch returner’s facemask, then several players, before the Knights scooped it up for a 35-yard return and a touchdown. The Knights also had long pass bounce off a player’s leg and into the arms of a Monarch receiver, setting up another score.
Those breaks helped visiting Monarch defeat Seminole 34-20.
“It was a tight game against a good team,” Seminole coach Karl Calhoun Jr. said. “A lot of things went their way tonight—the tipped ball that went for the touchdown on the punt, the tipped ball they caught for about 20 yards.
“Our guys played great, just didn’t go our way.”
After a scoreless first quarter, the teams traded touchdowns before the Seminole defense provided a spark. Senior linebacker Rasheem Turner intercepted an errant pass and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown, giving the ‘Noles a 13-7 lead after a failed two-point conversion.
“He’s one of the best linebackers in Florida,” Calhoun said. “It was a great pick-six when we needed it and a huge spark for us. He played great tonight.”
Monarch responded quickly with a touchdown before halftime to take a 14-13 lead. The Knights added another touchdown in the third quarter, followed by the 35-yard punt return off a bounce, stretching the margin to 14 points. They never looked back.
“We just have to get going on offense, we have to finish drives with points,” Calhoun said. “They’ve gotten better, it’s good to move the ball, but we have to score.”
Seminole visits Lake Wales on Sept. 19. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
