BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Visiting Palatka scored six touchdowns and held the Keystone Heights High School football team to 147 total offensive yards in shutting out the Indians 40-0 in a District 5-2A game on October 25.
The Panthers (6-3, 2-2 in District 5) got on the board first with a tailback pass from running back Justin Fells to quarterback Tommy Offord after the QB had tossed the ball back to Fells. Offord ran in the 34-yard completion for a 7-0 Palatka lead after Gage White’s extra point with 8:10 remaining in the first quarter.
Palatka scored its second touchdown on a 1-yard shovel pass from Offord to K.J. Wright and its third on a Fells 30-yard gallop.
Offord called his own number for Palatka’s next touchdown, going in from the 1, giving the visitors a 27-0 lead with 5:28 left in the second quarter.
The Palatka signal caller then connected with Wright for a 25-yard TD pass just before intermission, giving the Panthers a 34-0 lead.
Keystone (2-7, 0-4) got as far as the Palatka 9-yard line, but was forced to give up possession after a fourth-down pass hit the ground.
Palatka interceptions killed a pair of additional Keystone scoring threats.
Kyle Perkins led the Indians in rushing with 60 yards on 18 carries, followed by Zane Leger with 59 yards on 10 carries.
Keystone wraps up its season Friday, Nov. 1, by traveling to play Class 1A Crescent City at 7 p.m. The Raiders (7-2), who lost 35-0 to Palatka on Oct. 18, are coming off a 49-6 win over Pierson Taylor.
