Pace vs Milton

    

Pace players lift up the Bronze Helmet after a 48-0 win over Milton.
Photo By E. Nall

Friday Night was no new event for Santa Rosa County. Pace and Milton, cross-town rivals, met at Milton High School for the 44th matchup between the schools. The Patriots took home the infamous bronze helmet after a 48-0 shutout over the Panthers. 

     Milton received the ball to start the first half, but a second down pass from Cade Pierce to an open receiver was picked off and returned to the endzone by Patriots linebacker Bowen Iorg to bring the game to 6-0 forty-five seconds into play. 

Bowen Iorg returns an interception for a touchdown in a game against Milton.
Photo By E. Nall

    With a good PAT by Caleb Nelson, the Patriots led 7-0. Back on offense, Milton was able to pick up a first down with a run by Bryson Brown but could not retain momentum and was forced to punt. A long run by Makael Williams put the Patriots in Panther territory, and a pass to tight end Joeseph Skipworth and run by Ben Tyner put the Patriots in scoring position. A short run by Tyner and a PAT by Nelson puts the Patriots up 14-0. 

    

Ben Tyner shoots into the endzone to move to 14-0 over Milton.
Photo By E. Nall

A string of Incomplete passes and penalties put the Panthers punting from their endzone. Behind center, Tyner quickly finds Skipworth for a 40+ yard passing touchdown to take them to 21-0. A quick three-and-out hands the ball back to the Patriots as the first quarter ran out. 

Shiom Melton finishes a tackle over a Milton panther.
Photo By E. Nall

     The run-heavy Patriot offense commands a strong campaign down the field. A long run by Williams opens the door for Tyner to make a 22-yard rush to the endzone to move the game to 28-0. Milton could not progress up the field after a touchback kicked from the Patriot's Nelson and a penalty against the Panthers, so they had to punt from their six-yard line. A bad snap forces Tyner to fall on the ball, moving the ball back. Quickly, a pass to Alijah Lavender leads to a 56-yard passing touchdown. The first half ran out as the Patriots led 35-0. 

Alijah Lavender takes it to the house after a reception from Ben Tyner
Photo By E. Nall

     A running clock was set to start the half as the Patriots received the ball. In the quarterback slot for the Patriots, Joey Golino puts the ball into the air to Brooks Washington to find the endzone and move to 42-0. Milton, unable to make any developments on offense, turns the ball back into the Patriot's hands, who also had to punt. In the 4th, the Panthers could not turn the game around, and the Patriots sealed the game with a run by Golino to move to 48-0. 

    
 For a three-peat, the Patriots walk away champions of the Battle for the Bronze. The Patriots move to 9-1 for the season, and Milton falls to 0-10. The Patriots now focus on the postseason with an automatic bid after winning the District 1-6A title.