Dolphins survive Jaguars
Fourth quarter score the difference in 28-21 win
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

B.J. Rotolo/Special to the News Kyle Schnackenberg had 158 yards rushing and 115 yards passing in the Dolphins' 28-21 win.

A favorite saying among coaches that play in the NCAA Basketball Tournament is 'survive and advance.'

The Gulf Breeze Dolphins did exactly that Friday, getting a touchdown with seven minutes left in the game to beat West Florida High 28-21 on Homecoming Night Friday at Dolphin Stadium.

The loss was the 27th in a row for the Jaguars, who blocked an Austin Santiago punt on the opening play of the fourth quarter, scoring on the very next play to tie it at 21.

But Rhys Rinke, who had a career-high 103 yards rushing on 15 carries, scored with 7:48 left. The Jaguars drove into Dolphin territory with three minutes left before Jeff White picked off his fourth pass in three games to seal the win.

"That was a heckuva ball game," coach Chris Nemith said. "The kids played with great effort - West Tech played with great effort. It wasn't that our kids weren't doing the job - West Tech just executed."

Photo courtesy of Athletes Feats Photography Shane Dorlag stretches out to try and block an extra point Friday. The Dolphins won 28-21.

Rinke had a career night in place of Justin Hurd, who sat out the second half with an ankle injury. He's doubtful for Friday's non-district game at Milton.

Quarterback Kyle Schnackenberg also picked up the slack, running for a career-high 155 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. He also threw for 115 yards on 13-for-17 passing.

"I thought our crowd, our fans, really came through for us on that last drive," Nemith said. "They were like our 12th man out there."

The Jaguars (0-6) took the opening drive 89 yards in 12 plays for the game's first score. West Florida converted two third downs in the drive, with quarterback Jarfri Taylor scoring from four yards out.

Taylor Lawrence's extra point with 7:30 left in the first quarter made it 7-0.

The Dolphins answered with a scoring drive of their own, going 71 yards in 10 plays.

Hurd, Rinke and Schnackenberg all had double digit yard gains on the ground before Schnackenberg found Cody Warford on an 11-yard gain to the Jaguar eight yard line.

Schnackenberg scored on the next play, with Thomas Farmer's extra point with 3:16 left in the first quarter tied it at 7.

A sack by Brandon Van Camp forced a Jaguar punt on their next series. Four plays later (on the first play of the second quarter), Schnackenberg scored from 14 yards out.

Rinke almost had a touchdown on the first play, but Taylor tripped him up from behind after a 22-yard gain. Farmer's PAT made it 14-7 Dolphins with 11:55 left in the first half.

The Jaguars drove inside the Dolphin 10-yard line on their next series before Houston Chapman broke up a pass on third and four at the eight-yard line. The 25-yard field goal was short, keeping the score 14-7.

The Dolphins got double digit yard gains from Schnackenberg and Stuart Franklin on their next series before stalling four plays later.

The Jaguars would score four plays later, going 82 yards in only 2:09. Taylor's 29-yards run, followed by Lawrence's kick, made it 14-14 with 2:25 left in the half.

Schnackenberg completed seven straight passes on the Dolphins final drive of the first half - three to Warford, two to Dane Baker and one to Rinke and Philip Hoffman. Santiago's 33-yard field goal as time expired had plenty of distance, but not the accuracy, keeping the score 14-14 at the half.

Gulf Breeze pounded out a sixminute drive to open the second half, but were forced to punt. Santiago's punt pinned the Jags inside their own 10-yard line.

Four plays later, after Jacob Burks and Sean Zaleski sacked Taylor, Jason Pendergraph recovered a botched punt snap in the end zone.

Farmer's PAT with 5:05 left in the third quarter gave GBHS a 21-14 lead.

But the Jaguars would benefit from special teams play on the Dolphins' next possession as a blocked punt and return gave West Florida the ball at the Dolphin eight-yard line.

Gabe McCastler scored on the next play with the PAT making it 21-21 with 11:50 left.

Rinke would rack up 35 total yards on the game-winning drive, one that went 68 yards in 10 plays. The Jaguars also helped out, committing two personal fouls in the drive.

The seven-point loss was West Florida's closest chance at a win since losing to Escambia 27-23 on Sept. 9, 2005.

Next up for the Dolphins are the Milton Panthers, who will look to put a 17-10 loss to archrival Pace behind them.

"They're good," Nemith said of the 4-1 Panthers, adding their linebacking corps is exceptionally strong.

"Their quarterback Land is like having another running back back there. It's a great opportunity for us. The last two games we've played teams on a similiar level as us. Now we go back up a level or two like the first four weeks. It's going to be a good challenge for us."