Dolphins blanked in Milton
GBHS enters possible playoff berth-clinching game off 41-0 loss
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

B.J. Rotolo/Special to the News The Dolphins offense jogs off the field after a 'three and out' during the first half of their 41-0 loss Friday at Milton.

It took the Gulf Breeze Dolphin football team four drives to get their offense going Friday. Unfortunately for them, Milton was on a different timetable.

The Panthers, coming off their first loss of the season, scored on the first three offensive possessions and ran a punt deep in Dolphin territory back for a touchdown as the Panthers blanked the Dolphins 41-0 at Haywood Hanna Stadium.

"The ball just didn't bounce our way tonight and you can't have that happen against a team that's as well coached as they are," head coach Chris Nemith said.

"We had that 18 play drive late in the first half - that proves our system works."

The Dolphin offense, which had negative yardage on its first three drives, was hampered by the loss of Justin Hurd, who injured his ankle in the West Florida game the week before.

Hurd played sparingly Friday, getting only two carries. The Dolphins hope to have Hurd and defensive backs Shane Dorlag and Mike Tugwell back for Friday's game against Arnold. Jason Pendergraph (shoulder) is questionable for the Arnold game.

Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News Gulf Breeze and Milton players pray after the Panthers' 41-0 win Friday.

"If they practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, then they'll play," Nemith said.

The Panthers (5-1) opened the scoring by going 54 yards in 10 plays on the game's opening drive. The drive included three third down conversions, including a diving 26-yard catch and another catch that gave the Panthers a first down by the nose of the ball.

Milton also converted on a fourth down play before David Morgan scored from a yard out. The extra point with 7:06 left in the quarter made it 7-0. Milton was 7- for-9 on third down in the game.

After holding the Dolphins to 'three and out,' Milton scored again on a five play drive that ended on Anthony Loomis scoring on a 49-yard pass from Dustin Land. The try for two was no good, making it 13-0 with 3:14 left in the first quarter.

After another three plays, the Dolphins were forced to punt. Gulf Breeze never got the kick off as the snap was low to Austin Santiago. Milton's Talris Brown recovered the loose ball and raced seven yards for the score. The PAT with 1:00 left made it 20-0.

Another three and out led to a punt and another Panther score five plays later, with Morgan scoring from five yards out. The PAT made it 27-0.

Gulf Breeze began to move the ball on their next drive, holding it for more than nine and a half minutes.

Rhys Rinke, who had 68 yards rushing on 14 carries, converted two third downs and one fourth down in the drive.

But without any time outs left, the Dolphins tried two quarterback keepers inside the five yard line, but Kyle Schnackenberg was stopped on the three, then the two, to force a turnover on downs.

The drive accounted for 73 of their 181 yards of total offense.

Schnackenberg, who was 6- for-18 passing for 37 yards, threw an eight-yard pass to Cody Warford on the Dolphins' first possession of the second half before being forced to punt again.

Milton, aided by an illegal procedure call against the Dolphins on fourth and one, got the ball back, missing a 31-yard field goal on their next series.

After another Dolphin three and out, Milton got a 48-yard touchdown run by Morgan on a third and three play. The PAT made it 34-0 with 2:41 left in the third quarter.

Gulf Breeze, facing another third down, threw a pass deep downfield to Philip Hoffman, who appeared to have been interfered with, but no call was made.

Ten plays and 54 plays later, Victor Josey scored from two yards out for the Panthers, converting two more third down plays.

Dolphins vs. Arnold

Gulf Breeze hope to recover from their bout with amnesia to play their biggest game of the year Friday against the Arnold Marlins. The Marlins beat Scottsboro Christian Academy 42-0 Friday.

"The kids have been here before - they've danced this dance," Nemith said of bouncing back after a loss. "(Arnold's) a little better on offense, because their better players are on offense. I think our kids will be excited about the game."

While the Dolphins have played five 4A schools this season, the Marlins have played only one - an 18-16 win over Panama City Rutherford.