In the grand scheme of issues, Atlantic High School sophomore quarterback Lincoln Graf stated two early season losses to Palm Beach Gardens (39-38) in extra time after which to North Miami Beach (30-28) proved helpful to the soccer crew.
The Eagles (6-3) stumbled out of the gate at 1-2 and have since gained momentum with the playoffs across the nook. The faculty has received 5 of its previous six video games, together with three in a row since a 27-14 setback towards Pahokee.
Graf has actually had an enormous hand in it, as he has handed for 1,560 yards and 21 touchdowns. He threw for 121 yards and 4 scores in Atlantic’s most up-to-date win, a 43-0 victory over Glades Central.
The Eagles’ protection additionally performed a component in forcing three turnovers and held the Raiders (2-7) to simply 53 yards of offense. Atlantic improved to 4-1 within the sequence between the 2 groups with a 3rd straight win since Glades Central’s solely victory, a 14-13 victory in 2016.
“Those two losses showed us, our capability — what our ceiling and what our bottom would be,” Graf stated. “We confirmed that we may lose video games if we didn’t play the way in which we’re imagined to. We noticed what the underside is, and now we’re beginning to see what the highest is.
“I would rather roll in the playoffs than early in the season,” he added. “I don’t really feel any pressure. The reps I got last year really got all of the nerves out of me. Now I really get to focus on games. Our potential is limitless, and potential is nothing if you don’t do anything with it.”
In the win over Glades Central, Graf linked on a 29-yard TD to junior Oneil Shearer after which hit senior Mi’Kel Hendrix for a 5-yard rating to provide the Eagles a 14-0 first-quarter lead. The Eagles made it 22-0 on a 38-yard scoring run by junior Da’marion Alberic with 11:23 left within the first half.
Graf prolonged the result in 29-0 on a 6-yard scoring toss to Shearer with 10:14 left within the third quarter that capped a 60-yard drive to open the second half. The large play within the drive was a 41-yard carry by Alberic on the primary offensive play. Alberic completed the sport with 10 carries for 120 yards and a rating.
“It’s very helpful having a quarterback like Lincoln,” Alberic stated. “It simply exhibits we will rating in several methods.
“I think we also needed those two early-season losses,” he continued. “It really helped to build team chemistry, and the team is better now because of it.”
Graf hit senior Martay McClendon on a 17-yard scoring play, whereas Eagles’ junior Jovante Pierre-Louis closed out the scoring on a 5-yard TD run with 50 seconds remaining for the ultimate 43-0 margin.
Atlantic coach Jamael Stewart stated the crew has matured for the reason that starting of the season.
“We know that we are young, but the kids are athletic,” Stewart stated. “They wanted to study the sport of soccer, so we took a take a look at the way in which we have been training, and we have been teaching them at their potential, and we went again to the fundamentals — Pop Warner, youth soccer and make it enjoyable and have our youngsters play quick. We dumbed down our offensive playbook and our defensive scheme, and our youngsters now are taking part in quick. They are mainly doing what we wish them to do.
“Right now, we are at the tip of the iceberg,” Stewart beamed. “Our train is really catching steam…Lincoln Graf is our conductor. He is running the engine and running the caboose. This kid works, and he studies the game. He is just a good kid all around. A lot of times after losses or after wins, he is the one out here cleaning up the field. I am not surprised at what he is showing, and he hasn’t really hit that peak yet.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com