Port St. Joe shuts down Bay

PORT ST. JOE — Forget about classifications and roster depth, the only numbers that mattered Friday night at Shark Stadium were on the scoreboard.

Class 1A Port St. Joe (3-0) pitched its second shutout of the regular season, third if the preseason classic is tossed in the mix, and dominated the offensive statistics while dominating visiting Class 5A Bay 27-0.

The score was far closer than the statistics would indicate.

Port St. Joe rushed for 357 yards and added another 52 yards in the air while holding Bay to just 49 total yards, the second opponent the Tiger Sharks have held to less than 100 offensive yards.

The Tornadoes (1-2) marched no deeper into Port St. Joe territory than the 34, and fumbled the ball away when they got that far, one of four turnovers, two in Tiger Shark territory.

After running nearly double the plays from scrimmage as Bay in the first half, Port St. Joe finished the game with a 58-34 margin in offensive plays.

The downside for Port St. Joe, at least in the second half, was a rash of offensive penalties and turnovers; the Tiger Sharks fumbled the ball away three times, twice in the second half, both coming in Bay territory.

“We played pretty well in the first half, but in the second half we had too many mistakes, too many missed opportunities,” said Port St. Joe coach Greg Jordan.

“We need to put four quarters together. When we do we can be a pretty good football team.”

Quarterback Josh Butts was the spark on offense, rushing for a game-high 103 yards and adding another 52 yards passing, while often improvising for that yardage after the defensive front closed.

Butts, though, had plenty of help.

Seeking to build offensive depth, the Tiger Sharks had eight different players carry the ball, with Russell Russ adding 74 yards on eight carries.

Port St. Joe scuffled a bit in getting started, but quickly found a tempo in the first half.

The Tiger Sharks took the opening kickoff but stalled after reaching midfield.

After a punt, Bay fumbled the ball away on its offensive first play.

However, after a holding call, Port St. Joe fumbled the ball right back.

The rest of the half was all Port St. Joe.

After holding the Tornadoes to three-and-out, a theme all night, Port St. Joe drove 70 yards in eight plays, Khayyon Zaccaro bulling over from the 2 for the score.

Joel Bogaert added the extra point kick.

Bay fumbled again on Port St. Joe’s side of the field early in the second quarter and the Tiger Sharks capitalized, one of just two times all night either team produced points off the seven combined turnovers.

Butts dashed 23 yards on an option keeper and two plays later went the other direction for seven yards and a touchdown, Bogaert making it 14-0.

After holding the Tornadoes to another three-and-out, Port St. Joe took over at its 35 and reeled off a nine-play scoring drive.

Butts hit Octavious Russ in the left flat from the 6 and Russ dodged his way between three defenders for the touchdown.

The extra point was blocked and it was 20-0 at halftime.

Port St. Joe had 31 offensive plays at the half to 16 for Bay and enjoyed an offensive yardage differential of 228-27.

The second half was permeated by penalties and turnovers as both teams struggled for anything resembling consistency.

A Bay interception was answered four plays later by a Port St. Joe fumble during the third quarter and after marching to the Bay 4 early in the fourth period; Port St. Joe fumbled the ball away again.

The upside was the Tornadoes fumbled it right back and Russell Russ scored from the 1 on the next play, Bogaert’s extra point completing the scoring with 4:41 left.

“We shot ourselves in the foot the second half,” Jordan said. “We stopped ourselves. Last week (against Marianna) it was 10 defensive penalties and tonight it was the offense and penalties.

“The defense played well. Defense is what we are going to build our program around.”