Choctaw blows out Navarre (with VIDEO, PHOTOS)

 By ADAM PRUIETT

Florida Freedom Newspapers
(850) 315-4484 | adamp@nwfdailynews.com

FORT WALTON BEACH - Like all high school coaches, Greg Thomas wouldn't dare speculate on the mind of a teenager, so the Choctawhatchee football coach wasn't sure how much the chance at the playoffs would truly motivate the Indians.

Particularly in a distraction zone such as Homecoming week.

Answers don't come more quick or authoritatively as what the Indians delivered Friday night at Etheredge Stadium, as Choctaw dominated from the opening whistle to the last one in a 55-0 romp over Navarre in District 2-4A action.

PHOTOS: Click to view more photos

With the victory, Choctaw (5-3, 2-0) stands alone at the top of the district after Fort Walton Beach was stunned by Crestview. The Indians can do no worse than a shootout for a playoff berth.

The Indians haven't been to the playoffs since 2004, and they've got a leg up in Thomas' first year on the sidelines.

"We can't lose on Homecoming," senior wideout Devontee Lawson said. "This may be our last game in Joe Etheredge Stadium, so we had to go out with a bang."

While Navarre couldn't keep Le'Keefe Robinson out of the end zone, the Raiders (2-5, 0-2) did a sound job of keeping him from piling up the yards. That is, they did until the third quarter, when Robinson broke off an 86-yard touchdown for his fifth score of the game. He finished with 154 yards on 20 carries.

Navarre, shut out for the second straight game after scoring seven points against Mosley, was never in the game. The Raiders' offense went three-and-out its first four possessions and ended its fifth with an interception.

"They executed extremely well, they beat us in every phase of the game," Navarre coach Chad Lashley said.

Choctaw, meanwhile, scored on four of its first five drives. Lawson had a big hand in the first two scores, setting up one touchdown with a 54-yard catch and the other with a 35-yard pass to Ryan Kelley off a reverse.

Choctaw quarterback David Weber, who had a precise passing night, lobbed a 48-yard touchdown pass to Justin Savage, who leapt to snatch the ball away from a Navarre defensive back. He hauled it and scampered into the end zone as Choctaw led 21-0 after the first quarter, while Robinson's third touchdown made it 27-0 at halftime.

"It's just one of those nights everything clicked for us," Lawson said.

Freddie Gray had touchdown runs of 7 and 53 yards in the second half.