Clark, Choctaw too much for Gulf Breeze

GULF BREEZE -- Once Choctawhatchee got its passing attack in sync, the Indians proved too much for Gulf Breeze.
The Indians turned a tie game after one quarter into a blowout with four touchdowns on five possessions in a 35-7 victory Friday night at Dolphin Stadium.
Quarterback Luke Clark threw three touchdown passes, rushed for another and helped pull off a trick-play touchdown on a hook-and-lateral with Devin Borders and Terrance Bryant.
“We really worked a lot on our passing game all week and the kids really executed well,” said Choctaw coach Greg Thomas, whose team improved to 6-2. “I'm really proud of the kids to come over here and beat a really good Gulf Breeze team.”
Both teams are still alive for district titles.
For Gulf Breeze (5-3), however, it may depend on how well quarterback Jordan Bennett's shoulder heals. Bennett, a senior, sustained a left shoulder injury on the final play of the first quarter. He did not play again and spent the game with ice on the shoulder. Gulf Breeze coach Chris Nemith said the injury was a bruise and he expects Bennett to play next week when the Dolphins visit Panama City Rutherford in a District 1-5A game that could force a three-team shootout for both playoff spots.
“We wanted to be extra cautious after the injury,” Nemith said.
After trainers worked on his shoulder, Bennett tried to raise his arms, but the injury prevented any mobility and he spent the rest of the half on a table in an undershirt with ice on top of his shoulder.
From that point, Gulf Breeze used two other quarterbacks and Choctaw's offense took off.
Clark's passing and his offensive line's protection was enough to produce big plays.
The first one occurred after Gulf Breeze scored the game's first touchdown on its first possession.
On second down from the Indians' 13, Bennett connected with Randall Halpin on a rollout throw and Halpin beat defenders into the end zone.
Choctaw quickly answered.
On a first down pass from the Gulf Breeze 39, Choctaw’s Clark took advantage of a one-on-one matchup with Borders, who out leaped a smaller defender for the catch and touchdown.
Following Bennett's injury, the Indians scored on two of their next three chances to take a 21-7 halftime lead. Clark finished a 70-yard, 10-play drive with a option keeper from the 2 with 6:16 left.
The Dolphins then survived an interception and seemed headed out of the first half with only a seven point deficit. That changed when Bryant returned a punt from his 24 to the Dolphins' 40 with 1:11 left.
A facemask penalty on a short completion from Clark to Bryant set up Choctaw with a first-and-goal situation at the 5. On third down, Clark flicked a pass to Therion Robinson on the left corner of the end zone with 14.8 seconds left.
The Indians then blew open the game with a pair of scores in the third quarter. After stopping the Dolphins on their first series of the second half, Choctaw capped nine-play, 72 yard drive when Clark hit Therion Robinson on a 29-yard pass. The next time they had the ball, the Indians pulled off the hook-and-lateral when Bryant caught the pass across the middle at the 20 then flipped it to Borders going the other direction, who raced untouched from the 20.
“This gives us a good feeling going into the final two weeks,” Thomas said.