McDorman, Eagles victimize Vikings (PHOTO GALLERY, VIDEO)
NICEVILLE – The latest installment of one of the area’s fiercest rivalries went just as Niceville coach John Hicks thought it might.
With Fort Walton Beach’s stingy defensive front seven looking to stonewall the Eagles’ ground game, Friday night’s District 2-4A grudge match between Fort Walton Beach and Niceville boiled down to a few big plays. And just as Hicks surmised, it was the Eagles coming through when it mattered most.
Niceville quarterback Kyle McDorman completed 9 of 12 passes for 267 yards and four touchdowns, and the Eagles’ defense forced three first-half turnovers – two of which led to touchdowns – as Niceville won a fourth straight over its bitter rival, 31-13, at Eagle Stadium.
View a Daily News photo gallery from the game »
View a Marianne Lijewski photo gallery from the game »
“It turned out a little like I thought it would,” Hicks said. “I knew they would be tough to run on at times – and they were – and we’d hit some plays in the passing game, and we did.”
The win pushed Niceville (6-1) to 2-0 in district play and solidified the Eagles’ chances of defending their title of a year ago. The Vikings (1-6, 0-2) were eliminated from postseason contention after Crestview defeated Mosley to also move to 2-0.
“This is a great win,” McDorman said. “They’re a big rival and being 2-0 puts us in a good shot to get to the playoffs and getting to where we eventually want to get to – another state championship game.”
After relying heavily on its running game in past weeks, it was the Niceville passing attack that ultimately provided the Eagles this win, where on Senior Night a pair of senior receivers rose to the occasion.
Brandon Burke hauled in three passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns while Hayden Meyer finished with four catches for 79 yards and two more scores.
It was a 77-yard touchdown reception by Burke midway through the second quarter that broke what had been a defensive struggle. Then, two possessions later, McDorman hit Meyer on a slant from 28 yards out to give Niceville a 14-0 lead it would take into the locker room at halftime.
In the third, having seen starting quarterback Ryan Thompson throw the interception that set up Meyer’s score, Fort Walton Beach turned to one-time Niceville backup Steve Strano, who began the third quarter under center.
But Strano was intercepted by Niceville linebacker Kevin O’Dowd and four plays later McDorman connected once more with Burke, this time on a 16-yard scoring strike, to push Niceville ahead 21-0 at the 9:41 point in the third quarter.
Niceville sophomore kicker Andrew Mitchell added a 25-yard field goal just over four minutes later before McDorman found Meyer one last time for a 39-yard touchdown pass.
“Big plays,” Fort Walton Beach coach Mike Owens said. “We were there to make the plays on defense. The first one we had it covered, kid just went to make a play on the ball, it happens.
“It’s disappointing.”
Fort Walton Beach’s only highlights came late, where in the third quarter third-string quarterback Drew Smith completed a 52-yard touchdown pass to Jason Young. Fort Walton Beach then scored once more early in the fourth quarter when linebacker Zach Cresse recovered a Niceville fumble and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.
Niceville 31, Fort Walton Beach 13
FWB 0 0 6 7—13
Niceville 0 14 17 0—31
Second quarter
N – Brandon Burke 77 pass from Kyle McDorman (Andrew Mitchell kick); 7:04
N – Hayden Meyer 28 pass from McDorman (Mitchell kick); :22
Third quarter
N – Burke 16 pass from McDorman (Mitchell kick); 9:44
N – Mitchell 25 field goal; 5:07
N – Meyer 39 pass from McDorman (Mitchell kick); 2:34
F – Jason Young 52 pass Drew Smith (Ronnie Couch kick failed); :6
Fourth quarter
F – Zach Cresse 25 fumble return (Couch kick); 10:31
FWB N
First downs 12 12
Rushes-yards 28-108 35-130
Passing yards 119 275
Compl.-Atts.-Ints. 13-25-2 4-7-0
Fumbles-lost 2-1 1-1
Penalties-yards 5-55 6-50
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—FWB: T.C. Carter 6-55, Adam Meyer 3-23, Dale Smith 6-21, Ryan Thompson 9-8, Martin Starling 1-3, William Fowler 1-1, Drew Smith 1-(-3). Niceville: Jon Hudson 9-36, Spencer Pullen 7-35, Marquis Pratt 7-26, Hayden Meyer 2-20, Kyle McDorman 7-13, Denzel Applewhite 1-2, Andrew Mitchell 2-(-2).
PASSING—FWB: Ryan Thompson 11-14-1 62, Drew Smith 3-6-0 57, Steve Strano 0-3-1. Niceville: Kyle McDorman 9-12-0 267, Andrew Mitchell 2-2-0 8.
RECEIVING— FWB: Jason Young 3-60, Robert Willis 2-19, Keke Richardson 2-15, Dale Smith 1-10, Steven Petrucci 3-10, Adam Meyer 1-4, Collin Tuthill 1-1. Niceville: Brandon Burke 3-124, Hayden Meyer 4-79, Spencer Pullen 1-58, Terrell Nichols 2-6, Marquis Pratt 1-8.
