Niceville overcomes special teams lapses to edge Pine Forest

Eagles allow two kickoffs to be returned for touchdowns, but clutch offense and a strong defensive performance lead to a victory over Pine Forest

Author:
Reed Green
Publish date:
Oct 7, 2023 7:31 AM EDT

NICEVILLE, FLORIDA – The Pine Forest Eagles traveled to take on the Niceville Eagles in a non-district match-up on Friday night. The two teams have proven to be two of the better teams in the Panhandle region of Florida, and the winner of this game would have tremendous momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. In a thrilling game, it was Niceville which walked away victorious with a 31-28 win that went down to the wire.

The first quarter began with stellar defensive stops from both teams including two sacks from Niceville on the first possession of the game. Niceville found its footing offensively first when Uriah West rushed for the first touchdown of the game. Niceville got another defensive stop on the next possession and gave their offensive excellent field position when Pine Forest muffed the punt which was called down inside Pine Forest’s own 20-yard line.

The rest of the first half was dominated by Niceville’s defense which saw them record a third sack and force a fumble before taking a 14-0 lead into halftime.

Halfway through the third quarter, Pine Forest converted on fourth down from near midfield when Miequle Brock broke through the defense and raced down the sidelines for a touchdown. This broke the game wide open as it was an offensive showcase by both teams in the second half.

Niceville running back DJ Robinson scored his second rushing touchdown of the game to make it 21-6. Pine Forest responded on the ensuing kickoff when Brock took it all the way back for his second touchdown if the game. Pine Forest then cut the Niceville lead to one point when Zion Legree caught an 88-yard touchdown pass. They failed to tie the game when the PAT went wide right.

With just over five minutes left in the game, Robinson scored his third touchdown of the game to make it 28-20. On the ensuing kickoff, Brock returned his second kickoff of the night for a touchdown. Pine Forest converted the two-point conversion to tie the game at 28-28.

Niceville took over and drove down the field and got into field goal range. Pine Forest stopped them on third and goal, but Niceville attempted the field goal which was converted and they led 31-28 with under two minutes left. Pine Forest got the ball back looking to get into field goal range for the tie. However, on the second play of the possession, Pine Forest threw an interception which sealed the victory for Niceville.

Pine Forest travels to Bradenton next week when they take on perennial powerhouse IMG Academy, and Niceville hosts Leon (Tallahassee) in a pivotal district match-up.

Niceville Defense makes crucial stops

The Eagles’ defense has played well throughout the season allowing just 15 points per game, and they had a difficult task tonight stopping Pine Forest’s rushing attack. Early in the game, the Eagles answered the call with an excellent pass rush. This helped to ease the pressure off the offense and they rode this wave of success to a 14-0 lead at the half.

The second half proved more difficult as Miequle Brock showed everyone why he is one of the best running backs in the region. The defense did not fold, and they were able to put duress on Pine Forest’s offensive line. They also made the biggest play of the night when they clinched the game with an interception. The Eagles’ defense will need to continue to play at a high level as they make the final push in the regular season towards the playoffs.

DJ Robinson provides a spark for Niceville

Robinson has been a key part of Niceville’s offense this season, but tonight’s game might have been his best. Not only did he rush for three touchdowns but he ran the ball for 195 yards on 26 carries. However, his most impressive stat of the night was that he averaged 7.5 yards a carry. Robinson was able to pick up tough yardage between the tackles which is a key component for any running back. He also provides a nice compliment to Maddax Fayard in Niceville’s rushing attack.

The Eagles will look to rely on him even more throughout the rest of the season.

Special Teams highs and lows for Pine Forest

Pine Forest’s special teams was a mixed bag on Friday night. The Eagles muffed a punt in the first quarter, which led to a Niceville touchdown and proved to be one of the costliest plays of the games for the Eagles given the result. Pine Forest also missed an extra point, and both of these mistakes will need to be cleaned up before they take on IMG.

However, the Eagles did excel in other parts in special teams. The Eagles have a weapon in Brock in the return game, but they also performed well in kickoff coverage. Their players stuck to their positions in covering their lanes, and they did not allow a big return. This will be important in the future when determining field position which can win or lose a game.