Verot rolls over Gateway, 67-0
Vikings stay focused despite two-week layoff due to Hurricane Ian
You would have never known Bishop Verot’s football team had a two-week layoff due to Hurricane Ian after Friday night’s performance, as the Vikings rolled to a 67-0 district victory over Gateway at home.
Verot (4-2) was in control from start to finish, putting up explosive play after explosive play in return to action for teams across Southwest Florida.
“It’s incredible,” said Verot head coach Richie Rode on getting back to some kind of normalcy after what the region experienced. “It’s a nice little break and reprieve for these guys — some of them have to go back to a harsh reality in an hour when they get home. It’s not easy. (Football) isn’t more important than what’s going on, but it gives these young men a bit of a break and do what they love. It was great to get back out here tonight and be able to host a game. It was fun.”
From the opening kickoff, the Vikings were in sync, creative and just flat out better than their opponent. An exciting return featuring a lateral to Tookie Watts set Verot up on the Eagles’ 34-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, sophomore quarterback Carter Smith hit Watts for a touchdown. A 2-point conversion put Verot up 8-0 with only 17 ticks off the clock.
Gateway (1-4) stalled on its first drive and punted back to the Vikings, when their only substantial mistake took place when the ball was muffed and recovered by the Eagles. No harm, no foul, as they say, as the Viking defense forced a three-and-out to get the ball back.
After a few big passes to junior tight end Timmy Lawson, Verot was set up on the Gateway 6-yard line. Smith then hit Watts in the flat, where he shook a few defenders, and walked into the end zone for another score. Senior kicker Deaglan Camron drilled a 28-yard field goal on the Vikings’ following drive to put the home team up 18-0 with 3:48 to play in the first quarter.
Gateway did string together nine plays on the ensuing possession, but another punt was in the cards.
It took Verot just two plays to find pay dirt once more, as Smith connected with senior Trevontay Watts on a 63-yard bomb.
The first play of the second quarter spelled more disaster for the Eagles, as a snap went over the punter’s head deep in their own territory and then recovered by Verot’s Ralph Hendry in the end zone for a touchdown.
The ensuing possession resulted in another three-and-out for Gateway and the Vikings went back to work. A seven-play, 74-yard drive was capped by Smith hitting Lawson up the middle for a 44-yard touchdown, making it 39-0.
The Eagles worked their way down to the Viking 28-yard line on their next possession but ultimately fumbled back to Verot, recovered by senior Riley Bowe.
On the first play of the next drive, Smith, who finished 11-for-15 with 319 yards and five touchdown passes, again delivered a big play, this time to junior Matthew Turner for a 53-yard score. Smith accounted for another touchdown with his legs — a 1-yard run with 16 seconds left in the half to put Verot up 53-0.
“It was amazing to get back out here. Words can’t describe it,” Smith said. “I know the boys have been cooped up and we were all excited about it.
“We wanted to spread the wealth and work some guys in there, and we did that.”
Of Smith, Rode said, “He’s incredible man. When (he) touches the ball every snap, good things are going to happen. We’re in every game. He’s been really locked in and he understands he’s got to continue to get better. He doesn’t get complacent. To see the fruits of his labor come out in a game like tonight, especially after a layoff, was incredible. He’s becoming a leader and he’s so young. He can’t even drive yet. To see him grow and do the things he’s doing — he’s only going to get better. He earns everything he gets without a doubt. People don’t see the work he puts in.”
Verot’s second offense added two more scores in the second half, the first being a 2-yard rushing touchdown from sophomore quarterback Mason Zehnder and an 11-yard run from freshman Macrae Thompson.
“It was awesome to see the result and to come out and get a shutout is always special,” Rode said of his team’s performance. “To start fast and get a district win over anybody is special. That’s a young Gateway team and they’re doing a really good job and getting better. They’re going to be a force to be reckoned with down the road.
“Our guys worked really hard all week. And to get back after two weeks off, I was a little nervous about rust and they did a good job shaking that off real quickly.”
Rode, now in his second year as head coach of the Vikings, shed some light on what it was like having to prepare for a high-end Category 4 storm and the aftermath of checking on players and the harsh reality of a situation that extends well beyond the gridiron.
“It was challenging,” Rode said. “It was a little unprecedented. These guys, this senior class — you think about how much they’ve been through, how many disruptions they’ve had. They’re getting hardened and almost used to it. I’ve been here a long time and never seen anything come through that devastating. It was eye-opening for those kids. They went through a lot and it was difficult. But to see the resolve and to see them really come together — the community service and the helpful acts they did for each other and their neighbors — I think it really showed their true character. I think that is a good part that came through it.
“And it’s not over. It’s going to continue to be a challenge for everybody. The benefit and the beauty about football is the brotherhood and the family and the togetherness. You’ve got a lot of people to lean on.”
Next week, Verot takes on rival Cardinal Mooney (1-5) on the road at 7 p.m. The Vikings shut out the Cougars last year in an opening-round playoff matchup at home. It will be the first time Rode will experience the opposition’s home turf.
“For us on the field, we’ve got to be locked in,” he said. “It’s a good team. They do a great job. It’ll be a hostile environment. I’m excited. I love hostile environments. I can’t wait to go up there and experience this piece of the rivalry. I know our guys will be ready for the challenge. We know we’re going to get their best and we have to absolutely be ready, like tonight, to give them our best.”
— Connect with Associate Sports Editor CJ Haddad on Twitter: @haddad_cj
1 2 3 4 F
GATEWAY 0 0 0 0 — 0
Bishop Verot 25 28 7 7 — 67
1st Quarter
BV: Tookie Watts, 34-yard reception from Carter Smith (2-point run); 11:43
BV: Tookie Watts, 6-yard reception from Smith (Deaglan Camron kick); 7:14
BV: Camron, 28-yard field goal; 3:48
BV: Trevontay Watts, 63-yard reception from Smith (Camron kick); 1:05
2nd Quarter
BV: Ralph Henry, fumble recovery (Camron kick); 11:53
BV: Timmy Lawson, 44-yard reception from Smith (Camron kick); 8:35
BV: Matthew Turner, 53-yard reception form Smith (Camron kick); 3:38
BV: Smith, 1-yard run (Camron kick); :16
3rd Quarter
BV: Mason Zehnder, 2-yard run (Camron kick); 1:08
4th Quarter
BV: Macrae Thompson, 11-yard run (Camron kick); 3:38