Vanguard stays perfect, finishes regular season 10-0 after beating Forest in homecoming finale

Vanguard’s Tyrell Randall (3) gets his jersey pulled by Forest’s Milan Smith (9) but still scores a touchdown during a football game at Booster Stadium in Ocala, Fla. on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

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Posted November 5, 2021 | By James Blevins
james@ocalagazette.com

The crosstown rivalry football game between the Vanguard Knights and the Forest Wildcats was moved from Friday to Thursday night due to fears that potential inclement weather might cancel the Friday night game, according to school officials on Thursday afternoon.

But that didn’t matter to undefeated Vanguard.

Thursday night? Friday? Either way the Knights prep football team (10-0 overall record) dominated the visiting Wildcats (3-7-1) at Booster Stadium on Nov. 4.

After scoring on its first two possessions to open the first quarter, Vanguard rolled through Forest, winning on homecoming night 52-12.

Both teams entered the gridiron to the calamitous applause of each respective squad’s cheering section, but it would be the Knights who’d give their home crowd something to cheer for early on.

After Forest punted away its first possession, Vanguard running back Dewhitt Betterson, Jr., took the handoff to the house on the Knight’s first possession, scoring at 7:51 from 10 yards out.

Vanguard placekicker Grandin Wilcox added the extra point to make it 7-0.

Forest quarterback Steve Curry threw an interception next, giving the ball back to the Knights right quick, scoring on their first play after the turnover.

Quarterback Ronnie Joe Gilchrist, Jr. connected with a wide-open Gaskin at 5:57 for a 40-yard reception touchdown. Wilcox added the extra point moments later to make it 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, it would be the Wildcats who would strike first. While seemingly trapped in his own territory, Curry would catch a flat-footed Vanguard unawares with a quick slant pass to the waiting Patrick Gabriel, who took the ball 95 yards for the touchdown at 11:06.

Missing the extra point, Forest continued to trail 14-6.

The Knights would wake up on their next possession, scoring on the 13^th play of a long drive with 6:38 remaining in the first half. Gilchrist handed the ball to Betterson for the rush touchdown, making it 21-6 after Wilcox’s extra point split the uprights.

Forcing Forest to turn the ball over on downs, Gilchrist found teammate Tyrell Randall for the 12-yard reception touchdown with 11 seconds left in the half, making it 28-6 after Wilcox added another extra point.

Vanguard’s defense added some points of its own to open the third quarter, pouncing on a Curry fumble in the end zone, adding a touchdown at 10:12 and making it 35-6.

Wilcox added three more points to Vanguard’s lead after kicking a 40-yard field goal at 4:18.

Forest scored on its ensuing possession with a quarterback-keeper play, as Curry scored from 15 yards out at 1:19 of the third quarter. The two-point conversion attempt was no good, leaving the score 38-12.

Vanguard answered Forest’s touchdown with another touchdown of its own on its next possession. Betterson once again found the end with 38 seconds left in the quarter from 15 yards out.

Wilcox’s extra point made it 45-6 at the start of the fourth quarter.

Javarien Salter went 25 yards with the ball to score Vanguard’s final touchdown of the game. After the extra point, the Knights walked off the field with the win 52-12 over crosstown rival Forest.