Shanard Williams FG Block propels Treasure Coast over Fort Pierce Central

Irvin Jones, the longtime Treasure Coast head football coach, believes his team's recent success is due to one factor. Since the players tasted their first victory, they became obsessed with it. Despite none of the players having played in a varsity win before this season, the Titans have won five games in a row. However, none of these wins were as dramatic as their latest.

In a District 8-6A game against Fort Pierce Central on Friday night at Lawnwood Stadium, Treasure Coast secured a 14-13 victory. The crucial moment came when Shanard Williams blocked a 19-yard field-goal attempt as time expired. Jones remarked, "It’s crazy because we’re still young. But they finally got a taste of what ‘Titan Born, Titan Bred’ really is.

It’s about being in games like this and being able to pull them out." Earlier in the game, Fort Pierce Central came close to scoring a field goal. After an 11-yard completion to Sammy Raymond, and a deep pass to Ivan Blackmon, the Cobras were just two yards away from the goal line with six seconds left. Instead of another attempt, Cobras head coach Mike Watkins sent out his field-goal unit.

Senior place-kicker Adam Karagic had a good snap, but Williams leapt off the left edge and blocked the ball before it gained any elevation. Williams said, "What was going through my head on that play is that I can’t let my team down. I’m going to put my body on the line, and I’m going to stop this. We got to win the game." The Titans, who started the season with two road losses, will now play for the district title in two weeks against Vero Beach.

They will also face John Carroll Catholic at 7 p.m. Friday at McGuire Stadium. Meanwhile, Fort Pierce Central hosts Bishop Verot next week, hoping to rebound after losing their last two games by a combined four points.